Canada (Ontario) is known for admitting high number of international students due to pursue post secondary education. These students often face various problems which include: mastering languages especially English.
This is in its spoken and written form. Adjusting to dissimilar classrooms that pursue diverse strategies of learning, asking for assistance, expressing ideologies and opinions illuminate the difficulties faced by such students. The government is formulating a plan aimed at improving different aspects of the economy especially through improving the education standards in the region (McGuinty, 2010).
The significance of the conducted research linking it with the Ontario plan
A research based on tribulations facing postsecondary students points out the actual problems that international students faces. This study is utilized as a baseline to the enhancement of post secondary edification as proposed in the Open – Ontario scheme.
The government’s open Ontario scheme targets 70% amplification in postsecondary edification beginning with a 20,000 raise in spaces this year for local and global students (McGuinty, 2010). Identifying and possibly solving the problem faced by international students will attract more international students to register for the spaces created. This is especially the case upon implementation of the open Ontario scheme.
The project also aims at promoting Ontario colleges, universities and any other postsecondary education institutions within the region. This can be spiced up by solving the already identified troubles on the conducted research.
This also extends to using the solved problems as a marketing strategy for promotion and marketing postsecondary learning institutions present in the region to a global population (McGuinty, 2010). Consequently, an increase in international student enrollment will correspond to an increase in revenues. This will in turn improve Ontario’s and Canadian economy in the long run.
The government plans to work with experts in instructive, commerce and training field so as to develop the five-year Ontario scheme. This is with aim of improving the quality universities and colleges (McGuinty, 2010). Technically, this cannot be effectively achieved without addressing the problems faced by local and worldwide student especially when learning is concerned.
A research on the problems faced by the students whether local or international is of great importance since action will be taken based on the identified problems; furthermore, this can avoid deviations from processes that concentrate on addressing problems. In the event that the government creates an online Ontario institution, it is best for them to identify the problems that students may face while studying online.
A research on the problems likely to be encountered will assist the government in creating an effective online Ontario institute that addresses the emerging and existing problems of the students.
The government’s Ontario scheme aims at creating more employment opportunities that require talented and skilled tradespersons with quality scholastic qualifications. It is my opinion that they must consider working on the problems facing both the international student and local students. This is for quality education to be achieved since they are the future employers and employees of Ontario.
Pointed out recommendations and directions for the future
Research is considered as not only a professional method but also educative way of identifying, understanding and further solving a problem. It will be of great importance to carry out a research before planning or implementing any project. It is imperative to acknowledge that education as an aspect of economic growth can be achieved through research (McGuinty, 2010).
This not only addresses the problems facing international students but also other supporting tenets and processes of education. This will greatly help in understanding the problems faced by the education sector from a summative dimension. It is not forgotten that improvements on research findings should be carried out on individual aspects of education. This in turn increases the quality and services of education as a whole.
I strongly recommend that the government should resourcefully invest on research as a tool towards the improvement of varied aspects of the economy. Supporting research on education or any aspect of economy either financially or in any other form will immensely improve the understanding of challenges faced by different sectors in various capacities.
Financial support will also lead to tremendous improvement in the quality of research consequently, leading to successful projects aimed at improving aspects of the economy and not necessarily education (McGuinty, 2010).
I would conclude this by stressing that research is vital in solving any problem inherent or new in society. I highly recommend that the government should carry out different types of research before investing on any economic sector. This is in a bid to establish which exact areas are of interest that requires reforms.
Education is fundamental to any economic success (McGuinty, 2010). In light of this fact, research should be done on every aspect of education in order to address the key issues which when improved a better education strategy will be formulated. I further reinstate on the importance of the quality of this approach as it enhances growth and success in Ontario.
Reference
McGuinty, D. (2010). Open Ontario, a five year economic plan. Ontario: Office of the Premier. Retrieved from Office of the Premier, Dalton McGuinty Open Ontario Plan.htm
Teaching curriculum differs among various universities nationwide. Students adopt certain learning strategies depending on the University of learning. This poses a great challenge to Universities that accommodate ‘global’ students as it means that the students have to be inducted into the new curriculum. It is therefore important that institution heads and management develop a universal curriculum that favors diverse cultures and learning strategies nationwide.
Education theories: Learning styles
Introduction
Learning has become one of the most important emerging issues in the world. In a world that is rapidly changing, learning is going global with increase in the number of students seeking to enhance their learning capacity in Western universities. Social institutions are also changing due to impact of globalization, in order to accommodate ‘global’ students who wish to study in foreign countries. The impact of international changes has been felt by virtually every individual in the nation (Rothkop, 1997).
Therefore, there is a desire to keep up with the trend and learning diversification. The educational expectations of international students are as diverse as those of domestic students (Biggs, 2003; Ryan, 2005). A research on undergraduate students studying in Melbourne indicated that there are a number of challenges facing international students.
These challenges include: learning and living in a different cultural environment; learning in a foreign university context; learning while developing English language proficiency and learning the academic disciplinary discourse (University Planning Office, 2005).
Effective lectures need to have an outline on areas of study, clear explanation of the key concepts in use and other external sources of study that relate to the subject of learning. This facilitates effective learning of all students including those taking English as a second language as they can explore various research items for purposes of understanding.
Group discussions and team work should be encouraged among international and domestic students to enhance understanding and effective learning. This report aims at highlighting the initial problems faced by Asian international students in terms of learning styles and how they strive to overcome these difficulties through discussions and practice (Wong, 2004).
Literature review
The culture of people differs among countries. Students travelling to other countries experience numerous adjustment challenges in their host countries to the difference in cultural background. It is not surprising that the physical and psychological well-being of students, as well as their academic performance can be affected by these adjustment challenges (Ward, Bochner & Furnham, 2001).
The students are likely to experience a “culture shock”(Oberg,1960), due to sudden change of environment and trend of doing things. They struggle with issues of belongingness, misplaced routines and connectedness.
The relationships between cultural stress and measures of mental health (depression, anxiety and stress) and study and social lifestyle balance suggests that there is a constellation of negative psychosocial consequences for international students which may seriously interfere with their adaptation to the host country and to their capacity to achieve optimally in the university settings (Thomson, Rosenthal & Russell, 2006).
Globalization, which is the tendency to world-wide convergence in education and other sectors are changing the environment in which English is learnt as a foreign language (EFL) or second language (ESL).
First, economic and cultural globalization includes the globalization of language, and in particular the spreading role of English as a universal global lingua franca (Biggs, 2003). Students learning English language as a second or foreign language are greatly affected in adapting to teaching and learning styles used in foreign countries.
The styles used prior to the new teaching and learning styles in foreign countries greatly influence the way these students embrace the learning styles in foreign universities. Some students may be conversant with English spoken language while others may be more proficient in the oral aspect of the language. It is important for universities in foreign countries to implement teaching and learning styles and a curriculum that addresses the predicament of such students to promote effective learning.
The education system that international students experience prior to their enrollment into foreign universities determines how efficient the students are inducted into the foreign education system. The complexity of some systems of learning poses a great challenge to students who would like to study in foreign universities. Students may find it difficult to adapt to new academic disciplines and learning strategies.
Learning theories include the basics of Behaviorism, Cognitivism and Constructivism. Ward (2001) made the following observations on the three theories:
Behaviorism is based observable changes in behavior and it focuses on a new behavioral pattern being repeated until it becomes automatic.
Cognitivism is based on the thought process behind the behavior whereby changes in behavior are observed, and used as indicators as to what is happening inside the learner’s mind and
Constructivism is based on the premise that we all construct our own perspective of the world, through individual experiences and schema and it focuses on preparing the learner to problems solving in ambiguous situations.
The focus is on a specific automated goal that is achieved through repetitive action and practice. The learner is therefore motivated to achieve the set goal due to its clarity in nature. However, the learner may sometimes find it difficult to respond to the stimulus due to prevailing circumstances.
