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Table of Contents

1. Introductory remarks ........................................................................................ 2

a. Dr. James McNinch ~ Director, Teaching Development Centre

b. Dr. Stephen McClatchie ~ Associate VP Academic

c. Dr. Rosetta Khalideen ~ Director, HRD andAdult Education Programmes

d. Dr. Alain Boutet ~ Director, Office of InternationalCooperation and Development

2. Preface ~ International Students: Implications for teachingin higher education (James McNinch and Dave Gray) ...................................... 5

3. Diversity in higher education (Hitomi Suzuta) ................................................. 9

4. Learning at the UofR: Student commentaries ................................................. 14

5. Internationalizing curriculum and pedagogyin higher education (M. Lenina Arenas-Fuentes) ............................................ 20

6. English as a Second Language atthe University of Regina (Simone Hengen) ..................................................... 27

7. Support for International Students: Students commentaries ............................ 29

8. Campus Support Services for International Students ....................................... 31

9. Contributors ................................................................................................... 33

10. Artwork .......................................................................................................... 36

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Introductory remarksDr. James McNinch ~ Director, TeachingDevelopment Centre

The genesis of this project began throughinformal conversations with university teachersacross the campus who have found themselvesnewly challenged by an increasingly culturallydiverse student body, including undergraduateand graduate students from around the world.

The first attempt at this guide assumed that ifinstructors knew more about the background ofinternational students, such knowledge mighthelp them be more effective in the classroom.This approach had some appeal, but it soonbecame clear that emphasizing and identifyingstudents by their country of origin wascontributing to an essentialist nationalism thatcould reduce individuals to a series of stereotypesin a superficial form of multiculturalism. Wealways knew that the voices of internationalstudents would form the core of this guide andgive us a pluralistic perspective to inform ourunderstanding of our students

Of course, we have only scratched the surface ofthis complex topic. A full exploration of thedialectic operating between history, personality,and culture is beyond the scope of this Guide.University teachers need to be aware, however, ofthe strong role they play in establishing norms inclassrooms, norms that tell us much about thevalues and identities implicit in our teaching andwhich are often referred to as the “hiddencurriculum”. Appreciating that we all do notnecessarily share the same values, beliefs andidentities is a useful starting place for workingwith diversity in the classroom. Making theimplicit explicit is the first step in such pedagogy.

This project has been a true collaborative ventureand it took many people to see it through tocompletion. I particularly want to draw attentionto and thank Hitomi Suzuta and Lenina Arenas-Fuentes who took ownership of this project andworked hard to complete this Guide. I would alsolike to thank the offices of the Associate Vice-President Academic and the Office of

International Cooperation and Development forthe financial contributions that allowed thisGuide to be published. The TeachingDevelopment Centre hopes this Guide will be ofsome use in continuing the conversations aboutthe impact of internationalization on teaching atthe University of Regina.

Dr. Stephen McClatchie ~ Associate VP Academic

The University of Regina has identifiedInternationalization as one of the six goals in itsacademic plan. According to that plan, we striveto “integrate a national and internationalperspective into our fundamental threefoldmission of instruction, research, and service” byensuring that all students gain internationalawareness and understanding. Internationalstudents at the University of Regina play a majorrole in this initiative.

Having students from around the world on ourcampus greatly enriches the institution and thecity by increasing the diversity of our populationand promoting intellectual, social, and culturalinteraction. For the University to achieve its goalof increasing the number of international studentsat the University of Regina to ten percent of thestudent population, we need to ensure thatinternational students find a welcoming andsupportive environment that will allow them tothrive both academically and personally.

This Guide will be an invaluable resource foracademic staff members to help the Universitymeet its goal. Following in the footsteps of thehighly successful First Nations and MétisStudents: a Faculty Guide, the TeachingDevelopment Centre has once again taken aleading role in promoting an informed and self-reflexive approach to teaching and learning. It ismy hope that, with the help of this Guide, we canensure that all University of Regina students enjoyan enviable learning experience, another of thegoals of the academic plan.

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Dr. Rosetta Khalideen ~ Director, HRD andAdult Education Programs

Internationalization is now a major trend inhigher education and the University of Regina hasmade a commitment to includeinternationalization in its three fold mission ofteaching, research and service. This commitmentis sustained by a recruitment strategy that willbring more and more students to the campusfrom beyond our national borders. We will seestudents of different nationalities participating inacademic programs and in socio-cultural activities.It will therefore be our responsibility to ensurethat these students have the best internationalexperience we can afford them.

A rewarding and stimulating internationalexperience will mean that students are supportedin their academic programs, provided theopportunity to fully participate in campusactivities, treated with respect and fairness, andallowed to contribute meaningfully to thedevelopment of a more globalized universitycommunity. The university environment shouldbe welcoming with open minded faculty, staff andstudents willing to engage in a reciprocal processof learning where perspectives and knowledge areshared and there is an eagerness to learn about thelived experiences and culture of others. Attemptswill have to be made to internationalize curricula,effectively deal with cross-cultural issues, ensurethe required level of English proficiency(particularly for graduate students) and developthe professional competencies of faculty workingwith international students. These issues, if notaddressed, will become barriers that will preventinternational students from achieving success intheir programs. We will need to close the gapbetween the goal of the university and the realityof its actual practices.

Internationalization is a multifaceted process thatinvolves a number of actors but faculty have acritical role to play in the achievement of a moreinternationalized campus. They are responsible forcreating stronger and more meaningful academicprograms while building bridges across cultures.Their efforts are crucial to moving

internationalization towards integration instead ofa peripheral addition to academic programs. Thismeans being able to integrate an internationaldimension into the content of curriculum andmethod of instruction. It also means developingways of optimizing the experiences ofinternational students so that they achieve thebest possible result in their programs.

It is important that faculty members beencouraged, supported and provided the resourcesto facilitate initiatives that would weaveinternationalization into the fabric of theuniversity’s programs. Hopefully, this Guidewould prove to be one resource that faculty wouldfind useful as they work with internationalstudents. It is expected that the Guide will createmore awareness of, and provide some structure tointernationalization issues.

Dr. Alain Boutet ~ Director, Office ofInternational Cooperation and Development

International students play an important role inour university community. Their presence amongus contributes to fostering cultural diversitywithin our institution and provides a relevantindicator of the value of our internationalpartnerships. International students add to analready rich cross-cultural dynamic on our campusand they bring with them visions and experiencesthat nurture a most needed intercultural dialoguein our daily life.

This Guide will certainly help our learningcommunity embrace all aspects of diversity,starting with the classroom as a space for culturaldialogue. As some specialists of cultural diversityaffirm, “minority influence” on campus leads tomore-divergent thinking and perspectives, bettercritical thinking, and willingness and ability tochange. In other words, cultural diversity helpsstudents and faculty to think, and we mustencourage strategies to maintain diversity on ourcampus. By mobilizing our university andfacilitating the integration of internationalstudents’ perspectives/experience in theclassroom, we raise cultural awareness anddecrease “groupthink”. In an approach to

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teaching as a way of preparing world citizens, thedevelopment of globalized knowledge throughthe internationalization of the curriculum shouldrest in good part on the contribution ofinternational students.

That is why this Guide will provide ourinstitution with a tool for preparing ourinstructors to better understand the role ofinternational students in the internationalizationdynamics of the University of Regina.

Our capacity to attract a heterogeneousinternational student population is alwayschallenged by three institutional factors:

Capacity, in terms of the academicintegration of international students andtheir contributions to our researchactivities.

Commitment, in terms of support andservices offered to international students,in order to facilitate their participation inour learning community.

Coordination, in terms of appropriateinter-institutional communication andeffective information exchange that allowa much better knowledge of internationalstudents’ realities and contributions.

In its efforts to provide international studentswith a learning and living environment that canfurther develop their intellectual and socialcapacities, the University of Regina understandsthe importance of diversity. It is through soundand sustainable international partnerships that ourefforts will be rewarded. This Guide will surelyhelp our university community to engage in thecomplex but very stimulating dynamic of culturaldiversity enriched by international students.

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Preface ~ InternationalStudents: Implications forteaching in higher education

James McNinch ~ Director, Teaching DevelopmentCentre

Dave Gray ~ Program Coordinator, TeachingDevelopment Centre

Background

As part of its strategic planning, the University ofRegina articulated the intention to double thenumber of international students on campus,both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.Currently there are more than 700 internationalstudents and another 200 ESL students oncampus at any one time.

What are the implications for the culture ofteaching at the U of R? We know anecdotally,from the experience of university teachers here,that international students, often with English asa second language, pose considerable challenges toour often unreflective classroom practice. How dowe begin to conceptualize these challenges? Whatis the relationship between the global economyand internationalization? For the past year, theTeaching Development Centre has engaged in aqualitative research project in order to “give voice”to the international students on our campus sothat faculty and staff will be better informedabout the diversity of students on our campus. Inturn this understanding will better inform ourteaching practice.

What is Internationalization?

Higher education institutions and teachingpersonnel have a long history of involvement inresearch projects that take them beyond theconfines of any one campus or country. Manyprojects in the past have been tied to aid for“underdeveloped” parts of the world. In Europeancountries, international students were often theproduct of the colonial history of the “mother”countries.

Because of globalization, it is often argued,internationalization will increasingly have aprofound impact on defining the kinds of researchand teaching higher education institutions engagein. Part of the mission of the University of Reginais to enable members of the Universitycommunity to meet the challenges andopportunities of an increasingly globalized world.Such opportunities imply two directions: theUniversity of Regina contributing to research anddevelopment projects around the world, andstudents and scholars coming to the University ofRegina to continue their education and contributeto research and developments here inSaskatchewan.

Reciprocity

This construct is regarded as reciprocal: a two waystreet that has significant implications for thetransformation of the University itself.Internationalization is not just about attractingforeign students and their tuition to the Universityof Regina; it is about exposing our local studentpopulation to influences from around the world.This includes incorporating difference, change, and“otherness” into our academic discourse and intohow we construct knowledge and understanding inour disciplines. It is no less than a process of“opening the universities to the world” as Jean-Pierre Lemasson (2001) has described it.

Obviously this opening up will impact on ourclassrooms, making them more complex spacesgrounded in greater diversity. In itself diversityimplies more sophisticated strategies for theuniversity instructor, who will find herselfincreasingly expected to adapt and modifycurricular material and teaching strategies toaddress the learning needs of all students.

Useful Research Questions – a theoreticalframework

Fazal Rizvi, Professor of Education at theUniversity of Illinois who has researched theexperience of international students in Australia,distinguishes between the uses and the outcomes ofinternational education, in order to explore

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processes of cultural production of internationalstudents. Rather than identifying students’supposedly static identities, he recommendslooking at how students see themselves, how theyinterpret their experiences, and how that shapestheir multiple identities. A useful question may beto ask, “How do the students relate to thenarratives the university has in which it wants tosituate its international students?” And how dothe students themselves view and respond to thesenarratives which are reflected in the structures andculture of the campus? In other words, can weuncover “the hidden curriculum” operating forboth international students and the university?The sweetness of a “We are the World”advertisement for Coca Cola masks, some wouldargue, a more insidious agenda of exploitation andWesternization.

