TIS Project Conference, Warwick [16-06-11] 1

Working with international students: - group- and project-based activities on engineering

degree programmes

Richard Dales - Consultant

Andrew McLaren - Centre Associate

Simon Steiner - Academic Advisor

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An overview of this workshop

• The TIS Project

• The Centre’s prior work in internationalisation:– Teaching Guide: Working with International Students

– Centre workshops and resources

– Webpage: Teaching International Students (TIS)

http://www.engsc.ac.uk/international-students

• Research report funded under TIS:– group- and project-based work

• Where to next….

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The “Teaching International Students” (TIS) Project• Run by the Higher Education Academy• Funded through the Academy, UKCISA & PMI2• 2 year project (2009/11)• TIS Project team:

– Janette Ryan, Jude Carroll, Fiona Hyland (ESCalate);

– Inna Pomerina (Economics), Melodee Beals (History, Classics & Archaeology) , Simon Steiner (Engineering) , Malcolm Todd (C-SAP), Ali Dickens (LLAS), Andrea Frank (CEBE), Caprice Lantz (Psychology), Richard Atfield (BMAF);

– Adam Child & Katherine Lagar (HEA)

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The Centre’s prior work in internationalisation

• Teaching Guide: Working with International Students– Commissioned in 2007, written in 2009, published 2010

www.engsc.ac.uk/guides/working-with-international-students

• Centre workshops– Nottingham (June ‘10); online (March ‘11)

with resources to view/download from each

• Webpage: Teaching International Students (TIS)– Brings together TIS Project, Teaching Guide, Centre events,

and resources

www.engsc.ac.uk/international-students

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Research report funded under TIS:group- and project-based work http://www.engsc.ac.uk/downloads/scholarart/TISresearchreport.pdf

• The opening premise that engineering degree programmes predominantly include group- and project-based work

• The complementary premise that engineering programmes are attracting higher proportions of international students

• The real-life challenges for staff who facilitate group- and project-based work with students

meets• The differences in cultural and ethical values of home

to international students

Methodology of the research - 1

• The use of HESA data (2008/9) to identify concentrations of international students in engineering

• The selection of HEIs/discipline departments showing high concentrations of international students

• The choice of HEIs/departments from across the “mission groups” of HEIs

• The use of a pre-determined and structured questionnaire, to undertake one-to-one interviews

• Interviews with academic staff in 11 departments across 8 universities

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Methodology of the research - 2

• Covered disciplines in Mech, Civil, Chem, Elec (using JACS codes)

• Interviews transcribed and written-up in full, as case stories

• Shared back with the staff for factual adjustments• Report structured under evolved headings, with

conclusions and recommendations for further work• Added bibliography (text and web sources)• Appendices added, to give HESA stats and case

stories

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Workshop session 1 [10 mins.]

Working in groups of 5, discuss the following:

• What do you do for your international students on their arrival?

– – – – –

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Research Project Report Findings – 1

• On arrival:– Support for staff to increase awareness– Early intervention to minimise clique formation– Special care when large cohorts from one country entering

later years of course– Reciprocal appreciation of cultural differences important

• Derive mutual benefit from cultural diversity/capital

• Learning experience for “home” students too

– Sporting clubs and societies: opportunities

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Workshop session 2 [10 mins.]

Working in groups of 5, discuss the following:

• How do you introduce your students to, and support them in, group- and project-based working?

– – – – –

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Research Project Report Findings – 2

• Group and project-based working– Group formation can be an issue– Lack of prior experience of group working

• some students recognise this and have chosen the UK in order to address the deficiency

– Communication within group• Reticence, marginalised, menial tasks

• Dismissive of UK students’ work ethic, maths, etc.

• Different ways of critical thinking

– Ongoing support from staff throughout

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Research Project Report Recommendations• The need for enhanced support

– Staff: resources, training/development– Students: clubs/societies, peer and buddy mentor groups– Institution: facilities (language, pastoral)

• The recognition of cultural capital– Benefits to both home and international students

• Special circumstances– Placements– Graduation Employment

Recognition and acceptance of cultural and ethical value sets

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Plenary discussion – Where to next? [10 mins.]

• What support would you like to see?

[for you, for the students…]– – –

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