International students who study online no longer have to deal with the challenges of overcoming social and cultural barriers in a foreign land. Thanks to online classes, they can take up courses or study for a degree without even stepping out of their homes.
However, they are faced with an entirely new set of difficulties, such as managing different time zones, feelings of isolation, and internet connectivity issues. Not to forget the linguistic and cultural hurdles.
Also, it is common for international students to experience anxiety during class discussions. However, educational institutes and instructors can support students and help them overcome these challenges in an online environment.
For instance, you can use a variety of participation techniques to encourage class participation.
This blog post will provide the top tips to help educational institutes, including schools, colleges, and universities, to support international students in an online environment.
Top Tips for Supporting International Students in An Online Environment
Help them Manage Different Time Zones.
For international students, managing time zones can be one of the biggest challenges. While they may be willing to stay up late to attend a synchronous Zoom session, it is not the ideal situation for learning to take place. Offering class materials and assignments asynchronously is one way to deal with this problem. Make sure you keep your classroom timings flexible so students can choose the slot that they find most suitable for their schedule.
Assess their Internet Connectivity
Internet access, connectivity, and speed issues may arise for students studying abroad. Additionally, it could be challenging to use or access some applications and websites. Offering several options to complete course requirements is one approach to resolving this problem. Ask your students if they are experiencing any tech problems and find ways to provide effective solutions.
Address Differences in Curriculum
The inclusion of different courses and programs in the higher education system of a foreign country may be unusual for international students. Revision and explanation of assignments, as well as submission criteria, exams, and participation methods, can be pretty helpful in providing clarity for international students who may be unfamiliar with the different classroom procedures in other countries.
Encourage Participation
It’s crucial to establish clear expectations in classes where participation is graded. Different students’ communication styles may influence how well they participate in class. Offering a variety of participation options to a student is an effective strategy. Asynchronous options include Voice Thread, Canvas discussion boards, and Zoom.
Lectures
The use of recorded lectures will be beneficial for students with poor internet access. It is simple to share the material with students in other countries by recording synchronized Zoom lectures to the cloud. Zoom also provides a beneficial automated captioning service. All students could gain significantly by watching a recorded lecture with captions!
Set Flexible Business Hours
The idea of asking a professor for a meeting outside of class may make international students uneasy. Since these students may feel awkward asking for an appointment during office hours, the professors could find it helpful to invite international students to a meeting, keeping in mind their schedules. Since students are probably located in different time zones, think about providing a variety of possibilities.
Introduce Honor Code
For new students, the international student orientation will include a quick online lesson on the honor code. However, international students may need additional support to grasp academic integrity as it is practiced in the United States.
Pay Attention to What Your Students Say
When there is a language barrier, it is possible that students would create a script or a ‘rehearsed speech’ before speaking with their teachers. It’s crucial to take note of their nonverbal communication so you can pick up the things they are not saying.
Change the Way You Talk
Avoid saying negative things to international students. Instead, be courteous. The more encouraging your tone is, the better your students will feel and participate in the class. Always take care of your students’ emotions and feelings because they may not be able to communicate their thoughts as effectively as your other students.
Don’t Grade them on Their Proficiency in English
Please pay attention to how critically they are thinking. Give students some creative opportunities to help them express their learning in different ways. For example, you can ask them to express themselves through a diagram or a video clip.
Find Different Ways to Deliver Information
Integrate several modalities into the course materials and live sessions to impart information. For instance, use audio and visual formats to communicate your message to students.
Define Clear Guidelines
How should students address you and other teachers? Should they call you Sir, Professor, or simply by your name? Clarifying these little things, in the beginning, can go a long way to making your international students comfortable. As a result, they will be more likely to participate in group discussions and ask questions.
Learn their Names
Students’ names can be phonetically spelled out using Zoom’s “Rename” function. You should also encourage students to pronounce their names during introductions so teachers and other students can pronounce them correctly. That saves you and others from any embarrassing situations.
Use the Think-Pair-Share Method
Through this popular collaborative learning technique, international students can organize their thoughts on their own and then discuss them with a classmate before discussing them with other groups. This technique increases self-efficacy and confidence when working in a group. It’s crucial to occasionally check on the students during these breakout sessions to ensure that they are on track and have an opportunity to ask questions for clarification.
Feedback and Encouragement
Praise and encourage students for their efforts and progress. Offer constructive criticism on their assignments and exams. Don’t forget to celebrate small achievements like good grades and timely presentations to give their self-esteem a quick boost.
Final Thoughts
Teachers can provide a more inclusive and productive online learning environment for international students by putting these methods into practice and exhibiting empathy and compassion. This will help them achieve academically and cope with the difficulties of studying a different curriculum.
