Research Publications
Research STudies
HUFS OIAM does not just facilitate physical mobility and intercultural exchanges for students from all over the world; we also conduct and publish research on the very topic. See below a list of research papers that have been conducted through the Office of International Affairs. We strive to submit our papers to Open Access Journals so that they are freely accessible to anyone and everyone around the world, fostering a global discourse on international higher education.
Published
Seoul Destination: A mixed-methods study on the pull factors of inbound exchange students at a Korean university.
Abstract
The number of international students studying in the Republic of Korea has increased tremendously over the last 20 years, marking a change in regional student mobility trends. While most international degree students tend to originate in countries in Asia, signifying regionalization versus internationalization, exchange students are diverse by nationality/ region. This concurrent nested mixed-methods study sought to investigate the pull factors of a Korean university among exchange students. 564 students completed an electronic questionnaire and 10 students participated in on campus interviews. Quantitative results suggested that exchange students found characteristics about Korea attractive (e.g., K-pop) as well as wanting international and/or cross-cultural experiences, to be the most appealing. Qualitative findings showed that students became interested in Korea by exposure to popular media, as well as wanting a diverse, international study environment. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of university inbound program promotion/marketing and program design/development for short-term mobility, along with areas for future research.
Reference
Stewart, W. H. (2020). Seoul Destination: A mixed-methods study on the pull factors of inbound exchange students at a Korean university. FIRE: Forum for International Research in Education, 6(3), 58-82. https://doi.org/10.32865/fire202063220
in press
Distance education under duress: A case study of exchange students' experiences with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Korea.
Abstract
COVID-19 caused transitions to remote learning around the world. The way this occurred, though necessary, was a departure from the standards and norms of traditional distance education, as well as a drastic change for the majority of students who had little, if any, previous experience learning at a distance. This case study was conducted in the Republic of Korea with 15 international exchange students who found themselves forced to take distance education courses on an empty campus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Themes of isolation and loneliness, diverse learning experiences, little-to-no social interaction, teaching, cognitive, or social presence emerged from the interviews. In this paper, we discuss our findings and the implications for future research and practice.
Reference
Stewart, W. H., & Lowenthal, P. R. (in press). Distance education under duress: A case study of exchange students' experiences with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Korea. Journal of Research on Technology in Education.
A global crash-course in teaching and learning online: A thematic review of empirical Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) studies in higher education during Year 1 of COVID-19
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted education in ways that academic institutions, scholars, administrators, educators, and students will strive to fully comprehend for years to come. The global spread of SARS-CoV2 in early 2020 prompted social distancing as the primary countermeasure against contracting and spreading the novel coronavirus, which in turn led academic communities worldwide to suddenly transition to emergency remote teaching (ERT) in order to maintain educational continuity. This review of the literature synthesizes findings from 38 empirical studies set in higher education about emergency remote teaching (ERT) in 2020 from all over the world. A thematic analysis of findings produced four major themes: 1) diverse ERT experiences; 2) digital divide and vast educational/socio economic inequalities; 3) commonly-experienced ERT problems, issues, and challenges; and 4) frequently-made adjustments in response to ERT. Findings are indicative of the immediate aftermath of transitions to ERT, and open areas of research for long-term impacts of ERT are discussed.
Reference
Stewart, W. H. (in press). A global crash-course in teaching and learning online: A thematic review of empirical Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) studies in higher education during Year 1 of COVID-19. Open Praxis.
Under Review
Experiences and perceptions of exchange students learning online during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Korea: An exploratory descriptive study.
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic forced schools worldwide to suddenly transition to remote learning. The change forced students, who might not choose to take distance education courses, to adjust to a new way of completing their coursework. Distance courses further complicated academic exchanges since exchange students also found themselves isolated on an empty campus in a foreign country. There is currently a lack of research on students' experiences learning online when they are forced to immediately transition from face-to-face courses to remote or online courses. This exploratory descriptive study investigated exchange students’ experiences learning online during the COVID19 pandemic in the Republic of Korea. 140 exchange students responded to a survey about their experiences and perceptions of their online courses’ Teaching and Learning Processes, Student Support, and Course Structure. In this paper, we discuss our findings and the implications for future research and practice.
Destination, experience, social network, and institution: A quantitative analysis of four academic exchange pull factor dimensions at a university in the Republic of Korea.
Abstract
Korean universities have shown a dramatic increase in international student enrollment over the last 20 years. While the increase in enrollment is undeniable, factors related to international students at Korean universities are not well known or poorly understood. Decisions leading to enrollment can be markedly different between short- and long-term international students, or the reasons underlying these decisions may be conflated or overlooked, obfuscating research findings. This quantitative study at a university in the Republic of Korea investigated four pull factor dimensions, Appeal of Korea, Experiential Motivations, Social Network Influences, and Institutional Appeal (based on 30 pull factor items) by gender and study level. Data was collected from 601 short-term exchange students using an electronic questionnaire for students enrolled over a five-semester period. Results showed that Experiential Motivations were the most salient pull factor dimension in general, while 2x3 ANOVA analyses indicated statistically significant differences by gender and study level across all four pull factor dimensions. Female students were more likely to be pulled by Experiential Motivations, in addition to being more likely to be studying at the language institute while graduate students were negatively correlated with Experiential Motivations and Institutional Appeal. Implications of findings suggest a further development of cultural experiences into undergraduate/graduate programs to increase appeal, as well as extra-curricular offerings through both formal university offices and informal student-led organizations.
Academic exchanges in the age of COVID-19: A case study of arrival and quarantine experiences from the Republic of Korea.
Abstract
The closure of university campuses and the suspension of mobility programs have been common as a result of COVID-19, though not all programs have closed their doors. In the Republic of Korea, the successful management of the pandemic allowed borders to remain open, nor were any national lockdowns incurred. Nevertheless in Spring 2020, the government started requiring quarantine-upon-arrival for all travellers from abroad. Constantly changing policy provisions created confusion, and information from government agencies, and embassies both locally and abroad were conflicting. The fast approaching Fall 2020 semester would see students arrive en masse with no knowledge of how the quarantine process would work, what it would actually cost, or how it would affect them. Worst case scenarios saw students arriving unable to use government quarantine facilities as originally planned, which left them scrambling to find housing in order to avoid being deported. This case study reports the experiences of 10 exchange students with pre-arrival and arrival experiences at a university in Seoul, Korea. We discuss implications for future research and practice.