scholarly journals Learning and Living Overseas: Exploring Factors that Influence Meaningful Learning and Assimilation: How International Students Adjust to Studying in the UK from a Socio-Cultural Perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgia Taylor ◽  
Nadia Ali
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Meaningful Learning ◽  
Cultural Perspective ◽  
The Uk

International pharmacy students’ transition to Nottingham: Semi-structured interviews (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yicong Liu
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Teaching Style ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
Independent Study ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Pharmacy Students ◽  
Learning Ability ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
International Pharmacy ◽  
The Uk

BACKGROUND The transition from China to the UK can be challenging, and there is increasing concern among academics since cross-cultural learning and living may be a challenge for these students. OBJECTIVE To find out international pharmacy students’ worries and challenges as well as benefits on the transition experience from China to the UK. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were used to explore this group of students’ transition experiences. Selective transcription was done because of time limitations in the project. RESULTS The natural and cultural environment was the most pleasant experience for Tianjin students during this transition process. Cross-cultural adjustment and self-adaptability, as well as their autonomous learning ability were the main barriers for international students. CONCLUSIONS The difference between Asian and Western culture caused barriers for international students to fit into a new environment. In terms of integrating into local students, insufficient English language skills, culture shock and personality could be the influence factors. Moreover, the different teaching style and learning style could be the possible reasons for students having difficulty in an independent study. CLINICALTRIAL N/A

scholarly journals The role of international student interactions in English as a lingua franca in L2 acquisition, L2 motivational development and intercultural learning during study abroad

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 495-517
Author(s):  
Gianna Hessel
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
International Student ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Intercultural Learning ◽  
Lingua Franca ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
European Universities ◽  
Intercultural Interactions ◽  
The Uk

Crossing borders features prominently as a theme in study abroad, not only in terms of students’ physical border crossings but also in their intercultural interactions with second language (L2) speakers whose background (linguistic and otherwise) they may perceive as markedly different from their own. Researchers have had a long-standing interest in study abroad participants’ interactions with other L2 speakers abroad for their perceived potential to enhance L2 development, L2 motivation and intercultural learning processes. The focus of existing studies in this area has been on the interactions of study abroad participants with host national students, while their interactions with other international students who are also L2 users abroad have received far less attention, despite the ever-growing international student populations at European universities. This study examined students’ views regarding the role that lingua franca (LF) interactions with other international students played in their L2 acquisition, their L2 motivational development and their intercultural learning during study abroad. The data were derived from an empirical study that involved 81 German ERASMUS students who were studying in the UK for up to one academic year. The students’ views were elicited at the end of their stay with open-ended questionnaire items, and their verbal responses were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The analysis of the students’ reflections revealed a number of functions in each of the three areas, highlighting the potential of international student interactions as a viable source of L2 acquisition, L2 self-motivation, and intercultural learning during study abroad.

scholarly journals Investigation of International Students’ Perception of ‘Community’ in a British Higher Education Institute

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrine Angela Jackson ◽  
Fay Harris ◽  
Russell Crawford
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Global Community ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Student Community ◽  
Research Students ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Future Work

This paper investigates the perceptions of members of our international student community by giving them a voice and a platform to explore their feelings as part of a Higher Education institute in the UK and whether they consider that the university is a global environment. Our data is based on a series of structured interviews with twelve students from twelve different countries, inclusive of four postgraduate research students. Our findings reveal that our international students commonly feel part of multiple smaller communities but interestingly, they were less sure of their part within an institute-wide community. The postgraduate students’ perceptions of community were quite divergent when compared to the undergraduate perceptions, which we will continue to explore in our future work. Our data supports the perception from international students that their university is a global community, but there were distinct differences in how individuals defined it and some limitations to consider. Some defined it as students and staff of different nationalities being present at a university whilst other definitions relied on cultural characteristics within the institution as a whole. We reflect upon the implications of our research as these perceptions shape international student opinion of Higher Education institutes and what is understood by the term ‘global community’.

scholarly journals Travel, Emotion and Identity: An exploration into the Experiences of Students in Post 16 education for whom Studying in English Means Working in a Foreign Language and Culture

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
James Underwood
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Student Identity ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
High Achieving Students ◽  
Pastoral Support ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Pedagogical Approaches

This paper involves an exploration into the experiences of students in post 16 education taking traditional academic subjects, in the UK, for whom studying in English means working in a foreign language and culture. The students who formed the sample were high achieving students aged sixteen and seventeen from China, Vietnam and Thailand who had come to study in the UK in order to proceed to a British University. In the first part of this paper, the author proposes a conceptual framework suitable for this study. The second part of the paper consists of a summary of the findings from semi-structured interviews conducted with the six participants. In this paper a variety of issues are explored related to the experience of living and studying in England. Although grounded in the specific context of students from three nations studying in the UK. This paper should inform our understanding of appropriate teaching strategies and pastoral and pedagogical approaches for students in a range of multi-linguistic settings.     Keywords: English as an additional language; EAL; International students; ; Pastoral support; Sixth form; Student identity 

scholarly journals Studying Away and Well-Being: A Comparison Study Between International and Home Students in the UK

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eman S. Alharbi ◽  
Andrew P. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
International Students ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Academic Work ◽  
University Life ◽  
Course Load ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of being away from home on the well-being of international and domestic UK university students as a function of demographic factors, course load, support, personality, healthy lifestyle, and their employment of pre-planning and being at university strategies. A total of 510 students (n = 391 international and 117 British) completed an on-line survey to record demographic details and measure their well-being, quality of university life, and their being away from home strategies. The findings showed that International students reported greater quality of university life and used more pre-departure strategies; the female students reported a significantly more negative well-being and higher course demand than their male peers. A regression analysis showed that positive well-being was predicted by a positive personality, a healthy lifestyle, control and support for academic work, quality of university life and employing well-being strategies (using technology without over-reliance on it and the ability to unwind from study). Negative well-being, on the other hand, was predicted by a less positive personality and a less healthy lifestyle, a higher course demand, less control and support for academic work and less quality of university life. Moreover, the regression analysis showed that international students who employed more pre-departure strategies showed less negative well-being.

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