The experiences of Chinese students entering top-up courses: comparing students from UK-style HND courses and those from Chinese diploma courses. Dave Burnapp & Wei Zhao. Northampton Business School, The University of Northampton.

A comparison study: TNE group. UK-validated, e.g. SQA or BTEC HNDs. Taught in English language. UK-style teaching and assessment approaches. E.g. SQA HND course, described by the Chinese Ministry of Education as being part of a five-year framework.

A comparison study: Chinese group. Dazhuan diploma students moving to top-up degrees, or in some cases degree students moving to Masters courses. Taught in Chinese. Chinese-style teaching and assessment approaches.

Aims. To explore changes which relate to linguistic, social, and academic competences. In addition, intercultural adaptation is often described in three aspects: –affective, which relates to liking or not liking; –behavioural, which relates to knowing what to do in a situation; –and cognitive, which relates to understanding the requirements of the situation.

What is the ‘trajectory of adjustment’? 1.Either, students experience a culture shock stage soon after arrival followed by recovery, which would give a U-curve trajectory. 2.Or, they begin with anxieties but then follow a rising learning curve. Possible that the trajectory of adjustment for these two groups is different, hence that the requirements for provision of support will be different.

Methods. Used mixed methods of a quantitative attitude survey, as well as qualitative data gathered from focus groups and interviews. The first data collection was carried out during the students’ induction period in August This was then repeated four months later at the end of their first term on top-up or Masters courses.

Cognitive aspect Behavioural aspect Affective aspect Linguistic competence E.g. I have a good knowledge of English. E.g. I am able to express my ideas clearly in English. E.g. I enjoy speaking in English. Social competence E.g. I know a lot about daily life in England. E.g. I will be able to do things like shopping without difficulty. E.g. I am looking forward to knowing more about English life. Academic competence E.g. I have a clear idea about the methods of education in England. E.g. I will be able to finish my assignments easily. E.g. Studying in England will be an exciting experience.

Quantitative survey August The Chinese system group rated themselves more highly in 32 of the 36 items, significant differences in seven cases. –Studying in England will be an exciting experience. –I write well in English. –I know different types of English, both formal and informal. (list continued on next slide).

Significant differences continued. –I will be able to do things life shopping without difficulty. –I will be able to follow my lectures. –I will get to know English people easily. –I will learn a lot from using different study methods.

Focus Groups September Because the confidence of the TNE students was lower than those who had studied in the Chinese system the focus groups explored these ideas. –Possibly the Chinese system students only had vicarious knowledge of the UK system. –Possibly the TNE group had their own direct experiences, both positive and negative, hence a form of behavioural insideness, and their lower expectations might have been more realistic.

TNE students qualitative findings. Had difficulties in learning and using English as the language of instruction on their TNE course. Had developed survival strategies: frequent use of Chinese to clarify and scaffold their learning. Recognised that their programmes demanded different approaches to study; differences in logical thinking, the use of discussions, the need to present different view-points, assessments, time-management skills, and the need to illustrate theory with practical applied examples.

TNE qualitative findings, continued. Although they had lower confidence than the Chinese system students, they were proud of their achievements, and confident that they had been well-prepared for their top-up degrees. Their major concern was English language proficiency. On arrival in the UK had new difficulties in the social domain.

Chinese system group qualitative findings. Concerning educational methods, they reported little use of discussions in China, strong emphasis on lectures which supplied very detailed knowledge. A belief that Chinese teachers provide more detail, an approach which some described as boring. A student of art described a difference between an emphasis on detailed technique in the Chinese system with an emphasis on theory in the UK system. (Continued on next slide).

Chinese system qualitative findings, continued. A heavy reliance on passing examinations. A shared view that in China it is hard to enter university but easy to graduate, (and that this is opposite in the UK). Aware that plagiarism and referencing are important in the UK, disagreement about importance of this in the Chinese system. Had experienced difficulties concerning the use of English language in initial social encounters when they arrived in the UK.

Quantitative survey January 2010 The Chinese system group higher in 19 items: the TNE group higher in 17. Significant differences in 3. TNE group higher in 2 items: –I can read English newspapers with little difficulty. –I know different types of English both formal and informal. The Chinese system group higher in 1 item: –I will learn a lot from using different study methods.

Changes over time. Generally a lowering of confidence, which could be explained by ‘regression to the mean’, so here only report those instances where there was an increase in confidence. Most increases felt by the students who had studied on TNE programmes (ten items as compared to four items for the Chinese system group). These increases were mostly related to linguistic followed by social competences and in cognitive followed by behavioural aspects.

Interviews January Did the Chinese system group have a period of anxiety after their initial feeling of excitement? What were the experiences of the TNE group? To question both groups about the accuracy of their previous feelings of insideness: –The Chinese system students’ vicarious knowledge of the demands of the UK system. –The authenticity of the TNE students’ experiences of the UK system whilst in China been.

Chinese system qualitative findings. Main anxiety was how to do written assessments, completely different from the methods previously used in the China. –Expected formats. –Need for referencing. Level of English cause difficulties, both in study and daily life. But at the time of the interview were feeling more confident about succeeding, getting used to the study methods in the UK education.

TNE group qualitative findings Main anxiety was understanding assignment requirements, in particular relating to research and using correct referencing methods. Level of English. Previously had used more Chinese than English information, had structured ideas in Chinese, and then translated. Disagreement about necessity of referencing some reported that referencing had, or had not, been expected.

Discussion and conclusions. Guides to autonomous research/referencing are given, but the students fail to notice them. This concerns cultural change, a trajectory over time, not a transformation achieved in induction, not knowledge lacks. Hence responses should focus on techniques of assisting cultural change. Chinese system students trajectory can perhaps best be figured as a U-curve. For the TNE students the increase in confidence suggests a trajectory of a rising learning curve.

Discussion and conclusions. Cannot assume that TNE courses are fully authentic, possible to pass (if not to excel) via adopting a set of survival strategies, less likely to succeed in the progression courses such as top- ups and Masters. Timing and methods of support for students: if arrive in a state of optimism, then an initial study preparation course is perhaps not best time, could it be offered at a later time? Could such support benefit from using student mentors?

English language. The students identify language as their main of weakness: not just concerning formal knowledge of grammar and vocabulary but also the uses of language expected in higher education; the set of skills relating to researching, summarising, and following conventions related to referencing. For the students with the HND it is disappointing that after three years of studying a TNE course (the foundation year and the two years of HND) there are still some who seem still to be deferring rather than confronting this requirement.

TNE courses. If these aim to allow progression to another country, such as the HNDs in China leading to top-ups in the UK, it is important that the authenticity of the learning experience is given as much weight as the subject specific knowledge. To resort to over-scaffolding in order to teach an aspect of the programme (for example a specific aspect of Marketing or of Logistics) may reduce student autonomy and language development which will be essential for them on their progression courses.