Improving the First-Year Experience of Chinese International Students through Responsive Pedagogy: Insights from F&M in Shanghai

• Published in: Comparative & international higher education Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 61 - 84
• Main Authors: Mann, Nadia, Mennicke, Sue
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education 09.08.2022
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Academic Persistence; Blended Learning; College Freshmen; COVID-19; Distance Education; Educational Technology; English Language Learners; Faculty Development; Foreign Countries; Foreign Students; International Cooperation; Learner Engagement; Multilingualism; Pandemics; Program Development; School Closing; School Holding Power; Student Experience; Student Needs; Student School Relationship; Synchronous Communication; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Student Relationship; Technology Uses in Education; China (Shanghai); Pennsylvania
• ISSN: 2151-0393
• DOI: 10.32674/jcihe.v14i3b.4468

This article discusses lessons learned from the development and execution of F&M in Shanghai, a hybrid residential-remote program created for Franklin and Marshall College's first-year Chinese students in Fall 2020. The F&M Office of International Programs worked with the Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA) to develop the residential portion of the program, and coordinated the curriculum and remote engagement framework. F&M in Shanghai represented an opportunity to craft a constructive environment for first-year Chinese students by intentionally considering and meeting their specific needs. Utilizing creative, well-designed pedagogy, thoughtful programming, and a multipronged approach to student support, we were able to operate the program with great success. Assessments of F&M in Shanghai resulted in a great deal of data, and some results we observed run counter to received wisdom. This article discusses how these results suggest avenues for future research.