Exploring digital literacy challenges and strategies among international students studying abroad

To the Editor: International students in U.S. medical schools face unique challenges. After enrolling in medical school, international students must strategically prepare for matching into residency programs that sponsor visas while engaging with meaningful extracurricular opportunities within the restrictions set forth by their student visas. As citizens of Nicaragua and Canada, respectively, who have encountered difficulties when finding answers to questions specific to our international status in undergraduate and postgraduate medical training, we suggest medical schools facilitate peer mentorship initiatives intended for international medical students. An important reason for this difficulty is the low number of enrolled international medical students in the United States. For example, of the 2020–2021 matriculating students to allopathic medical schools in the United States, only 131 out of 22,329 matriculants had a legal residence abroad. 1 In turn, medical schools may be relatively limited in providing nuanced, experience-based career guidance and support to their international students. Navigating the limited and different visa options for postgraduate training—in addition to identifying residency programs that even consider international applicants—can be challenging. This compounds the many challenges medical students face in general, including the uncertainty of matching to a residency program and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on each application cycle, setting up international medical students for a more complex journey in medical education than their U.S. peers. Given the few international U.S. medical graduates, and the limitations in career counseling for this population, there is a need for well-informed mentorship and guidance. Peer mentorship initiatives that connect international medical students with each other remain largely underused by medical schools. Although medical schools often offer peer mentorship programs in which more senior students provide academic advice and support to newer students, this approach is insufficient for international students who require guidance in the context of their specific situation. Instead, medical schools should proactively connect international medical students to each other across class years and, just as importantly, to their international alumni. Individuals who have navigated the many barriers present for international medical students in the United States are more likely to provide focused, experience-based support. Facilitating these relationships early in medical school may result in other benefits, including involvement with scholarship and research activities. Ultimately, international medical students in the United States have left their home countries and families to serve the U.S. people. Medical schools that admit international students should place value in using every possible tool to propel them to a successful career in medicine. Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank the deans of the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University for supporting their medical training in the United States.

As the number of international students in higher education continues to grow, so do concerns regarding systemic obstacles, discrimination, and social isolation that can impede students’ academic success. Peer mentorship has been shown to support graduate students through academic socialization and achievement in higher education (Lorenzetti et al., 2019). The purpose of this study was to explore the transitional experiences of international graduate students, and the extent to which peer-mentoring relationships can support academic and emotional well-being. Researchers interviewed 13 international graduate students from 3 professional faculties at a research-intensive Canadian university. International students described academic and intersectional challenges experienced while navigating and adapting to new environments and how these impacted both academic outcomes and students’ well-being. Relationships with peers were viewed as an essential means by which students could access academic and psychosocial supports necessary to adjust to and thrive in their new educational and cultural environments.

Commentary: COVID‐19 Pandemic and Higher Education: International Mobility and Students’ Social Protection

It is of utmost importance that universities seek out creative ways to enhance the communication skills of their international engineering students. Too many engineering students graduate and enter today's global job market without sufficient communication skills that will ultimately give them an edge in their profession. Non-native speakers experience a double-edged sword when it comes to communication skills. Difficulties with the language barrier combined with the fact that some cultures do not encourage speaking out in public exacerbate the problem for many international students. Often, international students will struggle immensely with even the shortest presentations. Learning effective communication skills would help these students have a more pleasant and less stressful experience while studying abroad. Additionally, international students might be more motivated to attend a university that took the extra initiative in teaching communication skills. This paper examines the importance of teaching communication skills to international students of engineering. Additionally, it investigates various methods of teaching communication skills to international engineering students in higher education. Top priority should be given to see that students are able to live up to the highest standards both academically and professionally. It is time that universities empowered their international students with the additional skills necessary to survive and flourish in today's competitive and demanding global job market.

The rising number of international students in higher education offers many benefits but presents challenges to students, including adapting to independent living, academic and social acculturation, and financial pressures. These challenges can affect students’ mental health, academic engagement, and overall well-being. Despite universities offering various support services, their utilization remains inconsistent. This study explored the perspectives of academics, students, and international marketing representatives on international student experiences in health programs at an Australian university via a qualitative, two-phase approach, including focus groups and a co-design process to identify solutions. The study moved beyond traditional academic and counseling perspectives by incorporating international marketing representatives as transition brokers alongside students, alumni, and academics. Three key themes emerged: student support services, learning and teaching experiences, and employability. Strengths within these themes included assignment support, peer mentoring, and career development, whereas challenges involved access to psychosocial support, accommodation, and financial aid. Concerns about program recognition internationally and flexibility were also noted. Strengthening international partnerships was identified as a solution to these concerns. The findings highlight the importance of comprehensive support services that address academic, health, personal well-being, and employability needs throughout the student lifecycle. Importantly, both students and staff must be aware of these services and how to access them.

