The impact of international mobility on teaching and learning at VU Jude Carroll, author of Tools for Teaching in an Educationally Mobile World (Routledge 2015)

Some assumptions I am making Big changes: more cultural diversity, more language diversity, just ‘more’. Few extra resources: time, information, expertise, rewards Mixed reactions and experiences: positive and negative …. (the negative are more often talked about) “Just get on with it…..”

Key idea 1 : Don’t think about students’ nationality Key idea 1 : Don’t think about students’ nationality. Do think about students as learners. Diversity is now the norm – it is normal. [‘International student’ is not a useful label]

Specific diversity factors that influence learning Mobility (‘far from home/support, far from familiar, far from the place where I will use my learning’) + high cost, high pressure, high expectations etc Academic cultural difference(s) Learning and teaching in English

Impact of mobility on many students as learners Anxiety Trouble in accessing previous knowledge Trouble in seeing new knowledge as relevant ‘essentialism’ – assuming that what I knew/did was the only way Fear of risk, fear of trying new things Fear of failure and fear of the consequences of failure far from home/support, far from familiar ‘far from the place where I will use my learning’ high cost high expectations

Predictable learning needs for [educationally mobile] students: All students have these needs Learning in English Adjusting to an unfamiliar academic culture Having/not having necessary skills (for example, academic reading & writing, taking exams and assessment, managing time, doing research, using sources transparently, and much more) Participation, taking part. ‘This is my place. I can talk & join in activities.’ ‘I can bring my skills and experience into discussions’ Collaboration and feeling included ‘My skills and experience are welcome and they are useful’ Taking home a useful and relevant qualification

Complaining? Blaming? Denial? …. English Unfamiliar academic culture Impact on many students Impact on some teachers, sometimes Complaining? Blaming? Denial? …. English Unfamiliar academic culture Skill gaps & misunderstandings Taking part Collaboration; inclusion Relevant qualification; Useful knowledge ‘I have to teach in English. ‘My students don’t understand Dutch education’ They read slowly. They plagiarise. They don’t speak up. They don’t question…. Dutch students and foreign students avoid each other. In my subject, I am familiar with Dutch ways, not with everything in the world.

Key idea 2: ‘The solutions do not lie in thinking about who the students are…… or in wanting different students The solutions probably come from teachers adjusting and adapting to the cultural and linguistic diversity in the students they teach.’

A suggested approach Start with your culturally and linguistically diverse students’ learning needs Think about teacher adjustments: What can be adjusted? What cannot? Where in the curriculum? When? Who can help? Use generic good practice principles for teaching across cultures. Use the principles to imagine what you could do differently. Apply good practice principles in your own context http://www.ieaa.org.au/resources/good-practice-principles

Key idea(s) 3: Generic ‘hints and tips’ are usually not useful. You, a teacher (our you, a program manager, course designer, Librarian etc etc) must find your own solutions. Solutions need to match your own situation and your own priorities. You can use generic good practice principles to think through and adjust your practice to fit your particular, personal context.

Good practice principles for teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students Treat all your students as if they are still learning. Check: do they have necessary skills? Do they have background knowledge? Teach skills & knowledge alongside whatever else you plan to teach. Do not assume ‘they are ready’. Adjust how and what you teach because your students have different language competence and different background knowledge. Provide explicit information. Make the information fit the specific context – don’t make them guess Foster engagement and intercultural dialogue Use reflection as a teacher; be flexible, evaluate the results of changes Prepare students for life in a globalizing, diverse and interconnected world

Good practice principles Think, ‘My students are still learning…’ Adjust what and how you teach to fit language and background knowledge Give explicit information Organise interaction and intercultural dialogue Be reflective Prepare students for a globalised world

Checking meaning, sharing ideas You have 10 minutes 1. Assume students are still learning. Teach background knowledge and skills. 2. Adjust for diversity (diverse language, diverse backgrounds) 3. Give students explicit information 4. Organise purposeful intercultural dialogue Checking meaning, sharing ideas You have 10 minutes In 4’s: talk about each of the 4 good practice principles for teaching diverse students – what exactly does each one mean? Then, can you give examples about how you, in your teaching, already apply this principle? Be ready to share your examples