It aims at training learners to accomplish tasks universally to ensure consistency. Universities that incorporate the principle use of cognitivism provide their students with common teaching and learning styles, which they should follow. The limitation of this type of learning however is that the learning approach provided may not be suitable to the learner or the task in study.
It involves use of personal judgment, critical analysis of situations and formulation of one’s own strategies. Constructivism enhances the learner’s ability to solve problems and facilitates better understanding of learning styles. It may be classified as a student centered approach to learning.
Many universities have come up with plagiarism detective measures and disciplinary measures have consequently been put in place for those that infringe the academic laws. New international students should be enlightened on the rules governing academic disciplines for effective learning.
Students from Confucius Cultural Heritage are capable of high-level critical thinking (Biggs, 2003). Teachers should demonstrate and encourage development of critical thinking skills to students, both domestic and international to enhance efficient learning in post-secondary education (Biggs, 2003, p. 25).
Cultural challenges arise as a result of diverse cultural backgrounds of the students. This leads to a difference in norms, values and beliefs in the way of doing things. Appropriate culturally diverse teaching strategies should therefore be used for effective learning of international students.
Most international students have their roots in countries where English language is learnt as a second or third language, or where it is learnt for literacy purposes only. It is therefore challenging for students who are not highly proficient in English language to adopt international learning culture.
Western Universities realizing the growth in demand to their education should therefore aim at developing teaching strategies that address language issues and provide English proficiency modules, for effective understanding and efficient adoption of the Western learning. Interaction of International students with domestic students should be highly encouraged to ease understanding and learning of foreign languages (Knight, 2003, p.52).
Methods
This research employs the descriptive method of research which mainly concentrates on gathering information on the current prevailing conditions in the area of study. The employment of the descriptive research method is in the quest to ensure that the respondents identified give rich information on the research question. It can use qualitative data or quantitative data, and in some cases even both, which gives the researcher a variety of options to choose from when conducting his or her research.
The process of gathering the data involved primary data via interviews. Since this study adopts the use of a questionnaire alongside other published literatures, its approach combines both the qualitative and the quantitative data. This makes the research richer in content as this overcomes some of the limitations that other researchers suffer when conducting their studies on similar topics.
Analysis and Discussion
Study Questionnaire on Learning styles and the nature of learning, which was conducted on 10 students.
Closed ended
What is your age?
15-20
21-30
31-40
Over 41
Are you a native English speaker?
Yes
No
If your answer above is no, does it have a negative impact on your education considering that English is the mode of language used in your University?
Yes
No
Are you an Australian National?
Yes
No
How can you range the level of satisfaction of your institutions’ teaching style?
Very dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Satisfied
Very satisfied
The international Universities should advocate adoption of the native culture.
Agree
Disagree
Open ended
What is the impact of culture, language and foreign curricula on the learning ability of International Students?
Discuss any measures and strategies that have been put in place to address the constraints above. Have the measures been effective?
What is the role of University facilitators in promoting effective learning of International students?
Would it be advisable to offer mixed lessons for both International and domestic students? Explain your answer.
Fig 1. Student’s level of satisfaction.
Learning can either be teacher centered or student centered. Learning styles include lectures, project evaluations studies and group discussions. Lecture methods are teacher centered, whereas group discussions and projects may be grouped as student centered.
According to a study carried out by Wong(2004) on Asian international undergraduate students taking their studies at an Australian University, majority of the students (70%) taking part in the study preferred student centered styles of learning, used by their university. This might have explained why most students were very happy with the teaching style of their institution (Wong, 2004).
When the students were further implored on how best they learned, most of them(65%) indicated that they learnt best on their own, with little or no guidance from the lecturers, 21% believed they learnt better with lecturer guidance and 14% preferred being spoon-fed by the lecturers.
These findings further confirmed that Asian international students predominantly preferred a student centered learning style (Wong, 2004). However, use of a different set of data revealed that teaching and learning changes as students advance into higher levels of study.
It was observed that 33% of the Asian international students preferred student centered style in their first year of study but this preference changed as they progressed into their third and fourth year, with only 23% preferring the Lecturing style of teaching and learning. The overall results have shown that Asian international students preferred a more student centered style of teaching and learning despite their previous educational and cultural background (Wong, 2004).
Fig 2. Students teaching style reference.
Conclusion
International learning is widely gaining popularity due to the fast spreading globalization. Students are dynamically seeking to study in universities that offer quality education nationwide. Learning styles should be considered an issue of great concern if effective global learning is to be achieved in this nation.
For effective learning of international students, it is only important that universities should adopt appropriate teaching. The universities should also aim at addressing issues concerning cultural stress, language constraints and academic disciplines that hinder effective and efficient learning (Knight, 2003).
Recommendations
Lecturers should aim at promoting effective learning for the international students by ensuring that the students clearly understand the objectives of learning have access to sufficient research materials and clearly understand the assessment expectations required of them. This will ensure successful induction into the new education system and academic disciplines.
Reference List
Biggs, J. (2003). Teaching for Quality Learning at University. Berkshire: Open University Press.
Knight, J. (2003). Updated Internationalization definition. International Higher Education, 33, 2-3.
Oberg, K. (1960). Culture shock: Adjustment to new cultural environments. Practical Anthropology, 7, 177-182.
Rothkop, D. (1997). In praise of cultural imperialism? Effects of globalization on culture. Web.
Ryan, J. (2005). Improving teaching and learning practices for international students: implications for curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. New York: Routledge.
Thomson, G., Rosenthal, D., & Russell, J. (2006). Cultural stress among international students at an Australian University. Adelaide: University of South Australia.
University Planning Office. (2005). Survey of final year international students on their experience of the University of Melbourne. Melbourne: University of Melbourne.
Ward, C., Bochner, S., & Furnham, A. (2001). The psychology of culture shock. London: Routledge.
Wong, K. (2004). Are the Learning Styles of Asian International Students Culturally or Contextually Based? International Education Journal, 4(4), 5-16.
Often, students opt to study abroad to escape from their parents or guardians. They fail to appreciate the challenges associated with transitioning from one country to another (Altbach 126). Studying in a distant country is attributed to numerous challenges that include language barrier, culture shock, adapting to a foreign diet, getting an apartment, and commuting from one’s residence to school. Everything that an individual knew seems to have been inverted. Some students are unable to withstand the challenges associated with studying overseas, prompting them to go back to their countries. In spite of the challenges associated with studying in a foreign country, the experience makes one independent (Smith and Khawaja 705). One requires creating a connection with the local students. It enables him/her not only to learn the local language but also to get an apartment in a secure neighborhood and commute with limited difficulties.
One of the biggest challenges that international students face is the language barrier (GU, Schweisfurth, and Day 14). When I moved to the United States as an international scholar, I had challenges in interacting with students. The official teaching language was English. I had never studied English before. Therefore, I only had a basic knowledge of English. Before moving to the United States, my colleagues encouraged me to take English lessons. They claimed that it would help me to interact with students and understand the lecturers. I did not take them seriously since I thought that having a basic knowledge of English was sufficient. I was astounded to find that the Americans used jargons that were unfamiliar to me. Besides, words like balling, intense, radical, and many others had different meanings. It was hard to understand what the students were saying. I avoided speaking with classmates due to poor English. I endured the challenge of the language barrier for three months, which to me seemed like ten years. Communicating with taxi drivers was hard. Therefore, I stayed indoors during the free time since it was hard to tour the city.
I could not socialize for three months. I only had two friends who understood my challenges and were ready to assist. I recalled the many friends that I had back in my country and resolved to go back. I talked to one of my friends about the decision to go back to my homeland, but he convinced me to stay. He said that it would not take long to overcome the challenges, which I was facing. My friend volunteered to help me learn English. He also helped me to look for a better apartment in a secure neighborhood. It eased my travel from home to school.
