Online Support for International Students’ Engagement in Learning: A Case Study on Padlet Usage at a University in Korea

Abstract

The number of international students in South Korea, which dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, reached its highest level in 2023. It is predicted that the number of international students will continue to increase with the active growth in international exchange and due to diverse government support. This study introduces Padlet’s canvas layout in a class for international students to organize the course and boost engagement and interactions among the students and with the instructors. A survey and interviews with 22 undergraduate students from eight different countries, studying in Korea, were conducted to comprehend how they benefited from using the Padlet platform and their experience with it. The results indicate that Padlet enhances the students’ sense of belonging, expands their thinking processes through collaborative interactions and feedback from professors and colleagues, and increases their knowledge, leading to positive effects on class participation. Moreover, the use of Padlet accommodates diversity among different cultures and has a positive impact on cooperative learning in an international context. Based on these findings, several strategies for the implementation of Padlet in an educational setting can be suggested. To stimulate the participation of international students in learning, professors should consider offering the option of staying anonymous versus using real names when posting on Padlet. To improve the effectiveness of feedback, instructors should visualize their feedback. In addition, it is critical to institute guidelines to evaluate the relevance of the information in order to provide information that meets the students’ level of understanding and to establish a healthy level of information exchange. However, due to the limited sample size, the findings from this study cannot be generalized. Thus, we recommend expanding the sample in future studies to enable the use of inferential statistics, such as investigating differences in student attitudes by demographics.