Creating a positive learning environment for NonEU students the role of academic support

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Creating a positive learning environment for
Non-EU students - the role of academic support

• Catherine Foster Student Support Manager
• Helen Higson Pro-Vice Chancellor

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Session

• Basis of research
• Aston University Aston Business School
  Background
• Literature Framework
• Research
• Future

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UK HE - Student Numbers
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Aston University Student Numbers
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Nationalities represented

• Within all of Aston University (UG PG) there
  are 174 nationalities represented.
• 144 Nationalities at Undergraduate level
• 156 Nationalities at Postgraduate level
• See handout for full list

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Changes within Aston Business School UG
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Year 1 UG Entrants - Aston Business School
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Performance Data ABS UG (2007-8)
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Why do you think there is such a contrast?

• Take 5 mins to chat with the person next to you
• In your experience, why do you think there is
  such a difference in performance?
• Can cultural background impact student
  performance and success?

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Do we need to change too?

• Different needs for students student body
  changed rapidly
• Existing support structures may not be
  appropriate
• Potential benefits/concerns
• Take 5 mins to discuss your current support
  structures
• do you think they meet the needs of all our
  students?
• Is there anything you think we could do?

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Literature

• International student experience (e.g. Robertson
  et al (2000), Lizzioet al (2002), Misra et al
  (2003) and Abel (2002)).
• Focus on a range of issues
• students stress levels, areas in which
  international students experienced difficulties
  in integration such as colloquial language and
  accents and feelings of isolation and also
  methods of teaching and learning and assessment
  methods.
• Student retention (including student support)
  (e.g. Bean Metzer (1985), Tinto (1975), Reay
  (1998)).
• focuses specifically on WP students i.e. those
  from non-traditional groups and not on Non-EU
  students

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What were doing - CLIPP Research

• Creating a positive learning environment for
  Non-EU students
• Aims to investigate the current academic support
  available
• EU-centric support structures are they still
  appropriate?
• Based on ABS UG students series of Focus Groups
  and Interviews

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Research Plan

• Ethical Approval obtained
• Focus Groups re-scheduled for October 2009
• Interviews re-scheduled for November 2009

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Contact Information

• Catherine Foster
• c.s.foster_at_aston.ac.uk
• 0121 204 3137