Increasing numbers of students are travelling overseas to pursue higher education. The number has gone up from 0.8 million in 1975 to 4.3 million in 2011 (OECD, 2013). International students enrich the host country and university academically, culturally and economically. They enhance other students’ and staff’s experience by exposing them to diversity and multiculturalism (Burdett & Crossman, 2012; Peacock & Harrison, 2009; Rienties & Nolan, 2014; Zhou, Jindal-Snape, Topping, & Todman, 2008; Zhou, Todman, Topping, & Jindal-Snape, 2010). International students benefit themselves from studying abroad but can also face some issues as a result of their transition to a new country and educational system. There is a need to raise awareness amongst academics, researchers, professionals and policy makers of the positive effects of transitions to build upon them, and the negative effects to successfully resolve them. This book brings together expertise from around the world and is a comprehensive resource for different aspects of transitions experienced by international students and ways of understanding them; theoretical underpinnings, research, systemic enablers and barriers, and interventions to enhance transition experience. This chapter sets the scene for this book and other chapters. We will explore the concept of transitions and briefly outline some of the theories that can help us understand the multiple and multi-dimensional transitions of international students in higher education. These will be set in the context of current research and policy, followed by an outline of each section and chapter, and how they link to the Affective-Behaviour-Cognitive (ABC) theoretical framework (Ward, 2001; Ward, Bochner, & Furnham, 2001; Zhou et al., 2008).

International students are a group of rising prominence in open, distance, and digital higher education, although there is, at present, limited systematic data about their numbers worldwide. International students in open, distance, and digital education occupy an interesting “third space,” whereby they commonly remain within their home environment and surroundings while simultaneously studying from an institution-based abroad. This means that many of the lenses used to frame and categorize international students in face-to-face settings – mobility, visas, and citizenship – are found problematic in online distance settings. This chapter reflects on these issues to outline complexities in categorizing international students in open, distance, and digital higher education and the ways that their experiences may be distinct from international students who are geographically mobile. The chapter ends with a reflection on gaps in current research and suggestions for researchers who include international students in their work.

Digital literacy has emerged as a core competency in the 21st century society, and deep learning and higher-order thinking have been discussed as effective ways to improve digital literacy. Therefore, this study aimed to verify the influence of deep learning and higher-order thinking skills on higher education students’ digital literacy. Structural Equation Modeling was used to analyze the data gathered from 687 undergraduate and higher vocational students using a convenient sampling technique. The findings indicate that deep motivation and deep strategy were significantly positively correlated with students’ digital literacy. In such a structural relationship, digital literacy was additionally moderated by higher-order thinking. Nevertheless, students who have customarily used digital devices for more than five years could not be explained by this structural equation model. Lastly, this conclusion highlighted that educators should consider students’ digital experiences level, guide in selecting and applying deep learning, develop higher-order thinking, and improve their digital literacy.

In order to comfortably and effectively function in U.S. classrooms, both international students and domestic students benefit from the development of interactive and intercultural communication skills. At Purdue University, a large, public, R1 institution with a substantial international population, the internationalization of the student body is a priority. To examine the relationship between academic and social integration of international and domestic students on campus, international (ESL) undergraduate students (L2 English, n=253) from the Purdue Language and Cultural Exchange Program (PLaCE), and domestic undergraduate students (L1 English n=50) from the first-year composition program (ICaP), participated in a voluntary survey. The framework for investigating students’ interaction with peers and teachers was derived from Severiens and Wolff (2008). Four aspects of new, incoming students’ adaptation (Global Perspective, Intercultural Competence, Acculturation Mode, and Willingness to Communicate) were addressed by the survey. Although there were similarities between international and domestic students, the results revealed international students had more opportunities to interact with peers from diverse language backgrounds in formal academic contexts, including classroom activities, peer-group work in first-year programs and language programs. However, in informal, social contexts, neither international nor domestic students took advantage of opportunities to interact with each other. The tendency to prefer social interactions with co-nationals may contribute to social isolation and limited integration of international and domestic students within broader social contexts outside of classrooms. Yet, rather than resisting this trend, instructors and administrators might enhance opportunities for interaction in academic contexts where both groups are most willing to participate. Findings from this study can contribute to the development of first-year programs that provide realistic solutions for the enhanced internationalization of both domestic and international students on campus.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate social engagement among international students attending a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Specifically, the study explored how campus leadership and the broader campus community can promote social integration and engagement for international students. Prior research has shown that international students face unique challenges in their social adjustment and academic success, often requiring tailored institutional support (Andrade, 2006; Hendrickson, Rosen, & Aune, 2011; Perry, 2016; Zhang & Goodson, 2011). This study employed a narrative inquiry approach and included seven international students currently enrolled at an HBCU in the southern United States. The use of a fictional institution, Spice University, allowed for ethical anonymity while representing a composite of common HBCU experiences. Through in-depth interviews and participant storytelling, this study aimed to identify barriers to social adjustment and understand how international students acclimate to on-campus environments. Findings revealed that while participants valued the familial atmosphere, cultural pride, and supportive faculty relationships at HBCUs, they experienced challenges related to limited pre-arrival communication, under-resourced international offices, and difficulties building peer relationships with domestic students. Despite these barriers, students demonstrated strong adaptability and a desire for deeper cultural engagement. Participants emphasized the importance of intentional programming, peer mentorship, and visible international representation in fostering a sense of belonging. The insights gained from this study provide actionable recommendations for improving institutional support, expanding inclusive practices, and strengthening international student programming at HBCUs. This research takes place during a time of heightened political uncertainty in the United States, as the 2025 political administration introduces new immigration policies and revisits international education priorities. Such shifts have direct implications for international students’ visa stability, campus climate, and their overall sense of security and belonging. The findings of this study underscore the urgent need for HBCUs and other institutions to advocate for inclusive practices, strengthen international student support systems, and ensure that global learners are protected and valued as integral members of the academic community.

