Chinese Students’ Perceptions of Constructivist Learning Principles in UK Higher Education

You are invited to take part in a research study entitled Chinese International Postgraduate Students’ Perceptions of Constructivist Learning Principles in UK Higher Education: A case study of one university in England.

Please read this document carefully and ask any questions you may have before agreeing to take part in the study.


  The study is conducted by Xinyi Gao from the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences (ECLS) at Newcastle University.
  This research project is supervised by Professor Heather Smith from the School.
  The purpose of this study is to research the Chinese International Postgraduate Students’ Perceptions of Constructivist Learning Principles in UK Higher Education: A case study of one university in England.
  You have been invited to take part in this study because you meet the criteria and you are currently a Chinese international postgraduate student studying at a university in the north-east of England.
  If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to complete an anonymous online questionnaire. This will contain both multiple-choice and open-ended questions about your experience of studying in the UK and your understanding of constructivist learning methods.
  Your participation in this study will take approximately 10-15 minutes.
  Once the research has been completed, I can debrief you on the main findings of the research via email, research report or another meeting if you wish.
  You are free to decide whether or not to participate.If you decide to participate, you are free to withdraw at any time without any negative consequences for you. You may decline to answer any questions or withdraw from the study without penalty of any kind.
  All non-identifying information you provide, will be kept in a password-protected electronic database, tagged with an anonymous ID number. Identifying information, e.g., your name, contact details and date of birth will be kept on paper in a locked filing cabinet in the researcher or supervisor’s office. This office is kept locked when not in use. This means that any anyone with access to the electronic information will not be able to identify you as an individual. The only way to identify you as an individual is to access both the electronic records, and the paper records stored in the locked filing cabinet. It is very unlikely that anyone outside of the research team will be able to do this.
  We would like to upload your non-identifying information to a repository (the Open Science Framework) to be shared with other researchers. It is impossible for anyone to identify you as an individual from this information alone.

Declaration of Informed Consent


  I agree to participate in this study, the purpose of which is to research the Chinese International Postgraduate Students’ Perceptions of Constructivist Learning Principles in UK Higher Education: A case study of one university in England.


  I declare that I have understood the nature and purpose of the research.


  I have read the participant information sheet and understand the information provided.


  I have been informed that I may decline to answer any questions or withdraw from the study without penalty of any kind.


  I have been informed that all of my responses will be kept confidential and secure, and that I will not be identified in any report or other publication resulting from this research.


  I have been informed that the researchers may wish to share non-identifying information, e.g., my responses to questions, in a public repository. I understand that it will not be possible to identify me as an individual from this information alone.


  I have been informed that the investigator will answer any questions regarding the study and its procedures.The investigator’s email is X.Gao41@newcastle.ac.uk and they can be contacted via email.


  I will be provided with a copy of this form for my records.


Any concerns about this study should be addressed to the School of Education, Communication & Language Sciences Ethics Committee, Newcastle University via email to ecls.researchteam@newcastle.ac.uk.

Section 1: Background Information

1. What is your programme of study? Please write your programme (e.g., MA Education, MSc Business Analytics, etc.)
2. Have you previously studied in a Western educational system before coming to the UK?

Section 2: Active Learning

3. In your degree, do you participate actively in class?
4. In what ways do you participate actively in classes? (e.g., asking questions, contributing to discussions, giving presentations, peer feedback)
5. Are you encouraged to connect your prior knowledge or experiences with new learning content in your classes?

Section 3: Collaborative Learning

6. How often do you work with classmates in group activities or discussions?
7. How valuable do you find group work or peer collaboration for your learning?
8. How do you feel about participating in group work or discussions with peers from different cultural backgrounds?
9. What factors have supported or challenged your participation in group activities or peer collaboration?

Section 4: Knowledge Construction

10. How important do you think reflecting on your learning experiences is for understanding new knowledge?
11. Can you describe a time when reflecting on your learning helped you understand a topic better? (e.g., through feedback, journaling, peer review)

Section 5: Student-Centred Learning

12. Do you feel that the teaching methods and course content are adapted to your personal learning needs or interests?
13. Please give an example where you felt the learning process was focused on your needs or interests.

Section 6: Learner Autonomy

14. Are you responsible for managing your own learning tasks and timelines?
15. How do you manage independent study and assignment planning in your current course? (e.g., scheduling, using academic support services)
16. Do you feel that UK higher education requires more independent learning than your previous education in China?
17. What are the most difficult or rewarding aspects of being an independent learner in the UK?

Section 7: Overall Perceptions

18. Overall, how do you feel about constructivist learning methods used in your courses?
19. What challenges, if any, have you faced adapting to these learning methods? (e.g., language, group work, academic writing style, teacher expectations)
更多问卷 复制此问卷