‘Impact Issues’ suggested for today Plagiarism Student participation Academic cultural differences Inclusive teaching [teaching that students can understand, teaching that uses students’ experience and knowledge; learning that is relevant and useful] Assessing diverse students

plagiarism participation assessment Students as learners Adjust for diversity -Be explicit -Match what you tell them to the context -Don’t make them guess -Foster interaction and dialogue -Make interaction purposeful -Use interaction for learning

Let’s create an example Suppose you are a program team Suppose the issue is ‘participation’ ‘Students are not working collaboratively …. International students are excluded; home students are complaining. Group work is not productive’ How could you use good practice principles to address this issue?

Issue: Participation in a group project with a grade Question: How can the program use the project to encourage participation? Students as learners Adjust for diversity Give explicit, context-specific information Foster interaction and dialogue

A group project with a grade – what would need to be in the program? Students as learners Tell students that the program requires group projects – and give a learning rationale Put ‘effective group skills’ in the program learning outcomes Teach students group skills – give safe practice Teach intercultural communication skills – give safe practice Design in projects across the program from short & safe to longer & complex. Adjust for diversity Give explicit, context-specific information Foster interaction and dialogue

A group project with a grade – what would need to be in the program? Students as learners Adjust for diversity Get to know the students’ skills & choose membership to spread skills between groups – state roles that must be assigned and get the group to appoint Create low-language demand assessment in early stages of the program Create an ‘opt-out’ option in case any student cannot manage a group project Increase observation and intervention to deal with conflict Design in longer and fewer group projects – ideally, lasting several months Give explicit, context-specific information Foster interaction and dialogue

A group project with a grade – what would need to be in the program? Students as learners Adjust for diversity Give explicit, context-specific information Make the task clear. Make the assessment process clear. Build in ways to check students understand the task; check they know how to do the task Explain criteria for grades. What will get a good grade? State the learning benefits of doing the project in a group (make sure there are some learning benefits!) State exact times, deadlines etc Tell them how and when to seek help or to ask for teacher intervention Foster interaction and dialogue

A group project with a grade – what would need to be in the program? Students as learners Adjust for diversity Give explicit, context-specific information Foster interaction and dialogue Make sure the task is collaborative, not cooperative Make sure that grades include using and valuing contributions from each member Include assessment of the PROCESS of completing the project, alongside the end PRODUCT. Give marks for collaborative behaviour.

A group project with a grade – what would need to be in the program? Students as learners Tell students that the program requires group projects – and give learning rationale Teach students group skills – give safe practice Teach intercultural communication skills – give safe practice Design in projects across the program from short & safe to longer & complex. Adjust for diversity Get to know students’ skills & choose membership to spread skills Create low-language demand assessment in early stages of the program Create an ‘opt-out’ option in case any student cannot manage a group project Increase observation and intervention opportunities Design in longer and fewer projects – ideally lasting several months Give explicit, context-specific information Explain criteria for grades. What will get a good grade? State the learning benefits of doing the project in a group (make sure there are some!) State exact times, deadlines etc Tell them how and when to seek help or to ask for teacher intervention Foster interaction and dialogue Make sure the task is collaborative, not cooperative Make sure that grades include using and valuing contributions from each member Include assessment of the PROCESS of completing the project, alongside the end PRODUCT. Give marks for collaborative behaviour.

Don’t start with writing what you already do in a box Designing group work in one course Students as learners Adjust for diversity Give explicit, context-specific information Foster interaction and dialogue Don’t start with writing what you already do in a box Start with imagining what it would be like if the principle was followed

‘Impact Issues’ suggested for today Plagiarism Student participation Academic cultural differences Inclusive teaching [teaching that students can understand, teaching that uses students’ experience and knowledge; learning that is relevant and useful] Assessing diverse students

plagiarism participation assessment Students as learners Adjust for diversity -Be explicit -Match what you tell them to the context -Don’t make them guess -Foster interaction and dialogue -Make interaction purposeful -Use interaction for learning

But wait, first a few words about plagiarism & diverse students Over-represented in penalty statistics. Copying is easy / easier to spot….. Students usually worry about plagiarising – even if they don’t understand it If you take away copying and add no skills, they may see cheating as the only way. Commissioning seems to be the cheat-of- choice. Assuming that some students will commission is probably justified.