International students encounter challenges in managing their money. It becomes hard for the students to compare their local denominations with foreign currencies when purchasing products (Hsieh 381). Eventually, the students end up spending all their money within a short duration. Another challenge that I encountered was getting acquainted with the American dollar. I had been used to our local currency. Hence, it was hard for me to assess the value of items in terms of dollars. On the other hand, the taxi drivers took advantage of my innocence. They could charge me high for a short distance. Induration of three months, I contacted my parents four times asking for additional money. My parents were not happy with my spending. They accused me of being too extravagant. One day, I invited my friends for lunch at my place. I offered to pay for their transport. They were surprised to learn that I paid $30 for a distance that costs $15. That is when I realized that the taxi drivers had been overcharging me. I confronted the taxi drivers, and since then, they never overcharged me again.
International students go through many challenges that impact their academic performance in the first year of college (Poyrazli and Grahame 33). The primary reason for moving to the United States was to advance my educational background. I had hopes that studying in the United States would boost my academic credentials and enable me to secure a better job in the future. Unfortunately, my dreams were almost shattered in the first semester. I did not perform according to my expectations. One of the factors that contributed to my poor performance was the language barrier. It was hard to understand the lecturers. Besides, I took a long to settle down. Therefore, I had little time to study.
Understanding the factors that lead to poor performance can go a long way towards helping one to improve his/her academic achievements (Salisbury et al. 125). I decided to concentrate on the subjects that seemed quite difficult. Besides, we formed a discussion group with some friends who helped me tackle the difficult subjects. I also liaised with lecturers who spared some of their time to assist me. The study group and assistance from the professors helped to boost my academic performance. I was among the most academically improved students in the second semester.
Works Cited
Altbach, Philip. “Globalization and the University: Realities in an Unequal World.” International Handbook of Higher Education 18.1 (2009): 121-139. Print.
Gu, Qing, Michele Schweisfurth, and Christopher Day. “Learning and Growing in a ‘Foreign’ Context: Intercultural Experiences of International Students.” Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education 40.1 (2010): 7-23. Print.
Hsieh, Min-Hua. “Challenges for |International Students in Higher Education: One Student’s Narrated Story of Invisibility and Struggle.” College Student Journal 41.2 (2007): 379-391. Print.
Poyrazli, Senel, and Kamini Grahame. “Barriers to Adjustment: Needs of International Students within a Semi-Urban Campus Community.” Journal of Instructional Psychology 34.1 (2007): 28-42. Print.
Salisbury, Mark, Paul Umbach, Michael Paulsen, and Ernest Pascarella. “Going Global: Understanding the Choice Process of the Intent to Study Abroad.” Research in Higher Education 50.2 (2009): 119-143. Print.
Smith, Rachel, and Nigar Khawaja. “A Review of the Acculturation Experiences of International Students.” International Journal of Intercultural Relations 35.6 (2011): 699-713. Print.
Education is of great importance in modern society and it enables individuals to achieve their professional goals and make a positive contribution to the society. Some students desire to study courses that are not available in their home countries. Others want to study in a foreign country in order to be prepared to join the global job market. To achieve their goals, these students enroll in schools that are outside their country. These students are referred to as international students since they have left their country with the aim of studying in another country. There are many advantages of being an international student.
To begin with, the student becomes better prepared for the global job market. The student also gains the ability to relate with people of different cultural backgrounds. Finally, international students are able to benefit from educational services not available in their home country. However, there are some problems that the student faces. One major problem that many international students experience is homesickness. This is the feeling of distress that occurs when the student faces separation from his/her home. Homesickness in international student is caused by culture shock and the failure to meet the high expectations that the international students have about their lives in the new country. It results in poor academic performance by the student.
The first major cause of homesickness is the culture shock that many international students experience. Being an international student means moving to a new country to receive an education. When the person arrives at the new country, he or she faces an unfamiliar environment. The cultural values in the country might be different from those that the student is used to. The host country might also have different attitudes towards issues such as dating and clothing.
The ways of doing things might also be different causing the student to feel isolated. Since the student does not have his family and friends, he will feel alone and unable to cope with the new environment. Some students develop fear and a sense of insecurity in the unfamiliar surroundings. Culture shock might result in feelings of anxiety and isolation. These feelings lead to students experiencing homesickness. They long for their motherland where things are familiar and they feel accepted by the society.
Another cause of homesickness is the disappointment that international students feel when they get to the new country. When travelling abroad to study, students have some expectations. In most cases, international students hold high expectations about the quality of their lives in the new country. In addition to this, they feel that they have the ability to perform well in class and adjust easily to the new environment.
However, the realities are different and international students face many difficulties. To begin with, they might find it hard to make cultural adjustments in the new country. They might face financial hardships since the cost of living in the host country might be higher than that of their home country. In class, the students might find that they are not performing as well as they had hoped. Such events will lead to feelings of homesickness especially in students who had high accomplishments in their home countries. The students will find themselves longing for their home environment where they had a good social network and success.
A significant effect of homesickness is that it leads to poor academic performance by the student. Students struggling with homesickness are likely to be distracted in class. In addition to being absent-minded, they are not able to concentrate for long. Due to the poor concentration, the homesick student will not get all the material that the professor is teaching in class. This will decrease their chances of getting good grades in their exams. In addition to this, students suffering from homesickness tend to isolate themselves from their fellow students. This isolation makes it hard for them to benefit from group discussions or contribute in group assignments.
The negative impact of homesickness on academic performance is important for international students hope to achieve academic success in the new country. Homesickness makes it hard and even impossible for some students to achieve this success.
While international education has many benefits to the individual, students face some problems in the new country. Homesickness is one of the most significant problems facing international students. This paper has discussed some of the major causes of homesickness. The first one is the culture shock that the students experience when they encounter cultural norms and values that are different from their own. The second one is the failure to meet the high expectations that the international students have about their lives in the new country. A significant negative effect of homesickness is poor academic performance by the student.
This effect is harmful since the major goal of all international students is to graduate with distinction. Homesickness leads to poor performance and in some cases the student even fails to graduate. This problem must therefore be addressed in order for all international students to benefit from studying abroad.
The staggering economic growth witnessed in China has increased the median income of the average citizen and had an unintended consequence of increasing the demand for higher education (Zhang & Fagan 2016). The rise in wealth and the increase in demand for high-quality education mean that there is a strong need to bridge students’ needs with currently available education services not only within China but around the world as well (Perez-Encinas & Rodriguez-Pomeda 2018).
However, students in China have experienced problems seeking the right partners who understand their personal and educational needs. The language barrier that exists between prospective Chinese students and most western universities has compounded this problem.
According to Huang, Wang and Li (2015), China is among the leading sources of international students for many western universities. Relative to this view, it is estimated that up to 500,000 Chinese students leave the country in search of better educational opportunities in western countries (SML 2019). Therefore, it is not a surprise that China is an attractive market for setting up a recruitment agency to facilitate student travel and provide educational resources for pursuing international education (SML 2019).
Furthermore, there is competition from many recruitment agencies that are increasingly targeting Chinese students to study abroad because of the strategic importance of China as a source of international students (Perez-Encinas & Rodriguez-Pomeda 2018). Nonetheless, most of these foreign international recruitment agencies have failed to make a significant impact on the Chinese economy because of language barriers or poor strategic choices (Perez-Encinas & Rodriguez-Pomeda 2018).
Most international students in China encounter difficulties choosing their preferred majors and identifying the best universities to study (Zhang & Fagan 2016). Notably, most of them who leave their high schools and have aspirations of seeking higher education internationally have little or no understanding of the global education system or variations of it (Chankseliani 2018). Consequently, there is a need to educate them about best practices and inform them about available educational opportunities that would enable them to achieve their personal and career goals.
The main goal of students to seek higher education (internationally) is to give them access to all materials and knowledge available, subject to their respective fields of study (Özoğlu, Gür & Coşkun 2015). Educational agencies serve the purpose of linking students with universities that would help them to achieve their personal and career goals (Perez-Encinas & Rodriguez-Pomeda 2018). Therefore, educational agencies play an important role in reducing the stress associated with selecting and gaining admission to higher institutions of education (Perez-Encinas & Rodriguez-Pomeda 2018).
According to Popkewitz, Feng and Zheng (2018), a good educational agency should offer students with a wide variety of placement options to allow them to select one that suits their educational needs and budget. This view means that reputable agencies work with a variety of educational institutions to identify the best fit for their students’ needs (Perez-Encinas & Rodriguez-Pomeda 2018). However, the selection process is premised on the ability of a student to explain their needs for an agency to provide the best match. This background informs the need to set up an educational agency to help Chinese students get the best placement in international universities. The aim of the proposed study is highlighted below.
Aim
To set up an educational agency to recruit international students in China
Objectives
To assess the practicality of setting up an educational agency to recruit international students in China.
To identify the tools and resources necessary to set up an educational agency for international students in China.
To identify all relevant stakeholders needed to set up an education agency for international students in China.
To assess the opportunities available for setting up an education agency for recruiting Chinese students to study abroad.
Literature Review
This section of the proposal highlights what other researchers have said about the research topic. A synopsis of the findings will be explored through an assessment of three key research areas: international students’ needs in higher education, assessment of the existing educational agencies in China and challenges in international student recruitment.
Challenges in International Student Recruitment
Recent changes in visa and travel regulations have made it difficult for international students to get admission in different universities around the world (Rasmussen et al. 2015). The hesitation of some parents to allow their children to study in certain parents of the world, coupled with the attempt by authorities to stop accredited institutions from recruiting international students through agencies, have further compounded the problem (Rasmussen et al. 2015).
These restrictions are emerging at a time when most western-based institutions of higher education are looking to increase the enrolment numbers of international students in their jurisdictions (Perez-Encinas & Rodriguez-Pomeda 2018).
The use of agents to recruit international students in many accredited institutions has elicited a lot of controversies because the term “agent” evokes misunderstanding among stakeholders who question their role in recruiting students (Özoğlu, Gür & Coşkun 2015). This problem has been witnessed in different jurisdictions around the world, such as the United States, where agents have experienced challenges in creating a reliable channel for education institutions to admit international students (Chankseliani 2018).
This problem stems from the suspicion surrounding agency roles in international student recruitment because some universities are concerned about the legality of the process and the possibility of these institutions “double-dipping” financially by charging students for services offered and taking a commission from the concerned universities as well (Zhang & Fagan 2016). However, these concerns have not deterred students from seeking the services of recruitment agencies because they are aware of the additional services offered by them.
Assessment of the Existing Educational Agencies in China
According to the China Higher Education (2019), there are about 450 education recruitment agencies in China. Figure 1 below shows that most of them are located in major cities (tier 1 cities), while smaller metropolitan areas have fewer agencies.
Figure 1. Distribution of education agencies in China (Source: SML 2019).
Studies also suggest there are about 10,000 agents who work officially or unofficially as recruiters in China (China Higher Education 2019). This statistic marks an increase in the population of recruiters because their numbers have increased commensurately with the demand for higher education among Chinese students locally and internationally. Firms that have been in the market for a long time have mature recruitment channels, which make it expensive for the average student to seek their services.
Alternatively, large recruitment agencies command a significant portion of the market because it is estimated that the top three recruitment firms in China control about 30% of the market (China Higher Education 2019). Furthermore, several smaller recruitment agencies, which have a significant impact on the market are poorly reported in mainstream studies. However, their impact can be felt in different cities and regions around China (China Higher Education 2019).
Different universities around the world have adopted unique methodologies for working with recruitment agencies in China. Multiple variables affect the relationship between these agencies and the participating institutions. One of them is the geographical location of the impact that the recruiters have (Rasmussen et al. 2015). For example, education agencies tend to work with universities or colleges that are close to their areas of operation. The number of agencies engaged could also influence the relationship between recruiting agencies and partner organisations because the fewer the number of agencies, the more engaged the universities become. The size of the agencies involved and their license status also influence how well they collaborate with reputable institutions of higher learning (Zhang & Fagan 2016).
Lastly, although complex research and market intelligence are needed to select the best type of agency, little market research has been done to fully understand the background of these recruitment agencies. Some key performance indicators that have been used to assess their performance include location, portfolio, area of expertise, destination focus, size and productivity (among others) (Hyams-Ssekasi, Mushibwe & Caldwell 2014; Hodge, Salloum & Benko 2016).
International Students’ Needs in Higher Education
The needs of international students in higher education largely influence the services they get from recruitment agencies. Indeed, it is the role of international students to match student’s needs with the educational services offered in institutions of higher education (Green 2019). Three studies authored by Schatz (2016) Shaheen (2016), Gale and Parker (2017) investigated the perceptions of student’s needs in Australia, Canada, Finland and the UK.
They suggested that these countries have unique educational environments that affect the enrolment of international students. They hold the view that the US is the leader in providing high-quality education among the groups of countries identified above, while Canada is deemed to have the most affordable institutions of higher learning (Schatz 2016; Shaheen 2016; Gale & Parker 2017).
Summary
The need for a recruitment agency cannot be ignored when looking for international placement in higher education because students often spend up to two years to decide which country or institution to study. Agents play an important role in improving the number of Chinese students studying internationally because they help them to navigate language barriers, visa requirements and even the interview process.
Broadly, this literature review has highlighted the importance of analysing the motivation and capabilities of international recruitment agencies when reviewing their efficacy in matching students’ needs with existing educational requirements. However, there is a need to understand whether the establishment of another recruitment agency could further remedy this need by reaching underserved populations.
Methodology
Research Approach
The mixed methods research approach will provide the overriding research framework for the proposed study. It is comprised of a combination of the qualitative and quantitative research approaches (Uprichard & Dawney 2019; Clark-Gordon, Workman & Linvill 2017). The justification for using this approach is to allow for complete and synergistic use of data. Therefore, if either qualitative of quantitative approaches were used separately, such synergy will be lost as the data would be developed separately (Dewasiri, Weerakoon & Azeez 2018).
The mixed methods research approach stems from the social sciences and researchers have widely adopted it in many fields of study. Relative to this assertion, Moseholm and Fetters (2017) suggest that a well-designed mixed methods framework should collect and analyse both qualitative and quantitative data, use rigorous data collection techniques, integrate data effectively and use procedures that implement both qualitative and quantitative approaches concurrently or sequentially.
Research Design
According to Research Rundown (2016), six research designs are linked with the mixed methods research approach. They include sequential explanatory, sequential exploratory, sequential transformative, concurrent triangulation, concurrent nested and concurrent transformative techniques (Research Rundown 2016). The sequential transformative method will be used in this study because there will be no preference for the collection of either qualitative or quantitative data because the investigation is exploratory. Collectively, the results of the qualitative and quantitative phases will be integrated into the data analysis phase.
The main justification for proposing to use this technique is its ability to employ methods that best serve a theoretical purpose. Therefore, it is possible to use the design to fit the purpose of this investigation, which is to set up an educational agency to recruit international students in China.
Data Collection Method
The pieces of information that will be used to address the research issues will be collected from secondary resources. Notably, data will be gathered from industry reports, government publications, books and journals. Books and journals would be obtained from reputable and scholarly databases, such as Google Scholar and Sage Journals. Alternatively, industry reports will be obtained from credible websites, such as corporate and government websites. An effort will be made to only include updated information published within the last five years to make sure the data obtained is relevant to the period under investigation. Similarly, the researcher will seek data from peer-reviewed journals because the information obtained in these reports has been scrutinised by other experts.
