On April 28, Cat Martin (Nursing) and Teresa Brooks (International Education) presented on Teaching International Students. Although many discussions, from a variety of perspectives, have been happening over the past year, this is one of the first formal sessions.
Teresa presented a brief overview of the International Education department, the demographics of last terms international students, and a brief overview on cultural differences between students from China (41%) and India (27%) who represent our largest demographic. We also have students from Brazil, Europe, Japan and other countries.
In the Langara at a Glance report, Institutional Research provides student demographics for a single term. The charts and graphs on page three show the breakdown by country of origin.
Teresa that cultural differences are not deficiencies. As well students may have non-academic issues and stressors, from learning to buy groceries to figuring out the bus system, having their family support system thousands of miles away. Many international students have accomplished much just getting to Langara and carrying the financial burdens. However, international (and recent immigrant) students have a lot to offer in the classroom, to all our students and to Langara.
Cat talked about the Nursing faculty’s experience. She acknowledged that as the PDD program work with a cohort model of only international students, the situation may vary from those with a mix of domestic and international students. Many of the issues and assumptions would be similar. Cat noted that academic issues did not apply to all the students from any one area and that neither the college nor the faculty should compromise the validity of their courses.
Some of the highlights of what is working for Nursing:
- Use past experiences as a starting point. Ask students to look beyond their own cultural beliefs such as “How did you do… “
- Changed the way they taught by using more self-reflection tools which are good for any students
- Discussed difference in different countries (sharing expertise within the class)
- Speak at a lower level of English
- Keep videos short (under 15 min.) with time to discuss in class
- Keeping examples simple and direct reduces the stress for everyone. For example in asking students to present in class using PechaKucha format, she directed them to several YouTube videos which provided simple instructions step by step.
- Encourage office hours or be prepared to stay after class longer than usual. Many students will be reluctant to speak up in class
Evaluation strategies are currently tied to assumptions on their English. You may want to introduce other types of evaluation as appropriate:
- Focus on learning and don’t get caught up on their writing.
- Use posters or video presentations
- Have students teach a class (in groups and not making everyone speak)
- Prepared debates
- Shared experiences, role playing
Attendance issues
- Regularly take attendance (including after breaks if long class or lab)
- Close doors and advise students they can’t come in until after the break (less disruption is being fair to all students)
- For tests, can come in late, but when the time ends, it ends for everyone
- Need to be consistent and constant on any techniques you introduce
Textbooks and readings
- Some refuse to buy them because they are too expensive, too much to understand
- Reduce textbooks to bare minimum
- Put a textbook on reserve (or more than one if your department can)
- In D2L reduce additional readings to a bare minimum and make clear which are required, encouraged, or just interesting
- Add a section on videos (e.g. heartbeats for nursing)
- Encourage students to attend workshops such as the Writing Centre’s “How to read a textbook”
- Weekly send bulk email to all students outlining what they will be doing that week and what you need them to have prepared (e.g. read chapter x)
Since this session, Giselle (Faculty Development) has coordinated additional sessions and TCDC has acquired resources that may help you such as 20 Minute Mentor from Magna Publications.
Successfully integrating students from other cultures is on the minds of institutions around the world. A recent article from Inside Higher Ed summarizes much of what we are encountering.
- Teaching International Students by Elizabeth Redden, Inside HigherEd (Global focus), December 1, 2014. With increasing international enrollments, faculty grapple with implications for classrooms
