Exploring ways in which identity shapes postgraduate student learning in an English university classroom

Abstract

This article adopts identity as a theoretical frame through which to explore the reported experiences of a diverse group of postgraduate students studying in one university in England. We examine what they say about their identities and how they make sense of their interactions with their peers in the higher education space, as well as how they experience these interactions within discussion group activities in the postgraduate multicultural classroom. Our data is collected through focus groups and one-to-one interviews, a large proportion of which were conducted with non-UK/EU students. We found that all students interviewed value the social dimension of learning both within the classroom context and outside. We found there can be intercultural misunderstandings that could be addressed directly in a structured and safe environment. The article concludes with some suggestions for pedagogy and practice in postgraduate teaching, with a focus on diversifying practice to make room for greater inclusion of all students.