Middlesex University T&L Conference 2012

1. Barriers and Benefactors for
for Overseas Students
Clare O’Donoghue (Arts and Ed) &
Stephen Burbidge (EIS)

2. Overview
 Motivation for Study
 Study Methodology
 Empirical Results
 Implications for Supporting Students

3. Motivation for the Study
 Anecdotal observation and counselling
students
 Personal experience of working and
living abroad
 Rich pictures EIS

5. What's
my time
Part time job
table
Finance dept
How many classes a week
student
Which How many hrs
building can i work
Student id card
library
What type of transport
security is avail
Accommodation

7. Summary Rich Pictures

8. Results: Rich Pictures

9. The Study Methodology 1
 Questionnaire designed and piloted
 Questionnaire administered to 68
overseas Mdx students in four groups:
 PG EIS MSc students (n=6)
 PG Arts and ED MA students (n=9)
 PG Pre-sessional students (n= 28)
 International Foundation students
(n=25)

10. The Questionnaire 1
 Personal Data: (Nationality, L1, number of
previous visits to the UK)
 Educational context in which English
was learnt (School MFL, Language of instruction
school / university, Private EFL, Family language,
other)
 Types of academic assessment in L1
and L2 (MCQs, short answer, paragraph, short
(2-500), medium (2-5,000) long (5-10,000)
assignments, dissertation, orals, artefact)

11. The Questionnaire 2
 Accommodation on arrival in London
and during study period
 Anxieties before coming to Mdx
 Anxieties / problems occurring whilst
studying at Mdx
 Factors attributed with supporting
students’ success
 Open-ended comments section

12. Results: Nationalities
Nationalities Libya
KSA
Pakistan
India
Bangladesh
Sri Lanka
China
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Nigeria
Kenya
Eithiopia
Afghanistan
Kurdistan
Turkmenistan
Cyprus

13. Previous Visits to UK
Previous Visits to UK
First Visit
1 Previous Visit
2 -3 Previous visits
4 Previous visits
5-9 Previous visits
10+ Previous visits

14. Results: How English Learnt
Q6. How English Learnt
MFL at School
School Lang of Instruction
Uni Lang of Instruction
Private EFL School
Family Lang
Other

15. Results: L1 Assessment Types
MCQs
Q.10 L1 Assessment Types
Short Answer Tests
Paragraph Writing
Short Text (200 - 500 words)
Medium Text Writing (2,000 -
5,000 words)
Long Text Writing (5,000 -
10,000 words)
Dissertations (10,000+ words)
Oral Presentations
Oral Exam
Artefact
Other

16. Results: English Assessment
Types
MCQs
Q.10 L2 Assessment Types
Short Answer Tests
Paragraph Writing
Short Text Writing (200-500
words)
Medium Text Writing (2,000 -
5,000 words)
Long Text Writing (5,000-10,000
words)
Dissertation
Oral Presentation
Oral Exam
Artefact
Other

17. Results: Anxieties Prior to UK
Pre-Arrival Anxieties
Miss Family
Miss Friends
Miss Pet
New Climate
New Culture
Big City
Accommodation
New Friends
New Food
Communicate in English
New Edu Context
Lectures&Seminars
Write EAP
Pass Course
Course Content
Cost London
Job London
Racism London
Crime London

18. Pre-Arrival Anxieties that
Came True
Pre-Arrival Anxieties that Came True Lonely
Homesick
Miss Family / Partner
Miss Friends
Miss Pet
Climate
Culture
Accommodation
New Friends
New Food
Communicate English
New Edu Context
Lectures / Seminars in English
Writing EAP
Pass Course
Course Content
Cost London
Job London
Racism London

19. Results: Anxieties / Problems
whilst at Middlesex
Anxieties / Problems whilst at Middlesex
Money Worries
Homesickness
Family Problems Back Home
Family Responsibilities UK
Job & Study
Lectures Hard
Seminars Hard
Feel Isolated in Study Group
Access Learning Materials
Assessed Group Work
Writing EAP
Independent Research
Formal Exams
Computer / Software Problems
Visa Worries

20. Results: Factors Supporting
Success
Factors Supporting Success Family / Partner Support
Friends' Support
Sponsor's Support
Tutor Support
Peer Support
Personal Motivation
Personal Organisation
Good Accommodation
Financial Security
Access Learning Resources
Regular Class Attendance
Clear Lectures /Seminars
Programme / Module
Handbooks
Mdx VLE
Clear Task Instructions
Formative Feedback Drafts
LDU workshops

21. Results:Initial Accommodation
Q7. Accommodation UK
Close Family
Extended Family
Family Friends
Own Friends
Student Halls
Landlord
House Share
Rented Apartment
Other

22. Results: Later Accommodation
Changed Accommodation During Stay
Stayed in Intial Accommodation
Changed Accommodation

23. Student Comments 1
 Excitement and apprehension on arrival
 Culture Shock and homesickness
(exacerbated by weather)
 Loneliness and making new friends with
classmates and room-mates; finding fellow
nationals
 Importance of friendly support from tutors
 Strength from religious faith to persevere

24. Student Comments 2
 Sense of privilege for opportunity to
study abroad
 Awareness of personal growth and
professional development

25. Tutor Comments /
Observations
 Lack of engagement caused by financial
difficulties, severe homesickness
 Culture and educational shock causes
underlying mental health issues to rise to the
fore
 Lack of adaptation to new learning
environment – can lead to frustration, futile
repeating of successful behaviours from
previous educational experience, loss of face,
questioning self-efficacy

26. Implications 1
 Academic English Assessments
 Transparent genre and Discourse Community
conventions
 QAA recommendations to make anonymised
examples of past students’ work available as
models
 Importance of formative feedback on drafts
 Fear of having to write long assignments in L2
when have little experience of extended writing in
any language – can lead to academic dishonesty
in desperation

27. Implications 2
 Isolation and group cohesion
 Tutor can foster seminar group cohesion
through use of initial ice-breakers;
warmers / lead-ins that combine ‘getting to
know you’ activities with subject
knowledge; organising and manipulating
group work combinations; horseshoe
seating; encouraging peer name learning

28. Implications 3
 Roles and responsibilities students and
tutors
 Cultural variation (Chinese students =
young; UK students = adults)
 Collectivist / Individualist attitude to work
and achievement (academic misconduct-
collusion)
 Locus of control and responsibility for
success

29. Thank You
Any Questions?