The International Student Experience

1
The International Student Experience

• Background
• Exit Survey Results
• Transition to University from Year 12
• English language abilities at admission and
  academic progress for postgraduate coursework
  students

2
Background

• Recent History student numbers (onshore
  offshore)

3
Background

• Students by country of origin

4
Background

• Students from over 80 countries
• Rapid growth in students undertaking postgraduate
  coursework programs
• We hope to see this expand with the return of
  AusAID scholarship holders

5
Exit Survey Results 2003 and 2004

• Reasons for selecting the University of Adelaide
• Perceptions of the University
• Opinion of the support services provided
• Plans post completion
• Recommendations for change or improvement

6
Exit Survey Results 2003 and 2004

• 186 respondents in 2003
• 207 respondents in 2004
• Mix of undergraduate, study abroad, exchange,
  postgraduate coursework and research students
  from over 20 different countries of origin
  completed the survey.

7
Reasons for selecting the University
8
Main Findings - Perceptions

• Perceptions pre and post study. Students were
  asked rate their perceptions on 9 separate
  attributes, using a 3 part rating scale (good,
  average, poor)
• Quality of teaching, quality of research
  education, quality of program, profile of
  academic staff, graduate employment prospects,
  prestige, student focus, impressive alumni, and
  location
• Significant difference in student perception
  prior and at completion of study in 2003 were
  found for profile of staff, student focus and
  location (all showed positive change). In 2004
  quality of program and location showed positive
  change.

9
Main Findings Support Services

• 95 rated their knowledge of support services as
  average or good. (96 in 2004)
• 87 highlighted that they felt comfortable
  accessing support services when required. (89 in
  2004)
• 87 indicated that they felt comfortable seeking
  academic advice from school staff. (87 in 2004)
• 75 participated in the International Student
  Orientation Program. (74 in 2004)

10
Main Findings Support Services

• 31 attended academic skills or personal
  development workshops. (38 in 2004)
• 14 rated computer facilities as poor. (10.6 in
  2004) Outranked by food outlets which 17 rated
  as poor in 2004)
• In 2003, 85 indicated that they would recommend
  the University to others. (9.4 said they would
  not)
• In 2004, 92.8 indicated that they would
  recommend the University to others.

11
Circumstances impacting on academic performance
12
Main Findings Post Completion

• 52.8 indicated that they would consider further
  studies at the University. (64.3 in 2004)
• In 2003, 41.1 indicated that they would not
  undertake further studies, 7.8 indicated that
  their reasons were the result of dissatisfaction
  with the University.
• In 2004, 32.4 indicated that they would not
  undertake further studies, 7.2 indicated that
  their reasons were as a result of dissatisfaction
  with the University.

13
Main Findings

• Recommendations for change free field comments.
• Computing facilities increase internet and
  printing quotas (2003 and 2004)
• Student Accommodation (2003 and 2004)
• Simplified enrolment processes (2003 only)
• AUU to provide more student activities and
  opportunities for increased interaction with
  local students (2003 and 2004)

14
Main Findings

• Increase library opening hours (2003 and 2004)
• Access to student cards on arrival (2003 only)
• Availability of walk-in appointments at the
  Medical Centre (2003 and 2004)
• Need to raise the University profile off-shore
  (2004 only)
• Surprisingly few suggested lowering fees and
  increasing scholarships (2003 and 2004)
• In 2004, 27 respondents indicated appreciation
  for the support received.

15
Transition to University from Year 12

• 125 international students started in 2004 (via
  SATAC)
• Individual Interviews
• Focus Groups 40 students attended
• Challenges faced by students student
  perceptions and staff perceptions
• Our challenges in engaging the students.

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Transition to University from Year 12

• Semester 1, 2004 results
• 40.5 of the students passed the entire course
  load
• 16.5 failed one course,
• 20.0 failed 2 courses,
• 11.5 failed 3 courses, and
• 11.5 failed all courses they were enrolled in.

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Challenges as told by students

• They have worked hard in high school took a
  break at uni, relief from school studies.
• Students think they are familiar with the
  education system (over confident).
• Need to highlight
• the academic differences between school and uni
• Change the perception that orientation is about
  academic preparation on not just living in
  Australia.

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Challenges as told by students

• Students found the major difference between
  school and university
• 21 students commented on the freedom,
  independence and need to manage their time.
• 11 commented on the difference in the academic
  environment, it is a do-it-by-yourself effort at
  uni
• 7 commented on the lack of guidance compared with
  school, in school the teachers are there to
  help us teacher pays more attention to the
  individual at school there is no teacher to
  focus only on you anymore.

19
Challenges staff perceptions

• Being an independent learner
• How to use non contact time effectively
• Poor match between subject undertaken at year 12
  and course selection at university
• Accommodation many move out of supported
  arrangements to live independently with friends

20
Challenges staff perceptions

• Knowing when and how to seek help
• Problem solving (head in the sand)
• Interacting within the university community
• Freedom vs family expectations
• Developmental issues (as with domestic students)

21
Challenges engaging students

• Students do not see the need to attend
  orientation
• Many perceive orientation is about living in
  Adelaide
• Competes with home time (return flight booking
  are often made well in advance with the first day
  of lectures used as booking date)
• Follow poor advice

22
Challenges Engaging Students

• Services designed to engage students on arrival
• Students often feel confident that if they just
  turn up on first day of lectures everything will
  be okay.
• We have tried (still trying) to engage this
  group, after orientation with workshops lunch
  time events
• This semester we ran workshops both in the
  mid-term break and after break in first week back
  (with free lunch). 130 invitation sent direct to
  students, 7 attended.

