Meeting an Asian Student

Marina Wikman/SAMKAasian askeleet –seminaari

19 March 2013

Asian students in Finland

• Number of Asian students to Finland growing• 2011 Asian students to Finland almost 12% of

all incoming students• Highest numbers from – China– South Korea– Japan

SAMK

• English-tuition programmes since 1997– 4.5 bachelor and 1 master programme

• Number of Asian degree students almost 90 and exchange students approx 20

• From 9 Asian countries – Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, South Korea,

Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam• First Asian students

– Exchange 1995 (China)– Finnish speaking degree 1995 (Japan)– English tuition degree 1997 (Pakistan)

Asian Learning and Teaching(by Suman Mishra)

• Influenced by religious and philosophical values• Described as passive information receival, but• Repetitive learning leading to deep knowledge• Effort and hard work emphasised• Focus on – Bigger picture– Dotlike and symbolic information instead of text links– Non-linear reasoning

Asian teacher guidelines

• Praise leads to arrogance• Teacher dispenser of knowledge• Teacher-dominated two-way flow• Quiet classrooms• Repetitive learning– First form, then content– First memorising, then mastery

Student in Asian context

• Pressure on student– Large number of people– Limited resources– Obligation to succeed• disappointment

Leads to educational competition

Learning styles Asia

• Holistic– Complexity and interwoven concepts (west: separation,

measurement, analysis)• Emphasis on reflection– Pausing and reflecting (west: verbousity and quick thinking)

• Collaborative– Remember longer, be more satisfied (west: individual

learning for one purpose)• Setting higher standards– Teachers expect high standard (west: less and less)

Asian vs. western learning styles

• Western students intrinsically motivated and Asian students extrinsically motivated

• East collective learning and west individual learning– Collaboration in and outside classroom– Peer tutoring

• Authority of teacher– Strict hierarchy– Strict inside classroom, warm and friendly discussions

outside (caring)

Confusing educational contexts(based on personal experiences and the bachelor’s thesis of Milan Ghimire)

• ’Have a break, have a Kitkat’• ’What is the correct answer?’• ’Today we’ll talk about hiring people’• Asking questions• Giving one’s own opinions• Discussing and analysing instead of facts• Relationship with teachers

Confusing general contexts

• Language skills• General lack of knowledge of customs• Lack of safety net• Feeling an outsider• Time concept• Financial problems