scholarly journals INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PERCEPTION OF COLLABORATIVE GROUP EXAMS IN A FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY COURSE

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roza Vaez Ghaemi ◽  
Agnes Peragovics ◽  
Gabriel Potvin
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Student Perception ◽  
Collaborative Group ◽  
First Year ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Collaborative Skills ◽  
The Impact

Two-stage collaborative exams have previously been shown to improve students’ understanding and long-term retention of material, while helping to develop collaborative skills. Very little work has been done, however, on the impact of this practice on international students, who may be faced with particular challenges or contexts.. Building on previous work, the perception of first-year international students in an engineering chemistry course offered as part of the Vantage College Applied Science program at UBC regarding the practice of two-stage exams was assessed before and after participating in one for the first time. Although the experience was overall very positive, and the anticipated difficulties of the midterm seemed to be overestimated, several key challenges must be addressed before deciding whether to continue with this practice as part of this program, namely communication barriers preventing the effective participation of all group members, and a structural competitiveness that may discourage collaboration, both of which are inherent to the Vantage APSC program, as well as frustration associated with mixed technical proficiencies of group members, which is a more typical concern associated with this type of assessment.

scholarly journals Higher Education, Exclusion, and Belonging

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (S2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Enqi Weng ◽  
Anna Halafoff ◽  
Greg Barton ◽  
Geraldine Smith
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Religious Community ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
First Year ◽  
Systemic Racism ◽  
Religious Dimensions ◽  
Religious Other ◽  
The Impact

Generations of migrants from Asia since the 1800s have endured challenges in locating their place and belonging in Australia due to systemic racism and discrimination against the cultural and religious ‘other’. These persistent issues have intensified during the pandemic, especially towards Chinese communities, including international students. This paper investigates the impact of the pandemic on Chinese, Indian and Russian international students in Australia. It reveals how, throughout the first year of the pandemic, international student, ethnic and religious community organizations implemented multiple and overlapping coping strategies to assist international students in Australia, who had been left vulnerable by a lack of government support and escalating geopolitical tensions in the Asia-Pacific region. By highlighting the religious dimensions of these strategies of connectedness and belonging, it contributes new insights in an under-explored aspect in studies on international students in Australia, pointing the way for further investigation.

scholarly journals Robust Inferences from a Before-and-After Study with Multiple Unaffected Control Groups

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pengyuan Wang ◽  
Mikhail Traskin ◽  
Dylan S. Small
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Time Effects ◽  
Unaffected Control ◽  
Group Time ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Group Variation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Before And After Study

AbstractThe before-and-after study with multiple unaffected control groups is widely applied to study treatment effects. The current methods usually assume that the control groups’ differences between the before and after periods, i.e. the group time effects, follow a normal distribution. However, there is usually no strong a priori evidence for the normality assumption, and there are not enough control groups to check the assumption. We propose to use a flexible skew-t distribution family to model group time effects, and consider a range of plausible skew-t distributions. Based on the skew-t distribution assumption, we propose a robust-t method to guarantee nominal significance level under a wide range of skew-t distributions, and hence make the inference robust to misspecification of the distribution of group time effects. We also propose a two-stage approach, which has lower power compared to the robust-t method, but provides an opportunity to conduct sensitivity analysis. Hence, the overall method of analysis is to use the robust-t method to test for the overall hypothesized range of shapes of group variation; if the test fails to reject, use the two-stage method to conduct a sensitivity analysis to see if there is a subset of group variation parameters for which we can be confident that there is a treatment effect. We apply the proposed methods to two datasets. One dataset is from the Current Population Survey (CPS) to study the impact of the Mariel Boatlift on Miami unemployment rates between 1979 and 1982.The other dataset contains the student enrollment and grade repeating data in West Germany in the 1960s with which we study the impact of the short school year in 1966–1967 on grade repeating rates.

scholarly journals International Student Experience at US Community Colleges at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Whatley
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
International Students ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
International Student ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
College Leaders ◽  
Residency Status ◽  
The Impact

This study’s purpose is to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international students who were studying at US community colleges at the onset of this public health crisis. While previous work has explored the impact of the pandemic on international students generally, we argue that community college international students deserve focused attention due to their potentially marginalized status on their campuses. Using a mixed-methods research approach, we analyze survey and focus group data provided by 17 randomly-selected community college educators. Our results speak to two overarching themes: the supports provided to students at the onset of the pandemic (and educators reasons for providing these specific supports) and the unique impact of the pandemic on community college international students due to their citizenship or residency status. These findings have important implications for community college leaders and international educators as they work with international students during future times of crisis.

scholarly journals The Determinants of International Student Demand in New Zealand and the OECD

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Logan Page
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
International Students ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
International Student ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
University Education ◽  
Export Market ◽  
Student Demand ◽  
The Impact

<p>Tertiary education, once a purely domestic affair, has become an increasingly globalised industry over previous decades. Whilst the international sector has grown to being New Zealand's fourth largest export market (Ministry of Education, 2016), there is a lack of credible research on the demand of international students.    This thesis aims to provide a greater understanding of the determinants of international student demand, both in New Zealand and internationally. I firstly provide a descriptive analysis of the trends in the international student market for New Zealand and 27 OECD countries. Secondly, I use a fixed-effects approach to analyse the demand of international students within New Zealand, using fees data at the course-by-university level. Thirdly, I then generalise this approach to the international market to provide an analysis of the demand for international students travelling to the OECD.    The findings from these analyses imply that the demand for international university education is relatively inelastic. The impact of a marginal increase in fees decreases the number of EFTS/students at a proportion of less than one. Furthermore, this effect is generally not statistically distinguishable from zero.</p>

scholarly journals Inquiry-based learning to improve student engagement in a large first year topic