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Back to the Research

• From the 125 who commenced in 2004, 64 (51.2)
  are enrolled in 2006.
• Often the first time we will meet (face-to-face)
  with the students who come to the University
  direct from school is following a semester or two
  of poor results.

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• English language abilities at admission and
  academic progress for postgraduate coursework
  students

25
Context

• English language entry requirements remained
  unchanged
• Changing programs, increasing numbers of PGCW
  students
• Creation of alternate entry methods
• Culture of attributing failure to English
  proficiency levels

26
Grant

• A small research grant was applied for and
  achieved
• Original study looks at wider areas including
  research students

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Research Aims

• The research aims of the study were to
  investigate the academic performance and outcomes
  for IPC students with reference to their English
  language entry type and proficiency at admission.
• (this would then help inform policy)

28
Research Aims

• Six English language entry types were used in
  this study.
• They can be broadly conceptualised into two
  distinct groups.

29
Standardised measures based on testing

• Type 1. IELTS - the International English
  Language Testing System
• Type 2. TOEFL the Test of English as a Foreign
  Language. It is important to note that TOEFL
  scores have been converted to an overall IELTS
  equivalency score for the purpose of this study.
• Type 3. IELTS or TOFEL plus a English
  Language Program (ELP). Entry with a conditional
  requirement to undertake and pass a specialised
  English Program, such as an Pre-enrolment English
  Program (ELP)

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English competence assumed

• Type 4. English is first language
• Type 5. 2/5 English at least two of the
  students past five years of study were conducted
  in the English language.
• Type 6. English medium the student has studied
  in the English language medium for at least five
  years in Australia, New Zealand, the United
  Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America,
  South Africa or the Republic of Ireland

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Research Questions

• (1) What is the relationship between English
  language entry type (IELTS, TOEFL, English
  medium, 2/5 study, English first language
  speakers) of IPC students and their academic
  performance at university as measured by GPA?

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Research Questions

• (2) What is the relationship between English
  language proficiency (as measured by IELTS or
  IELTS equivalent scores) of IPC students and
  their academic performance at university as
  measured by GPA?

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Research Questions

• (3) What are the advantages in terms of academic
  outcomes as measured by GPA in raising the
  current minimum IELTS overall entry score of 6.0
  for international postgraduate coursework
  programs.
• The first two questions are intended to provide
  information that can assist in answering the
  final research question

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DATA COHORT

• To establish the data pool for (IPC) students
  the following cohorts were used
• 2001 intakes from Semesters 1 and 2 and
  Trimesters 1, 2 and 3
• 2002 intakes from Semesters 1 and 2 and
  Trimesters 1, 2 and 3
• 2003 intakes from Semester 1 and Trimester 1

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DATA COHORT

• The data comprised records for 331 postgraduate
  coursework students.
• Sex
• Male 171 (51.7)
• Female 160 (48.38)
• Age range
• 21.1 to 53.5 years with a mean of 28.8

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DATA COHORT

• Overall the cohort came from 46 countries with
  the top ten being
• China (18.8) Malaysia (10.1)
• India (8.1) United States (8.1)
• Japan (7.5) Indonesia (5.4)
• Singapore (3.6) Thailand (3.6)
• United Kingdom (3.6) Hong Kong (3.3)

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Research Q1
38
Research Q1
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Research Q1
NOTE GPA Range 1-7 with 5 being a Credit
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Research Q1
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Research Q1
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Research Q1 - Findings

• Among the coursework student cohort most students
  (93.5) achieved an overall GPA of pass or
  higher. While few failed they were more likely to
  do so if they were from the IELTS / TOEFL entry
  types.
• In the first two study periods, the mean GPA
  scores for coursework students whose first
  language was English were significantly higher
  than those for students who had entered via the
  IELTS or TOEFL path.

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Research Q2

• Because of the changing student demographics we
  are expecting (currently experiencing) more
  students to be entering using standardised
  measures based on testing

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Research Q2
45
Research Q2
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Research Q2
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Research Q2
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Research Q3

• This research shows, however, that if the IELTS
  or equivalent entry score were raised to 6.5
  overall, there would be little significant gain
  in GPAs. On these figures, raising the entry
  score for these groups of students could improve
  their grade point averages by 0.2. Put another
  way, leaving the entry score at 6.0 would result
  in similar grade point averages.

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Research Q3

• Raising the cut-off score from 6.0 to 6.5 would
  require alternative pathways for or deny entry to
  46 of students among the current IPC student
  cohort who entered the University via a language
  test path (n152). Hence raising the entry score
  above 6.0 might eliminate more potentially
  successful students than potential failures,
  while retaining some that might not be
  successful.

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• Clearly there is much more to success and failure
  than the English language proficiency scores with
  which students enter the University.