Connect - using video conference
to enhance Chinese student
integration into UK experience
RuoLan Wang, University of Nottingham
“…embodiment of a modern
international university” – Sunday Times
Good University Guide 2011
School of Computer Science
- Top 10% 2008 RAE
- Jubilee campus (UK), Ningbo
campus (China) and Semenyih
campus (Malaysia)
Division of Computer Science
(Ningbo, China)
- 2+2 honours degree programme
International
capability
English
language
Subject
knowledge
Identified Issues
• Ningbo Chinese students’ difficult of integrating
into Nottingham UK taught programme in year 2
(academically and socially)
- English language proficiency
- Lack of knowledge of local culture
- Unfamiliarity of new learning environment etc.
• Appropriateness of designing and organising
socially shared-activity between cohorts
Aims of the project
• to smooth Chinese students’ transition from
Ningbo to Nottingham
• to develop student’s international capability
• to develop an effective and appropriate
mechanism for shared T&L and social
activities across campuses
• to increase awareness of issues in
transnational higher education
Why video conferencing?
• Well developed
• Affordable
• Allows face-to-face / real-time
communication regardless distance
• Sustainable technology
• Ready to use + on-site IT support
Methodology
• Ethnographic approach - tends to focus on how things are
and how they got that way (Wolcott, H. F, 1980). This
approach was used primarily to collect personal and
qualitative data to form the understanding of the complex
situation.
- Participatory observation / Semi-structured interview / focus group
• Design-based research (DBR) - practitioners and
researchers work together to produce meaningful change in
context of practice (The design-based research collective,
2003)
- Forming a student committee (N=5)
- Regular meetings / activities design
Themes of the video-linked events
• Meeting the first time – Nov 10
Life in Nottingham/Ningbo: cultural & social aspects of two different cities
• Celebrating Christmas - Dec 10
Christmas traditions in the UK/Christmas quiz & price draw
• Chinese New Year – Feb 11
CNY celebration in China / activities & price draw
• Easter & Easter Egg Hunt – Mar 11
Easter – its origins & meanings / quiz & game playing
• Coming to Nottingham – May 11
What should be prepared? / Fresher’s week / Q & A session
Video Conferenced Easter Egg Hunt
Student Feedback
• Familiar with each other’s culture and
learning/living environment
• Made friends prior to their arrival to the UK campus
(Chinese)
• A chance to ask questions face-to-face to their UK
peer /Staff (Chinese)
• Perception changed toward their Chinese peer
(UK)
• Improved communication skill and creativity (both)
• Fun! (both)
Challenges
• Time difference: 7-8 hours
• cross-campus communication
• Technical failure
• Chairing the social event
• Uneven number of participants
• Organising offline communication
Lesson learnt
• Pre-conference connection test
• Staff participation
• Event size – no more than 10 people each site
• Make it clear – clarify the purpose of the event
beforehand
• Allow time to prepare (students)
• High-context and structured activities
• Keep it social and informal
• Off line communication
An Example - Agenda 23rd March
• 13:00 -13:10 – Greeting + Chinese
teaching/learning session (Ningbo – Patrick & Bob)
• 13:10-13:10 – Chinese New Year celebration
(Ningbo-Patrick and Bob)
• 13:15-13:20 – Easter introduction (Nottingham Chris)
• 13:20-13:40 – Easter quiz (8 questions)
(Nottingham -Chris)
• 13:40-14:00 – VC Easter egg hunt (both sites)
Project Outcomes
• Video conferencing proved to be an effective
method to be used to enhance cross-campus
student integration
• Motivated the UK students’ interests to
experience different culture /learning in overseas
campuses
• A student-led website http://2plus2.cs.nott.ac.uk/
• The project has now been extended to a bigger
scope
Questions?
[email protected]