ABSTRACT
From
the Bush to Bits ’n’ Bytes.
A study on students from developing countries undertaking western higher
education
dependent on information and communication technology.
Research
problem:
Internationalization
in higher education and digital competence in education, are topics
highly prioritized at Norwegian Universities and Colleges. Close attached
to educational vision and objective is also the question of quality
in education. The area under discussion in this present project is a
field where all these three issues are vital.
The
key topic in this thesis is to elucidate how students from developing
countries experience their convergence with a Norwegian educational
institution where ICT is a fundamental part of the everyday student life
at the university and where a digital proficiency is essential to achieve
complete properly participation in education.
The
major questions are as follows:
How
do students from developing countries experience ICT integrated study
situation? What are their views of their own competence compared to the
requirements and expectations put
forward? What cultural aspects make an influence on their education? What
educational strategies are being used in knowledge acquisition?
Based
on these significant questions the project brings into focus the students
ICT backgrounds before their period of study in Norway and what previous
and present conditions of utilization are of current interest
Subsequently
an inquiry is proposed on the students thinking of learning theory, what
teaching methods and learning strategies are dominating in their home
countries and how these aspects affect students’ participation in a
digital field of learning in Norway.
Further
an elucidation on what characterize the field of learning by illuminating
what experiences the students have gained considering the institution as a
contractor of ICT founded services adjusted to students from developing
countries and finally what prospects
and constraints there are within such an organized adjustment
to release the potential which ICT is representing.
Methods
The
project is rooted in a phenomenological and hermeneutic
thinking and connected to a social constructive research tradition.
The
thesis’ research problem is illuminated through an empiric inquiry which
is based on qualitative research methods.
The
objective of this project is to collect information on students practises
and experiences of an unfamiliar study situation where digital competence
isa fundamental and an integrated part of the everyday life as a student.
The
analysis of the collected data is presented
according to the method of condensation of meaning.
The
examination is limited to include master degree students and research
fellows from developing countries undertaking their studies at the Faculty
of Education at th University of Oslo. 14 interviews are accomplished.
Theory
The
theoretical foundation to illustrate the different aspects of the research
is based on a reflective research perspective. The
reflection derives from a scepticism
to what apparently seem to be satisfactory.
The researchers comprehension is likely to be
influenced by predisposition. Thus there is a claim for critical
awareness. A reflective research is characterized by knowledge acquisition
which rather opens than arrive at conclusions. The crucial aspect is the
possibility to gain understanding more than determine the truth.
Included
in the theoretical foundation of this project is a cultural and social
aspect represented by Pierre Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, field,
cultural capital and social rooms.
Further
the project is located in a sociocultural learning tradition where
the research problem is illuminated by the theories of Jean Wenger and
Etienne Wenger and their focus on situated learning, participation
in a community of practice and their theories on artefacts and
transparency.
This
multi perspective of theories also comprise the topics or cultural and
cross-cultural communication as well includes the concern on digital
competence.
Results
Master
degree students and research fellows from developing countries undertaking
education in Norway can not - compared to their fellow countrymen - be
described as coming from the “Bush”. Each and all informants in our
analysis consider themselves as being member of privileged
groups achieving more possibilities to intellectual and academic
evolvement than other groups in their home country.
On
the other hand compared to students from countries in the north and west,
most of the students consider themselves as coming from the “Bush”
meaning coming far from central areas relating to development of
information and communication technology.
Despite
of their social background, the students possess very diminutive or not
any digital competence when they commence their studies in Norway.
This
study demonstrates the gap between the students lack of digital
proficiency when coming to
Norway in order to study and the demands and expectations to ICT -
qualifications that is required to attend and complete an academic degree
in a satisfying way.
The
main feature in the analysis reflects that the students from developing
countries meet challenges in a double sense in acquisition of digital
competence. Cultural hindrances have to be conquered in addition to master
the digital technique.
The
students have a double qualification to achieve. Handling artefacts
connected to the new culture together with operating technical equipment
are both proficiencies necessary to master to acquire admission to or to
be complete participants in the learning arena constituted as communities
of practice.
Consequently there is a gap between the students competence and the
institution’s requirements.
The
study reveals that the students’ insufficient ICT proficiency still
exists after one and a half years as students at the university.
The
students achieve knowledge mostly thorough a traditional way of thinking
in relation to learning theories. Diminutive
or insignificant collaboration or knowledge allocation between the
students in the community of practise takes place.
Home
|