Bridging the Silence
Understanding Motivations and Participation Barriers in Transnational Engineering Education
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22046949 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Kamalanathan Kajan (0000-0001-6718-1182, University of Leeds, corresponding author), Nasir Abbasi (University of Leeds), Costas Loizou (University of Leeds) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue | 9 |
| Pages | 1185 |
| Publication date | 2025-09-09 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Education Sciences (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/educsci15091185 |
| OpenAlex | W4414156611 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 33 |
Active learning promises richer engagement, yet transnational English-medium engineering classrooms can remain quiet even when students are motivated. This study aims to explain this silence by examining the factors that encourage students to participate, the barriers that discourage them, and how student characteristics and coping strategies influence their participation. We conducted a mixed-methods survey of 402 undergraduates (Years 2–4) in a China–United Kingdom (Sino-UK) joint engineering programme in China. We analysed the closed-ended responses using descriptive and inferential statistics (including effect sizes) and the open-ended responses using inductive thematic analysis. Quantitative results showed that interest in the subject (76.6%) and career relevance (72.8%) were the most potent motivators. In contrast, fear of making mistakes (56%) and low confidence in public speaking (51%) were the most common barriers to participation. Other constraints included language load, deference to instructors, and prior passive learning experiences. Gender and discipline differences were negligible (Cramér’s V ≤ 0.09; Cohen’s d
Deference · Descriptive statistics · Engineering education · Higher education · Qualitative research · Silence · Thematic analysis · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · International Student and Expatriate Challenges · Second Language Learning and Teaching
Exploring the impact of active learning strategies on learning outcomes and educational experiences in undergraduate nursing education
Student engagement in transnational engineering higher education
Research on synergy problems and countermeasures between higher engineering education and solid-state battery industry—based on grounded theory and NVivo coding
Facilitating student engagement and achievement with interactive H5P videos
Active learning narrows achievement gaps for underrepresented students in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math
English-medium instruction in European higher education
Creating an equitable and inclusive STEM classroom
A Gamified Active-Learning Proposal for Higher-Education Heterogeneous STEM Courses
Psychological safety in medical education
Pathways to master’s education
Exploring challenges in academic language-related skills of EFL learners in Chinese EMI settings
Foreign language learning boredom
English-medium instruction (EMI) language policy and implementation in China’s higher education system
Internationalisation with Chinese characteristics
Foreign language enjoyment and willingness to communicate
Decoding motivation in English medium instruction
Longitudinal exploration of interconnectedness through a cross-lagged panel design
The "What" and "Why" of Goal Pursuits
Conceptualizing Willingness to Communicate in a L2
Willingness to Communicate in English
| Citations per year | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |