Christine Comrie University of the West of England.

1. How can UWE best support postgraduate Asian students? An exploratory study to understand the key factors influencing Asian students’ learning styles and prohibiting their performance. Christine Comrie University of the West of England.

2. Statement of Problem • Substantial growth in international students studying in the UK (Bartram and Bailey, 2009). • The British Council estimates this growth will be dominated by Asian students, (Li et al., 2009). • Joy and Kolb (2009) Cultural differences diverse learning styles  may negatively impact overseas students’ performance in the UK. • Many lecturers see Asian learners struggling to adapt to their new academic environment and are negative about them (Kelly and Moogan, 2012).

3. Context of Research • “I transmit but do not create. I place my trust in the teachings of antiquity.” Confucius (c551-c479 BC) • “I shall not teach him, only ask him and he shall share the enquiry with me.” Socrates (469-399 BC) • “Real Education must ultimately be limited to men who insist on knowing. The rest is mere sheep herding.” Ezra Pound

4. Statement of Problem – UWE specific • Internationalisation • International student numbers • How to provide timely and appropriate support • UWE’s future advocates •  Research Objective • Consider the Marketing School’s postgraduate provision for Asian students understand how different learning styles develop  consider how UWE could provide better, more targeted support

5. Research Objective • Explore the impact of culture on Asian learning styles • Explore differences in Academic culture • Understand key difficulties (academic ) that Asian students face. • Explore the support required. • Pre- arrival • Induction • On-going

6. Key findings: • Rationale for studying • “In my country it is difficult to get a good job without master’s degree it is so competitive” • Confucius • Confucius is still important in China but relatively unimportant in other Asian countries • “Confucius still very powerful......what he said is very strong effect on our feeling.” • Face • “Language also linked to face thinking about if I answer this question in not very good English then I will lose face.”

7. Key findings: • Academic culture • Has a strong impact on students and with the exception of Pakistan, there was one academic culture and teaching style. • Teaching • “They just follow the text book and tell us the information and knowledge in the book.......in china most of teacher are directly into the teaching from graduate.”

8. Key findings • Academic culture changing slowly • “In China.......now it is changing........more teacher particularly in university are happy for questions and challenges.” • However • “Because of education history of Chinese students normally we don’t want to ask questions.”

9. Key findings • Teaching style • Apart from those students who go to International Universities, the prevalent teaching approach is lectures. • “Vietnamese universities very much lectures. Even if we have tutorial class it is like the teacher copy the answer on the blackboard and the students copy from the blackboard and try to learn it.” • Classes are often really big so there is little interaction between staff and students.

10. Key findings • Analysis/application • “In my country the theory is really important you must exactly write what’s in the text book. In the UK you can in your mind create and idea and do it in your way.” • Asian students tend to be spoon-fed information • “The teachers in Vietnam provide you with the information and the English teachers show you the way to get to the answer.”

11. Key findings • Learning style dictated by syllabus/motivation • “We have to learn a lot of things and teacher are busy telling things and no time to ask questions and sometimes no time to think about it so record it and remember it.” • The desire to pass exams surface learning techniques. • “if you don’t understand you just memorise. Because of the examination and want to pass.”

12. Key findings • Memorising: • Indoctrination • Expectation • Lack time to understand • Students felt they lacked time to understand subjects • In UK - subject specific language is difficult  memorise /rehearse to express themselves correctly • Rationale for memorising • Motivation: pass exams • “Learn by heart……that is how you can pass exam because we need certification only.” • Expectation: • “if you write a theory in Vietnam each time you have to write it exactly.…. They do not want your opinion in the paper.………Don’t have an opinion just copy it to get a good mark.”

13. Key Findings • Language • written and spoken English. • “I am not sure I am writing in academic or speaking.” • academic discourse • “Language not a big barrier for me but …..with academic papers sometimes the style is a little bit different.” • speaking • “they absolutely know the answer but they do not know how to explain it to the teacher.”

14. Key findings • Silence • Indoctrination • I think it is the result of many many years education system in my country.” • “If they didn’t understand they stay silent and come back to their home and read the text book.” • Language • Face

15. Conclusions • Findings in the main concur with literature review • Academic culture has the greatest impact on learning style • Exams where exactly worded answers are expected; • levels of competition driving students desire to succeed and get into the best university; • Amount of material to be covered  little room for discussion. • Teachers teaching from text book  generation of passive rote learners

16. Key inhibitors to learning

17. Recommendations • An holistic and coordinated approach • An embedded rather than a bolt-on approach • Considering good practice that will help all students • Consider how the inhibitors might be addressed pre-arrival, at induction and on-going.

18. Key recommendations • PRE ARRIVAL • “Before I came I had no idea what I will study. How is the assessment and the programme …. what should I prepare before I came. I really confused. Would have like summaries of each module.” • Initial recommendations: • Set expectations and to give some information about how to approach study in the UK prior to arrival: • Official Channels – Talking heads/ programme information / studying in the UK • e:mentor • Pre-sessional classes.

19. Key recommendations • INDUCTION • At induction students focus on immediate issues: accommodation; timetables; opening bank accounts; registering with doctor • Information overload  miss important information • Support learning/study techniques online • Online student site of key information by programme • Academic personal tutor meeting early in term to spot the gaps . • Domestic students and staff should be encouraged to learn from the experience of international students.

20. Key Recommendations • ON-GOING SUPPORT. • Embedded in the course timetable and couched in terms that show how useful it will be for students then attendance is likely to be higher • How to pass exams in the UK • How to analyse a journal article • Module Leaders: • Set clear expectations • Essential reading vs recommended reading • Key points for each lecture • Integration • Formative feedback/ scaffold learning

21. Next Actions • Introducing support measures organically addressing key needs first. • Leading technology enhanced learning project • Holistic approach support staff and academic staff • Moving staff away from the negative attitude