Survey on Japanese University Students’ Learning Experiences with ICT and Open Sources for International Collaboration

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to report university students’ learning experiences with information communication technology (ICT) and open educational sources (OES) for global learning in Japan. The survey of 327 Japanese university students included seven multiple-choice items and 16 open-ended questions about students’ learning experiences. The results showed that the most frequent use of ICT, including computer-mediated communication, is a discussion function of Blackboard for formal collaborative learning and LINE for informal learning. Learning with OES is less popular; only one student had taken a two-month course via YouTube provided by a Japanese university, and only two students had learned with foreign students online. The students’ preferred activities for future international collaborative learning included project-based learning, casual chats and conversation, discussion, and e-mail exchange. Favored topics were ones related to their majors, international situations, the environment, cultural differences, and school life. Language proficiency, communication, cultural differences, and values and beliefs caused the most anxiety and concern for international collaboration, but the time gap, legal issues, and infrastructure were also considered.