International Students in Higher Education Classrooms

Abstract

This chapter draws on the literature and on the authors' own research to present insights into the experiences and perspectives of international students transitioning into Anglophone higher education classrooms. The projects focused on Vietnamese, Indian, and African students' experiences in New Zealand. Using various research approaches—mixed methods, interpretative phenomenology, and narrative—these studies captured multiple aspects of student experiences. These students came from diverse cultural backgrounds and had a variety of motivations for studying abroad. They encountered multiple challenges related to unfamiliar academic conventions and different teaching and learning approaches. In the chapter, common challenges and features of the student experiences are organized under the themes of diversity (backgrounds, motivations, and linguistic), academic challenges (writing, reading, and plagiarism), relationships, agency, and support services. The chapter concludes with recommendations for institutions and faculty to accommodate student needs in ways that respect their diversity.