Pursuing an online degree is an excellent way for international students to experience the U.S. education system without having to secure a visa or leaving their home. Fortunately for online international students, they don’t have to adjust to a new country, culture, and people. However, they are exposed to a whole new set of challenges such as dealing with connection restrictions, time zone differences, feelings of isolation, as well as cultural and language barriers. Here are 10 practical ways you could support your online international students:
1. Listen to everything your students have to say. When language is a barrier, your students will most likely prepare a script or "rehearsed speech" when interacting with you. It’s important to let your students finish what they have prepared to find out what the root issues and concerns they may have.
2. Check for understanding. Instead of asking, "Do you understand?" or "Does that make sense?", try asking the student to explain the content in their own words. This is much more helpful to your students. Another way to check for understanding is to have your students try the first task, then check together as a group.
3. Avoid grading your students on their English skills. Rather, focus on the depth of their critical thinking. Provide some flexibility in how your students can demonstrate their understanding in other ways such as making a video or diagram. Further, if your university provides writing center support at a graduate level, encourage your students to take advantage of the resource.
4. Present your information in different ways, not louder or slower. Incorporate different modality into your course materials and live sessions such as bringing in written, visual, video or audio formats, as well as local and global cases to broaden their perspectives.
5. Be even more explicit in setting expectations. How should your students address you? Professor? Dr.? By your first name? How should they participate and how important is participation? By raising their hands or coming off mute?
6. Set up office hours. Often international students may be nervous or afraid to speak up in class due to varying teacher-student relationships. Setting up office hours allows your students to approach you in one-on-one environments.
7. Take the time to learn their names. Use the "Rename" tool in Zoom to have your students phonetically spell out their names. Encourage your students to correct your pronunciation of their names. Because as Dale Carnegie quotes,
"A person's name is to that person, the sweetest, most important sound in any language."
"A person's name is to that person, the sweetest, most important sound in any language."
8. Use the Think-Pair-Share (TPS) method. This common collaborative learning strategy allows your international students to gather their thoughts individually, then share their ideas with another classmate, and then report out to the larger group. This method boosts confidence and self-efficacy when collaborating in group settings. During these breakout sessions, it's also important to check on your students periodically so that they are on-task and have chances to ask clarifying questions.
9. Model activity instructions, create rubrics, and provide assignment examples. With academic culture differences, your students will need additional guidance in learning about the meaning of and the importance of those within a US academic program such as academic integrity, citations, and participation. Providing examples and modeling good academic behavior will help them clarify what is expected of them.
10. Build classroom community. Allow your students to bring their own culture into the classroom. Incorporate ice breakers that any human being can relate to as opposed to being locational or situational. Have your students take turns in sharing their cultural music, food, etc.
9. Model activity instructions, create rubrics, and provide assignment examples. With academic culture differences, your students will need additional guidance in learning about the meaning of and the importance of those within a US academic program such as academic integrity, citations, and participation. Providing examples and modeling good academic behavior will help them clarify what is expected of them.
10. Build classroom community. Allow your students to bring their own culture into the classroom. Incorporate ice breakers that any human being can relate to as opposed to being locational or situational. Have your students take turns in sharing their cultural music, food, etc.
Sources:
Bennett, M. (2004). Becoming Interculturally Competent
Carnegie Mellon University, Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence Intercultural Communication Center - Recognizing and Addressing Cultural Variations in the Classroom
Culture Plus Consulting Pty. Ltd.(2018). https://cultureplusconsulting.com/2018/06/10/six-strategies-for-intercultural-effectiveness/
Future Learn - Academic Cultural Differences
Kobayashi, M (2015). Supporting International Students Online
Liu, Liu, Lee, & Magjuka (2010). Cultural Differences in Online Learning: International Student Perceptions
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