Elliot, Dely L.

English

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Empowering	  international	  students	  by	  embedding	  formative	  experience	  in	  course	  design	  
	  
	  
Description:	  Since	  a	  large	  number	  of	  international	  students	  who	  come	  from	  a	  different	  
academic	  (and	  societal)	  culture	  typically	  have	  an	  unclear	  conceptualisation	  of	  the	  teaching	  
and	  learning	  processes	  in	  the	  UK	  (as	  it	  tends	  to	  be	  different	  to	  what	  they	  have	  experienced),	  
tutors	  are	  able	  to	  clarify	  what	  the	  British	  (i.e.	  UoG)	  expectations	  and	  requirements	  are	  and	  
support	  students	  through	  creative	  embedding	  of	  formative	  experience	  throughout	  the	  
course.	  
	  
	  
Proposal:	  Using	  the	  academic	  acculturation	  model	  that	  we	  proposed	  based	  on	  Urie	  
Bronfenbrenner’s	  bio-­‐ecological	  systems	  framework	  (Elliot	  et	  al.,	  2016),	  I	  will	  start	  by	  briefly	  
explaining	  the	  psychological	  perspective	  that	  underpins	  the	  seeming	  mismatch	  between	  
international	  students’	  and	  host	  country’s	  learning	  expectations	  as	  a	  result	  of	  their	  sojourn.	  
Then,	  I	  will	  share	  practical	  strategies	  I	  implemented	  in	  my	  own	  class	  to	  provide	  students	  
with	  the	  formative	  experience	  that	  can	  serve	  as	  a	  bridge	  between	  their	  previous	  and	  new	  
conceptualisations	  of	  teaching	  and	  learning.	  These	  include:	  a)	  having	  a	  ‘learning	  contract’	  in	  
class;	  b)	  clarifying	  the	  concept	  and	  stressing	  the	  value	  of	  reflective	  and	  critical	  thinking	  as	  
part	  of	  academic	  literacy;	  c)	  practical	  activities	  designed	  to	  encourage	  independent	  learning;	  
d)	  exposing	  students	  to	  sound	  examples	  of	  reflection	  and	  critiques;	  e)	  group	  discussions	  
where	  students	  are	  encouraged	  to	  debate,	  i.e.	  to	  choose	  and	  share	  their	  stance;	  f)	  
formative	  (self	  and	  peer)	  assessment	  for	  a	  short	  piece	  of	  writing,	  and	  g)	  discussion	  of	  the	  
essay	  requirements	  using	  a	  feedback	  template.	  	  
	  
	  
To	  make	  this	  intervention	  work:	  It	  is	  critical	  for	  students	  to	  see	  the	  purpose/value	  of	  each	  of	  
the	  activities	  not	  only	  in	  successfully	  completing	  their	  course	  assessment	  but	  more	  
importantly	  because	  the	  development	  of	  reflective,	  analytical	  and	  critical	  thinking	  is	  part	  of	  
wider	  learning	  in	  British	  academia	  –	  a	  vital	  graduate	  attribute	  that	  they	  are	  expected	  to	  
develop	  as	  part	  of	  their	  educational	  experience.	  This	  approach	  might	  be	  easier	  to	  
implement	  for	  classes	  with	  a	  maximum	  of	  30	  students.	  
	  
	  
This	  won’t	  work	  unless:	  Everybody	  is	  on	  board,	  i.e.	  both	  tutors	  and	  students	  acknowledge	  
their	  respective	  roles	  in	  the	  learning	  contract.	  
	  
	  
This	  is	  of	  interest	  to	  other	  delegates:	  International	  students	  are	  regarded	  as	  student	  
sojourners.	  Based	  on	  feedback	  received,	  embedding	  formative	  experience	  in	  the	  course	  
design	  has	  been	  very	  helpful,	  particularly	  in	  scaffolding	  international	  students’	  learning	  –	  it	  
helps	  them	  as	  they	  gradually	  shift	  from	  using	  their	  previous	  learning	  orientation	  to	  a	  new	  
one,	  which	  is	  arguably	  crucial	  to	  their	  academic	  success	  in	  British	  academia.	  The	  bonus	  is	  
that	  local	  students	  also	  benefit	  through	  more	  lively	  interaction	  and	  participation	  in	  class.	  


Empowering International Students by Embedding Formative Experience in Course Design

http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/139205/1/139205.pdf

Empowering International Students by Embedding Formative Experience in Course Design

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