The Transition Challenges Faced by International Biology Students
The findings of this research may be of relevance across the educational sector. Free interaction with the international students will provide greater wealth of data on the perception of the students. In particular, the qualitative approach will capture a wider geographic region and researches are well supported with wide knowledge of the literature. In fact, the bibliography provides a resourceful platform that can be adopted by future researchers.
This study uses qualitative research approach. Qualitative research makes a given enquiry scientific since it seeks solutions to an enquiry, gathers evidence and gives predictions from the findings. Such predictions can be applicable way far beyond the immediate boundaries of the study (Marilyn 2005). Again, it establishes a systematic and predefined framework in answering the questions. Furthermore, it approaches the problem from its immediate context, for instance, it carries out the enquiry from the local population been investigated.
Thesis Statement
Even though, international students take pride in pursuing education in foreign settings, there are great challenges that make this experience unfavorable, as well.
Research Question
Q. What are the problems that first year international students experience as they make their transition to the discipline of biology
Literature Review
There are numerous existing studies regarding international student experience. Such studies range from reports of small-scale project to PhD dissertations (Solvic 2008). Much of this focus has been channeled to their academic experience. Basically, international students face a lot of challenges while in international institutions since they are in a different setting with different approaches and requirements. This in itself is a challenge.
In most cases, communities tend to regard international students as a homogeneous group. In UK, the understanding of an international student only refers to those that fully pay their school fees, therefore, ignoring EU students. Worst of all is when the students are treated as individuals per se (Kuo 2007). This lack of differentiation between the diverse groups and sub-groups of international students has been pointed out on specific pedagogical issues. It is argued that Asian students, and more so, Chinese students, incorporate their cultural differences in methods and style of learning to make it it very hard for them in critical and analytical exercises in Western Universities (Dunbar1988).
On the same note, international students are looked as a complete different group of people and making assumptions about them collectively (Said 1978). In this regard, cultural perceptions block the real needs of international students. Students from South-East Asia, for instance, are deemed as surface learners and passive non-participants, a perception that has been disputed by many. It is rightly argued that teachers can fail to work on their attitudes and practices if much of the blame goes to the students (Chalmers Volet 1997). According to Jones (2005) the determining factor is not much on the cultural background but what matters is the clear explanation of what is expected. On the same note, there should be a need for special clarity whenever international students are briefed on their new learning environment (Nishio 2001).
It is noted that promoting and facilitating extra academic support at the beginning of the studies is essential for international students who are from unique teaching and learning traditions like in the case of rote-learning and teacher-centered approaches (Beasley and Pearson 1999). Although language is in many times identified as a hindrance for international students in their adaptation to university life, a greater part of research suggest that students notion of academic expectations, conventions and standards at the host university is equally significant (Samuelowicz 1987). Once the academic staffs understand the educational background of their students, they will in turn be able to improve the students overall experience. In so doing, it will help in mitigating potential mismatches between the students and the teaching staff (Gill 2007).
It is argued and justifiably so that innovative course design and well ordered student support policies enable students to develop better communication skills and independence right from the start. Eventually, it perfects their interaction with the local students thus making the entire transition process easier and fruitful. According to Beasley and Pearson (1999) establishment of academic support programs, for instance, interactive workshops, peer learning and support groups is beneficial to the students and reduces failure rates.
So far, Biology as a subject is not regarded as a problematic discipline but as a soft science. It is believed that many students in European countries evade mathematics, chemistry and physics but prefer biology. Ironically, biology suffers as a by-product due to the increasing number of students. This is as a result of the perception that biology is easy to approach and methodology. However, just like other sciences, biology is a victim of new emerging knowledge and technological approaches which are actually occurring at a very high rate. In addition, unlike what many students expect, biology has an increasingly cross-disciplinary nature with a rising flow of data from genomics, protemics as well as bioinformatics. These, eventually make the many branches of biology quantitative and embedded in physicochemical principles.
The abovementioned aspects in biology make it difficult for students in coping with such a dynamic increase in information that form part of what they should learn. In addition, it becomes very difficult to develop critical thinking skills, numeracy and analysis. Most education sectors consider quality and not quantity in terms of the number of students studying at the university. Eventually, it becomes the primary concern of biology.
It is believed that during the transition process, students may realize the course does not match their expectations or the students do not match the expectations of the course. The latter can happen if the students lack life and social skills as well as the ability to formulate autonomous information retrieval and learning. Above all, it can turn out that those students rarely join the university with an objective to gain an academic qualification the motive being a stop-gap option. In this regard, the entry rates to university rise in most parts of Europe.
Language is one of the major challenges to many international students who enroll in the first year biology in tertiary education. Specialist terminology in Biology and other sciences proves difficult for most students (Wellington Osborne 2001). Moreover, students get a difficult time in recognizing where a concept starts and terminates and so it becomes hard to differentiate concepts. According to Zhang and Lidbury (2006) difficulties with language contributes significantly to difficulties faced by students in studying science especially genetics.
