Xiangyun Du
Biographic Data
| ID | 1707336 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Xiangyun Du |
| GIVEN NAMES | Xiangyun |
| FAMILY NAME | Du |
| SIGNATURE | DU X |
| AFFILIATIONS | Aalborg University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-9527-6795 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 41 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 41 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 41 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2014 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Individual agency and sustainability initiatives in STEM careers and education: A scoping review
Individual agency—the capacity to make purposeful choices and enact change—plays an important role in advancing sustainability in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and professional careers. However, a clear, consolidated understanding of how this agency is conceptualized, operationalized, and enacted across STEM fields is lacking. This scoping review systematically maps the existing literature to answer the questi…
Sources fostering engineering students’ academic well-being in PBL environments: A cross-national comparative analysis
This study explores students’ perspectives on academic well-being, employing a theoretical framework to identify sources of support across two distinct educational institutions that adopt Project-/Problem-Based Learning (PBL) as the core learning approach for the curriculum. The research highlights how both internal (e.g. personal drive) and external (e.g. peer and institutional support) factors influence academic well-being in diverse educationa…
Engineering students’ agency for sustainability in a PBL context: Q methodology research
Sustainability has become a central concern in engineering education, requiring future engineers to address complex ecological, social, and economic challenges while exercising professional agency. This study examines engineering students’ perceptions of their sustainability agency within a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) environment, using Q methodology to capture diverse viewpoints among students enrolled in the same course. The analysis identifie…
‘I am because we are’: Unfolding role identity and tensions of South African middle leaders in engineering as change agents
This paper explores how role identity enables or constrains academic middle leaders in engineering as change agents within South African higher education. Framed by complexity theory, the study draws on the Dynamic Systems Model of Role Identity (DSMRI), which conceptualizes role identity as a complex, dynamic system shaped by the interaction of internal and external factors. Data were collected from eleven academic engineering middle leaders dur…
Fostering multimodal and intercultural learning through design thinking- driven digital storytelling pedagogy in intercultural communication education
The rise of digital technologies and social media has transformed intercultural communication, necessitating innovative pedagogical approaches to develop EFL learners’ abilities to craft culturally sensitive and multimodal narratives for diverse global audiences. This study examines the integration of design thinking (DT) and digital storytelling (DST) in a 12-week intercultural business communication course for Chinese EFL graduate students at a…
From role tension to resilience: Unveiling role identity of award-winning teachers in problem- and project-based learning facilitation
Award-winning teachers are viewed as exemplars of effective practice, yet little is known about how they internally negotiate their role identities, manage role tensions and remain resilience. This study addresses it by exploring university teacher awardees’ perceptions of problem- and project-based learning (PBL) facilitation. Using Dynamic Systems Model of Role Identity (DSMRI), role identity is conceptualized as a complex, dynamic system shape…
First-Year University Students’ Perspectives on Their Psychological Safety in PBL Teams
This study explores first-year university students’ perceptions of psychological safety, team creativity, and academic well-being in problem-based learning (PBL) teams at Aalborg University, where PBL is systematically implemented. These constructs are vital for fostering effective collaboration and positive academic outcomes, yet their interrelations in educational contexts remain underexplored. A survey was administered to 893 students across S…
Exploring sources of engineering students’ academic well-being through Q-methodology research
Recent interest in academic well-being has promoted universities to take proactive measures that support students in navigating the challenges of university life, in all its complexity. Drawing on systems theory, this study explored the sources of engineering students’ academic well-being at one university in Qatar. Q methodology was applied to collect and analyze data using a 31-item Q-sample. Forty-four male engineering students participated in…
Early career academics’ perceptions of their facilitator roles in a systemic PBL context
This study investigated how 53 early career academics at a Danish university perceive their roles as facilitators in student teams within a problem- and project-based learning (PBL) framework. Using Q methodology, the analysis found shared values such as setting mutual expectations, helping students manage crises, and encouraging independent problem-solving. Four distinct opinions on facilitators' roles were identified: (1) enhancing student crea…
Building Careers: Key Influences on Career Aspirations in a Danish Problem-Based Learning Setting
