Developing Strategies and Activities to Improve Interactions

between Home and International Students and to Enhance Teaching and Learning

Dr Gita Sedghi – Chemistry Department

Dr Ian Willis – Educational Development Division

The rational for the project

Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) is an international university run in partnership between the University of Liverpool and Xi'an Jiaotong Universityin China.

As part of its goal to offer a unique international educationalexperience, XJTLU students can transfer to complete part oftheir studies in Liverpool via a range of options.

From 2012, Chemistry will start accepting Chinese students onto the second year undergraduate course.

http://www.liv.ac.uk/xjtlu/

Aim of the project

• The research aims to analyse the strategies and activities in the area of internationalisation at the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

• This will result in a general framework that will help enhance integration and interactions between home and international students, and to enhance teaching and learning.

• Although the research is focused on XJTLU students within the Faculty of Science and Engineering, but the outcome will be useful to all staff and students, both home and international, at the University of Liverpool.

• We conducted semi-structured interviews with staff in the Faculty of Science and Engineering who have experience with integrating home and XJTLU students.

• We conducted focus groups with home and international undergraduate students.

• We conducted interviews with the members of the Guild of Students and the International Support Team.

The initial collation of data

Themes

1. Activities in place to enhance integration between home and international students:

- Group work - Any other activities

2. What do international students find challenging and what do they do best?

3. Special provisions for international students

- Induction -Teaching and Learning provisions

Group work (staff notes)

“We mix home and international students in a group. Sometimes students don’t like to be in a mixed group but the experience shows that in the end they are happy as they got the opportunity to interact with each other.”

“They integrate if we give them the opportunity to mix in groups. We just should make sure of a good mix of all aspects in a group.”

“I select the group leaders and they form the groups themselves. So Chinese and home students are not mixed in groups. We just suggest them to mix in groups but they don’t. We don’t force them to mix in groups and they cannot complain later that they were in the wrong group.”

Other activities (staff notes)

“We have field trips which have organized in the first semester and we have budget for that due to the nature of the course. They work well to integrate students.”

“It is hard to socially integrate them as they have very different cultures.”

“We have a large number of Chinese students and a small number of home students. Nothing we do would be effective due to the numbers.”

“We arrange field trips in the first semester which helps to integrate home and international students but they should contribute to the expenses. Some students do not want to pay for these trips.”

What do students think?

Challenges for international students (staff notes)

“Some of them have difficulties in English, particularly with exam questions. They are not good to write descriptive answers in exams.”

“They have difficulties with practical skills.”

“ They are not independent learners. They find problem based learning challenging.”

“They do not ask their questions from the tutors. They are shy or they don’t think it is appropriate to ask questions.”

“They find report and essay writing challenging.”

“They have different views of plagiarism.”

Strengths of international students

“They are good with maths and calculations.”

“They are motivated and focused on the course.”

“They are very studious.”

“They have a strong theory background and find some modules too easy.”

“They are interested in extracurricular activities to enhance their C.V.”

Induction from the International Support Team

During the Welcome Week the International Support Team provides the following sessions:

• IST Welcome Presentation• Afternoon tea at the Adelphi Hotel• Improving your English• IST Welcome Exhibition• Living in the UK - Quiz• Tier 4 visa extension presentation• Tier 4 visa extension workshop• Walking tours (the campus, city centre and retail shops)• Working in the UK during your studies

Departmental induction (staff notes)

“We don’t have any induction at departmental level. International students attend in the IST welcome event.”

“We have induction for everybody where majority of students are international. We talk about the requirement of the course”

“The induction event for the second year undergraduate studies is organized for only XJTLU students.”

“We organized the induction event for XJTLU students but very few turned up. We postponed it to the following day and they turned up. The reason was the issue of contacting the students as we didn’t have any university email from them.”

Teaching and learning provisions (staff notes)

“They have their personal tutors to get help from in case of any difficulties.”

“We are in contact with XJTLU staff to make sure the syllabus is consistent.”

“The English Learning Unit provided particular courses for international students to work on their assignments and exams.”

“We make sure Chinese students have their representatives in SSLC.”

“We have meetings with representatives of Chinese students for once or twice during each semester to get feedback from them.”

“We have peer mentoring scheme in place for international students.”

“We encourage staff to put the lecture materials in Vital.”

The Guild of Students

• Introductory videos to explain the Guild’s activities to international students before their arrival to Liverpool.

• Fun activities for international students with educational focus such as treasure hunt in the campus area and museums.

• Welcome events such as tea parties to mix home and international students.

• Chinese and XJTLU Societies

• Social events including trips

Pre-arrival plans at the Chemistry Department

• Informative videos related to the Chemistry Department

• Internationalisation webpage in the Chemistry Website

• Peer mentoring

• University’s social network

Contact the international students before their arrival at Liverpool.

• Mixed sessions with home students

• Meeting with peer mentors/peer assisted learning leaders

• Meeting with personal tutors

• Particular sessions for international students such as introducing to library and Vital with helping from peer mentors/peer assisted learning leaders.

• Introductory talk by Chidinma Chi-Chi Nwokoro, the new student representative officer from XJTLU

• Guidance leaflets

• Students questionnaires to identify their expectations and issues

Induction at the Chemistry Department

Peer assisted learning (PAL) for international students

• Weekly drop-in sessions are organised to support international students with the study skills module.

• PAL leaders will give pastoral and subject support to international students.

• PAL leaders will be in contact with international students before their arrival and will meet them during the Welcome Week.

• PAL leaders will give regular feedback to academic staff regarding the students’ performance.

• Extra PAL sessions will be organised to help students with practical skills, lab report writing, library skills, note taking and plagiarism.

It is important to have a proper system in place before the number of international students increases in a department.

Do not leave it until it’s too late!

Acknowledgement

• The Higher Education Academy and UKCISA for funding this project

• The Educational Development Division for their collaboration

• Alexandra Appleton for running student focus groups

• Dr James Gaynor for setting up the internationalisation website

• Sarah Cooper, Michael Craven, Ilona Blee and Alex Hill for making introductory videos

Please contact us if you would like to take part in this project or your experience in internationalisation can help us with the project.

g.sedghi@liv.ac.uk

Thanks for your attention