Rizvi recommends speaking of and exploring howstudents mutate into hybrids in a diaspora thatspreads them across the world. Like all studentswho are in the process of “being and becoming”,many international students are leaving oneidentity and “morphing” into another one. Manyare seeking degrees and certification in theprofessions in the hopes of seeking landedimmigrant status. What barriers are there to thisprocess? What distinguishes these students fromthose who intend to return to their home lands?What distinguishes students who routinely crossinternational borders to pursue their education,from students who only move to Regina from asmall town in Saskatchewan?

Travel and Translation

Rizvi draws on James Clifford’s (1997) notion oftransient cultures articulated in Routes: Travel andTranslation in the Late Twentieth Century. Cliffordsuggests that cultures can no longer be thought ofas bounded by the modernist notion of the nationstate. People today, he argues, belong to severalplaces and lay claim to several identities at once.Clifford speaks of “dwelling in travel”. What, heasks, is the impact of such border crossings and self-locations on art, culture, and education? Clifford,an anthropologist, recognizes that such fluidity

strains the best attempts to maintain local identitiesagainst the homogenizing influence of globalcapitalism. Are international students studying atthe University of Regina part of such a “trans-cultural predicament”?

Trans-nationality and Class

Rizvi also relies on the work of Aihwa Ong, aBerkeley professor of anthropology and SouthEast Asian Studies, whose Flexible Citizenship: theCultural Logics of Transnationality (Ong, 1999)focuses on the mobility of ethnic Chinese acrossAsia and North America. Ong explores the role“official Asian values” play in the global economy,in contrast to more “decadent” Western ones. Sheasks what the educational, economic and culturalstrategies are of the “huaquao”, the overseasChinese. She describes how business families“parachute” their children to Canada, the U. S.and Australia earning them rights of residence in“monster homes”. Such strategies of flexiblecitizenship accrue only to the privileged and arenot possible for the peasant and working classesamong the ethnic Chinese of Southeast Asia.Perhaps, then, the social and economic class ofinternational students might be important forteachers to understand.

Are there differences among ESL students,undergraduate students, and graduate students inthis regard? Has the recent decline of the “tiger”economies and the burgeoning economy ofmainland China changed the make-up of ourinternational student population? As Indiabecomes the world centre for the developmentand maintenance of computer software and forcall centres of multi-national corporations, whatimpact will that have on the University of Regina?Such musings beg more questions: are thedifferences between a student from, say, Nigeriaand a student from Korea significant from apedagogical perspective? Should they be?

Contemporary International Students

Rizvi says that international students inhabitcomplex spaces. Although mobility is a majortheme, he has found that international students

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reject both the image of tourist and the image ofimmigrant. Although they may be willing tobecome permanent residents, he has found thatthe international students at Australianuniversities do not desire to become citizens ofAustralia. They may take up permanent residency,but they tend to maintain their citizenship oforigin. Is this true in Canada as well?

International students’ experience of dislocation isdifferent from what it was 50 or even 10 yearsago. For example, most are now continuouslylinked with family and friends in their country oforigin, and engage in everyday conversations withthem – conversations about everyday sorts ofthings. Because of technology, continuity maynow be a better word than discontinuity fordescribing their experiences abroad.

International students prize their flexibility andmobility. They want to be on the move, bothculturally and physically. International studentspossess savvy. They emerge from highlycompetitive educational backgrounds. They makesavvy use of international education, and possessflexible, mobile identities. They see themselves as“consumers” of education, ones who are carefullypositioning themselves trans-nationally.

We should not position international students asa “problem”, particularly if we are activelyrecruiting them to our campus. In many casesthey are members of an elite, with culturalcapital and a wealth of experience. We shouldrespect them as such.

Implications for Teaching

Interestingly, when the topic of a Faculty guide tointernational students like this one is firstbroached, it is often assumed that it will be of useto international students trying to “fit in” andbetter understand local customs, and academicconventions. Our goal is just the opposite: to haveteaching personnel on campus better understandthe implications of internationalization onclassroom practice.

In working with international students, we mightlearn from Mariolina Salvatori, a professor ofItalian literature at the University of Illinois and1999 Carnegie Scholar. Her Carnegie teachingproject concerned the role of “difficulty” in thelearning process. What counts as difficult? Howdo learners experience it? How can faculty mostprofitably engage students with materials that areimportantly and necessarily difficult and beyondtheir immediate comprehension? From herexperience as a foreign graduate student, Salvatorirecalls moments in class of disorientation andgreat difficulty because she was understandingthings “differently”. In her teaching, Salvatoriproposes that instead of seeing “problems” asmistakes or signs of ineptitude, that we viewdifficulties as points of departure and thebeginnings of meaningful interpretation.

Embracing Difference and Difficulty

From Rizvi and others we learn that we mustunderstand and respect differences among students,not through received stereotypes or platitudes, butby seeing them as unique individuals. In otherwords, we must explore, not ignore, differencesamongst our students because this is one of theways they will learn. Then from Salvatori we seethat having a problem with meaning andunderstanding can become a “teachable moment”,an opportunity for intellectual growth andtransformation. Such complementary stancesprovide useful approaches for working withinternational students in the classroom. Like allsound pedagogy, these general approaches tend tobe appropriate for all students, not justinternational ones, if we see our classrooms as sitesof exploration and not of transmission. Let usacknowledge difficulty then in the same way thatwe acknowledge difference and use the two aspedagogical tools to enhance student learning.

We present this handbook expecting that you willfind resources that will contribute to an expansionof international perspectives in your teaching and anappreciation of international students themselves.

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References

Clifford, J. (1997). Routes: Travel and translation in thelate twentieth century. Cambridge, MA: HarvardUniversity Press.

Lemasson, J.P. (2001). The Internationalization ofCanadian Universities. In S. L. Bond & P.Lemasson (Eds.), A New World of Knowledge:Canadian Universities and Globalization. Ottawa,ON: International Development Research Centre.

Ong, A. (1999). Flexible citizenship: the cultural logics oftransnationality. Durham, NC: Duke UniversityPress.

Rizvi, F. (2002). Education and democracy afterSeptember 11. Globalization, Societies andEducation, 1(1), 25-40.

Salvatori, M. (2000). Difficulty: the great educationaldivide. In P. Hutchings (Ed.), Opening Lines:Approaches to the Scholarship of Teaching andLearning (pp. 81-93). Menlo Park, CA: TheCarnegie Foundation for the Advancement ofTeaching.

Wlodkowski, R. J., & Ginsberg, M. B. (1995). Diversityand motivation: culturally responsive teaching (1sted.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

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Diversity in Higher EducationHitomi Suzuta, Department of Social Studies

An open educational environment that recognizesthe need for inclusion of all perspectives andpractices and provides awareness, appreciation andinclusion of all groups is often framed under thename of diversity. Diversity can take on manyforms within the university and has manyimplications relating to International Students.Each student in the University community bringsdiversity through their experiences, backgroundsand learning styles. This is not a definitive study,but an attempt to document and encouragedialogue on a broad range of pertinent issues asseen from the perspective of international studentsthemselves.

When we talk about ‘internationalisation ofhigher education’, we think about student andfaculty exchanges, curricular innovation andchange, international research networks andpartnerships, recognition of foreign credentials,etc; all often seen as a response to globalization(Knight, 2004). Post secondary institutions are re-evaluating their missions and goals in view ofinternationalization dynamics. Part of thisassessment has included curricular revision todetermine whether graduates of degree programsare prepared to enter into the labour force and itsincreasingly international profile.

Previous Studies

Before 1995 (and in general, not before 2000),there is virtually no literature on InternationalStudent classroom experiences in Canada. Thelack of research is in itself significant, while theincentive to begin such studies coincided with aUnited Nation’s meeting of post-secondaryeducators in the mid-1990s to reassess educationworldwide. With the advent of interdisciplinaryprograms and an increased desire to attract andretain international students, many universities,like the University of Regina, are conducting “inhouse” studies on such issues.

Researchers in the field of teaching and learningin higher education note that active learning

strategies and a positive learning environmentwith timely feedback allow students to feel moreconfident and comfortable with what they arelearning (Qualters, 2001, p. 60). The importanceof confidence and comfort within the learningenvironment was reaffirmed by the internationalstudents who participated in this project.

Standards from the home country, includingacademic competitiveness, high expectations forachievement from self and family, and financialpressures are external forces that can often makethe transition challenging. Such factors includecross-cultural and interpersonal communication,culture shock, adjusting to different ways ofteaching and learning, and different kinds of andstatus of instructors. Financial considerations,segregation, isolation and open and covert racismcreate additional layers of difficulty forinternational students adjusting to their newenvironment.

International students noted that language isperhaps the major hurdle for social and academicintegration. Their previous educationalexperiences will affect the approach students takewhen participating and communicating withinthe classroom. Prior studies indicate that coursesthat lack organization and clarity in instruction,assignments, and assessment criteria will cause theforeign student to need, and sometimes request,more support from instructors than the domesticstudent. International students have alsosuggested that if instructors lack an understandingof a student’s background, that can createadditional stress (Soliman, 2001, p. 8-9).

A new area of research is the consequence of alack of supportive networks for internationalstudents. Vincenti provides an analysis of threeareas, in which students must learn to deal withpsychological stress, effectively communicate,and be able to successfully establishinterpersonal relationships. Social andpsychological factors become significantproblems that can affect a student’s academicperformance (Vincenti, 2001, p. 51).

Another well researched area is assessment.Quality assessment assists with the deciphering of

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transcripts, determining comparable coursecontent from campus to campus and country tocountry. There is considerable disagreement aboutwhat should constitute basic measures orbenchmarks in recognition of prior learning.Student evaluation within a university is just ascontroversial because determining and agreeingon definitions of “appropriate criteria” isproblematic and contentious.

Defining an International Student

In addition to the thousands of students whocome to Canada to learn English or French, morethan 130,000 post-secondary students come tostudy in Canada every year. Citizenship andImmigration Canada defines a foreign student as:

“...[A] temporary resident who has beenapproved by an immigration officer tostudy in Canada. The application isnormally approved at a visa officeoutside Canada. The study permitidentifies the level of study and thelength of time the individual may studyin Canada.” (Citizenship andImmigration Canada, 2002, p. 1.)

Twenty five international students shared theirexperiences with the research team. Seventeenagreed to have their names revealed, while eightwere willing to be interviewed but wished toremain anonymous. Represented were theFaculties of Administration, Arts, Education,Engineering, Fine Arts, Graduate Studies, andScience. On average, the students have been inCanada for 2.3 years, with the range being from 2to 10 years. All the participants had traveled toone, if not two of the major cities in otherprovinces. Two thirds of the students had visitedOntario (mainly Toronto) while another twothirds had been to Vancouver. Another 42% hadbeen to Calgary.

“In addition to addressing their educationalaspirations, international students expect toengage in intercultural interactions withlocal students while studying abroad.”(Ramburuth, 2001, p. 5.)

Diversity in Educational Systems

Comparisons between and among educationsystems, without taking into account contextualfactors, could create an inaccurate picture of thetype of education available in different countries.The intent of this section is only to highlightsome distinctions that were made during theinterviews with International Students. This briefoverview may provide a background forunderstanding the adjustment issues internationalstudents face.