This paper examines supporting elements of senior engineering students’ career aspirations within a problem-based learning (PBL) environment in Denmark. Using the systems theory framework of career development, this study investigates both individual and contextual influences of career aspirations. A mixed-method approach was employed, incorporating multiple data sources, including Q methodology, interviews, and written reflections. The analysis …
A qualitative study of fairness perceptions in the classroom among students and teachers
Perceptions of unfairness can stem from various viewpoints. This qualitative study explored how teachers and students judge their experiences at school from the perspective of fairness. We conducted semistructured interviews with 19 teachers and 22 students in different regions of China and found that the merit-based principle was generally recognized by both teachers and students, particularly in the area of resource distribution. Disagreements …
Supports and constraints to middle leadership development in higher education: A Q-methodology study
Middle leadership development in a Higher Education context can be understood as a complex endeavor, influenced by interactions and interrelations within multiple systems. We explored the perspectives of thirty-five male and female middle leaders on the conditions influencing their leadership development at one university in Qatar. Q methodology was applied to collect and analyze data quantitatively and qualitatively. A 40-statement Q-sample was …
Supporting change in Polish higher education: Academic middle leaders’ perspectives
This article reports a mixed-methods study examining 29 academic middle leaders’ viewpoints on supporting educational change in higher educational institutions in Poland. Following a three-dimensional conceptual framework emphasizing support at the individual, collegial, and environmental levels, Q methodology was adopted to collect and analyze data qualitatively and quantitatively. Four significantly different viewpoints were identified, respect…
Understanding Researchers’ AI Readiness in a Higher Education Context: Q Methodology Research
Taking a human-centered socio-cultural perspective, this study explored the manifold individual and structural processes that contribute to researchers’ AI readiness. Forty-three graduate students and faculty at one university in Qatar took part in this Q methodology study. The results represented participants’ collective perspectives on what they considered relevant to their AI readiness. A 5 + 1-factor solution was accepted, illustrating divers…
Exploring University Staff Views on Providing Continuing Education for Professional Engineers in Denmark: Using the Q Methodology
This article reports on a study examining 28 university engineering educators’ viewpoints on how to provide continuing education for professional engineers in a Danish university context. The Q methodology was adopted to collect and analyze data qualitatively and quantitatively. Three significantly different viewpoints were identified, prioritizing (1) a continuing engineering education (CEE) business model as an institutional priority, (2) organ…
Do Good Intentions Lead to Expected Outcomes? Professional Learning Amongst Early Career Academics in a Problem-Based Program
This paper presents findings from a study of pedagogical beliefs and practices amongst early career academics attending an extensive professional development program. The research questions of this study were as follows: how do early career academics define their pedagogical beliefs in relation to a pedagogical development program, and how do their beliefs manifest in their pedagogical practice? This study was based on a qualitative document anal…
Frameworks and Models for Digital Transformation in Engineering Education: A Literature Review Using a Systematic Approach
In response to the opportunities and challenges posed by rapid technological advancement, digital transformation (DT) has recently emerged as a key concept in higher engineering education. DT involves using digital technologies to transform educational and pedagogical practices to enhance the learning and teaching experiences, prepare students for the needs of industry, and foster innovation. Despite a growing number of small-scale empirical stud…
Middle Management Leadership Experiences of a Mission-Driven Innovation University Strategy
This study explores academic middle managers’ perspectives on a mission-driven university strategy in a Danish context, offering insights for institutions implementing similar strategies. The case of a Danish university highlights the vital role of academic middle managers in navigating strategic uncertainty. Success requires a nuanced understanding of organizational dynamics and aligning initiatives with institutional goals. The study, based on …
What does it mean to be engaged? The engagement of student engineers with sustainability: A literature review
Purpose Student engagement has become increasingly significant in sustainability education for engineers because it enables future engineers to develop competencies, knowledge and values relevant to acting for sustainability. Therefore, this paper aims to examine characteristics of student engineer engagement with sustainability and to discuss the meanings of this concept. Design/methodology/approach To build a more holistic picture of student en…
Teacher’s agency in education for sustainable development: An East-West collaborative Erasmus programme using Q methodology
