Chinese Students’ Expectations Versus Reality When Studying on a UK-China Transnational Chemistry Degree Program

Philippa B Cranwell, Michael G Edwards, Katherine Jane Haxton, Julie Hyde, Elizabeth M Page, Daniela Plana, Gita Sedhi, James S Wright

Abstract


An extensive study has been conducted into the experiences of Chinese chemistry students studying on transnational education (TNE) programs at four UK institutions partnered with Chinese universities; in particular, student expectations regarding studying in the UK compared with reality were examined. Students were consulted by questionnaire both before and after arrival in the UK. Results from the questionnaires were statistically analysed, the free text responses coded and these data were used to inform further discussion in focus groups. The main differences between the UK and China fell into three key areas: the language barrier; study habits of TNE students in the UK compared to when in China; and the relationship between UK academic staff and the TNE students. These findings are discussed in more detail throughout this paper. We conclude by providing recommendations for other institutions establishing TNE courses.


Keywords


Transnational Degree; Chemistry; China

Full Text:

PDF

References


Bear G.G., Yang C., Glutting J., Huang X., He X., Zhang W. & Chen D., (2014). Understanding Teacher-Student Relationships, Student-Student Relationships, and Conduct Problems in China and the United States, International Journal of School and Educational Psychology, 2, 247-260. DOI: 10.1080/21683603.2014.883342

Bernstein B. & Solomon D., (1999). Pedagogy, Identity and the Construction of a Theory of Symbolic Control: Basil Bernstein questioned by Joseph Solomon, British Journal of Sociology of Education, 20, 265-279. DOI: 10.1080/01425699995443

Chalmers D. & Volet S. (1997). Common Misconceptions about Students from South‐East Asia Studying in Australia, Higher Education Research and Development, 16, 87-99. DOI: 10.1080/0729436970160107

Chan S., (1999). The Chinese learner – a question of style, Education and Training, 41, 294-305. DOI: 10.1108/00400919910285345

Cranwell P.B., Page E.M. & Hyde, J. (2016). Collaborative Chemistry Degrees. Education in Chemistry. https://eic.rsc.org/feature/collaborative-chemistry-degrees/2000078.article [Accessed 16th September 2018].

Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, (2013). International Education, Global Growth and Prosperity. Downloaded from:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy (17th August 2018).

Dougherty T.W. & Wall J.A. (1991). Teaching in China during the age of reform, Journal of Management Education, 15, 232-243. DOI: 10.1177/105256299101500207

Fang, W. (2011). The Development of Transnational Higher Education in China: A Comparative Study of Research Universities and Teaching Universities. Journal Of Studies In International Education, 16(1), 5-23. DOI: 10.1177/1028315311410607

Fang, W. & Wang, S. (2014). Chinese Students’ Choice of Transnational Higher Education in a Globalized Higher Education Market: A Case Study of W University. Journal Of Studies In International Education, 18(5), 475-494. DOI: 10.1177/1028315314523989

Feng, Y. (2012). University of Nottingham Ningbo China and Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University: globalization of higher education in China. Higher Education, 65(4), 471-485. DOI: 10.1007/s10734-012-9558-8

Gu M., (2010). A Blueprint for Educational Development in China: A Review of “The National Guidelines for Medium- and Long-Term Educational Reform and Development (2010–2020), Frontiers of Education in China, 5, 291- 309. DOI: 10.1007/s11516-010-0101-3

Haxton, K.J. & Darton, R.J. (2019). International Group Work for Sustainable Chemistry. New Directions in the Teaching of Physical Sciences, Volume 14, Issue 1 (2019). DOI: 10.29311/ndtps.v0i14.2821

He, L. (2015). Transnational Higher Education Institutions in China: A Comparison of Policy Orientation and Reality. Journal Of Studies In International Education, 20(1), 79-95. DOI: 10.1177/1028315315602931

Higher Education Statistics Agency. (2015). First statistical release, 2013–2014. Retrieved from https://www.hesa.ac.uk/ [Accessed 16th September 2018].

Higher Education Statistics Agency. (2018). https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-from [Accessed 17th August 2018].

Hodkinson S.S. & Poropat C.E. (2014). Chinese students’ participation: the effect of cultural factors, Education and Training, 56, 430-446. DOI: 10.1108/ET-04-2013-0057

Hwang A., Ang S. & Francesco A.M. (2002). The silent Chinese: the influence of face and kiasuism on student feedback-seeking behaviors, Journal of Management Education 26, 70–98. DOI: 10.1177/105256290202600106

Huang, F. (2003). Transnational Higher Education: A perspective from China. Higher Education Research & Development, 22(2), 193-203. DOI: 10.1080/07294360304114

Hyde, J. (2019). Design of a three year laboratory programme for international delivery, in Seery, M. K. and Mc Donnell, C. (Eds.), Teaching Chemistry in Higher Education: A Festschrift in Honour of Professor Tina Overton, Creathach Press, Dublin, 405-420.