Career Streaming: Most of the studentsinterviewed relayed the need to excel and preparefor University entrance examinations. In somecountries, such as Japan, students begin theireducation by carefully choosing a specific gradeschool, and later attending night schools (alsoknown as “cram” schools). Final and entranceexaminations determine more in many countriesthan they do in Canada.

… [W]e had midterms and finals and werarely had papers …so mostly students areevaluated based on their final term, in thefinal exam. Even if you are doing very well thewhole year, if you fail the final, you are out. Sofinals were the only chance to make it to … adifferent level.

Teacher as Authority: Teachers in many countriesare held in higher esteem than they are in Canada.This reflects major differences in class structure.Many parts of Asia consider the teacher anauthority figure that demands respect andobedience. As a result, international students mayhave difficulties with the way Canadian studentsinteract with university instructors.

… Teachers, they are so important. They arehigher than us. We just cannot touch them. Weseem to respect them more.

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Instructor Interaction: Generally, most studentsnoted little if any interaction between the studentand the instructor in their home countries. Whatsignifies excellence in learning is a student’s abilityto memorize facts and to reiterate the material onthe examinations.

… [W]e don’t have so much interaction in theclass except if we have to present, that’s all. Therest of the time, we have just lecture. But here,they have more interaction between the teacherand student. They can ask more, they can showtheir opinions, they can disagree, they canargue.

Class Cohesion: Most of the students spoke ofcamaraderie amongst their classmates in their homecountries that they did not feel in Canadianclassrooms. As a result, many foreign students expectto connect with other students in their classrooms.

…By getting involved it is less of a cultureshock, but actually [having] friends and beingintegrated into society, that is, of course, not aseasy...

Competition: Many international students feltthat Canadian students were not very competitiveand this attitude was reflected in their approach toclasses and their program. Foreign students’ drivefor academic success draws from social andeconomic factors (e.g. parental expectations,potential or current jobs, funding), and this driveto excel reflects as much in the levels of academicpersistency as it does in the levels of frustrationthey may experience.

English Capabilities: The emphasis on Englishvaries from country to country as well as fromdiscipline to discipline and from school to school.As a result, competency and base or minimumstandards for specific language skills also varyglobally. All students indicated English skills andthe ability to function in the language in Canadacannot be accurately measured by testing devicessuch as the British IELTS1, the Japanese TOEIC2

or other English language competencyexaminations.

Some international students have good commandof English grammar; others may have strongverbal skills because of similarities in the languagebase. Some students will have taken the English asa Second Language (ESL) program offeredthrough the Centre for Continuing Education atthe University of Regina (see chapter 6).

... [for] everybody who got to come here, I justrecommend they take a couple of classes inESL...We also have a writing class that we canchose as an elective...

Student Skill Set: International students may beunaware of which skills they may be lacking untilconfronted abroad. Compounding the tensionsthat arise in adjusting to a new academic setting,foreign students are often expected to performtasks that they may have not done before. Onestudent, schooled in a refugee camp, provides anextreme example of some of the educationalpractices that international students mayexperience.

…High school in camps vary… It’s not reallymeasured in how much you can do...But theymeasure how well you obey class instructions.How well you obey what teachers say...Becauseif you want to be considered a good student,you do your homework all the time, dowhatever the teacher said and remember thewhole page or ten, thirty, or forty pages welland writing neat and just mark this wholething on the report...

Resources: This topic varied significantly fromcountry to country, but many studentscommented favourably on accessibility totechnology as a defining difference between thestudent’s country and Canada.

The one thing that has really astounded me isthe technology that is available. The fact thatyou can … see what books you need onlineand you can even order and renew your booksonline...

University of Regina International Students

With students from at least 56 different countriesattending the University of Regina, there is a wide

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range of backgrounds and experiences on campus.Approximately 6% of the total student populationand 20% of the total Graduate population areforeign students who come from Africa, Asia,Australia, Central and South America, Europe,former USSR Republics, the Middle East, theUnited States and Mexico. The University receivesmore than half of its International Students fromthe People’s Republic of China.

Students were asked to reflect on what it meant tobe an International Student; the reaction to thisquestion was mixed. This lack of a unified answermay be linked to cultural notions of difference aswell as personal experiences. Distinguishing anInternational Student may be difficult for anyonein the University community.

…sometimes it is difficult to know … whethera student is International or not because you… just physically see them and you don’tknow. So I don’t know if there would be someway that some introduction could take place sothat you can know this person’s background…

Some students emphasized difference:

Different country backgrounds, differentlooking, everything is different. We aredifferent. So accept the difference…

We are so different … because we are not fromCanada, so we have a different culturalbackground. This makes a big difference we /they don’t have the same concept of things.

… International Student means we are notCanadians…

Experience was another way foreign studentsdistinguished themselves.

… Because what you have experienced helpsyou to shape your ideas.

Other students noted their diminished status inCanadian society:

The International Student population … it’snot … a major population here, you know it’sa minor population. Just coming here andbeing a minority from my culture where … Iwas in the majority, that was difficult … I

think it has been a challenge in terms of …relating to people, interacting with people …Sometimes you are less certain … you are moreanxious when you are dealing with otherpeople because you don’t know … what thesocial rules are.

A few students reflected on the dynamics ofinterpersonal relationships and cross-culturalcontact:

… One of my classmates invited me to a party… Well, I felt very good … because you needto feel that you are accepted by the people ofthe country that you are in because that meansthat you are doing good, that you are valued,and you are like them.

All students discussed the impact their Canadianexperience would have on their lives once theyreturned to their home countries.

It meant hard work, it meant a lot ofadjustments and it meant trying to be as rightas possible because when you represent yourcountry you don’t want to make a badimpression.

… To get good marks … pass all the examsand if possible you can do something good, forcampus, for various associations … for society.

To me, being an International student in theeyes of people … back home means a lot.Number one … I go back home and I couldget a very good job. So they will notice mydegree and they would say the door for mewould be half open already.

Notwithstanding how international studentsdefined who they are, there is a general sense thatbeing a foreign student was not only a privilegebut also a responsibility. As ambassadors andspokespeople for their countries, many of thestudents anticipated their time in Canada wouldmake their lives that much richer. All of thestudents indicated there were not only monetaryrewards when they return, but also theopportunity to provide a different perspective intheir home countries.

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References

Citizenship and Immigration Canada. (2002). You askedabout... immigration and citizenship, from http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pub/you-asked/section-16.html

Marginson, S. (2003). What price internationalcomparisons in a global world? ASHE Newsletter,16(3), 5-6.

Qualters, D. M. (2001). Do students want to be active?Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning,2(1), 52-60.

Ramburuth, P. (2001, September 25 to 28).Internationalisation of education: Implications forstudent learning and socio-cultural factors. Paperpresented at the 15th Australian InternationalEducation Conference: Developing Global Capacitythrough International Education, University of NewSouth Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Soliman, I. (2001, December 2-6). Towards Best Practice inTeaching Internationally: Does it transcend culturaldifferences. Paper presented at the InternationalResearch Conference of the Australian Associationfor Research in Education, University of NotreDame, Fremantle, WA.

Vincenti, V. (2001). Exploration of the relationship betweeninternational experiences and the interdisciplinarywork of university faculty. Journal of Studies inInternational Education, 5(1), 42-63.

Footnotes1 International English Language Testing System2 Test of English for International Communication

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Learning at the UofR: StudentcommentariesAcculturation

Acculturation is an experience not limited toforeign students; it happens to all studentsentering higher education institutions. The dailyroutine and the rigours of academia, oftencombined with jobs and home and familyresponsibilities, require all students to prioritizetasks and develop time management skills. Theexperiences of international students arecompounded by additional factors that includelanguage, customs, geography and general ways ofdoing things that can lead to isolation andalienation.

…Your food is so different … And this impliesa cultural difference: how to eat, differentmanners, and different kinds of food, and foodhas its history too, right?

…Well at the beginning I was in shockbecause the cultural differences betweenCanada and [my home country] are very wide… The structure of the family is reallyimportant for us. We don’t have to go awayfrom home when we are eighteen years old …Usually you stay at home until you finish yourdegree.

Every student interviewed commented on thedifficulty of making Canadian friends, and therelative comfort of developing and maintainingfriendships with other foreign students.

I didn’t know how to approach someone tostart … a friendship, with anyone. But eventhe people who I ended up talking to a littlebit after class … I would see a person in thehall, [but] they wouldn’t, say “hello.”

It is really hard for us to approach people …because we’re still in shock, and we’re stillnervous … language wise … So maybe, if you[Canadian students] can approach us … itwould be easier for us too.

Adjusting to university life is a difficult task forevery student. However, the transition becomes

more difficult as an International Studentnegotiates among new cultural, educational, socialand political entourages.

Language Skills

English language difficulties are generallyassociated with but are not unique to the foreignstudent; immigrants; First Nations, andFrancophones may have similar issues. However,international students spoke of feeling theirEnglish language skills were inadequate.

I always do have issues with English, but it is… a second language.

I was afraid of the exam. I was afraid of thepaper I would have to write and I could neverbelieve that I could write a five-page paper inEnglish.

…Writing and speaking is always difficult,too. Even if you practice a lot … yousometimes get confused …[T]he word doesn’tcome out the way that you want it to …because the way my language thinks and theway the English language thinks is quitedifferent, and you’ve got to think the way thislanguage [English] thinks.

International students understand communicationis a challenge for those with whom they interact.

… Sometimes I feel some students are irritatedbecause of our English. Because we need tothink a little bit more before we talk … Somepeople are really good at listening to ourEnglish. [But] some people don’t just becausethey don’t know our accent, or the way we talkirritates those people.

Others, who had a fairly good command ofEnglish, found that the specialized terminologyassociated with each discipline created problems,especially at the Graduate level, if the student didnot complete an Undergraduate degree inCanada.

… I just had to tape record the courses and Ihave to study afterwards. And I had a hardtime to keep up with taking notes for the class.

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So sometimes, I had to borrow some notes fromother students.

… I just think practice is best way to improve;unless you write, you can’t improve yourwriting skills.

Feeling at ease with English is always a challengefor foreign students. However, there are otheracademic areas where students feel as if they arenot adequately prepared.

Evaluation and Assessment

Many of the students indicated that theirknowledge base and proficiency were notadequate.

… And yet there is a lot of information …that the profs assume that you know when youget into that class … The profs did suggestsome books to read to get up to speed butrealistically, there just isn’t time to brush up onit and to keep up with all your other coursework. So in that sense, I think it is kind of adisservice because you don’t actually learnwhat you should be learning and you are kindof at a disadvantage because you don’t have achance to catch up, really …

Listening, note taking, and reading and writingcan be hampered by one’s ability to function inEnglish. However, academic skills are not the onlybarriers to student learning. The three areas ofacculturation, language skills and knowledge skillsalso become key components related to studentexperiences in the educational environment.

Perceptions and Stereotyping

Several students discussed perceptions of people intheir own countries and came to many of thesame conclusions about people in Saskatchewan.

It makes me feel sad that they don’t knowwhat’s a reality outside their world

They [Canadian students] don’t really knowwhat foreign students experience, they justhave no clue. But, oh, you can’t really educatethem unless they go outside and see

Your first [impressions] widen so much onceyou come here as an International Student.You don’t want to judge others from anothercountry because you don’t want yourself to bejudged like that. You try to put yourself intheir shoes.

