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Supporting international students: improving academic performance of students from the Far East. Hilly Day, Sylvia Griffiths, John Mullen. How do Far Eastern students perform at Ashcroft International Business School?. Lecturer feedback Student experience Assignment performance.
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Supporting international students: improving academic performance of students from the Far East Hilly Day, Sylvia Griffiths, John Mullen
How do Far Eastern students perform at Ashcroft International Business School? • Lecturer feedback • Student experience • Assignment performance
Statistics ‘AIBS has more international students this year than at any other time in its history.’ Vice Chancellor’s Briefing Paper 2010 UK university places: mainland China 47,035 (+10% on previous year) THE April 2010
Methodology • 1 Semester 1 focus groups x2 • 2 Semester 2 individual questionnaires • 3 Individual feedback on results
Findings • English Language requirements • Academic practice – a cultural and linguistic mismatch • Staffing structure and academic roles – a confusing picture
Findings • Contact hours and student expectations • Late enrolments • Assignment instructions • Lack of language skills
Excerpts from assignments submitted by Far Eastern postgraduate students
Recommendations • Entry standards and conditions for acceptance • More effective communication with Module Leaders – • consistency of assignment expectations and criteria • Course team meetings to discuss student performance • regarding schedule and format for assignments • Student mentor
Language support in the front line • Small classes integrated into the timetable • Integration and enhanced status for the Academic • English classes with fractional appointments • A base room to facilitate availability and accessibility • for one-to-one teaching and store resources
Communication within the Business School is the key to success • Induction timetabling and Welcome Week • briefing • Registers of students from Week 1 • Support for the classes from all colleagues
Students need Academic English support AIBS must provide this to improve international students’ performance, retain students and enhance their experience. AIBS could be in the lead with its integrated, tailor-made and specialist language support.