scholarly journals Introducing ‘Prepare for Success’, a Web-based Learning Resource to Help International Students get Ready for Study in the UK

2011 ◽  
pp. 234-237
Author(s):  
Julie Watson
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
International Student ◽  
Academic Culture ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Web Resource ◽  
Web Based Learning ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University

International students starting out on undergraduate or postgraduate degree programmes in the UK often feel challenged by the different academic culture and the new study skills they need to acquire in order to be successful in their field of study. Students report that they searched online for resources to help them before they arrived at their university or college in the UK but were not always able to find what they were looking for on their university or college website. In 2008, a new website of interactive learning resources was launched to help international students prepare for study in the UK. It can also be used by institutions in a variety of ways. Prepare for Success is a free web resource, developed at the University of Southampton with PMI (Prime Minister’s Initiative) funding through UKCISA (the UK Council for international Student Affairs). Since its launch the website has attracted over 375,000 visitors from 212 different countries. It is also being widely used by UK further and higher education to help their international students make the adjustment to British academic culture, and by institutions overseas to help students prepare for a study period spent in the UK.

scholarly journals International Students Dictionary

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 325-328
Author(s):  
Karen Johnson ◽  
Lisa Wells
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
International Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Academic Culture ◽  
The United States ◽  
Universities And Colleges ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The University

According to Study Destination USA's website, The Ultimate International Student Dictionary for International Students Studying in the USA was created to give transferring international students help with the unique terminology used in universities and colleges in the United States. From experience, the staff at Study Destination USA understands the challenges future or current international students will experience, such as adapting to a new academic culture to understanding the nuances of the university language.

scholarly journals Palgrave Study Skills: The International Student Handbook

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 196-198
Author(s):  
Karen Johnson ◽  
Lisa Wells
Keyword(s):  
Study Skills ◽  
International Student ◽  
First Language ◽  
Academic Culture ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
University Culture ◽  
History Of ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
The University

The International Student Handbook addresses the needs of students whose first language is not English. Whether they are future or current students, as non-native English speakers who study at English-speaking universities, they will deal with issues ranging from adapting to the new academic culture to understanding the nuances of the language. This practical handbook can help prepare students adjust to the academic rigors of Western universities, understand the university culture, improve their English, and become successful university students. The three authors report a combined history of teaching at universities in 12 different countries. 

scholarly journals International Students’ Reflections on Employability Development Opportunities During a One-Year Masters-level Program in the UK

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (S2) ◽  
pp. 86-100
Author(s):  
Omolabake Fakunle ◽  
Anne Pirrie
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
International Student ◽  
Reflective Thinking ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Host Institution ◽  
International Student Recruitment ◽  
One Year ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University

This article explores reflection and reflective thinking, drawing upon qualitative research on international students’ perceptions of developing their employability while studying in the UK. It addresses a gap in the literature by making a connection between internationalization and employability, concepts that are mainly framed as separate discursive realms. The literature on internationalization is focused around international student recruitment and the benefits to the host institution; the employability discourse is oriented towards national policies on the development of human capital through home students in the domestic market. The reflective thinking demonstrated by the international students illustrates the challenges they faced in seeking opportunities to enhance their employability within and outside the university; and to (re)assess learning opportunities that are integrated with work experience. The findings suggest that there is scope for embedding employment development opportunities (EDOs) at a systemic level in order to enhance the experience of international students.

scholarly journals International Students' Cocurricular Involvement at a University in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 990-1009
Author(s):  
Sapna Naik ◽  
Matthew R. Wawrzynski ◽  
Joelle Brown
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
South African ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
International Student ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Student Affairs Practitioners ◽  
African Context ◽  
The University

Despite a growing body of literature on international student involvement, international students in the South African context have remained understudied. In this quantitative study, we examined international students’ cocurricular involvement and associated learning and development in a South African university. Participants included 198 international students who completed the Student Experiences Survey (SES). We found international students were generally highly involved and reported benefits and barriers to their involvement as well as a strong sense of belonging. Recommendations to better integrate international students into the university by minimizing barriers and increasing opportunities and learning in involvement are included for student affairs practitioners.

Can you measure IT? The UK experience of TechQual+

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 32-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Hall ◽  
Jessica Stephens ◽  
Sarah Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Data Protection ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Technology Services ◽  
Protection Legislation ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University

Purpose – The University of York Library, part of its Information Directorate, has successfully run an annual user survey using LibQUAL+ since 2008. The tool has proven invaluable in understanding user needs and measuring improvements. The ability to benchmark performance has been well received by university senior managers. Following this positive experience, the Directorate piloted the TechQual+ survey to assess its technology services. TechQual+ is a total market-survey tool developed on the same principles as LibQUAL+. York was the first university in the UK to do this. The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the experience and its relevance to information services. Design/methodology/approach – A team was established to co-ordinate the distribution of the survey, which was e-mailed to all university members. The survey was conducted over a period of three weeks in December 2011 using their web-based tool. The team worked with the survey providers to make amendments in order to comply with UK Data Protection legislation. Findings – The TechQual+ tool provided a rich set of data on the IT needs of University of York students and staff, including a wealth of comments. As the first use of the tool in the UK, a number of outcomes arose from the pilot: methods for running the survey in order to meet UK data protection requirements; feedback on the tool itself, with some questions not understood from a UK context; a rich set of results data, with some similarities (and several differences) to those available through LibQUAL+. Originality/value – The paper presents the first application of the TechQual+ survey in UK and discusses the issues faced when implementing it in a UK context. The case study will be of interest to libraries or converged services interested in assessing their IT provision.

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 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.

From Content Engagement to Cognitive Engagement

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamdy A. Abdelaziz
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Cognitive Engagement ◽  
Learning Model ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Web Based Learning ◽  
Self Study ◽  
Experimental Group

The objective of this paper was to develop an immersive Web-based learning model and measure its effectiveness on improving self-questioning and self-study skills among graduate students. The proposed model was guided theoretically by the flipped classroom as a new Web-based learning trend. It was also guided pedagogically by active and reflective learning principles that support transforming the teaching and learning practices from content engagement to cognitive engagement. The targeted immersive learning model encompasses four reciprocal phases: Pro-act, Act, Reflect, and Re-act (PARR). A control group post-test only experimental design was applied in this paper to examine the effect of this new learning model on both self-questioning and self-study skills. To validate the suggested model, a convenience sample of graduate students studying an advanced statistics course was selected from the Distance Teaching and Training Program at the Arabian Gulf University during the second semester of the 2012/2013 academic year. The dependent variables in this research were measured by self-questioning skills scale and self-study skills scale. After designing and applying this new immersive Web-based learning model (PARR), findings revealed that using the flipped classroom through this immersive Web-based learning model has a statistical and practical impact on developing self-questioning and self-study skills among graduate students. Each student in the experimental group was able to master self-questioning skills needed to apply quantitative research data analysis knowledge and methods. In addition, each student in the experimental group scored more than theoretical average of the self-study skills scale. The results of this paper may increase the probability and genralizability of using flipped classroom to deliver other statistical course at all educational levels. The contribution of this research is that it qualifies the Web-based instructional practices to shift from content acquisition act to knowledge expression and creation act. In addition, the paper will be of benefit to people looking for pedagogical applications of virtual and blended learning environments for developing multiple ways to express what learners know and be able to do.

“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.”

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