The HEA Annual Conference 2012 Great expectations – are you ready? 3-4 July University of Manchester

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master subtitle style 14/05/20152 Best practice in supporting large numbers of international students undertaking research as part of taught masters courses in the business and management field. Nigel Coates, Dr Diane Sloan

Overview 1.Aim 2.Background/context 3.Newcastle Business School Masters Dissertation 4.The Newcastle Business School Masters student 5.Barriers to learning 6.Strategies for overcoming barriers

1. Aim To provide a masters dissertation research support programme that addresses the particular needs of international postgraduate students within limited resource constraints.

2. Background Importance of international students to the PG HE sector (Pelletier, 2004;Taylor, 2005). Importance of masters level research in PG programmes. Needs of international students versus limited supervisor time.

3. The Newcastle Business School Masters Dissertation A research project A combination of: – Academic theory – An investigation / research – Analysis of the business situation (using the theory) A 15,000 word report / thesis using the appropriate academic conventions 60 out of 180 credits for Masters degree

Linkages between benchmarks and Programme Outcomes. Compliance with QAA Descriptor for a qualification at Masters (M) Level. ( The framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education 2001) NBS cross comparative benchmarks for UG and Masters Dissertations are detailed in the Dissertation Guidelines.

4. Characteristics of an NBS Full Time Masters Dissertation students

Age of Postgraduate Student

Home Country

5. Barriers to Learning

Barriers - Language Language ability – IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score 6.5: not sufficient for masters level research (e.g. critical analysis) but sector norm (some take lower). – We are a recruiter not a selector (as are many).

Barriers - Educational Educational - Cultural Background – Are our international students prepared for a UK HE experience? – Many suffer “academic culture shock” (Brown 2007;p240) – Different expectations – not used to independent learning (Todd, 1997; Ballard & Clanchy, 1997) – Long been recognised many do not engage in critical evaluation (Skelton & Richards, 1991). – Many are not used to expressing opinion (Persaud, 1993; Okorocha, 1996) and expect the tutor to be expert (Cortazzi & Jim, 1997).

Prior Educational Experience: Prior to arriving at the NBS the way you were taught might have been different?

Prior Educational Experience: How many hours of classes did you attend per week at your previous institution?

Prior Educational Experience: How many hours outside of classes did you study per week at your previous institution?

6. Strategies for Overcoming the Barriers

Language – Academic Skills English Language Support programmes prior to masters programme. Academic Skills Support – year long module – integrated into programme, CEM Model (Sloan & Porter, 2010) – none credit bearing – academic skills & dissertation skills

Dissertation Research Methods Programme Lecture Support Module The e-Learning Portal (VLE) – Including exemplars The Dissertation Guidelines & Logbook A customised module text The Dissertation Proposal Dissertation Supervisor - Logbook Marking Instruments for Proposal and Dissertation.

Dissertation Research Methods Programme Starts in Semester 1 week 10 – Introducing the Dissertation Prior to Semester 2 Dissertation Proposal Preparation Week (10% of mark) Check point workshop on draft proposal Semester 2 week 2 Dissertation Proposal submitted Semester 2 week 4

Dissertation Research Methods Programme Semester 2 – specialist sessions on: – Methodology – Qualitative research Business Research Analysis Module – Quantitative aspects Academic Skills Seminars – supporting dissertation preparation (run in parallel)

Dissertation Research Methods Programme Accessing Business Information Sources (part of Dissertation Proposal) – To help the students to get to grips with the electronic resources available from the University Library they have to complete a short quiz (via e-Learning Portal) to give them some practice searching for journal articles, statistics etc. – Being familiar with the databases it will help them with their assignments and especially their dissertation.

Dissertation Research Methods Programme Ethical Issues – University’s policies are explained. – Declarations confirming compliance need to be signed. – A section within the Methodology chapter needs to consider ethical issues. – Ethical Issues included on marking instruments.

Dissertation Research Methods Programme Plagiarism & TurnitIn – Specialist sessions are delivered on plagiarism. – TurnitIn is introduced for (limited) formative feedback purposes on assignments. So students can check their understanding of academic writing and referencing. – All completed dissertations are required to be submitted to the TurnitIn service prior to marking.

Summary Framework DISSERTATION 60 pts Induction Academic Skills Research Methods 10 pts Module B 20 pts Module C 20 pts Module D 20 pts Module E 20 pts Module A 10 pts Module F 20 pts

Student Feedback for Learning Formative Assessment – Business Information Sources Exercise – Workshop Sessions – Draft Dissertation Proposal – Supervision Summative Assessment – Dissertation Proposal (10%) – Dissertation Thesis (90%)

Thank you, any questions?

References Brown, L. (2007) ‘A consideration of the challenges involved in supervising international masters students’. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 31:3, Ballard, B. & Clanchy, J. (1997) Teaching international students (Deakin, IDP). Cortazzi, M. & Jin, L. (1997) Learning across cultures, in: D. McNamara & R. Harris (Eds) Overseas students in HE: issues in teaching and Learning (London, Routledge), Okorocha, E. (1996) The international student experience, Jornal of Graduate Education, 2(3), Pelletier, C. (2004) The experience of international students in UK higher education: a review of unpublished research (London, UKCOSA). Persaud, R. (1993) The loneliness of the long-distance student, Journal of International Education, 4(1), Skelton, J. & Richards, K. (1991) How critical can you get ? in: P. Adams, B. Heaton & A. Howarth (Eds) Sloan, D. E. & Porter, E. (2010) Changing international student and business staff perceptions of in- sessoinal EAP: using the CEM Model. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 9, 3, pp Socio-cultural issues in English for academic purposes. Volume 1,2 (London, Macmillan), Taylor, M. (2005, February 8) Catch ‘em while you can, The Guardian. Available online at: (accessed 15 June 2007) Todd, E. (1997) Supervising overseas students: problem or opportunity?, in: D. McNamara & R. Harris (Eds) Overseas students in HE: issues in teaching and Learning (London, Routledge),