Engaging international students through the setting of challenging mini-projects
This paper reflects upon the introduction of a Co-operative Project to the Curriculum for Masters Students studying Advanced Digital Control at the University of Adelaide's School of Mechanical Engineering. The rationale for the project's structure is presented and its effectiveness is assessed through consideration of student feedback and the success of the student team in a series of national and international competitions.
International student experience: What it is, what it means and why it matters
The Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) was administered to recent university graduates by Graduate Careers Australia (GCA) in order to obtain feedback about their perceptions of their course. Students were asked to rate the extent to which they agree with a series of 49 statements covering issues surrounding the education and support services provided by their university. Although data from international graduate students were collected, there is no commonly used standard, nor is there a systematic way, for reporting and tracking these results; and little is understood regarding the utility of the CEQ items as a scale of international student satisfaction. This article investigates the utility of two of the CEQ scales — Generic Skills and Good Teaching — and compare differences in satisfaction levels between domestic and international graduates. A better understanding of the experience of this student cohort will provide further insights, enable meaningful comparisons and allow university administrators and policy practitioners to make critical decisions in program planning and educational policy. Ultimately, our goal is the same, to enhance the international student’s total experience.
Learning at University: The International Student Experience.
This paper reports on research that explores internationalisation of the University’s curriculum offerings and how this affects international students. The central focus of this paper is to highlight some of the student commentary on communication between teachers and students exemplifying the way it subsequently affects the quality of student learning. The paper concludes by raising some questions concerning how we may best meet the needs of international students by drawing on inclusive teaching philosophies. Inclusivity and diversity, international students, internationalisation and sustainability, transition experience