International Student Digital Experiences: Understanding and Mitigating the ‘Digital Shock’

Jisc’s Digital Experience Insights surveys have been used across UK higher education institutions over the past seven years to explore student engagement with digital technologies at their university, in their learning, and in developing their digital skills. International students studying in the UK have been part of that dataset, but their unique experiences prior to arrival on and during their programs of study have not been captured. The pandemic shone a light on the challenges international students face with technology, often referred to as "digital shock," as they transition between countries. As such, we wanted to offer the sector insights into what post-pandemic teaching and learning in UK higher education looks like to students who join us from across the globe. With much attention given to equality, diversity, and inclusion within UK higher education, Jisc has embarked on a four-phase research project to support the sector in providing all students with an equitable digital experience. This presentation summarizes the key findings from the first two phases of this research. The first draws on the literature, consultation with sector bodies leading in international student experience in the UK, and with staff in universities providing digital learning support. The second surfaces the personal experiences of international students as captured in a multi-institutional survey and series of focus groups.