Perceptions of others may create specific ideas thatlead to stereotyping.

… What I thought about this country it wasalmost like the States economy and the peopleand their behaviour and the culture and theirreligion is almost like the States

I saw a lot of movies. Western movies, NorthAmerican movies. We say, okay, this is theyway they act. So when I came here, it helped.

At the same time, history may reinforcestereotypes.

I feel Canadians don’t have so many badstereotypes about Japanese people. Butinternational students, like the Chinesestudents, sometimes try to fight with us aboutthe war. That is their stereotype of Japanesepeople. Japanese people are bad because wehad a war with them.

Canadians often hold outdated stereotypes offoreigners:

But a lot of the times, they [Canadians] have acertain view, maybe a stereotypical view WhenI tell them, no that’s not true this is how it isthey are glad to learn … So I think it wouldexpand their experience interacting more withInternational Students. They would benefit. Itwould benefit us too.

Curriculum and Content

A broad definition of curriculum includes thesubject matter, and courses and programs offeredat an educational institution. Educationalresearchers would also argue that the “hiddencurriculum” is even more important and needs tobe made more explicit. This “hidden curriculum”is imbedded in the values of instructors, in theinstitution’s beliefs and approaches to education,in instructional materials, teaching strategies, as

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well as the value placed on knowledge andinformation from other parts of the world.

… Sometimes they just focus on the Canadiancontent … I would like this to be moreglobalized … more about the world becausethat’s why I came here because I didn’t want tojust learn about [my country] or just Canada.

Part of the consideration of a hidden curriculumwould include the types of materials chosen forthe class, as well as the value placed oninformation from other parts of the world.

… They [other students] don’t really careabout what you have to say. They consider thatyou don’t have anything positive to add towhat they are talking about or they just see itout of place most of the time. It’s just like it’suseless information because they really focus onwhat’s going on [here].

Instruction

International students identified instructionalimpediments that hampered learning. Often atopic of criticism in student evaluations,instructors’ accents can create problems for bothforeign and local students.

Sometimes there are professors who are notfrom Canada so sometimes picking up on theiraccents is difficult [unless] they have an accentsimilar to the one I have, then it’s easier.

Accents, pronunciation and intonation arise fromlocalized, cultural patterns of speech and arenearly impossible to eliminate, but awareness ofone’s accent may suggest alternatives andsupplements since instructional strategies areeasier to alter. Research indicates the importanceof providing clear visual cues and written outlinesand notes to enhance oral instruction, and thishas been found to be beneficial for all students.

Similarly, good organization and classmanagement enhances learning. Some instructorsfollow a prepared script while others may be moreimpromptu and spontaneous. One instructionalstyle is not necessarily better than the other, butall students appreciate classes which are clear to

follow and where they understand the learningobjectives.

… The professor who has so much knowledge,but doesn’t have the presentation skills. Doesn’tput it in general terms. Doesn’t use examplesand just reads out his or her notes.

… Sometimes I just felt that he didn’t preparehimself to be ready to answer. It’s not becausehe is not interested, but it’s because he didn’tknow what to say to the students.

Classroom Inclusion

Many students noted difficulty in feeling part ofthe class for several different reasons. One was thelack of familiarity with other students and fewopportunities to meet others either inside oroutside of the class.

… Some people, here, I think, they’re just tooserious. They come to class and sit down andsometimes it’s hard to establish a relationshipwith them … You just go to class, sit down,listen and then just leave.

Class size tends to restrict students’ comfort leveland willingness to interact.

… Here the classes are bigger so you don’t getthat much interaction … [I]n some classes …I don’t talk to anybody … I just sit down …and concentrate … [it is] easier most of thetime just to stay by yourself.

… Sometimes I am too shy when there arelarge classes. I usually just sit down and listen.If it is a small class, I try to ask questions.

For International Students, part of the importanceof classroom interaction is the validation that theyare making a meaningful contribution to the class.

… it would be very positive if they opened upa space in class to talk about what’s going on inour countries and what similarities anddifferences we find in comparison to Canada… Most of the time in classes, because we arein Canada, we have to relate directly to what’sgoing on in Canada … Sometimes you speakabout your experiences in your country and itjust simply doesn’t matter.

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… I think it’s important that they give usopportunities to speak about what is going onin our countries. And how we can collaborateto create a more wise and global knowledge.

… One of the professors asks me generally tospeak on [my country] in group work … Ispoke to students in the class with the professorbut you rarely hear students asking otherstudents questions …

However, some international students felt that theapproach that instructors used for the inclusion oftheir participation in the classroom was oftenabrupt and suddenly placed the student in acompromising position as “expert” (McIntosh,1998). Many commented that they did not wantto be singled out and were often nervous, butwith preparation, they could feel more confident,although most students agreed that sharing theirexperiences was beneficial for both the class andthem.

Class Participation

Some students come from countries where there islittle interaction between students and instructors,while others come from situations where there issignificantly more interaction with individualsboth inside and outside of the classroom.

… Canadian students are more outspoken.They are more ready to state … what theythink whether it’s right or wrong … Asianstudents especially tend to be more reserved.That’s a huge difference.

… I think Asian people react shyly. We think ifwe are so obvious, we are so outstanding, it’snot good … because it’s not polite …

In conjunction with the lack of knowledge aboutCanadian culture and Canadian issues, manystudents feel they do not have enoughbackground in order to participate in discussions.

…Compared to students in this country, youdon’t know about the subject or topic. I rarelyraise a question unless I feel like I really like toknow what [the] issues are …

It is not surprising that some internationalstudents feel they are inappropriately penalized fornot participating in discussion.

…[in] some classes I had real difficultiesgetting a good mark. You know they put [a]big weight on class participation … You haveto ask some questions and you have toparticipate, otherwise, you’re not going to getany mark. And that could be 30% … of yourfinal grade and I’m not really comfortabletalking … So because I’m shy and just listen topeople … you’re losing 30% of your markright there.

Group Work

Students had mixed feelings about working ingroups with others. Some felt that group workenhanced their learning experience by clarifyingthe material.

… Yeah, group discussion … Learn more youdidn’t know before because everybody has adifferent opinion and they tell you … classdiscussion is always good …

…you’re kind of sidelined being anInternational Student coming from a differentbackground from them.

Nevertheless, students find it complicated toeffectively interact within the classroom, as theywitness how their knowledge and contributionsare usually dismissed.

It’s easy to judge people based on their languageskills; people just assume that you don’t knowanything. And sometimes, internationalstudents find they are treated like little kidsjust because they can’t speak the language. So alittle more understanding and respect woulddefinitely help. Patience. But that’s tough to dobecause they have no idea what it’s like …

… we try to be polite … but that really limitsour ability to explain what we think. We areso polite when we have to brainstorm. We don’tlike arguing, but I think sometimes, arguing

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will lead to a better resolve … [At home] wetake it so seriously, if we have an argument,they won’t be friends anymore.

Because of these barriers, there is anunderstandable tendency for foreign students togroup together. Although most of the students feltit difficult to articulate the rationales, they allnoted the behaviour.

…usually all the Caucasians in group workwill group together and all the minorities willkind of group together … it is a disadvantage…

… Things, if familiar, are really comfortable… So you want to work with people whomyou are comfortable with when it comes togroup, so that’s probably why the self-selection;we tend to use the same ethnic group or samecultural background

Several students also mentioned that group workshould include codes of conduct or some type ofrules in order to allow equal participation andeffort from all members.

…I think it comes from … internationalexposure on both sides … For example, theProf [says] … this is how it’s going to be andyou will be working together. That’s the prof ’sjob and Canadian students have to have …acceptance and understanding …

The formation of groups could be managed bythe instructor and not left to self-selection. Thestudents indicated that there tends to behomogeneity among groups and very littlediversity if students are permitted to chose theirown groups.

If you leave it up to the students, they probablywill organize along their own ethnic lines andif there isn’t anybody [of their] own ethnicity,they’ll probably go with somebody else who isof another ethnicity … In a way, it’s kind of abad thing, because you are forced to work withpeople that you might not get along with …[but] you … meet other people and gaindifferent perspectives...

Instructor and Peer Support

International students often have misgivingsabout seeking help for fear of how it might appearto the instructor as well as to other students.

… I don’t really want to stand out because Iam an International Student, but I need help.

… When you go and talk to them, you can tellright away [if ] they are willing to help or theydon’t really care … It depends on the professor’spersonality too. One professor lowers his faceand avoids eye contact and … So I feel like Idid something wrong, so I don’t want to goback to him and talk to him in person...butthat’s his personality.

Once students understand that seeking help is nota sign of deficiency but actually an advantage,they seek the assistance of instructors outside ofthe class. Students were generous with their praisefor helpful instructors. In general, most of thestudents had good experiences. There were a fewstudents, however, whose experiences were lessdesirable.

…[H]e wanted us to come and see himbecause we had a paper to write, so he wantedus to express our ideas and guide us throughthat.

…You get there and start talking to them andyou see that they are not really willing tocooperate and then you just leave and give up…

When instructors were not available orapproachable, students looked to their peers forguidance.

… Well, I guess I’m expected to get as muchinformation as possible and as useful aspossible, as well as exchanging ideas withCanadians … it’s very important for me tolearn from others’ experiences to know moreabout the culture, especially in the area thatI’m planning to work, so I tried to grab asmuch information as I can from my classmates…

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Assessment and Feedback

Different approaches to assessment create anumber of issues for International Students. Forinstance, English competency is often a majordetriment with essays and written exams.

My whole first year … I knew everything verywell but I don’t write English as fast … Iwould run out of time … I knew the answers.This got me really frustrated because my gradeswould have been better if I had more timethan most students.

I like a lot of essay writing outside the class[but] inside the class … getting all the ideasand putting [them]together in fifty minutes,it’s difficult.

International students recognize their issues withlanguage and feel that if given additional time,they could convey the material they know. On theother hand, they also feel they should not begiven special treatment.

… But we need to take more time thanCanadians and then, maybe, they [have a]bad impression about us…

… I understand the University’s point, whichis if … I proved that I’m a completely fluent inEnglish, then there shouldn’t be any reasonwhy I can’t write the exam in the same time asother, English speaking, students.

International students suggested that providingguidelines on how to write essays, examples ofsuccessful student work, as along withexplanations of grading criteria would be mosthelpful in preparation for writing essays andexams. When it comes to feedback, studentsindicated that it provides a way for them toimprove their academic skills.

… I don’t really feel that there is as muchfeedback as we hoped.

He will explain “you didn’t include this pointof view and you didn’t include that.” and if hecan do that, then I can understand [but] someprofessors may not do that …

When the coin is reversed, and since studentevaluation’s of teaching is often a novel conceptfor many university students, it often comes as asurprise; and sometimes clashes with culturalassumptions of respect for elders and authorityfigures

I hear they stress [about] that. They want toknow what students gained from the course orwhat they didn’t like. I like the fact that theyreally want to know that.

References

McIntosh, P. (1998). White privilege: unpacking theinvisible knapsack. In P. S. Rothenberg (Ed.),Race, class, and gender in the United States: anintegrated study (4th ed., pp. 165-169). New York:St. Martin’s Press.

