Changing social relations in higher education: the first-year international student and the ‘Chinese learner’ in Australia

2014 ◽  
pp. 127-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianlin Song
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
International Student ◽  
First Year ◽  
Chinese Learner

scholarly journals Navigating the First Year: Transition and Adjustment Experiences of International Students of Color at a Predominantly White Institution

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina W. Yao ◽  
Jennifer N. Rutt ◽  
Kaleb Briscoe ◽  
Alexandra Kirshenbaum ◽  
Matthew W. Knight ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Students Of Color ◽  
International Student ◽  
Student Mobility ◽  
The United States ◽  
First Year ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
Predominantly White Institution ◽  
White Institution

International student mobility has been a highly discussed topic in higher education in the United States (U.S.). Yet current geo-political issues necessitate a re-examination of how international students, especially those who would be considered students of Color, are transitioning to U.S. higher education institutions. Findings from three interviews that spanned participants’ first year on campus include the importance of social interactions, challenges with academic adjustments, and navigating the effects of politics. Suggestions for student affairs practice are addressed, including pre-sojourn connections and peer engagement.

scholarly journals International students’ transitions to UK Higher Education – revisiting the concept and practice of academic hospitality

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josef Ploner
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
First Year ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Student Transition ◽  
Education Practice ◽  
Uk Higher Education

With the increasing mobility of international students to UK universities, the appropriate facilitation of their transition remains a critical issue in terms of higher education practice and research. Much existing research and practice is characterised by assimilationist approaches to transition where international students are seen to ‘adapt to’ and ‘fit in’ seemingly uniform host environments. This study however draws on the concept of ‘academic hospitality’ (Bennett, 2000; Phipps & Barnett, 2007) to develop a more nuanced stance which emphasises reciprocity between academic ‘hosts’ and ‘guests’. The findings presented here emerge from semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of international students who spent their first year abroad at a well-established UK university. Elaborating on different experiences and forms of academic hospitality (material, virtual, epistemological, linguistic and touristic), the paper contributes to a refined theorisation of international student transition. It also offers valuable insights for academic practitioners and policy makers who seek sensible approaches to internationalisation.

scholarly journals Exploring factors affecting first-year students’ learning experiences: A case study of a private university in Taiwan

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 25-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Supaporn Chalapati ◽  
Rosanna Leung ◽  
Nakarin Chalapati
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
High School ◽  
International Student ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Private University ◽  
First Year ◽  
University Management ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Declining Demand

Taiwan’s low birth rate and declining demand for higher education among the country’s high school graduates has led to vigorous competition between Taiwanese universities to attract and retain students. Increasing international student enrolment can help alleviate these existing pressures. However, the transition from high school to university life and the need to study in a degree program with English as the primary medium of instruction, can present challenges for first-year students. We aimed to investigate First Year (FY) Taiwanese and non-Taiwanese students’ learning experiences and the barriers they face at a private university. The key research findings are based on factors affecting FY students’ learning experiences such as interactive teaching techniques, peer support, program attributes, social integration, and the international learning environment. We argue that for higher education institutions (HEIs) to stand out in a highly competitive environment, university management should optimise their resources and services to meet local and international students’ needs.

A Compass During the Storm: Offering Students Critical Rigor for Polarizing Times

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Wender ◽  
Valerie J. D’Erman
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Political Science ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Learning Objective ◽  
First Year

ABSTRACT Teaching and learning in higher education is occurring, unavoidably, within the broader civic context of today’s extraordinarily polarizing political times. We seek to help students situate themselves with respect to and, above all, thoughtfully assess others’ as well as their own perspectives on issues of profound contention, without contributing to exacerbated polarization ourselves. Specifically, we offer students in our first-year exploratory political science course a vital tool—critical rigor—for navigating but not being inundated by the storm. This article discusses our experiences in teaching the course titled, “The Worlds of Politics,” as we attempt to help students deeply engage in cognitive processes of critical thinking and analysis, without undue infringement from their own—and least of all our own—personal political biases. Our focal learning objective is the cultivation of critical-thinking skills that promote students’ drawing of distinctions between advocacy and analysis, as well as their discerning civic engagement.

A necessary evil? The rise of online exam proctoring in Australian universities

2021 ◽  
pp. 1329878X2110058
Author(s):  
Neil Selwyn ◽  
Chris O’Neill ◽  
Gavin Smith ◽  
Mark Andrejevic ◽  
Xin Gu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
First Year ◽  
Automated Systems ◽  
University Staff ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
Surveillance Technology ◽  
Online Examination ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Necessary Evil ◽  
Australian Universities

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen the rapid but sometimes controversial take-up of ‘online examination proctoring’ systems by universities keen to maintain their assessment schedules during times of campus closure. Following the theoretical tradition of media ‘domestication’, this article examines the mainstream adoption of different online proctoring systems in Australian higher education during the first year of the pandemic. Through analysis of interviews, documents, news, social media and marketing materials, the article examines the ‘appropriation’, ‘objectification’, incorporation’ and ‘conversion’ of proctoring technology from the perspective of commercial providers, university authorities, university staff and student groups. This raises a number of critical issues underpinning the adoption of this exam surveillance technology – not least the surrender of control to commercial providers, the hidden labour required to sustain ‘automated’ systems and the increased vulnerabilities of ‘remote’ studying.

Overconfidence of vocational education students when entering higher education

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 429-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark P. Bowden ◽  
Subhash Abhayawansa ◽  
John Bahtsevanoglou
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
First Year ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – There is evidence that students who attend Technical and Further Education (TAFE) prior to entering higher education underperform in their first year of study. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of self-efficacy in understanding the performance of students who completed TAFE in the previous year in a first year subject of microeconomics in a dual sector university in Melbourne, Australia. Design/methodology/approach – The study utilises data collected by surveys of 151 students. Findings – A student’s self-efficacy is positively associated with their marks in a first year subject of microeconomics. However, the relationship between final marks and self-efficacy is negative for those students who attended TAFE in the previous year suggesting that they suffer from the problem of overconfidence. When holding self-efficacy constant, using econometric techniques, TAFE attendance is found to be positively related to final marks. Research limitations/implications – The findings are exploratory (based on a small sample) and lead to a need to conduct cross institutional studies. Practical implications – The research points to the need for early interventions so that TAFE students perform well in their first year of higher education. It also points to potential issues in the development of Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) programs. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to examine the inter-related impact of attendance at TAFE in the previous year and self-efficacy on the subsequent academic performance of TAFE students.

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