Purpose The integration of ESD is a complex problem. It calls for an innovative, student-centred curriculum, as well as professional learning and agency, by which university teachers feel empowered to change their practice and direct their peers and institutions towards ESD. This study aims to explore what university teachers consider to be the most important attitudes in supporting their agency to deliver Education for Sustainable Development (E…
Teachers’ Pedagogical Beliefs in a Project-Based Learning School in South Africa
Pedagogical beliefs serve as important drivers for teachers’ approaches to implementing innovative learning methods. To promote change in education processes, understanding teachers’ perspectives of their teaching roles and beliefs and how they change in the shift from traditional teaching to constructivist learning in diverse learning contexts, is essential. This study provides an overview of various traditional and constructivist beliefs held b…
A Systematic Review of Engineering Students in Intercultural Teamwork: Characteristics, Challenges, and Coping Strategies
In response to the challenges posed by globalization and internationalization, engineering education programs are increasingly focused on knowledge, technologies, and competence that meet global needs. Against this backdrop, higher engineering students are often encouraged to collaborate in teams with others from diverse, cultural, and disciplinary backgrounds, for the purpose of preparing them to accommodate change and innovation across internat…
Good advice from authors working in under‐represented countries
Authors of 4 papers that were recently published from under‐represented regions of the world offer their advice on how to get started in an effort to facilitate similar success for others
Exploring Students’ Perception of the Influence of PBL Elements on the Development of Engineering Identity
Contribution: This article illustrates a theoretical model and an analytical tool for understanding the influence of diverse elements of the project-based learning (PBL) environment on engineering identity development in students. Supportive elements in three dimensions that contribute to students’ identities as future engineers are identified to inspire the improvement of future PBL design. Background: Prior research has investigated the compone…
An Exploration of Sources Fostering First-Year Engineering Students’ Academic Well-Being in a PBL Environment
Contribution: This article contributes to the literature surrounding first-year engineering students’ academic well-being by proposing a conceptual framework guiding an understanding of supportive sources that foster students’ academic well-being. A survey was designed and tested accordingly, and four factors that contribute to students’ academic well-being were identified to inspire the improvement of a future course and curriculum design. Backg…
Chinese language teachers’ beliefs about their roles in the Danish context
Novice teachers' job satisfaction and coping strategies: Overcoming contextual challenges at Qatari government schools
A narrative inquiry of teacher educators’ professional agency, identity renegotiations, and emotional responses amid educational disruption
Implementation of task-based language teaching in Chinese as a foreign language: Benefits and challenges
Task-based language teaching (TBLT) has been drawing increased attention from language teachers and researchers in the past decade. This paper focuses on the effects of TBLT on beginner learners of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) in Denmark. Participatory observation and semi-structured interviews were carried out with 18 participants from two beginning-level Chinese classes. Qualitative analysis of the data indicates that TBLT benefits learn…
Tasks and learner motivation in learning Chinese as a foreign language
This study focuses on how beginner learners in a task-based teaching and learning (TBTL) environment perceive what is motivating to them in the process of learning Chinese as a foreign language at Aalborg University, Denmark. Drawing upon empirical data from surveys, group interviews and participant observation, this study explores which kinds of tasks are perceived as motivating from the students' perspective and which characteristics the learne…
Student engagement for intercultural learning in multicultural project groups via the use of English as a lingua franca
In light of increased cross-border movements of students to pursue their academic studies, university educators in many contexts are concerned about a lack of interactive engagement among students from different cultural backgrounds because of the use of L2 in international programmes. This study explores how students develop engagement in intercultural learning settings via mixed-group project work in an international curriculum provided by a Ch…
Beginner CFL learners’ perceptions of language difficulty in a task-based teaching and learning (TBTL) environment in Denmark
Supports and constraints to middle leadership development in higher education: A Q-methodology study
Middle leadership development in a Higher Education context can be understood as a complex endeavor, influenced by interactions and interrelations within multiple systems. We explored the perspectives of thirty-five male and female middle leaders on the conditions influencing their leadership development at one university in Qatar. Q methodology was applied to collect and analyze data quantitatively and qualitatively. A 40-statement Q-sample was …
An integrated systems model for understanding experiences of academic leadership development in Qatar
While leadership development is acknowledged as essential for institutional growth in the higher education sector, it remains poorly understood and under researched both empirically and theoretically. Although knowledge in this area is growing in wes- tern contexts, there is little published data from the Arabic speaking world. This article addresses this gap by reporting on a Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) funded research project which aime…
