How did the project go, what went well and what didn’t go so well and my ideas on implementing the project.
I think this unit has been quite challenging for me in regards to my PG cert course, it’s not something I have undertaken before but I have thoroughly enjoyed it and I feel I have achieved and learnt a lot from it.
My project didn’t run as smoothly as I thought it would have. I had so many ideas but I felt I needed to expand on them so much in order to get my research question right. I feel I spent a lot of time on my Ethics form, it was important to get this right but I think if I had it signed of before then my research would have started a bit earlier. The ARP cycle and small tutorials helped a lot, it was good to know I didn’t have to complete all aspects of the cycle as this would have been very challenging for me in such a small amount of time.
My decision to carry out my questionnaire via approaching students at the information desk changed to an online MS form as I felt students were too busy being on site and would not have taken much time to complete the questionnaire honestly or maybe would not have completed it. Although, this delayed me slightly I think my decision to do this was better as some of my analysis shows how thorough and open students were which was great to see. I appreciated their honesty and they were also very thankful for the questionnaire as they felt something is being done. I felt the five responses were enough for me to analyse and if I wanted more information I could always ask students in the future if needed.
I felt motivated throughout this project however as it was lovely to talk to peers about my research question and how they felt about it, the interesting bit was that everyone agreed there is more to be done for our new international students as it’s clear things are not always joint up at UAL and there are lots of gaps which we can avoid so our students feel supported in all areas in during their education.
Managing my time has been a constant downfall during this project, as I said before I spent a lot of time on my ethics form and also I felt that if I had sent out my questionnaires I would have maybe got more than 5 responses from students but I did take in to account that Autumn term is also the busiest with lots of deadlines looming so this also could have been the reason too. I also spent a lot of time reading texts in regards to inclusion and also research analysis, as I wanted to get the questions in my questionnaires right and keep the wording simple so that students understood the question correctly. I wanted to also ensure I analysed my data correctly.
Moving forward with implementation of the project
Due to time constraints I have not been able to implement my project but I have lots of ideas which have come from my research analysis. The Learning Zone is a very flexible social space where students can eat/drink and talk and socialise and I feel this will be the ideal place for me to bridge any gaps between 1st year international students and their course/ social/culture background.
I first intend to have some focus groups with my colleagues and academics, below are some of the things I am looking to implement, based on my analysis. This will involve making new connections with different people, I feel this will be beneficial to us in the Learning Zone as we will be able to support 1st year international students as best we can, also I feel we could open this up to all international students too as this would improve the student experience overall.
Some ideas I have in mind are below, I would like to work with language support, academic support and the student union and create a joint up approach with them so we in the Learning Zone can help our students daily to improve their student experience. I would like to carry out workshops to reflect the ideas below, just having sessions on playing chess between home and international students would be a lovely experience for all students.
Celebrate Cultural Celebrations – Organise cultural events or international days where diverse cultures can be showcased and celebrated within the university community at the Learning Zone.
Accessible Resources – Ensure accessibility to resources like counselling services, language support, and academic support is tailored for 1st year international students and run workshops in the LZ.
Diversity Training – Conduct diversity and inclusion training for staff, to raise awareness about different cultures and foster understanding.
Peer Support Networks – Encourage the formation of peer support networks or buddy systems where international students can connect with local or experienced students for guidance and support.
Inclusive Policies – Review and address any issues on university policies to senior management to ensure they are inclusive and sensitive to the needs of international students, addressing any barriers students might face.
Student Clubs and Organisations – Support and promote student-led clubs and organisations that celebrate diversity and provide safe spaces for cultural exchange and discussions like the SU within the Learning Zone.
Feedback Mechanisms – Establish a feedback wall for students in the Learning Zone to provide feedback anonymously. Act upon suggestions to improve inclusivity and address any concerns raised.
Faculty Involvement: Encourage faculty members to create an inclusive classroom environment by acknowledging diverse perspectives and fostering respectful discussions.
Regular Check-ins: Conduct regular check-ins with international students to understand their experiences, challenges, and suggestions for improvement.
Cultural Competency Training for Staff – Provide training to university staff on cultural competency, helping them better understand and support international students.
Promote Intersectionality – Recognise and address the intersectionality of identities, ensuring inclusivity across various aspects like race, gender, and religion.
My presentation slides can be found here. ARP Presentation.pdf