Experiences of online learning and identity construction during the pandemic : Voices of international students in Hong Kong

With the internationalisation of higher education, the growth of the international student population not only led to cultural and linguistic diversity on university campuses, but also created an urgent need to provide support for a linguistically and culturally diverse group of international students with respect to their academic learning. Such a need has become particularly prominent when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, giving rise to unprecedented challenges faced by international students who had to adjust to emergency online learning within a short period of time in the midst of the pandemic. This paper investigates a group of international students’ experiences of online learning during the pandemic in an English-medium university in Hong Kong, with particular attention to the challenges they faced in online learning, the strategies they adopted to overcome various challenges, and how their online learning experiences shaped their identity construction.

Based on an analysis of narratives collected from interviews with international students, the study found that most international students encountered challenges in online learning during the pandemic, including technical, emotional, social, and linguistic difficulties. For example, they not only experienced social isolation and emotional discomfort as a result of the lack of face-to-face contact with other students and instructors, but also encountered technical difficulties in participating in online classes and expressed diminished motivation to participate actively in online class activities. In face of the challenges, they reported drawing on a range of strategies in navigating their academic studies, including seeking support from their existing social networks and making intensive use of online resources for completing their course assignments. Furthermore, the study found that international students’ online learning experiences impacted on their identity constructions as learners. Most of them became more independent learners who exercised their agency in seeking out resources on their own and managing their time in a systematic manner to complete their course assignments. Yet, their feelings of isolation and disconnection, coupled with various emotional issues, adversely influenced their identities as members of the university community. Their sense of marginalization in the university community was further exacerbated by the perceived lack of institutional support and emotional support from other students during the pandemic. Overall, the findings highlight the close relationship between international students’ online learning experiences and their identity construction during the pandemic. The study also has implications for enhancing international students’ online learning experiences and supporting their socio-emotional needs in the future.