morgan seares
associates
技术是伟大的但有时面对面要好
A programme designed to help Chinese students and academic visitors improve their study skills and better prepare for academic life in the United Kingdom
With thousands of Chinese students planning to study at a foreign university later this year, the one big question is: are they prepared enough? The answer is probably not.
In 2015, over 520,000 went abroad for study with around 90,000 choosing to study in the United Kingdom. According to the Ministry of Education, 97 percent of students studying abroad are doing so at their own or families expense. Tuition fees represent a significant income stream for UK HE institutions where the average cost per year to study in the UK for an international student at undergraduate level is UK£11,987; while for international postgraduate students this average fee rises to £12,390. Combine these tuition fees with the average cost of living in the UK of around £12,000 and the total average cost to study in the UK is a minimum of £24,000 per year. For Chinese families, sending their son or daughter overseas, this represents a significant financial investment.
But while the numbers of Chinese students attending UK universities is a success story, new research shows that as far as their academic attainment is concerned, the picture is not quite so good. According to the latest figures from the UK Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), while nearly 68% of all students – and 52% of overseas students from outside the European Union – graduated with a first or 2.1 last year, this was true of only 42% of students from China.
Many universities and education recruitment companies are doing their best to help Chinese students to manage what for many is a difficult and stressful transition. True, there are induction courses to help better orientate international students. There are also pre-sessional courses in English language to help students better prepare for the amount of reading and written work required. Yet despite all of this help, students are simply not prepared enough to adjust – and quickly enough - to the different teaching and learning methods in the UK compared to those in China.
Studying in the UK requires a student to learn a completely different set of study skills if they are to be successful. For example, written assignments (essays, dissertations, projects or reports) have to be well written, structured and argued as most of the marks awarded are based on written work; how to use information and data; avoiding plagiarism; listening and presentation skills; speed reading and effective note taking; problem solving; effective research; group and individual working; and time management. Familiarity with all of these study skills will make the learning process much easier for Chinese students.
It doesn’t have to be like this. The situation is complex and the differences in academic performance cannot be attributed to a radically different culture and linguistic background alone. However, failure to adapt quickly enough to a different set of study skills places Chinese students at a significant disadvantage in their academic performance.
We recognize that this proposal to deliver study skills training is by no means unique. Many UK universities offer training to their international students as part of their induction programmes. Some universities are better than others. However, and despite good intentions, the problem of transition remains. Chinese students face many pressures and distractions on their arrival in the UK not least adjusting to the UK’s methods of teaching and learning.
The uniqueness of this programme lies in its location – part delivered in China; in its timing – well in advance of the start of their study; and finally, in the blend of learning offered.