Chinese Teachers’ Professional Identity and Beliefs about the Teacher-Student Relationships in an Intercultural Context
Tasks and learner motivation in learning Chinese as a foreign language
This study focuses on how beginner learners in a task-based teaching and learning (TBTL) environment perceive what is motivating to them in the process of learning Chinese as a foreign language at Aalborg University, Denmark. Drawing upon empirical data from surveys, group interviews and participant observation, this study explores which kinds of tasks are perceived as motivating from the students' perspective and which characteristics the learne…
Implementation of task-based language teaching in Chinese as a foreign language: Benefits and challenges
Task-based language teaching (TBLT) has been drawing increased attention from language teachers and researchers in the past decade. This paper focuses on the effects of TBLT on beginner learners of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) in Denmark. Participatory observation and semi-structured interviews were carried out with 18 participants from two beginning-level Chinese classes. Qualitative analysis of the data indicates that TBLT benefits learn…
Chinese language teachers’ beliefs about their roles in the Danish context
Novice teachers' job satisfaction and coping strategies: Overcoming contextual challenges at Qatari government schools
Beginner CFL learners’ perceptions of language difficulty in a task-based teaching and learning (TBTL) environment in Denmark
Active learning engagement in teacher preparation programmes - A comparative study from Qatar, Lebanon and China
This study investigated student teachers’ preferred active learning strategies, and those which they actually received during their teacher preparation programmes. An explanatory mixed methods research design was adopted, including a survey completed by 308 participants and group interviews involving 38 participants. Data were gathered from student teachers completing their university education in three countries: Qatar, Lebanon, and China. Resul…
The reconstruction of academic identity through language policy: A narrative approach
This article aims to examine how language policy affects the reconstruction of academic identities in a time of rapid and significant changes in contemporary higher education. Through a narrative approach, we explore how a top-down language policy chaperones the process of redefining the perceptions of our positions as academic faculty working at Qatar University, recognized as the world’s most international university. Three main themes emerged …
Examining emic viewpoints on a pedagogical development program’s long-term effects using Q methodology
To examine the long-term effects of pedagogical development, the study explored 56 Chinese university instructors’ viewpoints on their professional agency in implementing new pedagogical practices following a PBL program in Denmark. Q methodology was supplemented by a post-sorting survey and post-analysis interviews. An eight-factor solution emerged, indicating a high variation in participants’ subjective experiences of PBL implementation. Their …
Student engagement for intercultural learning in multicultural project groups via the use of English as a lingua franca
In light of increased cross-border movements of students to pursue their academic studies, university educators in many contexts are concerned about a lack of interactive engagement among students from different cultural backgrounds because of the use of L2 in international programmes. This study explores how students develop engagement in intercultural learning settings via mixed-group project work in an international curriculum provided by a Ch…
A narrative inquiry of teacher educators’ professional agency, identity renegotiations, and emotional responses amid educational disruption
Health educators' professional agency in negotiating their problem‐based learning (PBL) facilitator roles: Q study
Performance assessment in education for sustainable development: A case study of the Qatar education system
Various studies show that sustainability and education are closely interdependent. Design and implementation of the right performance assessment for students’ skills acquisition and achievements is, therefore, critical for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article presents an in-depth analysis of the Qatar education system (K-12 level), focusing on the current assessment approaches and remaining challenges that hinder the d…
Education transferring and decentralized reforms: The case of Qatar
Nations transfer educational reform models for the systematic improvement of education. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Gulf Cooperation Council states, which have implemented primarily Western decentralized reform models to overhaul their educational systems. This article reports non-empirical research, written as a conceptual analysis that examines the current situation of the educational reform in Qatar. The theory of education transf…
Teachers’ Pedagogical Beliefs in a Project-Based Learning School in South Africa
Pedagogical beliefs serve as important drivers for teachers’ approaches to implementing innovative learning methods. To promote change in education processes, understanding teachers’ perspectives of their teaching roles and beliefs and how they change in the shift from traditional teaching to constructivist learning in diverse learning contexts, is essential. This study provides an overview of various traditional and constructivist beliefs held b…
