Teaching international students

Course aims

This course is designed around the consequences of student mobility for teachers in their classroom practice and course design. Students now move across national boundaries and between academic cultures in ever greater numbers and from ever more diverse previous study contexts. When they arrive in their new educational setting, we often call them ‘international students’. The course gives higher education teachers a chance to explore ways in which their teaching practices might need to be adjusted and adapted as they now teach a significant number of international students. It also considers how teachers, in turn, can support and encourage students to learn the new rules for the new ‘learning game’ they have chosen to ‘play’. Issues of language, disciplinarity, and institutional mission will be a useful lens through which to explore these issues.

This short course will give you a chance to explore a range of resources and perspectives on teaching international students. You will discuss with colleagues how best to focus your efforts in this area according to your position in your institution.

Expected learning outcomes

By the end of this course you should be able to:

• Discuss the complexity of the term ‘international students’
• Use a range of teaching strategies aimed at inclusive, respectful teaching for culturally and linguistically diverse students
• Explain the concept of accommodation and adjustment for teaching international students
• Review and adjust your own teaching practice in the light of educational mobility.

Course participants

This course will be of most benefit to practicing teachers who are facing real and pressing issues with teaching international students. You will need to bring your own experiences and issues as well as be able to explore and enquire about issues brought by others. It will help if you are familiar with the teaching and learning and internationalisation strategies of your own institution.

Learning and teaching activities

This is a fully online course based around principles of constructivism and collaboration. Working with participants from a number of tertiary institutions, each week’s work includes readings and reflection, as well as the opportunity to engage in sharing your experiences, insights and reflections with others on the course to help inform your analysis and planning.

This is a highly interactive course and to obtain full benefit from the course you are recommended to schedule six hours per week for at least three visits a week to the course site, reading and thinking time.

Assessment

OCSLD online courses are not formally assessed or accredited. We do offer Certificates of Attendance to those who participate in each of the course's main learning activities.