University Teaching in Global Times: Perspectives of Italian University Faculty on Teaching International Graduate Students

2021 ◽  
pp. 102831532199074
Author(s):  
Joellen E. Coryell ◽  
Maria Cinque ◽  
Monica Fedeli ◽  
Angelina Lapina Salazar ◽  
Concetta Tino
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
International Students ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Faculty Perspectives ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
International Graduate

Recently, many Italian universities began offering graduate courses or entire programs in English to attract international students, assist domestic students with English language proficiency, and internationalize the learning experience for all. This research investigated Italian faculty’s perspectives on their experiences of teaching international graduate students. The article begins with an overview of European university internationalization and then reviews the literature on faculty perspectives on teaching international students and instructional professional development for internationalization of teaching and learning. Findings include participant demographics and faculty perspectives on teaching international graduate students as compared with domestic students, their current and desired ways of learning how to teach international students, and their recommendations for faculty teaching in international programs/courses with English as the language of instruction. Implications for instructional professional development, communities of instructional practice, and further research are offered.

Teaching and Learning Professional Development for International Graduate Students

2021 ◽  
pp. 221-239
Author(s):  
Lianne Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
International Teaching Assistants ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
University Campuses ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
International Graduate ◽  
International Teaching

In this chapter, Bakhtin's metatheoretical framework of dialogism is offered as a frame in which to consider the work of Centres for Teaching and Learning (CTLs) on university campuses. Dialogism keeps front and centre the co-construction of student learning and teaching and the ways in which international graduate students' knowledges and experiences enhance and inform university teaching and learning. The chapter outlines CTL professional development activities that support the scholarship of international teaching assistants (ITAs). A discussion of the differences and tensions between learning a language and using language to learn is offered. CTLs are often seen as sites for instrumental and pragmatic instructional purposes, rather than the sites where ITAs are invited into the teaching and learning scholarly community; this later idea will be highlighted throughout.

scholarly journals International Graduate Students’ Experiences of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) Courses in a Korean University

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 38-51
Author(s):  
Yong-Jik Lee ◽  
Robert O. Davis ◽  
Yue Li
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Core Element ◽  
Course Effectiveness ◽  
International Graduate ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Study Results

Owing to to the internalization of higher education, many universities in East Asia provide English as a medium of instruction (EMI) courses for international students. However, previous studies may not have strategically explored the perception of EMI courses for graduate programmes. Recognizing the gap in the literature, this study specifically focused on international graduate students' experiences of EMI courses in a Korean university. By implementing a mixed-method design, this study explored English language learnes’ (ELLs) perceptions of EMI courses regarding i) ELLs’ opinions on the effectiveness of EMI courses, ii) ELLs' attitudes towards EMI, and iii) their self-evaluation of English language ability. Data collection consisted of an end of the semester survey (n=70) and focus group interviews (n=9). The study results showed that i) ELLs showed positive attitudes towards EMI courses; ii) they perceived that the faculty's teaching methods are the core element to EMI course effectiveness; iii) their listening and reading skills were enhanced, and iv) ELLs with low English proficiency found EMI courses challenging to follow. Based on these results, several pedagogical implications are discussed regarding how to implement EMI courses effectively for diverse international students in ELT.

scholarly journals Issues of International Students’ Academic Adaptation in the ESL Writing Class: A Mixed-Methods Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 887-904
Author(s):  
Eunjeong Park
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Esl Writing ◽  
Lexical Bundles ◽  
International Graduate ◽  
Academic Adaptation ◽  
Field Notes

Despite the contribution to economic and social impact on the institutions in the United States, international students’ academic adaptation has been always challenging. The study investigated international graduate students’ academic adaptation scales via a survey questionnaire and explored how international students are academically adapted in the U.S. college setting through qualitative research with class observations, field notes, and semistructured interviews. In addition, the use of lexical bundles was examined as one of the academic literacy adaptation indicators. The quantitative and qualitative results revealed international graduate students’ academic adaptation in different angles. The implications of the findings are discussed.

scholarly journals International Graduate Students’ Perspectives on High-Stakes English Tests and the Language Demands of Higher Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 68-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shakina Rajendram ◽  
Jeanne Sinclair ◽  
Elizabeth Larson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Graduate Program ◽  
Life Story ◽  
Language Education ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Proficiency Tests ◽  
International Graduate

The internationalization of higher education in Canada has given rise to the increased use of standardized English language proficiency tests as gatekeeping measures in university admission policies. However, many international students who are successful on these tests still struggle with the academic and language demands of their programs. Drawing on a thematic analysis of life story interviews with five international graduate students at a major Canadian university, this study examines students’ perceptions on the skills elicited by the IELTS and TOEFL, the language demands and pragmatic norms of their graduate program in language education, and the university’s language support programs.

