Learning Skills Unit, RMIT Vietnam The perceptions of academic language and learning support among staff and students at a transnational university ‘So, what is it that you do?’

RMIT Vietnam: more than 6000 students

About RMIT Vietnam Internationally recognised degrees All teaching and learning is in English A growing number of international students from other countries. About Learning Skills Unit (LSU)  A centrally located academic literacy support unit: academic skills  Students and lecturers become aware of the LSU through a variety of channels.

The purpose of this research is to investigate what students and staff perceive is offered by the LSU and also what additional services would most benefit students in their studies.

The constructs being investigated Reality – what services/courses LSU offer Perceptions – Students and Academic Staff Expectations – Students and Academic Staff The gap between reality and perception To improve and promote LSU services

Triangulations in this study Data Collection Methods: Surveys + Focus Groups Locations: Hanoi + Saigon South Participants: Students + Lecturers Data Interpretation Researchers: LSU staff interpreted the data independently

Survey + Focus Group Survey 8 questions looking at: Perceptions of available services Perceptions of quality Focus group Needs Perceptions Other expectations?

Data Descriptions Survey 622 Students: Hanoi & Saigon (135 comments) 137 Lecturers: Hanoi & Saigon (36 comments) Focus groups 9 lecturers from 5 departments/programs at Saigon campus 6 students from both campuses

Current LSU services Working under the Student Services department 1. Open-to-all workshops 2. Commissioned workshops 3. Private consultations – 2 types 4. SLAMS: Student Learning Advisor Mentors 5. Intranet – resources/advice/links No 'grammar check' service or vocabulary instruction

Students’ perceptions (Survey) 83.7% Academic and study skills support for all students 75.7% Workshops and individual consultations open to all students on academic and study skills topics 71.5% Workshops for specific courses on the skills required for activities and assessments in those specific courses 58.6% Feedback on the use of language and specific suggestions for improving language use 48.9% A student mentoring program where high-achieving students in specific courses give other students guidance and advice on the course

Students - Purpose of using LSU services (Focus group) Improve academic skills required by the courses Improve assessment/examination results Improve language Improve course experiences

Students are looking for 1. High marks 2. Learning experiences similar to high school

Three implications for students Teaching materials Closer cooperation with the lecturers Promoting LSU through different channels

Teaching materials Explicit links between the 1. Workshop names 2. Workshop content 3. Assessment tasks 4. Academics skills

Closer cooperation with the lecturers 1. Clear marking criteria for assessment tasks 2. Students’ potential difficulties in meeting the requirements 3. More appropriate teaching activities/ materials

Promoting LSU services through 1. Social networks: Facebook, Twitter 2. Friends recommendations 3. Credit courses/ commissioned workshops/ embedded workshops 4. Delivering workshops to students in the English program 5. Clear on-line introductions/description of the content/format of the workshops, SLAMS and consultations

Lecturers’ perceptions (Survey) 93.1% Workshops and individual consultations open to all students on academic and study skills topics 92.1% Academic and study skills support for ALL students 85.1% Workshops for specific courses on the skills required for activities and assessments in those specific courses 78.2% A student mentoring program where high-achieving students in specific courses give other students guidance and advice on the course 69.3% Collaborative support for academic staff in specific courses to improve the alignment and design of assessments with the intended learning outcomes of the course 59.4% Feedback on the use of language and specific suggestions for improving language use

Lecturers are looking for the LSU to (Focus group) 1. Focus on gap between assessment requirements and students’ skills 2. Understand and anticipate student expectations; solve problems in advance

Implications Online sources Linking the information to assessments Lecturers promoting it in classes Giving attendance marks Link the workshops with assessment tasks more specifically SLAMs More training More courses involved SLAMs report students’ common problems to lecturers

Differences among LSU, Lecturers and Students ? To improve English (grammar check and vocabulary instruction) ? Alignment between assessments and curriculum ? More work on facilitating communication between students and lecturers

Q & A