Mao, Yiyi and Lee, Kyungmee (2026) Online International Students’ Interaction Experience in Higher Education from a Post-/Decolonial Perspective : A Case Study of Online Chinese International Students. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.
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Abstract
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, online distance education (ODE) has expanded rapidly, with an increasing number of universities offering international ODE programmes and a large number of international students taking part. In this context, ODE has raised critical debates around the colonial tendencies, power dynamics, and injustices embedded in it, especially in online Western classrooms which affect international students’ online learning experiences and reinforce the essentialism and prejudices against them. Therefore, exploring online international students’ experiences is demanded. This qualitative thesis engages with Chinese international students who chose to stay in China to attend full-time online distance courses provided by English-speaking universities as a case to present international students’ ODE experience. The thesis aims to examine the diversity of online international student groups and uncover the injustices they experience, thereby critically reflecting on the underlying power hierarchy of epistemology, knowledge, and structures within international ODE. Building on critical theory, the thesis uses types of interaction (ToI) as a descriptive lens and post-/decolonial theory as an analytical lens to locate online international students in complicated sociocultural contexts, in order to explore their interaction experience and perceptions of injustices. Viewed as agentic learners, the international students actively navigate across different temporal and spatial contexts and strategically resist injustices, ultimately constructing their meaningful learning journey based on their aspirations. The thesis challenges assumptions about international students and reconceptualises ToI in ODE. It argues that the internationalisation and decolonial practices in ODE remain insufficient. While online international students contribute to diversity in ODE and actively negotiate different settings, challenges, and injustices, it is argued that internationalisation and decolonial practices should not solely rely upon individuals’ efforts or superficial internationalised courses. Instead, they require a more critical reflection on epistemology and the broader structure; and based on this, the thesis accordingly provides theoretical and practical recommendations.