Exploring Students’ Learning Experiences Under the China–Korea Cooperative Teaching Model: A Positive Psychology Perspective
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
2.1. Learning Experiences and Motivation
2.2. Conceptualizing Students’ Learning Experiences from the Positive Psychology Perspective
3. Methodology
3.1. Participants
3.2. Instrument
3.3. Procedures
3.4. Data Analysis
4. Findings
4.1. Academic Engagement
4.1.1. Changes in Positive Emotions of Engagement in Specialty Courses
In the Joint Assignment course, I had to stay up late to do homework and achieve various design effects, so I felt rather tired, and other students in the group also put in a lot of effort.
In the freshman and sophomore years, we have an obvious feeling that these students were very positive and they had a sense of freshness and curiosity. In their junior and senior years, however, it is obvious that their enthusiasm diminished and the time and energy they put into studying were not sufficient.
4.1.2. Positive and Negative Emotions in Korean Language Learning
4.2. Teacher–Student Interaction
4.2.1. Group Differences in Classroom Communication
The Korean teaching staff communicated with us more often while we were in class. We provided our responses whenever teachers from Korea asked questions. Thanks to the translation provided by the assistant teacher, we could understand them roughly, and the Korean teachers were very enthusiastic, we also actively interacted with them, and would ask questions about the course and our homework.
Engaged learners excel at requesting educators to share their expert insights and guidance regarding their studies. For example, in the graduation creation stage, students usually have two supervisors. Active students consult the opinions of both teachers, and even consult the opinions of other relevant teachers who have given courses to them in the past. The intermediate students, on the other hand, carry out animation creations or communicate about homework according to the requirements of teachers and the deadline set by teachers. Although most students will communicate according to the requirements, they lack initiative. Passive students, on the other hand, need the teacher to urge them before they communicate at a lesser frequency, for less time.
4.2.2. Limitations of After-School Communication
Similar to the situation of classroom communication, students in the lower grades are willing to ask some questions about Korean learning after class, but only a small number of students in the higher grades carry out communication and interaction after class, and such communications are always limited to a few students.
4.3. Student-Student Interaction
4.3.1. The Myth of Team Collaboration
Team collaboration enables students to engage themselves in the same thing. In the process of completing the animation work in a group during the 3D Animation Production course in eight weeks, each student is assigned part of the shots and then they would connect the shots into a collective work belonging to all students, which provides a sense of achievement and fun of teamwork.
In the process of team collaboration, as a team member, I try my best to resolve conflicts and ensure the smooth progress of the animation project. This experience not only taught me how to express my ideas more effectively, but also taught me to listen to others and find consensus. In addition, through constant communication and feedback, I gradually learned how to build trust and enhance team cohesion in the team. The improvement of these communication skills will greatly benefit my personal growth and future career development.
I have participated in many rounds of teamwork, but in most cases, only a few individuals do the majority part of the work. It was specified in the beginning that everyone should work together in the same direction, but in the end, there is only one person left to worry about the project. That made me frustrated, and do not want to carry out teamwork anymore.
I remember very clearly that there was a course called Joint Assignment, in which we worked with all dormitory members to complete an animated short film. In the beginning, there was a fierce debate in the group at a professional level, and everyone had a good idea. Because there were six people’s ideas, everyone’s style was integrated into the scene, and the final scene showed the characteristics of the six people, so this was the most impressive experience of team collaboration for me.
4.3.2. A Lack of Inter-Class or Inter-Specialty Interaction Between Students
Because we have different specialty orientations, we basically do not discuss with students from a specialty area that is not closely related. In most cases, we mainly chat and interact with students in the same specialty area.
4.4. Learning Outcome
4.4.1. Specialty Knowledge
The specialty knowledge taught by Korean teachers is more closely associated with the animation market, which is helpful for our future employment. Therefore, I still like the course very much despite the fast pace of learning.
In learning the content taught by Chinese and Korean teachers, students would see different teaching concepts collide amidst multicultural integration, which will be of help for sparking their ideas of animation creation.
4.4.2. Language Skill
As a communicative tool, Korean is still helpful for students’ personal development after their graduation and even after they are employed in society. Compared with those who have no Korean skills or only speak English, those who are proficient in Korean are more competitive. Secondly, for the improvement of their own personal competence, or for their future development, Korean proficiency gives them more chips.
4.4.3. Team Collaborative Ability
4.4.4. Aesthetic Quality
Chinese teachers will give students a broader creative space, pay attention to the aesthetic training of animation creation, fully stimulate students’ imagination and provide more freedom for creation. On the other hand, Korean teachers focus more on the training of technical aspects. They will specify a theme, and ask us to carry out standardized animation production according to the requirements specified in the classroom teaching of the animation production process.