scholarly journals Duality of Persistence

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasundhara Kaul ◽  
Linda Renzulli
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
International Graduate ◽  
Social Belonging ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
University Level ◽  
The U.S

International students have been a growing presence in U.S. higher education institutions for over a decade. However, how feelings of belonging shape their adjustment to these institutions has only recently become a subject of inquiry. In particular, there has been limited examination of how university-level factors interact with feelings of belonging to shape the persistence of international students within the U.S. This research takes a step towards addressing this scholarship gap by examining how social and academic belonging interact with the presence of on-campus co-nationals in engendering aspirations to persist in the U.S. after graduation for international graduate students. We demonstrate the presence of, what we call, an academic enclave effect wherein large communities of co-nationals have a positive influence on the aspirations of international students with initial low levels of social belonging.

scholarly journals First Term Support for International Graduate Students Attending Small Colleges and Universities

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 527-538
Author(s):  
Mary Jo Shane ◽  
Loredana Carson ◽  
Diana Gloria Macri
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
International Students ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Private University ◽  
The United States ◽  
Small Colleges ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Political Climate ◽  
International Graduate

The recruitment and retention of international students in academic institutions in the United States has become more complicated and more competitive than ever before given the current political climate and governmental policies. This article discusses some of the specific challenges international students face and what a small- to medium-sized private university has put in place to attract these students and to better prepare them for graduate level management courses starting their first term. This example introduces an 11-week foundations course along with additional resources designed to provide knowledge, instruction, and practice in skills and behaviors crucial for academic success within the United States.

scholarly journals Integrating International Graduate Students on Campus: The Perspectives of Student Affairs Professionals

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (Winter) ◽  
pp. 107-109
Author(s):  
RACHAL ETSHIM
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
International Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Student Affairs Professionals ◽  
The United States ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
International Graduate

Higher education institutions in the United States (U.S.) recruit international students as part of their internationalization strategies. The overall number of international students enrolled in American universities and colleges between 2017 and 2018 increased by 1.5% compared to the previous year, totaling over 1 million international students (Institute of International Education 2018). Of this total, 382,983 are international graduate students. International graduate students are good resources for the internationalization and economy of higher education institutions in the U.S. (Urban and Palmer, 2014) and, despite the reduction in the number of visas approved and job prospects, their numbers continue to grow (Almurideef 2016; Killick 2015). These students come from different countries, have different cultural backgrounds and needs, and face different challenges that student affairs professionals at host institutions must address to integrate them into campus (Harper and Hurtado, 2007; Lee and Rice 2007). Moreover, the needs and challenges of international students differ depending on their level of studies, undergraduate vs. graduate (Rai 2002). While student affairs professionals are often the first contacts for all international students, and they play a key role in the integration and development of international graduate students on campus (Brandenburg 2016), most higher education institutions and their student affairs units today are not yet prepared to serve international graduate students (Arokiasamy 2011; Burdzinski 2014; Castellanos et al., 2007; Di Maria 2012; Moswela and Mukhopadhyay 2011; Yakaboski and Perozzi 2018). The purpose of this study is to understand the perspectives of student affairs professional about their role in integrating international graduate students into campus and the policies, services, programs, and other elements they consider most helpful in integrating these students.

scholarly journals Beyond survey measures: exploring international male graduate students’ sense of belonging in electrical engineering

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Lising Antonio ◽  
Chanwoong Baek
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Research University ◽  
Academic Motivation ◽  
Electrical Engineering ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Graduate

Purpose Although a student’s sense of belonging is a key factor of persistence in higher education, research on international students’ belonging tends to rely on domain-agnostic survey measures and promote interpretations that focus mainly on social integration and adjustment. This paper aims to examine how male international graduate students in engineering understand and describe their sense of belonging and how they perceive its development at their institution. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted in-depth interviews with 12 male electrical engineering doctoral students at a selective research university in the USA. This interpretive approach allowed students to articulate their subjective understanding of belonging within a specific disciplinary context. Findings Contrary to the broad notion that the social domain is the primary locus of students’ sense of belonging, participants emphasized the academic domain when referring to their struggles with, and attempts to develop, a sense of belonging. Results suggest that the meritocratic culture of engineering education may influence students to prioritize the academic domain when conceptualizing and developing their belonging. Moreover, the strong academic motivation endemic to international students pursuing graduate education at a top American research university intensified this mechanism. Originality/value This study argues that universities seeking to enhance international graduate students’ sense of belonging can be more intentional in providing opportunities for students to establish positive academic identities. Furthermore, addressing students’ non-academic identity and marginalization as relevant and essential topics in engineering will expand their understanding of what means to belong.

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