Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons^™

Silence As An Educational Tool To Deconstruct Normative Societal Structures And Create Epistemic Trust, Milad Mohebali, Elmira Jangjou

Feminist Pedagogy

This article advances a teaching strategy to help students reflect on how they engage in class discussion by considering silence and silencing of voices in classroom discussions among peers as epistemic violence where a student’s capacity as a knower is questioned. We provide examples of silence(ing) we experienced as graduate international students from the Global South studying educational policy and leadership studies in the United States, to then share how we have used silence as a pedagogical tool to deconstruct the assumptions of the field and the society that keeps the silence as normative. We introduce third thinging as a …

“That Felt Weird”: International Graduate Students’ Emerging Critical Awareness Of Their Experiences With Microaggression, Romaisha Rahman

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to uncover and understand international graduate students’ experiences with microaggressions that stem from native speaker fallacy; microaggressions are the subtle discriminatory behaviors executed toward marginalized groups and native speaker fallacy is the false belief that only some “native” English speakers are effective teachers and users of the language. Put simply, this research aimed at unveiling the subtle language-based discriminations that international graduate students experience in their day-to-day lives in U.S. educational settings. To collect data for the study, the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) was utilized. CIT is a method that allows the …

A Case Study Of Western Teachers' Perceptions Of Myanmar High School Student College Readiness In Western Society, Mark A. Speckien, Heng-Yu Ku

Journal of Educational Research and Innovation

The purpose of this case study was to explore eight Western teacher perceptions of Myanmar-based high school student college readiness to transition to a postsecondary educational setting in a Western country. The research question was answered using findings from individual teacher participant interviews. The five themes that emerged through the analysis of the interviews are (a) concerns over language barriers, (b) dependence on others, (c) mixed feelings over students’ ability to make friends, (d) adapting to a new culture, including mixed feelings over student immersion into Western culture and concerns over entitlement, and (e) preparedness for college-level academics, including mixed …

Focus On Relationships And Strengths: Engaging International Learners Online, Candy Ho

Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse International Students in Open or Online Learning Environments: A Research Symposium

The shift to online courses during the global COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that teaching and learning online is an evolving practice for both students and educators. Notably, for international students, challenges with learning online can be more pronounced, as they are also adapting to cultures of their host country and expectations from their post-secondary institutions, while attempting to forge connections with their domestic peers. This paper describes several notable pedagogical interventions implemented by the author in her Canadian-based, online, asynchronous courses that have a high number of international students. These include repurposing office hours, reporting on student feedback, and incorporating Indigenous …

Proactive Not Punitive: Strategies To Prevent Plagiarism And Promote International Student Success, Ann Liang, Tasha Maddison, Selinda England

Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse International Students in Open or Online Learning Environments: A Research Symposium

Post-secondary faculty are experiencing a rise in instances of plagiarism in student assignments and are looking for resources to help with both the reduction and the detection of plagiarism. International students are particularly vulnerable due to confusing policies and lack of awareness of educational practices in North American institutions, with many institutions focusing on punitive measures to deter academic misconduct. Alternatively, we explored a method that considers international students’ role in maintaining their academic integrity and places emphasis on student learning, curricular modifications, and good citizenship. We conducted a collaborative year-long pilot project with international business students in the implementation …

Unintended Plagiarism Amongst International Students In Western Universities, Charissa Maust-Manucha

Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse International Students in Open or Online Learning Environments: A Research Symposium

In recent years, many western universities have experienced a notable increase of plagiarism and other behaviors that fall under the umbrella of academic dishonesty amongst students at various levels. Concurrently, higher-educational institutions have also seen a large rise in the enrollment of international students with extremely diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. A growing body of research has connected higher rates of plagiarism, in western universities during this time period, to international students in particular. This article reviews the current literature in this area, with a focus on the most common factors that put international students in western universities at a …

Fostering The Academic Transition Of International Students Who Are Ethnoculturally And Linguistically Diverse In Postsecondary Education, Kacia Whilby

Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse International Students in Open or Online Learning Environments: A Research Symposium

The need for more services and support for international students’ academic transition is evident as their numbers continue to increase in postsecondary institutions. There is also a need for educational leaders to have a better understanding of how they can support international students’ academic transition and success. A phenomenological research design is being used to problematize academic transition by examining the experiences of international students who are ethnoculturally and linguistically diverse. The focus is on the students from cultural and educational backgrounds that are divergent to the Canadian educational system and their adjustment to postsecondary academic writing and teaching strategies. …

The Pandemic Pivot At An Ontario College Of Applied Arts And Technology: A Review Of International And Domestic Student Success, Adam Mcgregor, Wendy Whitehead, Christina Decarie

Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse International Students in Open or Online Learning Environments: A Research Symposium

Building on an earlier action research project looking at international student grades at an Ontario College, the researchers explored the impact of learning in an online learning environment on international student performance. The researchers asked: 1) Is there a significant difference in the average student grades (regardless of country of residence or origin) between online delivery and in-person delivery? 2) Is there a statistically significant difference in average student grades between delivery methods, based on country of origin or residence?; and 3) Is there a statistically significant difference in average student grades between domestic and international students, based on delivery? …