4.4.5. Values
Under the influence of the relatively relaxing atmosphere in an institute of fine arts, I have developed a peace of mind compared with the anxiety that I had in the beginning. Now I am able to face difficulties arising from life and study more placidly.
Compared with regular animation majors, a higher percentage of the students of this program go abroad for further study, and they have a clearer plan about their study. Many students have already begun to prepare their work portfolios and other materials used in the application process, which is also a reflection of their life planning.
5. Discussions
5.1. Emotions
5.2. Engagement
5.3. Relationships
5.4. Meaning
5.5. Accomplishment
6. Implications and Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
CKCTM | China–Korea cooperative teaching model |
I-E-O | Input-Environment-Outcome |
PERMA | Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment |
Appendix A
Appendix A.1
- Academic engagement:
- -
- Which courses do you prefer? How did you feel during the course?
- -
- Can you share the most impressive experience you have in animation creation?
- Student/Teacher interaction:
- -
- What are the most impressive student interaction experiences that you can share with us?
- -
- How about interacting with students from different classes or majors? How did you feel about it?
- -
- How did you interact with Chinese and Korean teachers? How do you feel about them?
- -
- From the perspective of teaching style, what influence do you think the Chinese and Korean teachers have on your specialty study?
- Learning outcome
- -
- What do you think is the biggest change and gain in the learning process of CKCTM?
- -
- What’s its meaning?
Appendix A.2
- Academic engagement:
- -
- How engaged do you think students are in their studies?
- -
- Change in attitude?
- Classmate/teacher/student interaction:
- -
- How would you describe your interaction experience with students?
- -
- How do you feel about it?
- Learning outcome
- -
- How do you think the collaboration in teaching between China and Korea impacts students’ expertise in their subjects and aids in their personal development?
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Themes | Sub-Themes | Significant Statements |
---|---|---|
Emotions | Positive emotions | We have an obvious feeling that these students were very positive and they had a sense of freshness and curiosity. (F20211221) |
negative emotions | That made me frustrated, and do not want to carry out teamwork anymore. (B20211115) | |
Engagement | Specialty courses study | The 2D Animation Production course provided by the Korean side is full of fun and practicality and gained a great popularity among many students. (C20211115) |
Korean language learning | What motivates me to learn Korean is my interest in watching Korean dramas, which can improve my Korean level while entertaining me. (C20211123) | |
Relationships | Teacher–student interaction | The Korean teachers were very enthusiastic, we also actively interacted with them. (C20211115) |
Student-student interaction | Each student is assigned part of the shots and then they would connect the shots into a collective work belonging to all students, which provides a sense of achievement and fun of teamwork. (A20211105) | |
Meaning | Values | I have been able to get a clearer picture about my own path, which made me more adventurous and exploratory in the path of art. (D20211123) |
Accomplishment | Specialty knowledge | The specialty knowledge taught by Korean teachers is more closely associated with the animation market, which is helpful for our future employment. (B20211110) |
Korean language skill | As a communicative tool, Korean is still helpful for students’ personal development after their graduation and even after they are employed in society. (F20211221) | |
Team collaborative ability | Team collaboration is very helpful to improve our communication skills. (B20211110) | |
Aesthetic Quality | Chinese teachers will give students a broader creative space, pay attention to the aesthetic training of animation creation. (B20211110) |
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Song, L.; Huang, Z.; Cao, L.; Yang, S. Exploring Students’ Learning Experiences Under the China–Korea Cooperative Teaching Model: A Positive Psychology Perspective. Behav. Sci. 2025, 15, 374. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15030374
Song L, Huang Z, Cao L, Yang S. Exploring Students’ Learning Experiences Under the China–Korea Cooperative Teaching Model: A Positive Psychology Perspective. Behavioral Sciences. 2025; 15(3):374. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15030374
Chicago/Turabian StyleSong, Lei, Zhenzhen Huang, Luhao Cao, and Shanshan Yang. 2025. "Exploring Students’ Learning Experiences Under the China–Korea Cooperative Teaching Model: A Positive Psychology Perspective" Behavioral Sciences 15, no. 3: 374. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15030374
APA StyleSong, L., Huang, Z., Cao, L., & Yang, S. (2025). Exploring Students’ Learning Experiences Under the China–Korea Cooperative Teaching Model: A Positive Psychology Perspective. Behavioral Sciences, 15(3), 374. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15030374