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masha Smallhorn ◽  
Jeanne Young ◽  
Narelle Hunter ◽  
Karen Burke da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Student Learning Outcomes ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
First Year ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Multiple Choice Exam ◽  
The Impact

Increasing the opportunity for students to be involved in inquiry-based activities can improve engagement with content and assist in the development of analysis and critical thinking skills. The science laboratory has traditionally been used as a platform to apply the content gained through the lecture series. These activities have exposed students to experiments which test the concepts taught but which often result in a predicted outcome. To improve the engagement and learning outcomes of our large first year biology cohort, the laboratories were redeveloped. Superlabs were run with 100 students attending weekly sessions increasing the amount of contact time from previous years. Laboratories were redeveloped into guided-inquiry and educators facilitated teams of students to design and carry out an experiment. To analyse the impact of the redevelopment on student satisfaction and learning outcomes, students were surveyed and multiple choice exam data was compared before and after the redevelopment. Results suggest high levels of student satisfaction and a significant improvement in student learning outcomes. All disciplines should consider including inquiry-based activities as a methodology to improve student engagement and learning outcome as it fosters the development of independent learners. 

scholarly journals International Students’ Perceptions and Experiences of British Drinking Cultures

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 572-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Thurnell-Read ◽  
Lorraine Brown ◽  
Philip Long
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Social Space ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Heavy Drinking ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Drinking Habits ◽  
Public House ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

While the increased scale and importance of international students to the UK Higher Education sector is now well established, little is known about the ways in which students from non-UK countries experience and interact with the heavy drinking culture that predominates on and near many British universities. Drawing on qualitative interviews, this article analyses the perceptions, attitudes, and experiences of British drinking cultures held by international students studying on postgraduate courses at a UK university. Students report prior awareness of alcohol consumption being important to British culture and recount both positive and negative experiences of witnessing and, for many, participating in drinking alcohol. Students make ready comparisons with the drinking habits and attitudes of their own culture. Further still, many made a distinction between the public house, or ‘pub’, as a welcoming and friendly social space, and bars and nightclubs, where a far greater risk of exposure to violence and harassment was perceived. The article provides theoretical insights to support future and more wide-ranging research into mobile drinking cultures and also suggests practical implications to inform stakeholders with interests in the welfare of international students in the UK in relation to the provision of effective and proactive policies which address the impact of British drinking cultures on international student integration and well-being.

“We See the World Different Now”: Remapping Assumptions About International Student Adaptation

2019 ◽  
pp. 102831531986136
Author(s):  
Tiago Bittencourt ◽  
Christopher Johnstone ◽  
Millicent Adjei ◽  
Laura Seithers
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Student Mobility ◽  
Academic Culture ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
University Campus ◽  
Cultural Negotiation ◽  
Personal Transformations ◽  
Group Members

Student mobility has become a key feature in the drive toward internationalization of higher education in the United States. International students contribute to the academic culture of universities, yet, often face isolation, discrimination, and experience difficulties transitioning to new environments. As a result, conational networks have formed to provide support to international students in foreign institutions. This article examines the different ways membership in a conational support group mediated international students’ experiences in a university campus. Contrary to theories that suggest insularity such as fortressing and cultural enclaves, our findings suggest that conational groups are sites of creative potential where group members are consistently forging complex assemblages between norms that are familiar and experiences that are new. Although significant personal transformations ensue as a result of these assemblages, they are occurring in a setting and a pace that is determined by group members and perceived to be safe. We argue that conational groups should not be conceived as static spaces that reproduce cultural norms, but rather as sites of contestation and cultural negotiation. Based on these findings, we question whether “integration” should be a guiding institutional logic for international student engagement, suggesting instead an approach based on the concept of “inclusion.”

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 Impact of Covid-19 on International Student Support

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Bardill Moscaritolo ◽  
Brett Perozzi ◽  
Birgit Schreiber ◽  
Thierry Luescher
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
International Student ◽  
Student Support ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Exploratory Survey ◽  
Return Home ◽  
Primary Groups ◽  
The Impact

The Covid-19 pandemic caused unique challenges to international students. Student Affairs and Services (SAS) across the higher education sector played a key role in supporting students and institutions during the pandemic. This article reports the findings of an exploratory survey with SAS practitioners from around the globe on the ways in which SAS responded to the pandemic and sought to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on students in general and international students specifically. The results demonstrate that international students were among the primary groups of students impacted by the pandemic. Specific challenges identified include mental wellbeing, inability to return home, financial hardships, fear, and uncertainty. Discrimination of certain groups was also noted. SAS intervened to assist international students in navigating these challenges across world regions, including services declared essential for international student support. Finally, financial implications and the future of international student support are explored.

scholarly journals International Students in the Time of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (S2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Gomes ◽  
Helen Forbes-Mewett
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
International Education ◽  
International Student ◽  
Student Experience ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
International Education Policy ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Future Direction ◽  
The Impact

International education and the international student experience worldwide have been fractured due to the COVID0-19 global pandemic. This special issue brings together papers from around the world which not only critically examine the impact a global crisis has on policies, procedures, operations and people around international education but also the unprecedented effects these have on international students themselves. This special issue moreover opens discussion on the future direction of international education policy and practice in order to create the best international student experience possible.

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