Owing to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid increase in the number of international higher education students, online academic programmes have become more centralised and became the main, sometimes only, form of education. Although the online environment offers flexible access to education, it can cause concerns and difficulties for both international students and the host universities as they may not be well informed of each other’s expectations. This can make transition extremely challenging and a major cause of anxiety for international students. Thus, this study conceptually discusses the gaps between the expectations held by lecturers in host universities and their international students about the extent of self-navigated online learning. In the current forms of course coordination, international students may have both frustration and cognitive overloads due to the many challenges associated with studying in a foreign university. It is recommended, therefore, for universities to provide better support for newly arrived international students in terms of helping them navigate online learning requirements in the initial stages, while encouraging the students to take greater responsibility for self-navigating their own online learning.

Information literacy instruction for international graduate engineering students: A case study at University of Windsor

In this systematic literature review, reports of international students, faculty members, and researchers indicate that international students have difficulty with the reading, writing, listening, and speaking demands of their English-mediated academic contexts, and that many host-institutions are not equipped to effectively accommodate their linguistic needs. A significant number of the studies reviewed also report that the difference between international students’ previous educational experiences and typical Western classroom practices, dynamics, and expectations can be sources of confusion and anxiety. Additionally, salient trends indicate that linguistic and cultural difficulties may persist throughout the entire course of study, that some instructors hold deficit views of international students, and that international and domestic students have limited interactions. Host-institutions that fail to adequately meet the unique needs of this population have a moral obligation to take each of these issues into consideration if they are going to continue to take international students’ tuition dollars.

The authors examine the choices, expectations, and experiences of international students in China, aiming to understand emerging reverse student flows and the role of political, economic and cultural factors in international student mobility. Data were drawn from survey responses by 1674 international students from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin and North America studying at eight Chinese universities. Findings suggest significant differences among students' choices, experiences, and expectations by their region of origin. In a broader context, this research addresses the important role of developing countries as not only senders but also receivers of international students, and demonstrates ways that political, economic and cultural structures influence international students' choices, experiences and expectations. This research on international education in China contributes to the study of regionalization and internationalization of higher education.

Purpose: Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL) has become a central feature of contemporary education, offering digital platforms and tools to improve teaching and learning. In Ghanaian Senior High Schools (SHSs), TEL adoption has accelerated, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet questions remain about its impact on student engagement and motivation. This study therefore examined role of technology-enhanced learning on student engagement and motivation in selected Ghanaian Senior High Schools. Methods: Anchored in Self-Determination Theory, the study employed a positivist paradigm and a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. A deductive approach guided the analysis of theoretically grounded constructs. The sample comprised 73 students purposively selected from two public SHSs with established digital infrastructure. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered via Google Forms, adapted from validated instruments, and analysed using IBM SPSS (Version 27). Descriptive statistics summarised perceptions, while Pearson’s correlation tested associations among digital literacy, motivation, and engagement at a 95% confidence level. Findings: Findings revealed that students perceived digital literacy particularly confidence and positive attitudes toward digital tools as critical enablers of TEL use. Confidence in digital skills strongly influenced collaboration and motivation (Mean = 4.00; r = 0.93). Digital tool use was highly correlated with improved focus, enjoyment, and active participation in TEL classrooms (r = 0.91–0.94). These results highlight that competence and confidence are stronger predictors of motivation and engagement than peer influence or system usability. Conclusion: The study concludes that TEL can significantly enhance student motivation and engagement when supported by digital literacy. Implications: The implications highlight the need for targeted teacher training, equitable resource allocation, and digital literacy programmes to maximise TEL’s benefits in Ghanaian SHSs, thereby advancing SDG 4 (Quality Education). Originality: The originality of this research lies in its focus on the relationship between digital literacy and motivational outcomes in Ghanaian SHSs, moving beyond access and infrastructure debates to provide empirical evidence on how TEL shapes students’ learning experiences.