Perceptions of Chinese students in an Australian university: are we meeting their needs?

Abstract

This short-term longitudinal study sought to identify the issues faced by a group of international Chinese students undertaking study in an Australian university. While the focus was on educational issues, socio-cultural and personal factors were also examined in an attempt to identify the sorts of strategies students used in settling into a new socio-cultural and educational context. Interviews conducted at the beginning and end of the first semester of study indicate a range of issues that are supported by previous studies. What has not previously been highlighted, however, is the emphasis on speaking and listening skills which students reported they needed to improve. Lack of proficiency in these areas was seen by students as hampering their active participation in class, leading to lack of confidence in approaching Australian students, and resulting in their inability to benefit from the "Australian experience". Many existing academic support structures in Australian universities tend to emphasize support with written and study skills. While this is important because of the direct impact on assessment, it is perhaps now opportune to place some emphasis on developing strategies and programmes that will support the development of students' speaking and listening skills, with a focus on intercultural communication.

Factors for Chinese Students Choosing Australian Higher Education and Motivation for Returning: A Systematic Review

“…Social connection is also an important factor according to the analytical results of the 68 reviewed articles. Pursuing intercultural communication in English language is an important aspect for Chinese students when they determine to study abroad, so Australian context and Australian culture can provide the opportunities for Chinese students (Briguglio & Smith, 2012). Besides, Chinese students increasingly pay attention to social connections of alumni and see classmates as an important factor when choosing Australian universities (Xu & Xu, 2018).…”

Generic skills in accounting: perspectives of Chinese postgraduate students

“…The Chinese curriculum focuses heavily on the technical knowledge required to pass examinations (Gu, ), thereby explicitly excluding a western perspective of employability skills (Henderson, ). Nevertheless, despite transition challenges, language difficulties and the inevitable culture shock experienced by Chinese students on arrival in Australia (Briguglio and Smith, ), research has shown that these students have a remarkable ability to adapt quickly to western culture, learning styles and expectations (Yan and Berliner, ).…”

“…Australia has one of the most internationalised higher education sectors in the world with more than 20 percent of enrolments comprising international students (Walters, ). Since 2004, the greatest demand for international education has come from China (Briguglio and Smith, ), with Australia currently ranking the third most popular destination for Chinese students after the United States and Japan (AEI, ). In the UK, Canada and New Zealand, Chinese students also significantly outnumber all other groups of international students (Choudaha et al ., ).…”

International Students’ Use of Technology and the Implications for Pedagogy: A Case Study

“…The majority came from Asia -China (65%) and Hong Kong (10%). Within a broader educational context, the strong presence of Asian students in the international student cohort both in Australia and overseas is noted in the literature (Birguglio & Smith, 2012;Gu & Schweisfurth, 2006;Jin & Cortazzi, 2011) as highly significant in international education. "Affluence, economic growth, values strongly supportive of education and uncertainties about domestic capacity all contribute to Asia's growing presence in global student mobility" (Kell & Vogl, 2012, p.13).…”