Challenges and achievements in student learning experiences in a business school’s at-home internationalization programs in China
Journal of International Education in Business
ISSN: 2046-469X
Article publication date: 10 December 2020
Issue publication date: 21 September 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this ontologically qualitative research study was to (a) explore student narratives regarding their educational experiences in at-home internationalization programs; (b) provide an in-depth narrative analysis of student learning challenges and achievements; and (c) add valuable research-based knowledge of student-described experiences for use by program administrators.
Design/methodology/approach
Participants were selected with a form of four-stage non-proportional stratified sampling. 29 participants were interviewed using a basic demographic questionnaire and an episodic interview protocol. Data were analyzed in QSR NVivo software through open, axial, and selective coding stages under the framework of grounded theory.
Findings
The findings focus on student-identified links between the challenges they encountered and their achievements. In addition, student performance level and gender were associated with the challenges and achievements reported by students. In understanding the results, the student-learning concepts found in the learned optimism, growth mindset, grit and expectancy theory approaches provide potentially fruitful insights.
Originality/value
The findings of this research have instructive implications for program administrators regarding how student challenges can be strategically chosen and shaped to generate specific, positive student achievements.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research is funded by a research grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC), No. 71972155, the Innovation Capability Support Program of Shaanxi Province, China, No. 2019KJXX-056, and the Youth Innovation Team of Shaanxi Universities.
Citation
Tang, H., Hite, S.J., Hite, J.M., Boren, D.M. and Randall, E.V. (2021), "Challenges and achievements in student learning experiences in a business school’s at-home internationalization programs in China", Journal of International Education in Business, Vol. 14 No. 2, pp. 259-296. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIEB-04-2020-0026
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited