Students’ experiences of interaction in a multicultural university-level craft course

Abstract This study examines the experiences of interaction and communication between domestic and international students during a university-level craft course in teacher education. Existing studies have indicated that students’ experiences of such interactions vary, encompassing both positive and negative aspects. Most prior research on the interaction between domestic and international students has been conducted in native English-language contexts. This study diverges from previous research by focusing on a language context in which English is a second or third language for all persons involved and not the main language of the university, as well as on the specific domain of craft education. This study aims to (1) explore the nature of interaction experiences among students during a multicultural craft course, (2) identify the types of interaction situations that arose during the course, according to the students, and (3) understand the role of craft in facilitating these interactions. The data comprise responses to questionnaires completed by both domestic and international students ( N = 33) at the end of the craft course. Reflexive thematic analysis is used to analyse the responses to the open-ended questions. The findings reveal that students’ interaction experiences can be categorised into six themes encompassing, for example, positive experiences, challenges and the influence of the course context. The types of interaction situations can be divided into four themes, including instances of students assisting each other, course-related discussions and discussions about everyday things. The inherent characteristics of craft as a subject appear to enhance interactions between domestic and international students.