A Systematic Review of Engineering Students in Intercultural Teamwork: Characteristics, Challenges, and Coping Strategies
In response to the challenges posed by globalization and internationalization, engineering education programs are increasingly focused on knowledge, technologies, and competence that meet global needs. Against this backdrop, higher engineering students are often encouraged to collaborate in teams with others from diverse, cultural, and disciplinary backgrounds, for the purpose of preparing them to accommodate change and innovation across internat…
Good advice from authors working in under‐represented countries
Authors of 4 papers that were recently published from under‐represented regions of the world offer their advice on how to get started in an effort to facilitate similar success for others
Exploring Students’ Perception of the Influence of PBL Elements on the Development of Engineering Identity
Contribution: This article illustrates a theoretical model and an analytical tool for understanding the influence of diverse elements of the project-based learning (PBL) environment on engineering identity development in students. Supportive elements in three dimensions that contribute to students’ identities as future engineers are identified to inspire the improvement of future PBL design. Background: Prior research has investigated the compone…
An Exploration of Sources Fostering First-Year Engineering Students’ Academic Well-Being in a PBL Environment
Contribution: This article contributes to the literature surrounding first-year engineering students’ academic well-being by proposing a conceptual framework guiding an understanding of supportive sources that foster students’ academic well-being. A survey was designed and tested accordingly, and four factors that contribute to students’ academic well-being were identified to inspire the improvement of a future course and curriculum design. Backg…
Engineering Students’ Perception of Learner Agency Development in an Intercultural PBL (Problem- and Project-Based) Team Setting
Contribution: This study explores the elements engineering students perceive as important for developing their learner agency in the context of intercultural project-based learning (PBL) teams. Background: The concept of learner agency has recently gained prominence due to its relevance for student-centeredness, autonomy, self-regulation, and collaboration. Certain pedagogical approaches are known to specifically support the development of learne…
An integrated systems model for understanding experiences of academic leadership development in Qatar
While leadership development is acknowledged as essential for institutional growth in the higher education sector, it remains poorly understood and under researched both empirically and theoretically. Although knowledge in this area is growing in wes- tern contexts, there is little published data from the Arabic speaking world. This article addresses this gap by reporting on a Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) funded research project which aime…
Understanding Researchers’ AI Readiness in a Higher Education Context: Q Methodology Research
Taking a human-centered socio-cultural perspective, this study explored the manifold individual and structural processes that contribute to researchers’ AI readiness. Forty-three graduate students and faculty at one university in Qatar took part in this Q methodology study. The results represented participants’ collective perspectives on what they considered relevant to their AI readiness. A 5 + 1-factor solution was accepted, illustrating divers…
Exploring University Staff Views on Providing Continuing Education for Professional Engineers in Denmark: Using the Q Methodology
This article reports on a study examining 28 university engineering educators’ viewpoints on how to provide continuing education for professional engineers in a Danish university context. The Q methodology was adopted to collect and analyze data qualitatively and quantitatively. Three significantly different viewpoints were identified, prioritizing (1) a continuing engineering education (CEE) business model as an institutional priority, (2) organ…
Do Good Intentions Lead to Expected Outcomes? Professional Learning Amongst Early Career Academics in a Problem-Based Program
This paper presents findings from a study of pedagogical beliefs and practices amongst early career academics attending an extensive professional development program. The research questions of this study were as follows: how do early career academics define their pedagogical beliefs in relation to a pedagogical development program, and how do their beliefs manifest in their pedagogical practice? This study was based on a qualitative document anal…
Frameworks and Models for Digital Transformation in Engineering Education: A Literature Review Using a Systematic Approach
In response to the opportunities and challenges posed by rapid technological advancement, digital transformation (DT) has recently emerged as a key concept in higher engineering education. DT involves using digital technologies to transform educational and pedagogical practices to enhance the learning and teaching experiences, prepare students for the needs of industry, and foster innovation. Despite a growing number of small-scale empirical stud…
Psychology (29 works) · Pedagogy (27 works) · Sociology (24 works) · Political science (16 works) · Computer Science (15 works) · Mathematics education (15 works) · Higher education (13 works) · Engineering (9 works) · Perception (9 works) · Engineering education (7 works)