Saloojle, A. (1999). Developing a pro-diversity and anti-discrimination curriculum. In G. Benick, A.Saloojee, D. Newby, N. Nicholls, S. Quan & M.Samuel (Eds.), Creating inclusive post-secondarylearning environments. Toronto, ON: RyersonPolytechnic University.

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Internationalizing curriculumand pedagogy in highereducation

M. Lenina Arenas-Fuentes, Associate, TeachingDevelopment Centre

Pedagogical and curricular implications ofinternationalization

When talking about internationalization processesand programmes in higher education, we usuallythink of university-wide policies and cooperativeagreements with other higher educationinstitutions. These efforts are central toglobalizing our campus; yet we should remainaware of our primary responsibility towardsstudent learning and professional development.Hence, as part of any internationalization effort,our curriculum design and pedagogical practicesshould be merged in the development of a globalacademic culture that enhances the learningexperience of University of Regina students at alllevels (undergraduate, international, casual,graduate, off-campus, mature and returningstudents, etc.).

In the past, initiatives relating to developmentalaid, as well as bi-national and multinationalresearch and projects were considered the bestpractices in the internationalization of Canadianhigher education institutions (Association ofUniversities and Colleges of Canada, 2002, 2004).However, we hold the view that pedagogicallyspeaking the aim of internationalization should beto construct an open and global community oflearners that relates in harmony. We believe it isthrough good teaching in an inclusive andwelcoming environment that the experience ofinternational students -and of local students aswell- could and should be improved.

But what does it mean to become aninternationalized teacher? What is goodinternational teaching? How can it be accuratelydefined? Isn’t it just good teaching? If weunderstand good teaching as those instructional

and reflective practices that foster the learning ofall students then yes, teaching with internationalunderstanding is a part of good teaching. However,the theory and practice of internationalizing thehigher education curriculum occupies scholarsand practitioners around the world ((El-Ahraf,Levine, & Alkhafaji, 1995; Mestenhauser &Ellingboe, 1998; Tatlock Bond & Bowry, 2002) ,as the process is not as simple as it may seem.Research shows that internationalizing curriculumand instruction is probably the most challengingtask for higher education institutions(Mestenhauser, 1998); since disciplinaryboundaries and conventions tend to remainintact, with international elements becoming yetanother add on to an already patched curriculum.

Internationalizing curriculum and pedagogyencompasses several dimensions that reach withinand outside classroom practice. These dimensionsrange from the philosophical discussionssurrounding the construction of knowledge to theday to day interactions that take place withinclassroom instruction, as well as the effortstowards professional development made by facultymembers and how to translate them intocurricular innovations.

Ontologies and epistemologies

Societies around the world have always haddiverse ways of conceptualizing the nature ofbeing and the way knowledge and meaning arecrafted. These ontological and epistemologicalassumptions find their way into students’ ways ofapproaching and making sense of theireducational and other life experiences. Commonlyheld visions of how we learn and how we seereality in Canada may not be -and perhaps shouldnot be- transferable or interchangeable with theconceptions international students have of thosevery same issues.

Hence, internationalizing curriculum andpedagogy also implies opening our doors todiverse ways of knowing, giving entrance to eachstudent’s ontological and epistemologicaltraditions within the classroom environment,acknowledging their community cultural wealth

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(Yosso, 2005). This multiplicity of literacies notonly enhances, but interrogates the academicknowledge and social mores we take for granted,augments our angles of vision and the perceptionswe hold of our way of life and values, vis-a-visthose of people elsewhere, both being equallylegitimate and worthy of analysis andconsideration.

By viewing international students as a resource ofresources, integrating their knowledges andexperiences in classroom practice would provebeneficial not only to international students, but tolocal students and faculty members, as well as theuniversity community. Since not all local studentsand instructors have had or will have theopportunity to work or study abroad,internationalizing the curriculum becomes evenmore relevant. Becoming a world citizen is morethan necessary, as the working world is increasinglyintegrating people from different backgrounds.This is yet another reason to intensify thepossibilities and quality of interactions withinternational students on campus.

The literature in inclusive, anti-racist, and criticalmulticultural education tells us that the academicachievement of students from diverse andminority backgrounds is intricately linked withthe learning environment and the social mirroringthey receive from both professors and peers.Creating an inclusive classroom that not onlypermits but encourages the interaction anddialogue between international and local studentsshould become a priority; as well as an exceptionaland rich opportunity to expand our vision of theworld, through a respectful exchange of ideas andways of knowing.

Inclusive environments

By recognizing international students as a resourceof resources, that is, as knowers of cultural andlinguistic codes that transform - and evenchallenge - Western academic culture, we canincorporate them into classroom discourse andpractice. For example, the invitation to act asguest speakers gives international students anopportunity to present and discuss issues from a

different perspective, while at the same timerecognizing that what they have to say isimportant and valued as such. By doing so, notonly are we creating a safe and inclusiveenvironment for international students, but weare also providing local students with a globalvision of disciplinary knowledge and professionalpractice around the world.

International students should be regarded ascultural brokers and contributors to disciplinarydevelopment within their Faculties andDepartments. In order to build environmentsconducive to common learning in whicheveryone’s experience is acknowledged and valued,it is relevant that instructors get to know theirinternational students; their educational andsocial backgrounds will surely have a positiveimpact in the classroom and in their performanceas University of Regina students.

Language and communication

Language is the means through which wecommunicate in classroom instruction, as well asevaluation and assessment. Granted, English is themain language of instruction on campus; and it iscertainly the dominant language in most academicnetworking. Yet we should learn to listen andfamiliarize ourselves with many different kinds ofEnglish (Stalker, 1997). Here it is appropriate toglance at the multiplicity of English languagespeakers on campus.

Native speakers of English

All native English speakers will have a particularkind of accent, and we erroneously assume thatsomeone with an accent that differs from theCanadian standard is necessarily a SecondLanguage Learner. If we consider the Englishspeaking world, we can soon realize that English isthe official or co-official language in more than 45countries, with more than 300 million nativespeakers world-wide. Countries in Europe3, LatinAmerica and the Caribbean4, North America5,Asia and Oceania6, and Africa7 have English as afirst or second language.

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Indeed, there is a multiplicity of accentuations -verbal personalities- that coexist within theAnglophone world. Even within countries, thepronunciation and sometimes the grammaticalconventions can be quite different - think forexample about the distinctive accents of peoplefrom Edmonton, St. John’s, Vancouver, Regina,and Toronto. In some other countries, even whenEnglish is not an official language, custom,globalization, and/or necessity has made it into ade facto second (or third) language via K-12instruction or business practices, and English ismastered and used regularly by a high percentageof the population.

Second -or third- language learnersWe can appreciate that it is likely that mostinternational students will already be bilingual, oreven tri-lingual. Some have learnt English sinceelementary school; others may have learned it asone of their parents’ language; others are learningit on campus. We should neither punish norsilence their linguistic identities (Phillipson,1988). Rather we should embrace and encouragethe inclusion of this valuable resource in theclassroom.

If we are open to grasp and value the subtleties ofpeople’s English, we become more aware of howeach variation constructs meaning in a particularway, and we begin to realize how this relates toontologies and epistemologies that influencestudent learning. This impact could be extremelynegative if students are confronted with anormative view of the Canadian variation ofEnglish as the only valid one; yet it would have apositive effect if they feel that their English islegitimized and accepted in classroom interactionand academic endeavours. University instructorswill play a central role in the opening ofopportunities for international students to relateto their peers in English, and for local students tobecome engaged with the possibilities of learninganother language.

Multilingualism is becoming the norm, ratherthan the exception. Local students should see inthe learning of foreign languages a highly regarded

and marketable skill rather than a curricularnuisance or obligation. Bilingualism has openeddoors for people for a long time: internationalstudents have been able to study abroad andsucceed in academic programs all over the world;people have been hired in strategic positions ininternational companies due to their knowledgeof different languages and cultures.

This does not mean, however, to grant differentialtreatment for international students on the basisof language proficiency, or to ‘lower standards’ inevaluation. It does mean to be aware of theirparticular needs and challenges, and be aware ofthe services provided by the university tointernational students in this regard, such aswriting clinics and English as a Second Languageprograms.

Content and instructional strategiesOne starting point for internationalizing ourcurricular and teaching practice is thedevelopment of course outlines, class activities,group projects and assignments that deal withinternational content. Some examples:

“A course in local governmentadministration to take up issues ofcomparative local administration;

A course in ecology expanding its scopeto cover global aspects and relating themto their local contexts;

A course in public health to incorporatecase studies on community healthproblems and practices from foreigncountries;

A course in solid waste management tofocus on challenges in both developingand developed countries;

Inviting guest speakers andinternational students to provideexposure to situations from abroad andthus enable students to broaden theirlearning perspectives.” (O’Brien &Sarkar, 2002, p. 152)

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In several disciplines, comparative studies havealways been an important area of research andpractice, and could certainly provide interestedfaculty members with valuable and pertinentresources they could incorporate in the classroom.

Alongside the inclusion of international andcomparative content, the class would benefit fromparticipating in cross-cultural learning activities.Instructors could integrate groups for classassignments in which international and localstudents interact, or use in-class learning-dyads inwhich an international student is paired with alocal student to discuss certain topic from theirown perspective. This will also allow internationalstudents to increase socialization and exposure toand with Canadian students, and vice versa.Making the different points of view -and thedifferences among students- visible and part ofcourse content is a means to promote awareness,foster understanding, and increase student learning.

IntegrationAnother dimension that extends beyondclassroom practice is the engagement of facultymembers in scholarly production withinternational colleagues as part of theirprofessional development. The interconnectednessof research endeavours in most disciplines doesnot permit faculty members to remain obliviousto advances in their disciplines elsewhere, even ifthose advances are -as is quite possible- carried outin languages other than English (Burbules, 2002).Another element of professional developmentcould be the undertaking by faculty members offoreign language courses, specifically thoselanguages in which they know their fields areregistering notable innovation.

University instructors could incorporate texts andmaterials that reach beyond North Americanborders, which has been done in severaldisciplines with excellent results. For example, thework of Brazilian adult educator Paulo Freirerevolutionized the area of educational research.Again, international students can become anexceptional resource of resources: their previousexperience in the field (as students and workers)

becomes an asset for connecting with texts andmaterials, organizations, and practitioners in aparticular discipline.

When it comes to integration of internationalreadings and instructional materials, we do notadvocate for including them indiscriminately.Without conscious reflection on their pedagogicalvalue they can come through as tokens ofinternationalization which would not be ashelpful as thoroughly revised and pertinent coursematerials.

Assessing individual course syllabi interms of possibilities forinternationalization:

Rethinking course goals in terms ofinternationalization (e.g., how can courseobjectives be more inclusive to incorporatelocal through global issues).

Examining the kinds of readingsassigned to students for a course, bothbook and journal readings, that reflectdiverse points of view on topics/issues/content being read and discussed).

Rethinking assignments so that theyallow for and encourage (perhaps evenforce) students… and faculty membersto think beyond national borders.

Using the representative diversity of thestudent demographics in the classroom asa teaching tool; allowing students to usetheir own experiences to dialogue aboutthe multiple perspectives on the variouscontent topics and issues underdiscussion.

