Seeking academic help: A case study of peer brokering interactions

Abstract

The literature often depicts international students as deficient due to poor English language skills and limited participation in class, thus positioning them as lacking in agency or habitually weak. This article reframes international students as resourceful learners by focusing on their academic learning through brokering, that is, help-seeking social interactions. Understood as part of informal learning practices, brokering interactions take place when students seek assistance with unfamiliar academic texts and practices from brokers, that is, those who are able to bridge cultural and knowledge gaps. The article reports on research that investigated brokering practices among ten international English as an Additional Language (EAL) students in their initial semester of study at a New Zealand university. In particular, the article examines the brokering interactions between two participants, Linda, a first-year student, and her broker Emily, a fellow Mainland Chinese student who provided information and advice about various academic tasks and situations. A conversation analytic approach that views brokering as asymmetrical knowledge positions is used to analyse twelve episodes of brokering interactions in Chinese that took place through WeChat, a mobile phone application. Initial analysis reveals that the dynamics of brokering interactions between Linda and Emily were characterized by a display of social solidarity, even as seeker and broker negotiated their knowledge positions over information or advice offered by the broker. The article concludes that peer brokering between same language speakers provides a collegial space in which students exercise agency by utilizing sociolinguistic resources. Thus educational institutions should recognise the importance of international students’ informal academic learning and increase opportunities for EAL students to build and enhance their social connections with peers as part of a holistic approach towards academic support.

Vietnamese university English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' beliefs and practices: A Cultural Historical Activity Theory analysis

“…From a Western perspective, the learning process in CHC countries can be potentially stereotyped as a passive process in which the teacher-student interactions are seen as unidirectional (Carless, 2011;Kang & Chang, 2016;Lee, 2018;Ryan & Louie, 2007;Ryan & Slethaug, 2010). The following sections will discuss stereotypes of learning and alternative approaches to understanding teaching and learning in CHC countries.…”

“…Many scholars (Lee, 2018;Vivian et al, 2014) point out that the deficit view of stereotyped CHC students originated from observations of formal instructional practices (i.e., from classroom environment) without further investigation into how informal social interactions between CHC students might help with their academic learning (i.e., outside the classroom environment). Lee (2018) and Stovel et al (2011) advocate further investigation into the new concept of informal academic interactions among CHC students mediated by social networks -brokering. Following this, a broker is formally defined as "intermediary links in systems of social, economic, or political relations who facilitate trade or transmission of valued resources that would otherwise be substantially more difficult" (Stovel et al, 2011, p. 21326).…”

“…Following this, a broker is formally defined as "intermediary links in systems of social, economic, or political relations who facilitate trade or transmission of valued resources that would otherwise be substantially more difficult" (Stovel et al, 2011, p. 21326). Academically, brokering occurs when a learner seeks help from their peers who have more access to the target language, culture, and academic practices (Lee, 2018). CHC students tend to seek academic help from their peers -the brokers -through informal channels such as social websites or internet-based applications.…”

The Development of Students' Assessment Literacies as They Transition to University: An Exploratory Case Study

“…Karabenick (2003) explained that there are a number of variables that go into a student's decision to seek help, including weighing the costs (risks or threats) and benefits, underlying goals (seeking instrumental help that facilitates learning and autonomy or executive help which maintains dependency but helps students avoid time or work), and the preference for seeking help from formal sources like teachers or informal sources like peers. Students tend to prefer seeking help from informal sources (e.g., Beisler & Medaille, 2016;Lee, 2018;Savi Cakar & Savi, 2014;Thomas et al, 2017), which points to the importance of social supports. However, Fittrer (2016) pointed out that informal help-seeking sources may not be as reliable as formal sources.…”

“…Bornschlegl et al's (2020) systematic scoping review revealed that the most important influences on help-seeking behaviour are gender, age, cultural background, and personal traits, but attitudes about and experiences with help-seeking also play roles. Lee (2018) demonstrated how international students were resourceful in reaching out to peers (informal help-seeking) to bridge cultural and knowledge gaps and the usefulness of digital technologies to facilitate these relationships. Mahasneh et al (2012) also found that the nursing students in their study relied on classmates for help or tried to find answers to problems themselves.…”