Most plagiarism is not cheating ….. but it is still not acceptable. Plagiarism is a complex issue and dealing with it needs to start with thinking about learning learning WHAT it means learning HOW to avoid it learning WHY transparent use of sources [scholarship] is important

Things typically misunderstood What makes ‘good work’ [What gets a good mark] What makes a good source. Good for what? How to read critically, read for later use. Notes. Why you have to make your own version of the original (‘paraphrase’ ‘write in your own words’)) What a citation does and why it needs to be placed at the site of use Assessment – what is graded, how do grades work, what matters most….. How might you get them to spot this misunderstanding and ‘fix it’?

Different assumptions about writing Writers’ beliefs when the reader is responsible for meaning Writers’ beliefs when the writer is responsible for meaning This text demonstrates my knowledge - it is more or less context-free. Many ideas, images, texts etc are owned by identifiable individuals or groups. I must give explicit evidence of all use of others’ work(where it is owned), at the place of use. Transformation by paraphrase demonstrates understanding Often I state the main point ‘bang!’ then give evidence and ‘support for the case’. The reader knows all the ideas already, including the sources Selection shows agreement Assembly creates ‘my work’ & assembly deepens understanding. If I present poor language, it shows disrespect. Implying shows respect. Copying is not the best way, but it is the best way to start. Repetition helps learning. Writing shows that I, the writer, have joined a community (or I am worthy to join, some day) Often I go from general to specific Different assumptions about writing

What differences in academic rules and beliefs? Teacher Student Read Write Examination Dissertation Supervisor Help Good work 9:00 AM ‘my own work’ ‘logical case’ Same words, very different meanings

I say, ‘Call me Jude’ ‘I call my teacher Dr. X’ When students ask, I help with study-based issues. I select the issues but the students must find their own answers I want students to discuss, argue, solve problems. What’s their conclusion? I want students to read around, to choose good bits ….and to weave them together to make an answer. I want their answer …. not the answer I call my teacher Dr. xxx A good teacher notices I need help and offers it. A good teacher tells me good answers to good questions. To learn, I must listen to the teacher. Really listen. I read the textbook many many many times. Exam questions and answers are from the textbook.

“I think people in Saudi Arabia grow up helping each other “I think people in Saudi Arabia grow up helping each other. It’s a good thing to share and wish the best for your friends but it becomes a problem for [here]. We share questions with others and we think it’s a common thing. In Saudi Arabia, your accomplishments are not recorded by your name, but by your tribe or family. For instance, when a guy from Najran succeeds, it’s considered as a success for the whole city. Here, this is not the case.” Di Maria, quoting a student, Magied Alsqoor, in Al Jamiat Magazine, 4 June 2009 Whose work?….. …. where we draw the line between co-operation and collusion?

Key aspects for teaching academic writing Interpersonal elements: empathy, patience, Monitoring: Early & close. Look for positive and negative learning strategies Explicitness: not just what to do but the underlying rationale (Why?) Examples – and make them work with them. Adjustments for language – especially in the early months. Teach sub-skills, practice sub-skills Do you know it? Telling me what not to do is unhelpful if I don’t know what I should do.

Assessment: a quick look at adjustment You might need different: assessment tasks? levels of intervention and support? Type of feedback? Amounts of time? (for students to do it, for teachers to grade it) Ways to ensure reliability and validity You do not need new standards (that is, new ideas about what makes ‘good work’ or about what gets a good grade)

This needs a summary Let’s do it together….. What do teachers need to do about the impact of international mobility on teaching and learning at VU?