Empowering International Students As Global Citizens: Promising Praxis For Virtual Global Learning, Linyuan Guo-Brennan, Julie Massey, Wesley Wilkinson

Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse International Students in Open or Online Learning Environments: A Research Symposium

The COVID-19 global pandemic disrupted the traditional ways of providing global learning to students in higher education, and offered international students new opportunities to develop intercultural competency in a virtual environment. Anchored in literature, teaching reflection, student reflection, and critical global citizenship education theory and practices, this article analyzes and discusses the andragogic, cultural, linguistic, academic, and technological dimensions of providing meaningful and inclusive global learning and engagement to international students in a virtual/online environment. Placing international students at the centre of critical academic decisions, this article introduces promising practices and strategies for empowering international students as global citizens, such …

Recruitment Of International Students Through A Synthesis Of English As A Second Language Instruction, Social Justice, And Service Learning, Daisuke Akiba

Publications and Research

Universities across the U.S. have increasingly emphasized internationalization, leading to rising numbers of international students attending U.S. institutions of higher education. However, these students tend to gravitate toward larger research-intensive universities with many other institutions seeing no increase in international student enrollments. Little is known concerning how to attract international students to regional institutions lacking name recognition. To address the above and promote internationalization through increasing the presence of students from abroad, an academic department at a regional public U.S. college used needs analysis to develop a pilot program for Japanese university students (N = 13). The program involved a …

Reframing Internationalization: Faculty Beliefs And Teaching Practices, Marco Tulluck

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

This study applies Critical Race Theory as a critical lens to gain a clearer understanding of highly racialized policies and teaching practices around international student engagement in US higher education. The findings help to inform higher education leaders of how to support faculty to foster more inclusive and affirming learning environments for international students of color and other diverse student populations.

This mixed methods study employed a modified version of the Colorblind and Multicultural Ideology of STEM Faculty Measure as well as focus group interviews to gain a more complex understanding of how university faculty members’ beliefs align with colorblind …

Mind The Gap: Integration Of International Students, Andrew Knox, Basil Lim, Amr Mahfouz, Maeve O'Connell, Matthew Sheehan

Practitioner Research Projects

The international mobilisation of tertiary students is increasing from 0.8 million in 1975 to 3.5 million worldwide by 2016 (OECD, 2018). This increasingly fluid student migration, supported with various European initiatives, the Erasmus exchange program (since 1987) and the Bologna Declaration (since 1999), have influenced the profile of students within the Irish higher education system. By 2016, international students comprised 5.1% of total tertiary students in Ireland (OECD, 2018). According to Irish and UK research, lecturers have an important role in facilitating integration (British Council, 2014; Irish Council for International Students, 2017). However, for most faculty, the term internationalisation of …

Leveraging Peer Learning For Integration Of International Students In The Classroom, Brian Barry, Waleed Abo-Hamad, Diana Carvalho E Ferreira, Niamh Gilmartin

Practitioner Research Projects

The international education sector in Ireland is currently worth approximately €1.58bn per annum, and it is projected to grow to €2.1bn per annum by 2020 (Department of Education and Skills, 2016). The academic challenges faced by international students are linked to language skills, academic background, and cultural aspects (Sadykova, 2014). Peer learning is mutually beneficial for provider and recipient, with benefits including higher academic achievement and greater productivity; increased communication skills and a greater sense of belonging; and the development of support systems (Colvin & Ashman, 2010). Domestic peers help international students to compensate for the lack of culture-specific knowledge …

Internationalsation In The Classroom, Alberto Caimo, Deirdre Duffy, Patrick Mcevoy, Brian Murphy, Grainne Scanlon

Practitioner Research Projects

Multicultural societies require multicultural universities and internationalisation is a powerful influence within higher education. Conceptual understandings of internationalisation and practical activities have evolved significantly to prepare students for global workplaces, social cohesion and personal development (Higher Education Strategy Group, 2011). Internationalisation benefits the development of interculturally competent graduates who can participate in diverse, global labour markets, yet, international students require support while adjusting to new learning environments. A student-centred approach to learning is superseding traditional pedagogy in order to support the most diverse range of learning preferences that are characteristic of multicultural groups (Vita, 2001). Educators are encouraged to expand …

International Students Experience In Teacher Education: Creating Context Through Play Workshops, Dawn Joseph, Elizabeth Rouse

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Higher education in Australia attracts many international students. Universities are challenged to prepare them with the necessary understandings, knowledge and skills to effectively participate in their study. For international students, understanding Early Childhood contexts in Australia is a new way of viewing teaching and learning from their own cultural perspective. This paper situates itself as part of a wider study “Improving work placement for international students, their mentors and other stakeholders”. A pilot program was run at Deakin University for the Master of Teaching Early Childhood students to undertake play workshops before commencing placement. Questionnaires were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological …