Teaching Through the CARE² Model: Exploring How an Instructional Design Framework Can Shape International Learners’ Experiences

Author Information

Karen K. Fujii, Niels Brock Copenhagen Business College, Denmark
Natalie Perez, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States

Abstract

This study explores the experiences provided by 943 international business learners from Nepal, Bangladesh, and India enrolled in three courses at a private institution in Denmark, examining how instructional design influences engagement, learning, and meaning-making. Using a basic interpretive qualitative research design, data were collected through a qualitative survey with open-ended questions and systematic classroom observations, capturing learners’ reflections and real-time behaviors. The researchers approached the data from an etic perspective, while striving to honor participants’ voices, focusing on both successes and challenges in international learning experiences. Data analysis employed a deductive thematic approach, guided by the Fujii & Perez CARE² framework, which emphasizes Culture, Collaboration, Agency, Agility, Relevance, Repetition, Engagement, and Evaluation. Findings indicate that learners in the CARE²-informed intervention group experienced culturally supportive environments, meaningful collaboration, opportunities for agency, relevant and repeated content, and high engagement reinforced by ongoing evaluation. Deductive analysis revealed the elements most salient to learners, demonstrating the critical value of learner-centered, culturally responsive instructional design in diverse educational contexts.

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