Copy - Fostering Interaction in a Class with International Students

Blend@UGent

Funding

Intensity

Having international students attend your classes is an obvious opportunity to introduce international perspectives and frames of reference. Gain insight into the international/intercultural diversity that is present in your classes, foster interaction with the international students, and capitalise on their presence.

FCI (I@H)

Practical Examples

• you can ask the students to hold a presentation together, or set them an assignmment. A significant assessment criterium then should be 'looking at a topic from various perspectives';
• you can gauge whether or not all the students are up to speed with your course unit, and feel comfortable during (group) discussions by asking a number of questions at the end (poll or one-minute paper):

o What stands out for you? What is still confusing? What question(s) would you have liked to ask but didn’t ask for whatever reason? If at a certain moment you felt uncomfortable, what could be done to make you feel more at ease?

Assessment

What?

Internationalisation@Home

• In order to foster interaction it is important that all the students can participate in class on equal terms:
• gain insight into the prior knowledge and linguistic proficiency of your students. Optionally, provide them with additional materials in advance: knowledge clips, important theoretical concepts, glossaries containing specific jargon, etc;
• make sure everyone has access to the electronic learning environment and the online tools. Optionally, provide your international students with a manual or instructions in case they are not familiar with Ghent University's learning environment;

• clearly explain the perspective you adopt while teaching (Western, academic, secular, ...). Actively invite international students to deliver input based on their prior knowledge, background and experience. Indicate that you consider the international perspective and their input important in the context of your course unit as well as for the learning process of all the students. Refrain from singling out individual students, however. Instead, ask open questions to all the (international) students present. Ask students to prepare their interventions in advance, so that they do not feel 'put on the spot' when you ask them to share their knowledge or opinions;

• take into consideration that international students might not be entirely (or not at all) familiar with our teaching culture. Minutely explain what your expectations are vis-à-vis their participation in class;

• put the students at ease: their command of the language need not be flawless during interactions. Making mistakes is an integral part of the learning process!

• ask of all your students to react with respect vis-à-vis each other. Lay down clear rules for (online) discussions.

How?

Fostering Interaction in a Class with International Students

More information on this Ghent University Practice at Reflecting International Peers: Acquiring International and Intercultural Competencies @Home

Fostering Interaction in a Class with International Students

In the Advanced Qualitative Techniques course unit, the students make video calls with students at universities abroad. Their counterparts take a similar course unit on qualitative research methods and set up a similar research project. The students reflect on contextual differences and their own socioeconomic position.

Fostering Interaction in a Class with International Students

In the Plant Developmental Biology course unit, the Belgian students are brought into contact with Portuguese students in the context of the international PhD programme 'Plants for Life'. In the course of two classes, they hold online meetings with each other.

At this point, we do not have any examples from education practice at Ghent University yet. If you have a specific practical example in mind that fits this description, please get in touch with us at onderwijsondersteuning@ugent.be. We are happy to add any relevant practical examples to this flash card.