GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE ON ENCOURAGING INTERACTIONS …



GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE ON ENCOURAGING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

(Endorsed by the Teaching and Learning Committee, September 2009: R39/09)

The purpose of this guide is to suggest some of the means by which a greater level of authentic interaction between domestic and international students may be encouraged. It is acknowledged that encouraging engagement of this nature remains an ongoing task. This guide, therefore, in articulating the University’s desire to increase interaction between students from culturally-diverse backgrounds, does not seek to limit initiatives to those suggested. Instead, it is hoped that it will provide a catalyst and framework for innovative developments throughout the University.

1. Need for Guidelines on international/domestic student interaction

Improving interaction between domestic and international students is fundamental to the University’s goals of providing an enriching student experience, and developing graduates who are equipped to function effectively in cross-cultural settings. At the same time, it is acknowledged that students will tend to mix with others from similar cultural backgrounds, unless given active encouragement to reach beyond their natural cultural comfort zones. These guidelines are intended to provide a structure within which such active encouragement may take place.

2. Aims and Objectives of this Guide

The aim of this document is to define how the University’s commitment to improving the level and quality of interaction between domestic and international students can be realised. Its objectives are to:

• emphasise the University’s commitment to developing cross-cultural competencies in its students;

• increase the prominence of interaction between students as an integral strategy in developing cross-cultural competencies;

• provide guidelines on means to improve the quality of interaction between students.

3. Key Principles

The following are fundamental principles underpinning the encouragement of interaction between students:

• more satisfying interaction will enrich the student experience for both international and domestic students;

• opportunities for interaction must be embedded within numerous orientation and learning activities, rather than conducted as isolated events;

• students should be made aware that interaction is one of the University’s expectations of an effective student experience;

• the University is committed to developing new opportunities and modes of interaction, as well as refining existing approaches;

• opportunities for interaction must be mindful of varying cultural sensitivities and seek to maximise culturally-inclusive activities;

• this area demands ongoing commitment, effort, co-ordination and research by the entire University community.

4. Responsibilities

The responsibility for best practice in encouraging interaction between students is shared throughout the University community. These responsibilities include the following:

4.1 The University

The University at all its levels is expected to:

• nurture a campus culture that has intercultural competence as one of its primary objectives;

• make adequate resources available to achieve this;

• support research into effective intercultural communication and interaction.

4.2 The Teaching and Learning Committee

This Committee has general oversight of English language skills development and should:

• encourage faculties and schools to formulate and implement their own policies and practices on increasing interaction between domestic and international students;

• disseminate examples of good practice throughout the University.

4.3 Recruitment and Support Services (Registrar’s Office)

The Division of Student Services and the International Centre have responsibility for recruitment, enrolment and orientation of commencing coursework students. The Graduate Research and Scholarships Office is responsible for admission and administration of research student candidature. It is therefore recommended that:

• information on existing interaction opportunities (eg: UniLink, UniMentor, UniStart) be presented to commencing students as early as possible, ideally at the point of offer;

• a single point of pre-arrival, pre-enrolment and orientation information be developed as an authoritative source for all commencing undergraduate students (the UniStart website), and that investigation be undertaken to determine how a similar information source for postgraduate students might be developed;

• encouragement of interaction between international and domestic students be articulated as one of the primary objectives of orientation activities;

• Student Services staff continue to work closely with the International Centre, the UWA Student Guild and faculties (through the Orientation Working Group) to build on successful undergraduate orientation strategies and deliver student-centric activities to promote student networking and interaction;

• pre-enrolment, enrolment and orientation activities be delivered to international and domestic students together, except where significant, specific information relating only to one cohort is more effectively delivered to that group;

• pre-enrolment activities for international students actively promote participation in whole-of-university orientation activities;

• to prevent confusion for international undergraduate students, the term ‘orientation’ be reserved for whole-of-university undergraduate orientation activities, and not used for pre-enrolment activities solely for international students.

• consultation take place between the International Centre, Student Services, the Graduate Research & Scholarships Office, the Guild, Faculties and Schools to explore how orientation and interaction activities for postgraduate coursework and research students might be improved.

• as part of systematic and co-ordinated evaluation of pre-enrolment, enrolment and orientation information and activities, feedback be sought from students and staff on the effectiveness of efforts to encourage student interaction.

4.4 The Student Guild

The UWA Student Guild, and its affiliated clubs and societies, plays an integral part in encouraging extra-curricular interaction between students. It is recommended that:

• Guild staff continue to work closely with Student Services staff to build on successful orientation strategies and deliver student-centric activities to promote student networking and interaction ;

• consideration and assistance be given to introducing new, or modifying existing, opportunities for interaction that are culturally inclusive;

• encouragement be given to promoting activities that celebrate the diversity of cultures represented at UWA.

4.5 Faculties

As partners in the transition process for commencing students, and with responsibility for ongoing teaching of students, it is recommended that faculties:

• develop interactive, engaging faculty-specific orientation activities that encourage interaction between students;

• use Link Week activities to reinforce opportunities for student interaction;

• through Faculty Teaching & Learning committees, encourage and highlight innovative approaches to fostering effective interaction between students from diverse backgrounds.

4.6 Schools

Recognising their contribution to the orientation and supervision of research students, schools are encouraged to:

• ensure commencing research students are provided with appropriate orientation activities within their discipline areas;

• provide ongoing opportunities for formal and informal interaction between domestic and international research students.

4.7 Unit Co-ordinators

Unit co-ordinators form a critical link in encouraging ongoing interaction within classroom settings and building on opportunities for interaction presented during orientation activities. Unit Co-ordinators are encouraged to:

• include structured opportunities for introductions and interaction between students during the early weeks of semester;

• provide opportunities for ongoing interaction through activities such as in-class discussions, contributions and examples from diverse cultural perspectives and group assignment work.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download