Self-directed learning is fine - if you know the destination!

Many international students in Australian tertiary institutions are studying in what may be their second or third language. While the current status of English as a 'world language' makes it highly desirable to have a degree in that language, undertaking tertiary study in a second/ foreign language is no easy matter, nor should some of the difficulties be underestimated.This paper supports the view that the aim of tertiary study is to develop learners who are independent, confident and self directed. However, it raises the issue that international students, at least in the initial stages of their sojourn in Australia, may require a more structured approach than self directed learning would seem to imply. The paper then describes some of the strategies that support international students in making the transition to study in an Australian tertiary institution and suggests further steps that will, gradually, lead such students to become confident and independent learners who will develop their full potential

Transnational business education: are we fully building on cultural and linguistic diversity?

This paper examines issues related to the provision of 'international' business education by Australian universities. In this context, the paper raises questions about the role of universities, the sort of education they currently provide and whether issues related to 'growing wisdom' are in fact being tackled In particular, Australian universities seem to be under-utilising opportunities to teach about cultural diversity and intercultural communication provided by their highly diverse student populations. While claims are easily made about preparing graduates for 'international' or 'global' workplaces, the reality is that knowledge about cultural and linguistic diversity, so necessary in today's business environments, does not seem to be actively pursued. This paper suggests a number of strategies that could be implemented to build upon the opportunities provided by the cultural and linguistic diversity of the student body in Australian tertiary institutions

Empowering students by developing their intercultural communication competence: a two-way process

It is a common belief that tertiary students acquire intercultural communication competence through interacting with each other in multicultural classrooms. Much research undertaken in Australia, however, indicates that having culturally diverse classrooms will not, by itself, necessarily promote student development in this area. This is particularly true of students working in multinational/multicultural teams, where often the experience can reinforce negative stereotypes instead of promoting understanding. What is required, instead, is deliberate and structured intervention promoting two-way learning not only between international and local Australian students, but also between all students of different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.This paper describes a workshop that was implemented with a group of undergraduate students at Curtin University of Technology to assist them in working successfully in multinational student teams. It will describe the activities used, not only to raise student awareness, but also to lead them to a deeper level of understanding and to develop intercultural communication competence. The paper emphasises the importance of guided discussion and how the workshop facilitator needs to lead students carefully and sensitively to explore cultural and linguistic issues in intercultural communication. The paper also discusses directions for a classroom pedagogy which utilises teaching and learning approaches that build on cultural diversity and develop intercultural communication competence in students. That is, possibilities for two-way learning in classroom contexts are explored and discussed

Business students' understanding of linguistic and cultural issues relevant to the global workplace

This study sought to explore business students’ understanding of linguistic and cultural issues relevant to the global workplace and whether students feel their courses equip them with the skills needed to interact effectively in multinational teams. The article reports the findings of a case study that was implemented at Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia with a class of undergraduate business students undertaking a third year unit in ‘International Management’. The data were collected through a questionnaire designed for this purpose. The findings suggest that while students are quite knowledgeable about linguistic and cultural issues relevant to the global workplace, they are also aware that they may not have the intercultural communication skills needed to operate confidently and successfully in multinational teams and global workplaces

The Role of Language and Learning Advisers in University Settings: Helping Students to Help Themselves

A very diverse student body (particularly linguistically and culturally) is the norm in Australian tertiary institutions with many international students having to study in English as a second language. This paper briefly examines the approaches and provisions that Australian universities are adopting to help international students develop English language for academic purposes. Academic Language and Learning (ALL) advisers, whose role is to facilitate student learning, carry out this role in a number of different ways in different universities. This paper discusses how this role is carried out within the Communication Skills Centre of the Curtin Business School,at the Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia. Staff at the Centre have, over a number of years, adapted their role to ensure that students become active learners and take maximum responsibility for their own development.Some of the principles that have guided our work include: a continued emphasis on student development, rather than remediation; services available to all students studying at all levels across the Curtin Business School; support which aims to demystify academic discourse; student taking responsibility for their own work; and three way learning (students learn from us and from each other, but we also learn from them). This paper then discusses the strategies, based on the above principles, which have been adopted by staff to help students develop the skills they require in English for academic purposes. It is argued that the very diversity which marks our classrooms needs to be fully explored and built upon in order to teach valuable intercultural communication skills for global/multinational settings and to enrich the tertiary learning experience for all students

Non-English Speaking Background (NESB) Students’ Perceptions of their Linguistic and Educational Needs

NESB students' perceptions of their linguistic and educational needs and the availability of support structures to meet such needs are crucial to their improvement in academic performance and success in the tertiary system. While a number of surveys have been undertaken at Curtin University to gauge NESB student satisfaction with their courses and university services, it was felt that in-depth interviews with a small group of students would provide a more detailed picture of student needs. Eighteen NESB students, both local and international, were interviewed in some depth for this project. While the results indicate a high level of satisfaction with academic and other services provided by Curtin, they also point to some very clear areas for improvement. In particular, students indicated they require: various forms of English language support; encouragement to help them to mix more with Australian students, both in order to learn about Australian culture and to become more proficient in English; and staff who are more attuned to their linguistic and cultural needs and who can better provide for them

Language and Cultural Issues for English-as-a-Second/Foreign Language Students in Transnational Educational Settings

As transnational education continues to expand, providing countries are becoming increasingly aware of the need to offer a high-quality ''product'' in all aspects. Such provision includes not only the offering of quality courses but also the provision of the support structures that international students require. In many cases, the educational ''package'' is delivered in the English language that for many students is a second or foreign language. While the status of English as a ''world language'' makes it highly desirable to earn a higher degree in that language, the linguistic and cultural difficulties that doing so poses for many students should not be underestimated. This article discusses issues of educational support for international students and offers some suggestions based on the findings of several research projects undertaken in recent years at the Curtin University of Technology

The three Rs: Academic Language and Learning (ALL) Advisers getting down to basics with academic colleagues

As academic advisers, how we communicate our role and work to academic colleagues affects if and how they will use the services we provide and how they view us. It also influences how they perceive the value of our work andwhether they in fact consider us colleagues in the process of tertiary teaching and learning, or merely adjuncts and “outsiders”. This paper argues that in order for our work to flourish and be highly regarded we need to promote the three Rs: Resources, Room and Respect. The first of these, Resources, is easy to understand – unless we are provided with sufficient well qualified staff and the necessary material resources, it is difficult to provide anexcellent service. The second, Room to move, indicates that staff need to be allowed enough room to experiment and grow in their role. The third, Respect for our work, we should both expect and earn through providing an excellent, well-informed and effective service which makes a difference to the quality of the teaching and learning experience of both students and staff. This paper examines the way we pitch our message when we “sell” our services and discusses whether we in fact address the above three Rs when communicating with academic colleagues

Educating the Business Graduate of the 21st Century: Communication for a Globalized World

This article examines current business communication education in higher education, particularly in regard to English as a global language. The discussion is situated at the intersection of business communication, intercultural communication, and internationalization of higher education, and the article draws on research from all three fields. The article questions why not enough use is being made of existing cultural diversity in university classrooms, and it suggests a variety of pedagogical strategies which will enable teachers to build on the cultural and linguistic strengths of their students to develop intercultural communication competence. These new directions for intercultural business communication will equip business graduates to operate successfully in a globalized world

Collaborating across boundaries: Developing a cross-departmental approach to English language development in an undergraduate business unit

This paper analyses a collaborative activity undertaken to identify and support undergraduate students at one Australian university who could be considered "at risk" because of the level of their English proficiency. The program, which was piloted in 2009, involved collaboration among staff across a number of areas: the faculties of Business and Health Sciences, academic language and learning staff and TESOL specialists. The project comprised an initial compulsory English language diagnostic assessment of all students enrolled in a discipline-specific communication skills unit, and the provision of a structured series of supplementary English language tutorials for those who were found to be in need of additional developmental assistance. The procedure, activated under the nomenclature, Starting University Confidently and Competently English Support Scheme (SUCCESS), was linked to the unit in the sense that the supplementary tutorials complemented the content of the disciplinary unit. The pilot program not only revealed the benefits of the scheme for the students and a wider group of stakeholders, but also uncovered some problematic issues that served as lessons for the future and threw up some ongoing questions