There is language oriented strategies which can be applicable to First Year Biology (Zhang Lidbury 2006). These strategies are as follows
Use of guided tutorial questions in group work.
Tutors can provide students with opportunities to share their views in groups.
Crosswords exercises are a powerful online tool in giving language exercises.
Memory of the students can be enhanced by breaking down complex biological terms as well as identifying prefixes and suffixes. This further includes the exploration of the etymological meaning of words.
Lecturers can come up with motivating activities like matching scientific terms to definitions in order to enhance revision. In addition, they can use flashcards for vocabulary mastery.
Finally, under the aspect of role playing, students can be encouraged to practice their scientific discoveries to the public (orthopraxis).
Methodology Analysis
The University of Queensland has a high proportion of international students. The research focused on the first year international biology students. The survey did not leave out the UK students for comparative purposes. The research project took into consideration the challenges of language as one of the key challenges during the transition to tertiary education. The interviews were conducted in the interviewees own language through a set of questionnaire. Their co-nationals offered a lot of support in the whole exercise especially by helping in the translation exercise.
Hundred first-year biology students were interviewed and the results recorded after translation. Another form was prepared where students filled in their basic details about their educational background, time spent in Australia even before enrolling in the university. The form captured some relevant demographic information and how they learnt about the institution. The questionnaire stretched further to topics like why they chose to study abroad, their expectations, cultural and educational differences in biology subject, relationship, gender factors, stress issues, support services just to mention a few. There were consultations in the entire interviewing process in order to prevent ambiguities or culturally inappropriate questions.
The interview took a period of one hour where 100 international students were interviewed. On the other hand, fifteen home students were also interviewed, for the sake of comparison by a native student. See appendices 1 2 for the questionnaire data and interview schedule.
The table below illustrates the origin of the students interviewed.
CountryNumber of Students InterviewedTotal number of First yearsAsia2758Japan3256Africa2044South Korea2167Europe7100USA8158Total115483
Use of students native language was very helpful although it had both positive and negative effects. The outcome was very powerful due to the rich insights provided by the free-language-barrier atmosphere. Indeed, students expressed their thoughts without much difficulty in their mother language. The entire process was very friendly since their co-nationals actively participated in the interviewing process. However, some of the information from the interviewees got filtered by the translation process. In addition, some of information was misrepresented or disappeared due to incompetent translation. Overall, the process was fruitful despite the few setbacks which were properly shaped by the intensive management of the interviewing process. The richness of the data and the degree of the response was in tandem with the original target of 100 interviews.
Pedagogical Issues
There was a general observation among international students regarding the nature of teaching and learning at University of Queensland in comparison to their experiences. Most students have a difficulty when it comes to the process of creation and design in Biology. The tutors put emphasis on the learning process of the student and focus less on the outcomes. A Japanese student says, Lectures here, are more concerned about the sources of my ideas, how I develop them and the whole research process has a lot of these. It is very challenging to be welcomed with such rules which I am not used. I am trying to integrate myself to the teaching and learning approach here.
A section of the African students remarked that contrary to their expectations, skills are not emphasized so much at Queensland. In their opinion, biology is a scientific subject which requires more of skills than theory. The situation here is totally mind-based, a self-exploration kind of work. In fact, this was affirmed by a section of the Japanese students who said that they are not exposed to enough practical skills. Education in Japan is very passive unlike the one at Queensland where one has to think about a concept, create it with specified materials and technique as well.
The transition to the system in biology subject poses a great challenge to those students whose proficiency in English is poor. The perception is that their approach to the course is undervalued. Again, the demands expected of them are derived from what are areas of weakness for them. In their view, their previous knowledge in biology is not given due consideration neither is it valued as much as it could be.
The other difficulty is due to reason that biology is fashioned within a Western fashion. That means, one has to familiarize with what is happening in the UK and somewhat apply it to biology.
Conclusion
This project has highlighted a number of issues regarding the challenges of first year international students with respect to biology course. The survey evidence suggests that their experience at Queensland is satisfactory and productive for them. As can be seen from the methodology, there is considerable insight into the perceptions and experience of the students. It is in everyones interest at Queensland to gain a deeper understanding of international students perspectives and thereby recognize the need to address the issues outlined in this project. It is also very possible that any such reforms in ways the system works will benefit all students.
The following are the proposed interventions for ensuring a friendly transition to courses in Biology at the University of Queensland
Establishment of Student development activities geared towards academic support and language awareness.
Special programs and activities aimed at enabling first-year international students familiarize with the module requirements in a timely manner.
Establishment of orientationinduction courses to enable students gain relevant skills.
Ultimately, this institutional research will be made available to the wider community in making an informed judgment on how best to improve higher education where international students are concerned.
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