Hyde J. (2014). Taking Laboratory Chemistry to China: A Personal View. New Directions, 10, 32–35. doi:10.11120/ndir.2014.00022

Hyde J. (2014). Can you teach University Chemistry Abroad? Chemistry in Sri Lanka, 31, 18–19.

Li, L. & Rivers J.G. (2018). An inquiry into the delivering of a British curriculum in China, Teaching in Higher Education, 23, 785-801. DOI: 10.1080/13562517.2017.1421626

Malatji K.S. (2017). Moving away from rote learning in the university classroom: The use of cooperative learning to maximise students’ critical thinking in a rural university of south Africa, Journal of Communication, 7, 34-42. Available at: http://krepublishers.com/02-Journals/JC/JC-07-0-000-16-Web/JC-07-1-000-16-Abst-PDF/JC-07-1-SV-032-16-186-Malatji/JC-07-1-SV-032-16-186-Malatji-Tx%5B4%5D.pdf

McMahon, P. (2011). Chinese voices: Chinese learners and their experiences of living and studying in the United Kingdom, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 33, 401-414. DOI: 10.1080/1360080X.2011.585739

Morrison, B. & Evans, S. (2018). University students’ conceptions of the good teacher: A Hong Kong perspective, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 42, 352-365. DOI: 10.1080/0309877X.2016.1261096

Nield, K. & Thom, V. (2009). Chinese students — a matter of heart, Enhancing Learning in the Social Sciences, 2, 1-26. DOI: 10.11120/elss.2009.02010007

Norman, G. (2010). Likert scales, levels of measurement and the “laws” of statistics, Advances in Health Science Education, 15, 625-632. DOI: 10.1007/s10459-010-9222-y

O’Mahony, J. (2011). Enhancing student learning and teacher development in transnational education, HEA report, Conlon, Lichfield, p. 10 Available at: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/enhancing-student-learning-and-teacher-development-transnational-education

Schmidt, H-J. (2000). Should chemistry lessons be more intellectually challenging? Chemical Education: Research and Practice in Europe, 1, 17-26. DOI: 10.1039/A9RP90002K

Sedghi, G. & Rushworth E. (2017). The relation between multi-cultural group work and the integration of home and international students, New Directions in the Teaching of Physical Sciences. 12, 1. Available at: https://journals.le.ac.uk/ojs1/index.php/new-directions/article/view/857

Smith, K. (2014). Exploring flying faculty teaching experiences: Motivations, challenges and opportunities. Studies in Higher Education, 39, 117–134. DOI: 10.1080/03075079.2011.646259

Spencer-Oatey, D. & Dauber, D. (2016). The gains and pains of mixed national group work at university, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 38, 219-236. DOI: 10.1080/01434632.2015.1134549

Sullivan, G.M. & Artino, A.R. (2013). Analysing and Interpreting Data from Likert-Type Scales, Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 5, 541-542. DOI: 10.4300/JGME-5-4-18

Szkornik, K. (2017). Teaching and learning on a transnational education programme: opportunities and challenges for flying faculty in Geography and related disciplines, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 41, 521-531. DOI: 10.1080/03098265.2017.1337735

The Scale and Scope of UK Higher Education Transnational Education, (2016). HE Global. retrieved from https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/scale-and-scope-of-uk-he-tne-report.pdf

Upton, T.A. (1989). Chinese students, American universities, and cultural confrontation, Minne TESOL Journal, 7, 9-28. Available at: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED339191

Wang, I. K.-H. (2018). Long-term Chinese Students’ transitional experiences in UK higher education: A particular focus on their academic adjustment, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 30, 12-25. Available at: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1169827.pdf

Watkins, D. (2000). Learning and Teaching: A cross-cultural perspective, School Leadership and Management, 20, 161-173. DOI: 10.1080/13632430050011407

Yee, A. (1989). Cross cultural perspectives on higher education in East Asia: Psychological effects upon Asian students. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 10, 213–232. DOI: 10.1080/01434632.1989.9994375

Zha, Q., Wu, H., & Hayhoe, R. (2019). Why Chinese universities embrace internationalization: an exploration with two case studies. Higher Education. DOI: 10.1007/s10734-019-00364-w




DOI: https://doi.org/10.29311/ndtps.v0i14.3325

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
We use both functional and performance cookies to improve visitor experience. Continue browsing if you are happy to accept cookies. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information.
OK


New Directions in the Teaching of Natural Sciences

eISSN: 2753-4138

University Home