These above-mentioned procedures for data collection will be observed to safeguard the quality of information gathered in the data collection process. For example, company websites and government publications have a higher credibility of findings compared to blogs or media publications (Garner, Wagner & Kawulich 2016; Björk et al. 2017). Therefore, there will be a deliberate effort to avoid commercial websites and other unreliable online resources when obtaining data. Such data collection procedures will be observed to safeguard the quality of information obtained in the study and improve the accuracy of data collected.
Broadly, secondary research will be used in the study because it is a cost-effective way of collecting data (Morgan 2019). Furthermore, it offers a timely way of gathering important pieces of information because the materials are freely accessible. Secondary research data is proposed as the main mode of data collection because it gives the researcher access to extensive data relating to the research objectives.
This approach to data collection is also appropriate for this study because it has a wide scope of focus, which is supported by the review of different issues relating to setting up an educational recruitment agency in China, which are mentioned in the research objectives. To recap, the objectives of the study focus on identifying key stakeholders, resources, opportunities available and practicalities of setting up an educational agency in China. These different aspects of analytical review demand a wide scope of analysis for addressing the research topic. Secondary research provides this wide focus.
One of the limitations of using published articles as the main form of data collection is the indicative nature of their findings (Farrell, Tseloni & Tilley 2016). In other words, the information gathered from this process may lack specificity in applicability because data is obtained from a wide spectrum of sources, which may not necessarily be directly related to the research topic under investigation.
However, to overcome this challenge, the data collection process will be focused on obtaining Chinese-based information. This approach to data collection will make sure that the information obtained for review is primarily focused on the Chinese market. Alternatively, data related to other countries will be included in the analysis for comparison purposes. Lastly, the use of secondary research data as the main mode of data collection means that there will be no need for addressing sampling requirements because no human subjects will be involved in the study.
Data Analysis Method
As highlighted above, the data collection process will be focused on the review of published information. Data will be assessed using the thematic method, which involves the process of identifying core themes from the articles reviewed and relating them to key research objectives (Kuckartz 2014; Willig & Rogers 2017). The steps linked to this data analysis technique will be categorised into six key stages: familiarising the researcher with the data, assigning preliminary codes to describe the content, searching for patterns or themes from the codes, reviewing the themes, defining and naming them and producing the final report (Smith & Sparkes 2016).
Ethical Issues, Reliability and Validity of Findings
Studies by Dalessandro (2018), Fetters and Molina-Azorin (2019) suggest that the main ethical issues affecting studies that use secondary data have remained the same for many years. However, unlike primary research studies, which often use human subjects for data collection, the growing relevance of technology in gaining access to research resources in secondary research has created a need to understand issues relating to data sharing, compilation and storage (Ellard-Gray et al. 2015).
To address these problems, information that will be obtained from the research process will be stored in a computer and analysed for consistencies. The goal will be to make sure that the data obtained is credible and consistent with the objectives of the study. Research articles that require special permission to gain access to data will be excluded from the analysis but those that are freely accessible will be used and cited accordingly or acknowledgements to the authors made. Any identifying information related to the materials will also be protected in the final report because the data will be presented anonymously. Broadly, the ethical considerations for the proposed study will be fulfilled as per the university’s ethical requirements.
Lastly, there is a need to assess the reliability and validity of the findings obtained because the secondary research materials that will be reviewed were not primarily designed to address the current research issue. Therefore, the methodology used to come up with their findings will be examined for accuracy, reliability and validity by reviewing different assessment indicators, such as the period taken to collect data and the purpose for doing so.
Conclusion
Overall, this research proposal has highlighted the importance of recruitment agencies in matching student needs with available education opportunities in the UK and other international markets. The findings of this study will be instrumental in meeting the growing demand for higher education in China, particularly among underserved populations. Data will be collected using secondary research and emphasis will be made to obtain updated information published within the past five years.
Subsequently, the data gathered will be analysed using the thematic method. The project is expected to span across four weeks and the findings presented to the university after the lapse of this time. Key recommendations are expected to guide the researcher in bridging the gap between the educational needs of students in China and available opportunities in the UK.
Reference List
Björk, J, Malmqvist, E, Rylander, L & Rignell-Hydbom, A 2017, ‘An efficient sampling strategy for selection of biobank samples using risk scores’, Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, vol. 45, no. 17, pp. 41-44.
Chankseliani, M 2018, ‘Four rationales of HE internationalization: perspectives of U.K. universities on attracting students from former soviet countries’, Journal of Studies in International Education, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 53-70.
Clark-Gordon, CV, Workman, KE & Linvill, DL 2017, ‘College students and Yik Yak: an exploratory mixed-methods study’, Social Media and Society, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 1-10.
Dalessandro, C 2018, ‘Recruitment tools for reaching millennials: the digital difference’, International Journal of Qualitative Methods, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 1-10.
Dewasiri, NJ, Weerakoon, YK & Azeez, AA 2018, ‘Mixed methods in finance research: the rationale and research designs’, International Journal of Qualitative Methods, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 1-10.
Ellard-Gray, A, Jeffrey, NK, Choubak, M & Crann, SE 2015, ‘Finding the hidden participant: solutions for recruiting hidden, hard-to-reach, and vulnerable populations’, International Journal of Qualitative Methods, vol. 14, no. 15, pp. 1-18.
Farrell, G, Tseloni, A & Tilley, N 2016, ‘Signature dish: triangulation from data signatures to examine the role of security in falling crime’, Methodological Innovations, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 1-11.
Fetters, MD & Molina-Azorin, JF 2019, ‘Rebuttal – conceptualizing integration during both the data collection and data interpretation phases: a response to David Morgan’, Journal of Mixed Methods Research, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 12-14.
Gale, T & Parker, S 2017, ‘Retaining students in Australian higher education: cultural capital, field distinction’, European Educational Research Journal, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 80-96.
Garner, M, Wagner, C & Kawulich, B (eds) 2016, Teaching research methods in the social sciences, Routledge, London.
Green, W 2019, ‘Engaging students in international education: rethinking student engagement in a globalized world’, Journal of Studies in International Education, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 3-9.
Hodge, EM, Salloum, SJ & Benko, SL 2016, ‘(Un)commonly connected: a social network analysis of state standards resources for English/language arts’, AERA Open, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 1-13.
Huang, Z, Wang, T & Li, X 2015, ‘The political dynamics of educational changes in China’, Policy Futures in Education, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 24-41.
Hyams-Ssekasi, D, Mushibwe, CP & Caldwell, EF 2014, ‘International education in the United Kingdom: the challenges of the golden opportunity for black-African students’, SAGE Open, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 1-10.
Kuckartz, U 2014, Qualitative text analysis: a guide to methods, practice and using software, SAGE, London.
Morgan, DL 2019, ‘Commentary – after triangulation, what next?’, Journal of Mixed Methods Research, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 6-11.
Moseholm, E & Fetters, MD 2017, ‘Conceptual models to guide integration during analysis in convergent mixed methods studies’, Methodological Innovations, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 1-10.
Özoğlu, M, Gür, BS & Coşkun, İ 2015, ‘Factors influencing international students’ choice to study in Turkey and challenges they experience in Turkey’, Research in Comparative and International Education, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 223-237.
Perez-Encinas, A & Rodriguez-Pomeda, J 2018, ‘International students’ perceptions of their needs when going abroad: services on demand’, Journal of Studies in International Education, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 20-36.
Popkewitz, TS, Feng, J & Zheng, L 2018, ‘Calculating the future: the historical assemblage of empirical evidence, benchmarks & PISA’, ECNU Review of Education, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 107-118.
Rasmussen, P, Larson, A, Rönnberg, L & Tsatsaroni, A 2015, ‘Policies of ‘modernisation’ in European education: enactments and consequences’, European Educational Research Journal, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 479-486.
Schatz, M 2016, ‘Engines without fuel? – empirical findings on Finnish higher education institutions as education exporters’, Policy Futures in Education, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 392-408.