Using one’s own research, study abroad,and international consulting andconference attendance as a facultymember to enrich and enliven a course.

Inviting visiting international facultymembers as guest speakers or panelists toprovide a wealth of information tostudents about another culture.

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Capitalizing upon the opportunities ofan international nature at theinstitution and taking advantage ofrelated opportunities. (Cogan, 1998, p.115-116)

Classroom practiceThe University of Regina’s efforts towardsinternationalization should be accompanied bycurricular reform and a renewed sense ofcommitment to innovative and inclusiveclassroom practices that not only welcome andencourage international students, but that presentand engage local students with an ever-expandinghorizon of academic and professional possibilitiesbeyond provincial and national borders.The actions and omissions of universityinstructors become even more important in thedevelopment of an academic culture in whichclassroom instruction could become one of thefundamental elements for internationalizing theinstitution. For lack of a better descriptor,educators with international understanding wouldbecome advocates for challenging ethnocentricand racist approaches to higher education, fortesting disciplinary orthodoxy and normativitiesthat ignore or erase other people’s knowledges,histories, and ways of seeing the world. Educatorswith an international understanding and acommitment to diversity are aware and respond tothe needs of all their students, making theirteaching a cornerstone of their academic careers(Tuitt, 2003). This includes rejecting the deficitnotion according to which international andminority students are sub-standard students(Bartolomé, 1996). The discourse of the Other asinferior should have no place within ouruniversity community. Research on internationalstudents shows that:

Contrary to assumptions by many people,including many faculty, students do notcome as tabula rasa, as an empty gas tankto be filled with our knowledge, but comevery well educated, even if in widelyvaried educational systems that may havetaught subjects under the same names asCanadian schools do, but using different

curricular assumptions, categories of thesame subject-matter, epistemologies,learning styles, methods of evaluation,intellectual traditions, expectations ofsuccess and anticipated roles of those whoare educated (as well as those noteducated) in the development of theircountries. (Mestenhauser, 2002, p. 16)

Indeed, international students come fromcompetitive educational backgrounds, and theyhave come to the University of Regina to continuetheir learning process, to better themselves and toenrich our community. It is our responsibility toprovide them with the foundations and means tosucceed, instead of setting them up for failure.Inclusive teaching practices that embrace diversityas a resource can only result in positive rippleeffects that could spread through this campus.

As a matter of fact, if we look at Canadianuniversities we can appreciate how many of thoseinternational students and/or internationalscholars have been joining the academic life oncampuses nation-wide, becoming noted professorsand accomplished researchers. There is then,recognition that international experiences arehighly valued among scholars. It is up to us toextend that same recognition and opportunity tosucceed to our international students.

Teaching in a multi-cultural and multi-literacyenvironment

The demographics of our campus are changing,and will continue to change in the coming years;not only due to an expected attraction of moreinternational students, but also due todemographic shifts in the province’s K-12 system(Tymchak & SIDRU, 2001). Such trends implythat educational institutions will host increasednumbers of international students, as well as ahigher percentage of First Nations students.Diversity is becoming the norm in universityclassrooms across the country and the Universityof Regina is not the exception, by any means.

From this we can assert that, in order to becomesuccessful multicultural and inclusive educators, we

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must challenge traditional canons andepistemological biases. In our quest for providingstudents with the best possible educationalexperience, the university community as a wholeneeds to rethink how our subjectivities, our actions,and our idiosyncrasies affect student learning.

The challenge of inclusive higher education isbefore us, and we should take this opportunity toenrich our academic culture and the lives ofstudents, faculty members, administrativepersonnel and the Regina community, through aspirit of common learning guided by goodteaching that incorporates all knowledges and allvisions of the world. The University of Regina’spledge to become an enviable place to work andstudy should be marked with innovative andcritical ways of raising global consciousness andmaintaining an avant-garde position withinintellectual discourses in Canada and abroad.Challenges are not problems to be solved, butopportunities to hold on to. As noted criticaleducator bell hooks reminds us:

Multiculturalism compels educatorsto recognize the narrow boundariesthat have shaped the way knowledgeis shared in the classroom. It forces usall to recognize our complicity inaccepting and perpetuating biases ofany kind. Students are eager to breakthrough barriers to knowing. They arewilling to surrender to the wonder ofre-learning and learning ways ofknowing that go against the grain.When we, as educators, allow ourpedagogy to be radically changed byour recognition of a multiculturalworld, we can give students theeducation they desire and deserve. Wecan teach in ways that transformconsciousness, creating a climate offree expression that is the essence of atruly liberatory liberal arts education.(hooks, 1994, p. 44)

References

Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.(2002). Towards a more global campus:Internationalization Initiatives of CanadianUniversities 2002. Ottawa, ON: AUCC/ScotiaBank.

Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.(2004). Preparing Students for a Global Future:Internationalization Initiatives of CanadianUniversities. Ottawa, ON: AUCC/ScotiaBank.

Bartolomé, L. (1996). Beyond the methods fetish:Toward a humanizing pedagogy. In P. Leistyna, A.Woodrum & S. A. Sherblom (Eds.), Breaking free:the transformative power of critical pedagogy (pp.229-252). Cambridge, MA: Harvard EducationalReview.

Burbules, N. (2002). The global context of educationalresearch. In L. Bresler & A. Ardichvili (Eds.),Research in international education: experience,theory & practice (pp. 157-169). NY: Peter Lang.

Cogan, J. (1998). Internationalization throughnetworking and curricular infusion. In J.Mestenhauser & B. J. Ellingboe (Eds.), Reformingthe higher education curriculum: internationalizingthe campus (pp. 106-117). Phoenix, AZ.

El-Ahraf, A., Levine, G., & Alkhafaji, A. (Eds.). (1995).Internationalizing the university curriculum:strategies and opportunities. Apollo, PA: ClossonPress.

hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress: education as thepractice of freedom. NY: Routledge.

Mestenhauser, J. (1998). Portraits of an internationalcurriculum: an uncommon multidimensionalperspective. In J. A. Mestenhauser & B. J.Ellingboe (Eds.), Reforming the higher educationcurriculum: internationalizing the campus (pp. 3-39). Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.

Mestenhauser, J. (2002). The utilization of foreignstudents in internationalization of universities. InS. Tatlock Bond & C. Bowry (Eds.), Connections& complexities: the internationalization of highereducation in Canada (pp. 13-29). Winnipeg, MB:Centre for Higher Education Research andDevelopment, University of Manitoba.

Mestenhauser, J., & Ellingboe, B. J. (Eds.). (1998).Reforming the higher education curriculum:internationalizing the campus. Phoenix, AZ.: OryxPress.

O’Brien, D., & Sarkar, A. (2002). ‘International add-ons’: Must this be the fate of internationalization

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of higher education in Canada? In S. Tatlock Bond& C. Bowry (Eds.), Connections & complexities: theinternationalization of higher education in Canada(pp. 149-166). Winnipeg, MB: Centre for HigherEducation Research and Development, Universityof Manitoba.

Stalker, J. (1997). My language, my culture :international variations in standards for English.In D. Sigsbee, B. Speck & B. Maylath (Eds.),Approaches to teaching non-native English speakersacross the curriculum (pp. 7-16). San Francisco:Jossey-Bass.

Tatlock Bond, S., & Bowry, C. (Eds.). (2002).Connections & complexities: the internationalizationof higher education in Canada. Winnipeg, MB:Centre for Higher Education Research andDevelopment, University of Manitoba.

Tuitt, F. (2003). Afterword: Realizing a more inclusivepedagogy. In A. Howell & F. Tuitt (Eds.), Race andhigher education: Rethinking pedagogy in diversecollege classrooms (pp. 243-268). Cambridge:Harvard Educational Review.

Tymchak, M., & Saskatchewan InstructionalDevelopment and Research Unit (SIDRU).(2001). Task force and public dialogue on the role ofthe school plus school a vision for children and youth:final report. Regina, SK: SaskatchewanDepartment of Education.

Yosso, T. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A criticalrace theory discussion of community culturalwealth. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 69-91.

Footnotes3 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (withWelsh, Scots, and Gaelic), Ireland (with Irish Gaelic)4 Anguila, Antigua and Barbuda (with Patois), The Bahamas (withCreole), Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands,Dominica (with French patois), Grenada (also with Frenchpatois), Guyana, Jamaica (with Patois), Montserrat, Saint Kittsand Nevis, Saint Lucia (with Kwéyòl), Saint Vincent and theGrenadines, Trinidad and Tobago (with Hindi), Turks and CaicosIslands, US Virgin Islands.5 Canada (with French and Native languages), United States.6 Australia, New Zealand (with Maori), Bahrain (second language,with Farsi and Urdu), Bangladesh (Bengali as first language),Cambodia (second language with French, official languageKhmer), Cyprus (second language, official languages are Greekand Turkish), India (with Hindi), Indonesia (second language,official language is Bahasa Indonesian), Israel (with Hebrew asfirst language), South Korea (with Korean as first language),Kuwait (with Arabic as first language), Laos (second languagewith French, first language is Lao), Pakistan (with Urdu), Qatar(with Arabic as first language), Singapore (with Chinese, Malayand Tamil), Thailand (with Thai as first language), Papua NewGuinea.7 Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon (with French),Zimbabwe, Malawi (with Chichewa), Zambia, Sierra Leone,Liberia (with native languages), Namibia (with Afrikaans andGerman), Lesotho (with Sesotho), Botswana (with Setswana),Gambia, Mauritius, Swaziland (with Siswati).

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ESL at the University of ReginaSimone Hengen, ESL Instructor

Our role in the English as a Second LanguageProgram at the University of Regina is to providelanguage instruction to adults who are here for asocio-cultural learning experience as well as toadults who are pursuing degrees from theUniversity. About 70% of our students attend theUniversity of Regina, and the other 30% are hereto improve their language skills and experienceCanadian culture. We have satisfied the variety oflearner expectations in different ways over thehistory of the ESL Program. When the ESLProgram began in 1976, classes were structuredinto specific skill groups, so teachers would teachgrammar and writing, listening and speaking orreading and vocabulary classes. Contemporaryresearch shows that students acquire the languagemore proficiently under a curriculum thatcombines all skills at once. So, about five yearsago, the ESL program became what is known asan integrated program. Instructors teach a coreclass organized into units that contain readings,listening selections, and vocabulary aroundspecific themes, usually relevant to Canadiansociety or the university classroom. We also offerelective classes, where the students can focus onspecific skills such as speaking, or listening tolectures, or pronunciation.

So, what do we do in the classroom? On thewhole our pedagogy is unlike the interaction ofother University courses in which students are indirect contact with a professor’s area of expertise.Our academic expertise lies in our knowledge ofcurrent language acquisition theories and theexperience of what works in the ESL classroom,and the students indirectly experience thatexpertise through the lessons we prepare and offer.

What do we prepare and offer? We have adoptedtask-based teaching strategies, which means thatwe structure assignments so that students use thelanguage to solve particular practical problems ordiscuss authentic situations. We work at creatingclassroom environments where students can usethe English language in the way that native

speakers do. Our pedagogy is student centred,through creating experiences in which they canuse the language authentically. Therefore we tailorthe lessons to meet the needs of the class beforeus, and those needs can change from semester tosemester. We aim to give students tools to becomeacademically independent and self-directed.

