BEST PRACTICE WHEN LECTURING TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

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BEST PRACTICE WHEN LECTURING TO INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS

• MARIE AINSLIE,
• LESLEY EDMONDSON
• LORRAINE PICKETT-ROSE
• University of Portsmouth

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2004 STUDY AT UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH

• Questionnaire sent out to all teaching staff to
  find out perceived areas of difficulty faced by
  international students
• Results differed according to subject being
  taught/studied

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The following results were high on the list of
concerns across all disciplines

• CRITICAL ANALYSIS
• PLAGIARISM/AND OR REGURGITATION OF MATERIAL FROM
  LECTURES
• ESSAY WRITING (BOTH STRUCTURE AND LANGUAGE)
• PARTICIPATION IN SEMINARS WORKING WITH (UK)
  PEERS
• ACADEMIC LISTENING SKILLS

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THE 2004/05 PRELIMINARY STUDY AT PORTSMOUTH

• HYPOTHESIS
• Lecturers across the University feel 'unprepared'
  when
• lecturing to large cohorts of international
  students.
• This is a result of the cultural gap that exists.
  

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AIMS

• To identify the difficulties faced by staff when
  lecturing to large groups of international
  students
• To identify difficulties encountered by
  international students when attending lectures
• To identify areas of 'good practice' within the
  university when lecturing to international
  students
• To gather all the responses and attempt to
  disseminate ideas (across the university) for
  'best practice' when delivering lectures to
  international students

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METHODOLOGY

• We invited (via e-mail) a random selection of
  staff to take part in the preliminary study
• Observations of lectures took place in Semester 1
  2004/05 in the Business School and Department of
  Civil Engineering
• We recorded lectures and interviewed lecturers
  and international students directly afterwards
• We considered all responses and sent immediate
  feedback to all lecturers observed if requested.

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MAIN FINDINGS OF PRELIMINARY STUDY student
comments

• In some cases, understanding of the observed
  lectures was BELOW 50 .
• Speed of delivery proved problematic for most
  students interviewed.
• Students often claimed that examples used in
  lectures were 'alien' to them e.g. Viagra .
• (Contd)

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• Students indicated it would be useful to have all
  the handouts week(s) before the lecture.
• Vocabulary lists of specialised terms requested
  in preparation for the lecture.
• Many requested more detail on slides/OHTs. They
  claim their reading skills are better than
  listening comprehension skills.
• Major difficulty for students is when lecturers
  refer back to content of a lecture in Week 2 or
  3. They claim their level of understanding was
  'weaker' in the early stages of Semester 1.
• Positive comments were made regarding the
  negotiation between lecturer and students re. The
  approach to the lecture.

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CONCERNS OF LECTURERS (in response to feedback
given)

• In Semester 1, 50 (or more) of what has been
  taught in lectures has NOT been understood.
• To what extent should lectures 'slow down'? Many
  claimed they had already!
• 'Alien' examples are also problematic for home
  students e.g. Bhopal. Lecturers do not feel
  'equipped' with knowledge of the cultural
  background of all their international students
• (Contd)

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• Should 'lists' be given at post graduate level
  on topics studied at under graduate level
  'dumbing down'?
• If students hadn't understood much during first 3
  weeks, then this surely means that ONE THIRD of
  Semester 1 has been wasted.
•  
• Concerns about lecturing to mixed groups of home
  and international students.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

• Should we, as lecturers, reconsider how much
  content we include in lectures in the first few
  weeks?
• How and when are we assessing?
• Should international students be taught
  separately? Ghettoisation?
• Should we use more visual or more verbose
  slides/OHTs?
• When should we give handouts? Do students really
  do preliminary reading?
• (Contd)

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• To what extent is it a lecturer's duty to
  research the background of each group of
  international students? (educational and cultural
  experience)
• To what extent should lecturers adjust their
  vocabulary?
•  
• How can we 'slow down' further and still speak
  'naturally?'
• Should lecturers place more emphasis on teaching
  the 'critical skills' necessary for studying at a
  UK University? (If students claim reading is
  better - let them do the reading we teach the
  skills!)

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• Should some information be given to students in
  their first language? E.g subtitles, key
  technical vocab etc? This suggestion has been
  made by some of the lecturers we have had
  discussions with.
• How far can we adapt our lecturing styles to
  accommodate international students and still
  maintain the interest of home students?