Shaheen, N 2016, ‘International students’ critical thinking-related problem areas: UK university teachers’ perspectives’, Journal of Research in International Education, vol. 15, no.1, pp. 18-31.
Smith, B & Sparkes, AC (eds) 2016, Routledge Handbook of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise, Taylor & Francis, London.
SML 2019, How to find suitable agencies in China. Web.
Uprichard, E & Dawney, L 2019, ‘Data diffraction: challenging data integration in mixed methods research’, Journal of Mixed Methods Research, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 19-32.
Willig, C & Rogers, WS (eds) 2017, The SAGE handbook of qualitative research in psychology, SAGE, London.
Zhang, C & Fagan, C 2016, ‘Examining the role of ideological and political education on university students’ civic perceptions and civic participation in mainland China: some hints from contemporary citizenship theory’, Citizenship, Social and Economics Education, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 117-142.
For a long time, students’ views have often been ignored in discussions involving educational leadership. This lack of agency portends a significant challenge to improving the management of educational outcomes because it prevents educators from including the voices of students who are the biggest stakeholders in education (Alston et al., 2020; Benner, Brown and Jeffrey, 2019). Particularly, the voices of international students in the UK have been undermined by their low percentages of representation in various student populations across the nation (Veenis, Robertson and Berry, 2020; Shaheen, 2016).
Again, this is a lost opportunity for improving learning outcomes because international students enrich a country’s learning environment and create opportunities for cultural enrichment and holistic learning (Fisher, Frey and Almarode, 2020; UNESCO, 2020a; UNESCO, 2020b). Stemming from this background, the focus of the proposed study will be on enhancing the voices of international students to improve the quality of educational leadership in the UK.
Research Aim
To enhance the voices of international students to improve the quality of educational leadership in the UK
Research Questions
What lessons can be borrowed from foreign students to improve student buy-in in educational leadership in the UK?
How can the voices of international students improve the transparency of educational leadership in the UK?
In what ways can the voices of international students be used to improve creativity in educational leadership in the UK?
Key Authors
Educational leadership is a broad term that has been used to define the process of creating synchrony of purpose among all education stakeholders. Some authors whose works will be examined in connection with this area of study include, among others, Thorndike, Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner (International Bureau of Education, 2020; Şenol, 2020). Their scholarly works cut across different fields of education, but primarily try to explain how learners acquire knowledge in the learning setting. For example, Thorndike was among the early proponents of the behaviorism theory, which refers to changes in learning outcomes dependent on behavioral attitudes (Pound, 2017).
The works of Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner will also be explored because they were primarily involved in advancing the idea of constructivism, which has widely been used to inform learning policies (Downs and Stea, 2017; Pound, 2017). The works of Ploner (2018), Gbadamosi (2018), Ding (2016), and Ammigan and Jones (2018), will be further explored in the proposed study because they have extensively investigated the perspectives of international students on educational leadership. Therefore, there will be a broad overview of the extant literature on the topic.
Key Texts
The proposed study will include an examination of policy documents prepared by international organizations on education leadership. The first one will be policy documents prepared by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which address ways of improving student leadership (OECD, 2020a). These documents have vast resources that are relevant to educational leadership as a tool for promoting equity in schooling (OECD, 2020b; OECD, 2020c; OECD, 2020d).
The second set of policy documents that will be examined in the research study will be prepared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which has published guidelines on educational leadership for use around the world (UNESCO International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, 2020a; UNESCO International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, 2020b). Thirdly, texts from the UK educational department will also be examined in the proposed study because they contain relevant data on educational leadership, such as the number of international students in the country.
Importance of the Study
Overall, the proposed study would be useful in improving educational policy development in the UK to make it more inclusive and representative of the diversity of the student population in the nation. By doing so, there will be a greater enrichment of educational services provided to students because foreign students could challenge traditional dogma on educational leadership practices currently in use.
Reference List
Alston, J. A. et al. (2020) Purveyors of change: school leaders of color share narratives of a student, school, and community success. London: IAP.
Ammigan, R. and Jones, E. (2018) ‘Improving the student experience: learning from a comparative study of international student satisfaction, Journal of Studies in International Education, 22(4), pp. 283-301.
OECD. (2020b) Implementing education policies to achieve the new curriculum for Wales. Paris: OECD Publishing.
OECD. (2020c) TALIS building a high-quality early childhood education and care workforce further results from the starting strong survey 2018: further results from the starting strong survey 2018. Paris: OECD Publishing.
OECD. (2020d) Reviews of national policies for education in Saudi Arabia. Paris: OECD Publishing.
Ploner, J. (2018) ‘International students’ transitions to UK Higher Education – revisiting the concept and practice of academic hospitality’, Journal of Research in International Education, 17(2), pp. 164-178.
Pound, L. (2017) How children learn – book 3: contemporary thinking and theorists. London: Andrews UK Limited.
Şenol, H. (ed.) (2020) Educational leadership. New York, NY: Books on Demand.
Shaheen, N. (2016) ‘International students’ critical thinking-related problem areas: UK university teachers’ perspectives’, Journal of Research in International Education, 15(1), pp. 18-31.
UNESCO. (2020a) Culture in crisis: a practical guide for a resilient creative sector. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
UNESCO. (2020b) Education for sustainable development: a roadmap. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
UNESCO International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training. (2020a) Promoting quality in TVET using technology: a practical guide. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
UNESCO International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training. (2020b) Boosting gender equality in science and technology: a challenge for TVET programs and careers. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
Vernis, J. C., Robertson, S. and Berry, J. R. (eds.) (2020) Multiculturalism and multilingualism at the crossroads of school leadership: exploring leadership theory, policy, and practice for diverse schools. New York, NY: Springer Nature.
Years Lived in America: 3 years (migrated to the U.S. with parents after finishing high school).
Extent of Education: Finished high school under the 4 year program in the Philippines.
Age when completed: Graduated when they were 18 years old.
The name of the research subject is Josh Del Rosario who legally migrated to the U.S. from the Philippines 3 years ago after he finished his high school degree in the country. Due to differences in academic requirements between the U.S. and the Philippines, Josh is currently taking up various placement exams in order to showcase that the education he received is sufficient enough to enter into the collegiate system within the country.
Incivility
Significant use of “honorifics” when used to address teachers or other school staff.
Example of honorifics: “po” “opo” added to the end of sentences to denote respect.
Non-usage of honorifics when addressing a teacher was considered very rude and disrespectful.
Disrespectful speech was not tolerated.
Informal speech was not utilized within the context of teacher-student communication.
Students were expected to be respectful to the teacher at all times.
Correcting or talking back to the teacher was not allowed.
Within the context of teacher-student relationships in the Philippines, students were expected to utilize “honorifics” at the end of some of their sentences when it came to answering or talking to a teacher. The phrase “po” is meant as a means of acknowledging the age and experience of the person being addressed while “opo” was meant to denote respectful agreement to whatever the teacher was asking (ex: Yes, sir). The usage of these phrases were commonplace in teacher-student communication and showcases the importance of formality in communication within the Philippine system of education. Informal speech was not tolerated when it came to addressing teachers and students were constantly reminded that they need to follow everything that the teacher told them to do. Talking back to the teacher or even attempting to correct them was very rare and not encouraged based on the culture of education that was in place.
Expected roles of student and teacher
Teacher acts primarily as a facilitator of information.
Students are meant to learn from the teacher.
Interactions beyond the aforementioned roles between student and teacher are rare.
Teachers focus on teaching students and nothing more.
Students are meant to respect teachers through the use of respectful speech.
Teachers rarely guide students beyond what is required by the academic curriculum.
Students do not interact with teachers outside of the school.
Based on the interview conducted, it was shown that the roles of teacher and students within the Philippine system of education were pretty straightforward in that teachers primarily focused on teaching and students focused on learning. There was little in the way of developing significant friendships or collaborations beyond the context of school work. One of the reasons behind this could be connected to the fact that with the emphasis the Filipino culture places on respect, there is a signficant “gap” so to speak between teachers and students which results in either side being hesitant to bridge it due to long standing cultural norms.
Academic Honesty
Focuses primarily on major tests.
Does not apply to small quizzes or exams that are not being monitored.
Sanctions against students that are caught are relatively minor.
Teachers are not strict enough when it comes to preventing cheating.
Due to a lack of sufficient preventive measures, cheating among students occurs a lot.
Teachers are aware of the problem but do little in the way of significant actions against it (Schulte & Choudaha, 2014).
Teacher performance bonuses are based on student results.
While teachers within the Philippines are well aware of the concept of academic honesty, its application within their classroom can be during major exams only. Minor exams and quizzes are rarely “policed” so to speak when it comes to determining whether someone is cheating or not. While teacher are aware of the problem, there is also the fact that since their bonuses are dependent on the performance of students there is some “incentive” so to speak to allow the practice to continue so as to allow higher grades.
Plagiarism
Concept is relatively unknown.
Checks on plagiarism are not applied.
Teachers do not discuss the problems with it in class.
Students do in fact plagiarize a lot within classes.
Teachers fail to catch it due to a lack of standing policies to police such actions.
Problem is due to a lack of regional and national policies denouncing the process.
Students believe it is “ok” since they do not get caught.
The concept of plagiarism is relatively unknown in the Philippines given a lack of sufficient national and regional policies from their department of educations that denounce it. As a result, there is little in the way of sufficient checks and balances on the part of schools and teachers to prevent a student from the Philippines from plagiarizing significant amounts of their work from the internet. Since there are few barriers against it, many students within the country plagiarize (at least those in the public school system).
Contemporary Problem Solving
Teachers merely present the information and expect students to solve the problems on their own.
Teaching style concentrates more on rote learning methodologies.
Students are expected to study on their own and learn how to solve problems based on the provided textbook.
Due to the sheer amount of students per classroom (nearly 40), teachers are not able to devote as much time as they can to individual cases.
Lack of individual attention creates issues with understanding lessons before progressing to the next level.
Teachers do not on helping students understanding every aspect of the problem.
Lack of sufficient flexibility when it came to the schedule of lessons.
When examining this issue, it becomes apparent that rote learning methods are more common within the Philippines as compared to the U.S. This may be due to the sheer size of many classrooms with teachers having to deal with 40 students at any one time.
Plagiarism as Compared to the U.S.
Current university policy surrounding involving plagiarism is strict to the point that someone caught plagiarizing another individual’s work could potentially be suspended or ejected from the University (Miao & Wildemeersch, 2008).
This policy differs significantly from what someone from the Philippines is used to.
Necessity of informing the individual regarding present day university policy.
Teach them what is and what is not plagiarism.
Enable them to develop an understanding regarding the severity of the issue.
Helping them put proper citation into practice.
Focus on preventing instances of potential plagiarism in the future.
One of the main differences between the state of education in the Philippine and within the U.S. is the fact that plagiarism is treated far more severely here. As a result, the person that was interviewed may utilize the same practice they did in the Philippines and find themselves summarily kicked out of the university. It is based on this that they would need to be taught about the university’s policy on plagiarism and what they have to do to follow it.
Incivility as Compared to the U.S.
There is a great deal of overlap between university policy involving proper respect for teachers in the U.S. and those in the Philippines.
One difference is that it is not necessary to constantly use honorifics.
Inform the interviewee that informal language is common between teacher-student communication.
Inform them of the proper way in which informal talks can be applied.
Apply examples as to when formal and informal language is to be utilize (Menzies & Baron, 2014).
Encourage the interviewee to talk more informally to teachers.
Inform them that the use of informal language is a commonplace when it comes to developing a rapport with professors (Chang, Bai, & Wang, 2014).
Since the person that was interviewed was used to overly formal speech in addressing teachers and is unused to developing a rapport with professors, it would be necessary to help them understand how it is actually normal to speak informally to professors so long as it is done properly. This can be done by providing examples and showing the proper types of formal and informal speech.
Academic Dishonesty
University punishments for academic dishonesty are very severe ranging from suspension to expulsion from the university.
The interviewee from the Philippines is unaware of the severity.
Inform them of the consequences of violating university policy regarding the issue.
Instill into them the fact that even minor violations can have major consequences if caught.
Inform them of what is and what is not considered as academic dishonesty.
State that the university culture is far different from that of the Philippines and, as such, his classmates are not likely to help him cheat.
Focus on establishing ground rules regarding proper adherence to university policies surrounding academic ethics (Liu & Winder, 2014).
With punishments being significantly different when it comes to the different systems of education within the Philippines and the U.S., it would be necessary to teach the interviewee that even minor infractions involving academic dishonesty can have major consequences. This can be done through the use of examples and a general review involving present day university policies.
Expected roles of student and teacher as Compared to the U.S.
The university encourages students to talk to professors and ask for guidance.
Due to his experience in the Philippines, the interviewee is unaware that this is actually a common practice.
Inform them of the advantages of talking to a professor and asking for help.
Inform them that this is a common practice that they should utilize.
Focus on helping them understand the necessity of developing a good student-teacher relationship.
Help them to understand how to approach professors.
Provide personal feedback on how the process helped in your own experience.
Lastly, it is important to teach the interviewee that developing proper rapport between students and professors is absolutely essential in order to get assistance and understand the lesson better.
Reference List
Chang, T., Bai, Y., & Wang, T. (2014). Students’ classroom experience in foreign-faculty and local-faculty classes in public and private universities in Taiwan. Higher Education, 68(2), 207-226.
Liu, D. Y., & Winder, B. (2014). Exploring foreign undergraduate students’ experiences of university. International Journal Of Qualitative Studies In Education (QSE), 27(1), 42-64.
Menzies, J., & Baron, R. (2014). International postgraduate student transition experiences: the importance of student societies and friends. Innovations In Education & Teaching International, 51(1), 84-94.
Miao, Z., & Wildemeersch, D. (2008). Hosting Foreign Students in European Universities. European Education, 40(1), 51-62.
Schulte, S., & Choudaha, R. (2014). Improving the Experiences of International Students. Change, 46(6), 52.
Those who are about to finish school know this feeling of uncertainty when you don’t know what to do next. What if I said that you could enjoy the benefits of studying and traveling in Paris at the same time? Continue reading if you want to know all secrets of living and being a student in one of the most magnificent places in the world!
France is known to give a hearty welcome to international students. As for Paris, some of the world’s best universities make it home to every type of international student (Murphy). The capital is known mostly for Sorbonne, but there are many other opportunities to get high-quality education in every possible sphere, from design to business. Although the country defends the position of the French language, some universities propose programs in English. If you choose to immerse in the culture deeper and study in French, it is easy to improve your level of knowledge in one of the language schools (“Study in France”). When it comes to prices, they are usually low in public universities and quite higher in private ones (“Study in France”). However, I strongly recommend you consider the chances to get a scholarship for outstanding international students. Moreover, those who come to France for studying can count on financial assistance from the French government called CAF. Thus, everything is provided to make your stay in Paris comfortable and let you enjoy exploring the city and the rest of France.
Surely, there is no problem with choosing how to spend your free time in Paris. The student’s status allows you to visit many museums and historic places, for instance, the Eiffel Tower, with significant discounts or for free. Apart from the cultural program, every detail in Paris draws the eye. I remember observing fantastic rooftops, doors, and windows looking like movie screens that show the citizens’ life. Moreover, Paris has spectacular parks, such as Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, a secret location loved by the locals. Just imagine yourself sitting on a bench with a book or having a small picnic with your new friends. By the way, French cuisine is another reason to choose this destination, with its well-known wine, cheese, and baguettes. If you crave new impressions, I advise you to use your leisure time wisely and take a trip to other places, such as Lyon, Strasbourg, or Montpellier. France is a versatile country, which is why everyone can find a place to their taste, from the lavender fields of Provence and Normandy’s seaside to the snow-covered Alps and ancient castles in the Loire valley.
