Chinese graduate students' experiences and attitudes toward online learning

This qualitative study was conducted to explore seven Chinese graduate students' experiences of and attitudes to taking online courses in the USA. All seven participants indicated that online learning was an interesting experience for them, however, they had mixed attitudes toward this unfamiliar mode of learning. The participants pointed out that easy resource sharing, easy record keeping and convenience of the discussion board were features of online learning that they liked the most. On the other hand, their writing skills in English, insufficient and deferred feedback and the lack of cultural exchange were their major concerns regarding online learning. Recommendations were provided for Chinese students on how to prepare for and how to succeed in online courses. Online instructors were also given recommendations regarding how to integrate teaching strategies to promote diversity and cultural understanding.