Abstract
Purpose
This paper discusses data related to the final phase of a six-year project entitled, Digital Learning Across Boundaries (DLAB): Developing Changemakers. It explores university students’ growing perceptions of themselves as changemakers as they experience novel physical and digital spaces, drawing upon on the reflections of seven undergraduate education students from England who joined students from five European countries in the final year of the project.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a critical ethnography methodology, this paper embraced reflexivity and immersion in the participants’ experiences. Verbal and written reflections were collated and analysed through inductive coding.
Findings
Results suggest that the multidimensional and multidisciplinary elements of the project led to transformative learning. Transformative change was experienced as students encountered a series of novel spaces and resolved disorientations that arose within them through collective interaction and personal reflection.
Originality
This paper contributes to the field of education by suggesting that educators value the intersection of learning experiences when planning transnational projects and consider the role of cumulative disorientations, multifaceted novel spaces and critical discourse in catalysing personal growth.
This paper discusses data related to the final phase of a six-year project entitled, Digital Learning Across Boundaries (DLAB): Developing Changemakers. It explores university students’ growing perceptions of themselves as changemakers as they experience novel physical and digital spaces, drawing upon on the reflections of seven undergraduate education students from England who joined students from five European countries in the final year of the project.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a critical ethnography methodology, this paper embraced reflexivity and immersion in the participants’ experiences. Verbal and written reflections were collated and analysed through inductive coding.
Findings
Results suggest that the multidimensional and multidisciplinary elements of the project led to transformative learning. Transformative change was experienced as students encountered a series of novel spaces and resolved disorientations that arose within them through collective interaction and personal reflection.
Originality
This paper contributes to the field of education by suggesting that educators value the intersection of learning experiences when planning transnational projects and consider the role of cumulative disorientations, multifaceted novel spaces and critical discourse in catalysing personal growth.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 954 |
Number of pages | 16 |
Journal | Education Sciences |
Volume | 14 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 29 Aug 2024 |
Bibliographical note
The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Ethics Committee of The University of Northampton (October 2022) for studies involving humansData Access Statement
All data underpinning this publication are openly available from the University of Northampton Research Explorer at http://doi.org/10.24339/131e6bf5-ace6-4bae-82db-bf61b30e2331 (accessed on 29 August 2024)Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study
Keywords
- Transformative learning
- Changemaking
- Intercultural competence
- Digital learning
- Learning spaces
- Student identity
- Self-efficacy
- Student confidence
- Collaboration
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Dive into the research topics of 'Novel Spaces as Catalysts for Change: Transformative Learning through Transnational Projects'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Datasets
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Novel spaces as catalysts for change; developing learner agency through transnational projects - dataset
West, A. (Owner), Whewell, E. (Creator), Tiplady, H. (Creator) & Caldwell, H. (Creator), University of Northampton, 23 Jan 2024
DOI: 10.24339/131e6bf5-ace6-4bae-82db-bf61b30e2331
Dataset
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