Most of our students have been taught in ateacher-centred environment and they frequentlyexperience growing pains when they come to ourprogram and face a new set of expectations. Oneissue that we frequently face is plagiarism.Students in our program are made aware of theseriousness of plagiarism as an academic offence atthe University of Regina, yet we are continuallyconfronted by this issue, and we make ongoingefforts to give students alternative choices.

Language learning cannot be completelyaccomplished in a classroom; it takes place in thebus, at the bar, with Home-stay families – inshort, it takes place in the spaces of thecurriculum as well as within the curriculum itself.Our program welcomes opportunities forauthentic language acquisition in these cracks andgaps, and we regularly supplement the academiccurriculum. We take the students on tours: toGlobe Theatre, the set of Corner Gas in Rouleau,Saskatchewan, to a Hutterite colony, to MissionRidge skiing, and other sites. These activitiesprovide them with opportunities to seeSaskatchewan, and use the English languageoutside of the classroom.

We try to improve our ESL programcontinuously. Recently, a team of instructorsdevised a new curricular strategy around atheoretical framework of communicativecompetence and task-based learning. This newcurriculum defines the scope and sequence of eachlevel and provides descriptors of the students ateach level. The new curriculum correlates with theCanadian Language Benchmark (CLB) system; anationally recognized system developed by expertsin the field and published by the Centre forCanadian Language Benchmarks in 2000.

The Benchmarks describe communicativecompetence, but do not delineate specific

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grammatical structures or elements ofpronunciation, or vocabulary. They do notprovide curricula, but they can be a guide forcurriculum designers. We are one of the first ESLPrograms in Canada to have implemented theCLB system to help construct our curriculum,which will ensure consistency within our programand also with ESL programs throughout Canada.

References

Pawlikowska-Smith, G., & Citizenship and ImmigrationCanada. (2000). Canadian LanguageBenchmarks:2000: English as a Second Language foradults. Ottawa, ON: Centre for CanadianLanguage Benchmarks and Citizenship andImmigration Canada.

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Support for InternationalStudentsWe have emphasized the relevance of providinginternational students with an appropriatesupport network. In the first part of this section,international students provide their suggestions;the next section describes available on campussupport.

Suggestions from International Students

The majority of these suggestions are useful forany student at the University of Regina, not justforeign students. Many of these ideas requireminimal resource allocation and aim at providingan inclusive environment for all students.

Students indicated that, at the time of advertisingand recruitment, more information was neededabout culture, daily life, geography, and otherfactors. During the period of adaptation,international students need to be reassured thatthe concerns they are experiencing are normal,and that there is assistance available to help them.

There are so many things that are very new tous in the beginning … Even just talking withsomeone who is on the third or fourth year …is really helpful before you take classes.

[W]hen I arrived, I was glad to seeInternational Services … something forinternational students because that was for me,only me. After a while … I adjusted myself tosociety. I don’t need that help. I think I cansurvive by myself … I can take care of myself.

International students indicated it was importantto find individuals to assist in learning about thecity and other tasks of everyday living, as well asgeneral regional and national knowledge. Theysuggested holding information sessions for thispurpose.

Prep class for International Students … theuniversity could provide specifically targeted tothose students not from Canada that you justgive some primer information … Canadiangovernment system … [I]t doesn’t have to bethorough but basic knowledge … It doesn’thave to be a mandatory class but if you wantto there is this kind of help available …cultural class, history class … [T]he thing is… we didn’t go to high school here …if there issomething to fill the gap, that would definitelyhelp.

Academic Services

International students highlighted three areas ofconcern: classroom climate, instruction, andstudent assessment.

Climate: Establishing a classroom code of conductthat sets a tone of dialogue and respect for adiversity of opinions, knowledges, and ways oflearning stimulates interaction and enrichesclassroom climate.

Instruction:

Include local, national and globalscenarios in course materials.

Use of a variety of technological tools andinstructional strategies.

Establish clearly defined objectives andlearning goals.

Provide a course outline that includesprior knowledge expectations.

Provide notes for classroom lectures.

Make use of verbal and visual cues.

Assessment: Establishes benchmarks (or ultimatelearning goals) for a course, determines where thestudent is when they start the class, in relation tothe benchmarks, and is a means of allowing thestudent to know where they need to improve.

Evaluation should measure learning goals that areclear, concise and measurable. In light of differentlearning styles, utilizing only one method ofmeasurement of a student’s learning may not be

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sufficient. Many instructors use projects as well asexams, for example, to assess a broader range ofskills. Another alternative is contract gradingwhere students agree to complete specific tasks inorder to receive a specific grade dependent onmeeting the criteria established.

Additional Academic Assistance: Understandingthat much of the academic work may occuroutside of the classroom, students providedadditional ideas for support. Many of thesuggestions evolved from the need for additionaltraining in specific skills through such things aswriting and presentation clinics.

Connecting with Canadians: Since many foreignstudents are reserved about approaching others,many suggested they need to be proactive inreaching out to members of the university and thewider community.

Students should be encouraged to ask questions toclarify and stimulate discussion on topics that areunclear in the classroom. A number of studentssuggested the development of a mentorshipprogram that could assist them with academicwork, social skills and acculturation. This “buddy”system might use a combination of bothInternational and Canadian students. A numberof Canadian Universities, through theirInternational Student office or Faculty offices,have begun such a partnering system.

… Is it possible to have some kind of... buddysystem? … Let’s say I had a Canadian friendwho invited me to go to a party … [then] I’mnot alone, then I would go. [L]et’s say thisCanadian ambassador is part of a plan, thenthis person is responsible for bringing … his orher buddy to the event. I think that wouldmake a big difference … to know that there issomebody I know so that I won’t be standingby the wall all by myself.

… A local bond, a Canadian … [who] cantake me places … It could help us both. Icould help her to know about my country …Then you know about these other things …when you have another student who is boundas your buddy or your pal or your mentor orwhatever.

Another suggestion was provision to volunteer inthe community which would allow them to meetother people, practice their English skills, andenjoy some practical experience in Canada.

… I think University should … allowinternational students [to] interact withcommunity groups outside the University …[it] could be based on your … studies.

… Well, I don’t see the chance for myself towork in any volunteer work because it’s reallyhard … to hear about what’s going on and atvolunteer level.

Although some international students may feelthat cultural and social interactions are notnecessarily a responsibility of academia, mostinsisted that a student’s ability to interact withother individuals ultimately impacts theirperformance in the class.

… [T]he University have been doing their bestto figure out what International Students’needs are. But then again, I think … moreeffort should be done to find out whatinternational students really need not only inthe class but in their social lives.

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Campus Support Services forInternational StudentsIntegration of international students is a processthat requires a concerted effort by everyone in theUniversity community.

Right now … there is a gap … because allthese students go through [their] owndifficulties and they find their own solutions… and then new students come and they haveto start from scratch … they have to find theirown way to deal with the access to previous[experiences] … Practical knowledge lets youhave the chance to talk to somebody whoknows.

International students access the full range ofservices open to all students at the University ofRegina. In addition there are specific offices andprograms that provide specific services andresources to International Students. They are:

The Office of International Cooperation andDevelopment (AH 505, phone 337-2477) supportsthe integration of an international perspective intothe University’s threefold mission of teaching,research, and service, in order to enable members ofthe University community to meet the challengesand opportunities of an increasingly globalizedworld. The OICD

Acts as resource centre for all internationaldevelopment and cooperative activities

Reviews and assists in preparing projectproposals with faculty

Acts as liaison with CIDA, IDRC, and otheragencies, including the provincial andfederal government offices

Facilitates the establishment andmaintenance of international academicrelations

Maintains records of all faculty and studentinternational exchanges, and formalagreements with institutions

Hosts international delegations andcoordinates University internationaldelegation travel

Develops policies for and coordinates thereview and acceptance of visiting scholars

Acts as a clearinghouse for universityinternational affairs

Serves on the management committee formajor international projects and helps tocoordinate proposals

Reports on international activities at theUniversity of Regina

Oversees the implementation of theinternationalization strategy

Develops the framework to monitor theprogress of internationalization on campus

The International Student Success Office (CollegeWest 109, phone 337-2431) provides a centrallocation for the support of international students atthe University of Regina. The mandate of the officeis to ensure all international students, bothprospective and current, are provided with thesupport they require to succeed. Consequently, theISSO provides support to international studentsthrough a series of programming initiativesincluding:

Pre-arrival information about Canada andthe University of Regina;

Airport pick-up for those students who haveinformed us they are coming;

Student and Parent orientation forinternational students and their families;

Social and recreation programming forstudents throughout the year;

Housing information;

Support in arranging banking; health; visa;and employment services;

Advising sessions for students as they makethe ongoing transition to Canada and theUniversity of Regina;

Resource centre for faculty and staff workingwith international students;

Crisis intervention services;

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Support services for the Joint InternationalDegree programs at the University ofRegina;

International exchange programs for bothCanadian and international students; and ahost of other services and initiatives.

The ISSO’s goal is to provide students and theUniversity community with the information andsupport needed for students to achieve their personaland academic goals while studying in Canada. Inso doing, the ISSO provides support to theUniversity of Regina’s stated goal ofinternationalization at our campus.

The Office of First-year Services (RC230, 585-4076)provides candid information about the university.Specifically, FYS:

Designs and delivers courses and services toenhance academic excellence and increaseflexibility in the selection of academicprograms.

Produces publications on academicintegration, achievement, and continuation.

Directs mature admission.

FYS provides flexible and open-ended services tosupport the learning experiences of mature andundecided students:

Academic Advising

Academic & Professional DevelopmentSeminars (Student Success Seminars)

Academic Skills (Mathematics, University100, University 110)

FYI Essential Information Newsletter

FYI Success Guide Newsletter

Home-Based Learners

Mathematics Placement Testing

Math and Stat Tutorial Support

Mature Admission/Entrance Program

Newsletter

Orientation Information

Writing Services

The Teaching Development Centre supportsteaching and learning at the University of Reginaby being accessible to all teaching personnel. TheTDC encourages policies and practices that promotegood teaching and acts as an instructional consultantand agent of change.

Resource Centre

Handbooks

TDC Newsletter

Journals and Articles

Consulations

Classroom Observations and Feed Back

Video-Taping of Classes

Peer Mentoring

Dossier Preparation - Curriculum &Program Review

Programs

Teaching Development Days

Workshops

Lunch Seminar Series

Citation in University Teaching

Discussion Groups

Institute on Teaching and Learning inHigher Education

Inspiring Teaching Awards

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ContributorsM. Lenina Arenas-Fuentes is the TDC Associate.An international graduate student, Lenina earnedher B.A. (Honours) at the Universidad NacionalAutónoma de México, and is a Masters candidatein Curriculum and Instruction in the Faculty ofEducation. Lenina is energized and challenged byanti-oppressive teaching in higher education,challenging pedagogies, uncomfortableknowledges, and the construction of identity<ies>as performance and text.

Sarunya Asadachatreekul (Poe) completed aComputer Science degree and worked severalyears in Thailand before completing a Master’s ofEngineering. Through an exchange agreementwith her school in Thailand, Poe is pursing anadditional Master’s degree in Electronic SystemsEngineering.