Higher education is a perfect time to try an entirely different way of life in a new place. It seems like the whole world is waiting for you to come, so it is easy to be lost in plenty of choices. However, I hope that after reading this blog, someone has understood that Paris can become their golden opportunity. Maybe the next September, you will find yourself on a terrace of a Parisian café!
Works Cited
Murphy, Rebecca. “Why Study Abroad in France?” Go Abroad, 2018, Web.
“Study in France.” Dream Studies Abroad, 2020, Web.
The admission of International students to universities in the United States has rampantly increased in the recent past. These students migrate from countries that are either English speaking or non- English speaking. Despite the intellectual and financial gains they bring about, they are faced with several challenges both inside and outside the class (Hanson and Zambito 1).
These challenges range from language barriers, cultural differences and interaction with others among other factors all of which affect their learning to a great extent. As for my case, the biggest challenge has been that of understanding definitions and terminologies used in most of the psychology classes. Many times, the definitions used are difficult to understand.
More so, the teachers and students speak too fast. This makes me feel insufficient in my understanding of most of the terminology used. On the contrast, the natives seem to be more familiar with the contemporary psychological theories and apply the concepts with more ease than us the immigrants. Also, native students have a more comprehensive understanding of statistical methods.
This makes international students have to keep on asking a lot of questions to get these concepts and ideas. It would be of great help if lecturers offered definitions to some of the terminologies used. Lack of social support makes it even more difficult for international students to study effectively. At times, the lecturers do not understand them thus brushing off their questions alleging that they do not understand their language.
It is also challenging to get fellow students to explain since they speak too fast and may be biased against foreigners. This language barrier impacts on reading time, understanding in lectures, intellectual capacity, conferences, and group work. A lot of assistance is therefore required in essay writing for international students to enable them to hand over good assignments as well as to express their understanding during research.
Additionally, there are cultural biases that do not affect the curriculum per se but influence the relationship between teachers and fellow students (Hanson and Zambito 1). Being an international student, I feel that native students relate better and quickly with the tutors unlike us. As a result, they are better placed to express their views and ask questions for better understanding.
Cultural differences also serve as a significant distraction and discomfort zone to the international students making it difficult for them to interact freely. As an international student, I have encountered problems regarding approaches to learning and teaching. A lot of work in the curriculum is based on assignments and assessments that call for intricate easy writing, documents that are well formatted, and not being sure of where to hand in the work.
It is challenging to complete essays before tutorials with no clear marking criteria, little guidance, demanding essay titles and delayed feedback on coursework. However, I would say that this has been aggravated by the language barrier factor. At the same time, it is challenging to comprehend APA terminology, plagiarism and SPSS in addition to finding research participants and supervisors.
Other than the common issues regarding classes, I have also been experiencing high room temperatures, especially in the mathematics class. This can be attributed to a large number of students attending these classes causing the room to be fully packed yet it has fewer ventilation outlets. All in all, to overcome all these problems a lot of social support, is required from both the lecturers and students themselves.
Works Cited
Hanson, Lea and Zambito, Jill. The Troubles Facing International Students Today. 2003. Web.
Educational tourism is one of the links between universities and tourist destinations. Academic and educational tourists travel to a place distant from their places of residence to take academic courses at the destination place lasting less than a year. Educational tourism intentionally combines formal and structured learning with touristic experience promoting educational and career advancement as well as the intended benefits of leisure activities. Herein is a review of Garcia-Rodriguez and Jimenez’s paper “The role of tourist destination in international students’ choice of academic centre: the case of Erasmus Programme in the Canary Islands”.
Having appreciated the correlation between higher learning and traveling for leisure, Garcia-Rodriguez and Jimenez (2015) in their study wanted to establish “which factors – the tourist destination or the university one – have a greater influence on the choice of a place for an Erasmus exchange” (185). The Erasmus Program – or the European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students – is a European Commission-ran program that provides learners with an opportunity to study or gain work experience in another country while completing a degree as part of the Lifelong Learning Program.
The researchers concede that despite the growth of educational tourism and its importance in contemporary times, literature has not widely analyzed it. Much of the literature available on educational tourism focuses on areas such as the behavior of the students, the students’ motivations and the difficulties they encounter as well as the costs and economic impacts of the exchanges. Garcia-Rodriguez and Jimenez also cite a work that touches on the relationship between student motivations (push factors) and destination attractions (pull factors) and how they influence academic tourists’ decision-making.
In their study, the researchers choose to focus on an area where very minimal research is available. Their focus is on the influence of two pull factors on academic tourists’ decision-making. To answer their research question, Garcia-Rodriguez and Jimenez employed a mixed-method approach with a qualitative bias to establish which factors between host university factors and the destination factors bore more influence on the place where a student on the Erasmus Program chose to study. To gather the necessary data, Garcia-Rodriguez and Jimenez (2015) sent electronic questionnaires in English, Italian and Spanish to 2,144 potential respondents who had been students under the Erasmus Program at the University of La Laguna (Tenerife) in the Canary Islands between 2005/2006 and 2010/2011 academic years.
The questionnaires had three sets of questions in three distinct sections. The first section contained questions whose concern was the general personal motivations within the students that made them enroll in the Erasmus Program. The second section contained questions – Likert Scale of 7 questions – concerned with the University of La Laguna (Tenerife) (place of study) factors and the Canary Islands (tourist destination) factors – a dual Model – to discern the level of influence that either set of factors had on the students’ choices. In the third section, the researchers asked the students personal data questions – gender, age, home country, and duration of exchange – which they used to characterize them.
The following were the researchers’ findings. Is as far as general personal motivations within the students that made them enroll in the Erasmus Program are concerned, Garcia-Rodriguez and Jimenez (2015) established that students enrolled in the Erasmus Program for three main reasons; to “improve the knowledge of other languages, to meet other cultures, and for personal development” (182). On the institution versus destination factors question – the mainstay of the research – the researchers established that the destination factors were superior to the university factors – 4.28 versus 3.88, respectively on the 7‑points Likert scale.
Garcia-Rodriguez and Jimenez ranked all the factors based on the Likert score average each factor scored. In the top ten factors, the first eight are destination factors, while all the bottom ten factors are university factors. The high scores of destination factors such as natural resources, culture and history, and the possibility of leisure activities prove the fact that the destination has more influence than the institution when academic tourists are deciding to enroll in a given course while on leisure visits.
To underscore the importance of destination factors as opposed to institution factors, Garcia-Rodriguez and Jimenez constructed an index expressing the percentage of respondents who gave any given factor more than five Likert points. The resultant percent values were congruent with the earlier findings, only that the affordability of the place moved up from fourth to third in the new index ranking.
The researchers’ approach to this study is agreeable to from a personal perspective. The dual model that they use to compare two pull factors – place vs institution – does well from a descriptive assessment of the study objective because it gives data about what people feel propels them to decide to enrol in a course while on leisure travel. The main lesson one can draw from this study is that students on the Erasmus Programme in the Canary Islands – and perhaps all academic tourists elicit more attraction to the place/destination than to the institution. Additionally, many academic tourists on Erasmus enrol for personal rather than academic development reasons.
Another noteworthy lesson is the influence of prices on academic tourists’ decision to enroll through the Erasmus Programme or to travel to a given destination. Further research on this subject should widen the scope by targeting more destinations and more institutions to arrive at a generalizable conclusion on this study subject.
Reference
Garcia‑Rodriguez, F. J., & Jimenez, J. M. (2015). The role of tourist destination in international students’ choice of academic centre: the case of Erasmus Programme in the Canary Islands. Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural, 13(1), 175-189. Web.
