UNIVERSITY SKILLS 101 - Memorial University of Newfoundland
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Transcript UNIVERSITY SKILLS 101 - Memorial University of Newfoundland
Bridging the Gap
Enhancing Learning Outcomes
for International Students
Overview
International students
Classroom expectations
Specific problems areas
Academic Writing and Plagiarism
Resources
Who are our International
Students?
Graduate vs. Undergraduate
Native English Speaking vs. Non-Native
English Speaking
Exchange vs. International
International Students
Undergraduate vs. Graduate
2004-05 International Students
Total: 681
Full-Time
Undergraduate
Full-Time
Graduate
Part-Time
Undergraduate
Part-tTime
Graduate
Other
Undergraduate Students
2004-05 International Undergraduate
Students, Total: 377
Africa
Asia
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
US
Pacific
Graduate Students
2004-05 International Graduate Students
Total: 294
Africa
Asia
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
US
Pacific
International Students:
Challenges
May not be used to continuous assessment, class
participation, group work
May not approach their professor with problems,
questions or concerns – not necessarily because they
are shy but because of culture
May feel excluded from Canadian groups
Generally stick together
May chat with other students during class – common
in some cultures
Pressure to do well
Graduate vs. Undergraduate
Differences
Undergraduate Students
Graduate Students
Tend to be younger/less mature
More mature, better timemanagement skills
First time away from home =
culture shock and homesickness
Family responsibilities = stress,
more financial obligations
Pay more in tuition due to
differential tuition fees
Little or no tuition differential =
lower tuition fees than
international undergraduates
More courses = more to juggle
More focused in their studies
Access to scholarships and
grants but they have work
responsibilities: TA/RA
Faculty Experiences
How do you find out who in your class is an
international student?
What are some of the difficulties you have
encountered international students?
What is the most critical issue for you in
helping international students be successful in
the classroom?
If we cannot directly address your
question/problem during this session, we will
provide follow-up via email.
Differences in expectations
These generalizations are meant to offer a basis for comparison purposes only.
Western
Other Countries
Encouraged to be
Expected to be passive –
independent, critical thinkers.
Expected to participate in
class discussions and pay
attention to speaker: whether
prof or a peer.
Responsible for seeking
clarification, or assistance.
Asks professor How? Why?
Who? Importance?
Reads texts selectively.
Expected to keep up with
readings and assignments.
receivers of accepted knowledge.
Expects important points to be
repeated in lectures - paying
attention is less essential and
students may chat…or sleep.
May not seek help when s/he
doesn’t understand something.
May be afraid to ask questions.
Reads text deeply.
May not place value on
assignments, expecting a 100%
final exam.
Acculturation Issues
“When I left my country I was blue, and everyone in the new
country was yellow …now I’ve returned to my country, I am
green.”
The sojourner experience – voluntary displacement with
intention to return home. How much should we expect
students to adapt?
“There is no way to achieve academically unless personal issues
are OK.”
Students cannot speak to their families about problems –
academic, cultural, or personal. They have to pretend
everything is going positively to comfort parents.
Setting the tone – can we make the classroom a more
supportive environment? Profs are the real “front-line” people –
seeing the students more regularly than any other staff
members.
Striving for balance – what is our responsibility? Know and use
the university resources.
Time Management
“I don’t know what is important to study”.
Students may devote all their time to their course work, yet lag
behind.
Vital background knowledge on topics is often non-existent: not
only due to the cultural difference, but sometimes due to narrow
experience (limited practical and extracurricular opportunities).
“Canadian teachers don’t push us to study.”
The “memorize and cram” method only works if the material is
comprehensible.
Students may not realize until too late that they need to
demonstrate a fairly sophisticated understanding of material on
exams – not simple regurgitation of unrelated facts.
“Rhythm of work” here is stressful – compressed.”
Students who do not perceive time as linear or a commodity to
be “spent” may become bewildered by the pace of our semesters.
Multitasking may be problematic – students may concentrate on
one difficult course to the exclusion of others.
Group Work
“Why is group work always individual work for me?”
Int’l students feel they are perceived as a liability to the group.
How are groups divided? Integration vs. ghettoization.
Isolation - can we design group assignments so that Canadian
students will value the contributions of int’l students?
“What is the point of group work/presentations/class discussions?”
When the professor is seen as the fountain of all knowledge –
any time s/he is not speaking is wasting valuable lecture time.
Since int’l students may place no value on the contributions of
classmates, they may chat with each other while other students
are speaking – to us this is extremely rude behaviour.
Try to frame this use of class time to clearly demonstrate that
you value student contributions.
Assessment
“I spent hours working on my assignment, but still failed.”
What do we do when language inhibits clarity? …when the
student obviously missed the point of the assignment yet still
did a great deal of work?
“I don’t even know where to begin correcting my international
students’ assignments”
You are not an editor – yet that is what some students may
need. Their ideas may be fine, but they need help with
language and organization.
Offer students the opportunity to visit the Writing Center before
you correct their work. See if your department would be willing
to hire a dedicated MUCEP student tutor.
Offer to look at a draft of the assignment prior to the due date.
“My professor told me that she would pass my group no matter
what, because we are all international students.”
Universities in the UK and Australia, which are further ahead in
the internationalization thrust, are currently bemoaning the
watering down of academic standards.
Academic Writing Issues
Acquisition of Academic Literacy:
“I had falsely assumed that the students had academic writing
knowledge and never even asked myself where they got it”
academic interaction that is heavily dependent on previous
experience and background knowledge (Silva, Leki, & Carson, 1997)
paper writing is not a common practice in many educational
institutions outside North America
Provide specific guidelines in written form of the organization
and style of particular assignments
Provide students with exemplary writing
Raise students awareness about appropriate field-related
terminology
Academic Writing Issues
(Cont.)
Language Issues:
“ English is writer responsible, the reader wants to know where the
paper is going”
Differences in rhetoric and structure
“ You can’t really help it, it does influence your grading of the papers”
Disruptive influence of surface-level problems
Use process-oriented approach to student writing
Provide students option of submitting early drafts for revision
Encourage students to ask questions about their written
assignments throughout the course
Academic Writing Issues (Cont.)
Plagiarism
Western World View
“There was a teacher from
Europe, who said you
mustn’t do it.
His friends all agreed,
Plagiarism is evil indeed,
now everyone obey and
rue it.”
(Pickering, 2002)
Eastern World View
“ There was a devotee of
Confucius, who was very
conscientious.
Never did write a word
He’d not before heard
So as not be thought
presumptuous.”
(Pickering, 2002)
Academic Writing Issues
(Cont.)
Plagiarism:
authorship and ownership as cultural and historical tradition
reliance on quoting and paraphrasing in developing language
proficiency
Provide verbal and written explanation of your definition of
plagiarism. Illustrate the concept with specific examples
Engage students in discussion on ownership of ideas
Inform students of the consequences of plagiarizing
If plagiarism is suspected, meet with student in private and,
if possible, provide student with an opportunity to rewrite.
Campus Resources
Writing Centre - SN 2053
www.mun.ca/writingcentre
ESL Program
SN 4065 / SN 4069 [email protected]
International Student Advising
Corte Real, 1st floor [email protected]
Counselling Centre - UC 5000