Kentaro Besshi was born in Takamatsu city in Japan.With a previous degree in English and AmericanLiterature and a TEFL Certificate; Kentaro is anundergraduate student in Bachelor degree programin Visual Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts. Kentaro is thecreator of several art pieces in this Guide, for whichhe used diverse and innovative media.

Anthony Chiwetelu graduated from the Instituteof Management and Technology, Enugu - Nigeriawith a Higher National Diploma and thenproceeded to Canada where he is a BFA studentmajoring in Sculpture. He has been part of severalcommissioned artworks in Nigeria, the pioneer ofAsterix Theatre Troop, and has taken part intheatre productions both in Nigeria and Canada;having solo performances and featuredexhibitions. Anthony was awarded the first runnerup place in our Art Contest for his piece“Portraiture of Experiences”.

Priscilla French was born in Hungary, and herfamily migrated to Jamaica and to Canada as apermanent resident later on. She has a Bachelor ofScience degree in Zoology from Jamaica. She isnow pursuing a degree in Fine Arts with anemphasis in media production.

Hiromi Fusano is an international student fromTokyo and is completing a degree in the School ofJournalism.

Chris Gbekorbu is a freelance writer and ispreparing to co-author a book on Saskatchewanpolitics. He recently completed a M.A. in Englishat the University of Regina, and has also earned aB.A. (Honours) in Psychology and a B.A. inEnglish from the University of Regina. Hisprincipal research interests are the effects of mediatechnologies on society and the individual.

Dave Gray is the TDC Program Coordinator.Dave is interested in howwhere people learn.Possibilities, borderlands, contact zones and spacesbetween fascinate Dave. International studentsoccupy such learning places, and so does Dave,becoming Canadian and international student.

Simone Hengen is an Instructor in the English asa Second Language Program at the University ofRegina with experience as Sessional Lecturer inEnglish and Religious Studies. She is veryinterested in watching students create theirCanadian identities as they learn the language andhelping them find their voice in their writtenEnglish.

Pallavi Shyam Kale was a focus group participantand is an international student from India,pursuing graduate studies in Systems Engineering.

Shahryar Ali Khan is a research assistant at thePetroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC),University of Regina. An international studentfrom Pakistan, Ali earned his Bachelor of AppliedScience in Electronic Systems Engineering at theUniversity of Regina. Currently he is pursuing aMasters of Applied Science in Petroleum SystemsEngineering.

Izumi Kanayama completed an Administrationand Economics degree through the University ofRegina and works as an accounting analyst.

Julaluck Kitpaosong is a student in the English asa Second Language Program at the University ofRegina. Julaluck is originally from Thailand andrecently graduated from high school.

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Emmanuel Lobo was born in Mumbai, (formerlyknown as Bombay), capital of the Indian state ofMaharashtra and the most populous city in India.Emmanuel has a background in Engineering witha degree in Production Engineering and aninterest in manufacturing in India. After spendingsome time working, he searched schools inAustralia, New Zealand, the United States andCanada before he decided to pursue a Master’sdegree in Engineering at the University of Regina.

James McNinch has been the director of theTeaching Development Centre at the Universityof Regina since 1997. He is also an AssociateProfessor in the Faculty of Education where heteaches foundational and professional studies,focussing particularly on issues of identity anddifference.

Kunihiko Niina is from Kamakura, Japan. Kunicompleted a Bachelor of Administration at theUniversity of Regina and then came back to studyScience at the University of Regina.

Miledix Naranjo Araujo was born in Caracas,capital city of Venezuela. Miledix has a Bachelorof Sciences in Education with a major inpedagogical sciences from Universidad CatólicaAndrés Bello in Caracas, and is currently pursuinga Masters Degree in Adult Education and HumanResource Development. Miledix is interested ininternationalizing curricular contents acrosscampus.

Park Sunyung completed a degree in EnglishLiterature and was an English teacher inKimcheon, Korea. With the intention ofimproving her English skills and enhance her ownstudents’ learning, Sunyung came to Regina tostudy ESL, and is now pursuing a BA (Honours)in Psychology.

Daniel Ramos Moguel is a Mexicanundergraduate student pursuing a BachelorDegree in Business Administration; andparticipates in the Cooperative Educationprogram at the University of Regina. Daniel isinterested in global businesses and internationalfinance.

Rafael Sacramento was born in Goiânia, themodern capital city of the state of Goiás in centralBrazil. Rafael completed a degree inCommunication Studies with a focus in broadcastmedia. Rafael wanted the opportunity to do sometraveling before settling down and moved toChicoutimi, Quebec; where he studied French fora year. After returning from Quebec, Rafael wasaccepted in the U of R Master’s degree inInterdisciplinary Studies of the Faculty of FineArts, focusing on Anthropology and Film, andconcentrating on ethics and documentaries.Besides Portuguese, the official language of Brazil,Rafael speaks English and French.

Hitomi Suzuta has a background in SecondaryEnglish Education from the United States.Hitomi immigrated to Canada and returned topost-secondary education at the University ofRegina, completing a double honours program inPolitical Science and Sociology. She brieflyattended McGill University in a Graduateprogram focusing on immigration and taught ESLin Montreal and Ottawa before returning toRegina where she is working on a thesis exploringinternationalization at the University of Regina.

Akira Watanabe finished an Engineering degreein Japan, came to Canada to improve her Englishskills and is currently a Graduate student inEnvironmental Systems Engineering.

Wadee Wilasphaingern (BJ), whose father is Thaiand mother is Burmese, was born in Burma.However, living on the border between the twocountries with ethnic strife, BJ has spent much ofhis life as a refugee. Sponsored by a Canadianfamily, he is enrolled in the undergraduateprogram on Police Studies.

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Mei Wah (Coey) Woo is an international studentfrom Hong Kong and graduated with a Bachelorof Fine Arts with emphasis in Painting from theUniversity of Regina. Mei Wah has studiedChinese painting and interior design since highschool. During her education at the university shehas sold her artwork to professional business andprivate collectors in Canada. Her works has beendisplay to the public for viewing at the MackenzieArt Galley which had an article in the ReginaLeader-Post (March 2005) and Fifth-Parallel ArtGallery at the University of Regina campus. Heroil on linen piece “The Eye” was voted by theTDC Advisory Committee as the first place of ourArt Contest.

Guoxin Xing was born in Henan province,China. He studied his undergraduate degree atRenmin University, and is a Masters candidate inthe Department of Political Science.

Aryan Yusuf - With her country (Somalia) in civilwar, Aryan travelled to Kenya for refuge beforeher journey as a refugee to Canada was assistedthrough World University Services of Canada(WUSC). She is an undergraduate student inFaculty of Arts.

Michelle Zanni is the TDC Secretary. Michellewas instrumental in organizing the Art Contestfor international students, as well as supportingthe TDC team throughout this project.

Ghuyang Zang is an ESL student at theUniversity of Regina. His photographic collage“New Friends: Pictures of You” earned him thesecond runner up place in our Art Contest.

Jun Zhang is a graduate student inAdministration that assisted with the recruitmentand facilitation of one of the focus groupsconducted with Chinese students.

Peng Zhao is a Chinese graduate student inEngineering, who also assisted with recruitmentand facilitation of focus groups.

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Art WorkThe Art Work in this Guide was created byInternational Students on campus. A contest wasopen for them to explore their experience at theUniversity of Regina through art - we thank eachand every one of them for their effort and forgifting us with such powerful pieces.

“The Eye”

The “Eye” is one of the most expressive parts ofour human body, it is said to always express thetruth. Chinese philosophy refers to the eyes as“the window of ones spirit”. For me, friendship isas treasurable as family, especially studying abroad,friends are equal to family members. Thispainting depicts this feeling by focusing on theexpression of the eyes. The images of this paintingare about the happy moments of being withfriends. The eyes expression reveals theirhappiness, the eyes reflection discloses what wesee, I intentionally used many different colors forthe reflections of their eyeballs, which is carryingthe message that what we see are many differentcolors— different skin colors, different eye color,different hair color…etc.

Artist: Mei Wah Coey, Woo; Faculty of Fine Arts

“Portraiture of Experiences”

The drawing depicts the experiences Iencountered on getting to Canada and beingoverwhelmed by this new environment andpeople of diverse races. The entirety of thephenomena was a big culture shock, very strange,exciting, bewildering, fun, daring, and full ofunexpected expectations. The drawing captures allof the experiences one encounters in a new placethat could lead to all of these moods and muchmore. How we survive the experiences depends onour tolerance and knowledge of interpersonalrelationship with other people

After all, I am still happy, alive and well.

Artist: Anthony Chiwetelu, Faculty of Fine Arts

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“My New Friends - Pictures of You”

My art piece is inspired by those pictures takenduring my first ESL semester. The photos includemy friends from Korea, Mexico, Libya, Japan,Chinese Taipei and my mother land China. Let’sstart with the group picture right under that titletag, (in the middle of the pictures) that representspart of “residence life”. At that time I moved to anew residence, I realized that the most importantthing is not taking care of myself, it is to have agood time with my friends speaking differentlanguages. We held many parties there; weenjoyed tasting the food cooked by ourselves, sanga lot of songs, moreover we were able to talkabout many things and stories which areinteresting and a little personal although we couldnot explain them in English that well. The photoon the right side was taken in the music room; Iplayed my favourite theme for my friends becausethey were going back to Korea. They said I am a“pianist”. Aha, why not; I like that name. Take aglance at the whole art piece; I have hundreds ofstories to tell you: having a good time at TheBroken Rack, making a snow man outside of theclassroom, and saying goodbye at graduationparty. That was so impressive. Finally, let meintroduce you to the gift I received from myKorean girlfriend. At the top of the art piece,there is a tiny cloth bag with a “•Ÿ” on it. It is aKorean Character, as well as a Chinese, whichmeans happiness and fortunate.

Artist: Zhang Guyang, English as a Second Language

You never know unless you try

This is a hidden message I wrote under thesurface. I burnt for making a whole. In between, Iput the bloody coloured sand papers, which isabout to reveal. The theme I am dealing withthrough this sculpture is encouragement forinternational students. My life in Canada is allabout challenge, without fear of the new. I alwaysfeel that international students are having a hardtime expressing themselves and being not soconfident about showing something from theirown cultures. I notice that we never know unlesswe try. We do not have to feel behind theCanadians. We could try more, then we get toknow how we are in this different country.

Artist: Kentaro Besshi, Faculty of Fine Arts

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Being ‘us’

This sculpture is made on a two dimensionaldrawing space. I wrote “Stay slow, see the world,keep dreaming” using candle wax drippings. As abackground, I used incenses. Incenses are strongJapanese cultural icons. These are the phraseswhich encourage me whenever I (as aninternational student) feel depressed while livingwith this different culture. Those strings never getmixed, which is a representation of harmonyamong countries. We are running along towardthe same goals.

Artist: Kentaro Besshi, Faculty of Fine Arts

Real Life

The woman who was looking everythingsurrounding her . Humans life was not alwayssmooth , had to face many problems that havenever known before. The human life had severalcolours , especially white and black , sadness isblack , like fire that ruins their life and happinessis white. Therefore, please always remember thatwherever you are ,you always have to faceobstacles but you have to get through themeventually.

Artist: Julaluck Kitpaosong, ESL