What a Difference a Zoom Makes: Intercultural Interactions between Host and International Students

Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education. 3107 B Hampton Highway, Yorktown, VA 23693. e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: https://www.ojed.org/index.php/jcihe/index

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16

Videoconferencing; Intercultural Communication; Foreign Students; Peer Relationship; Social Support Groups; Pandemics; COVID-19; Cultural Awareness; Intervention; Online Courses; Student Attitudes; Computer Mediated Communication; Virtual Classrooms; Comparative Analysis; Classroom Environment; Higher Education; Student Experience; Foreign Countries; College Students

2151-0393
2151-0407

International students contribute to the academic and cultural life of universities yet they often face discrimination and isolation. Studies highlight that support from the host students can make the difference between an easy or difficult transition. This article is part of a larger project about host student perceptions of international students. Initial analysis indicated that social interactions among international and host students do not become intertwined informally and work best through planned interventions. During the pandemic institutions transitioned from face-to-face to online learning using zoom. We noticed a marked increase in interaction among students online and returned to our research participants to enquire what differences online learning had made to their intercultural experiences. This study focuses on the impact of Virtual Classrooms (VCs) on intercultural relationships, and shows that VCs offers a platform for increased interaction compared to face-to-face classrooms.

As Provided

2022

EJ1343312