international student stress due in 20 hours

caesey

Higher Education Research and Development, Vol 10, No 1, 1991 63

counselling interviews with local students, e.g. study methods problems. One suspects that the problems faced by overseas students are very similar although perhaps more dislocating and disadvantageous to those local students suffer. Thus this study sets out not only to investigate the academic and stress problems of overseas students at one university in order to make recommendations that might facilitate the adjustment, and as a corollary, the academic performance of such students, but also (1) to determine whether the problems faced by various ethnic groups differ in magnitude and importance and (2) to compare their relative importance between overseas and local students.

METHODOLOGY

Sample

The sample consisted of 209 first year (1989) students who were commencing their second semester. This had given them six months to evaluate their new surroundings and their response to it. As at the end of March, 1989, there were 453 overseas students enrolled as commencing students. The major source countries were Malaysia (N = 146; 32%), Singapore (N = 158; 35%), Indonesia (N = 40; 9%) and Hong Kong (N = 30; 7%) with the remaining 17% from the rest of the world. Hence two thirds of the new overseas enrolments were from the Singapore-Malaysia region, with the three most popular fields of study being B.Bus. (N=183; 40%), BE. (N = 43; 9%) and B.App.Sc. (N = 19; 4%) i.e. 245 out of the 453 of the new 1989 overseas students. The rest were scattered in penny numbers across the university in undergraduate, diploma and post-graduate courses.

A small control group of students who were Australian born of approximately the same age, same length of tertiary experience and taking the same academic subjects were obtained. All students taking part volunteered to complete the questionnaire. This would enable the study to determine whether the sample of newly arrived overseas students did have greater stress and academic problems than the sample of local students. The questionnaires were distributed in pre-addressed envelopes for return to the researcher through the university internal mail service. In a short talk before giving out the questionnaires the researcher explained briefly the aim of the study, emphasised that no names were to be placed on the document, and that the task was a voluntary one. The front page of the questionnaire repeated this message.

Five hundred questionnaires were distributed in this way and 209 usable ones were returned, of which 133 were from overseas students and 76 from local students. The 133 strong overseas sample represented about 30% of the potential first year overseas undergraduate population. 78% of the sample of overseas students came from the Singapore-Malaysia region. Of the Malaysians, 60% were Chinese. All the Hong Kong students were Chinese as were 36 of the 38 Singapore students. Most of the students overall and within each country of origin group were enrolled in the B.Bus. degree.

Questionnaire

Items for the questionnaire were based on issues raised in interviews with a few local and overseas students, and on items culled from a number of previous studies on overseas students (Pedersen, 1983; Goldring, 1984) suitably revised and rewritten where necessary.

64 Study and Stress in Overseas Students

The questionnaire consisted of 26 closed, and 3 open response items plus 17 items that enabled respondents to clarify or elaborate on some of the closed responses made. Only the 12 items relevant to study problems are reported on here. Differences between groups were determined by "t" tests.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In the tables that follow Singapore, Malaysian and Hong Kong students will be coded as "S", "M", and "HK" respectively. Unless otherwise indicated all figures within the tables that follow are percentages rounded to the nearest whole number.

Questions Responded to by Both Local and Overseas Students

Perceived Competence at Academic Skills All respondents were requested to rate themselves on 21 academic tasks/skills (e.g. take notes in lectures; participate in class discussions) using a 5 point scale ranging from very incompetent to very competent. While there were many differences in the levels of competence on the various academic skills that different student groups perceived they possessed, several trends stand out from Table 1. Firstly although the local students generally rate themselves on average at a higher competency level than the overseas students, between a half and a quarter of the local students still rate themselves at the "less than competent" level on many items particularly those relating to study and examination skills and time organisational matters.

Secondly, overseas students rate themselves as "very incompetent" on time management, study, revision and examination skills, but very competent, even more so than local students, at some of the mechanical tasks such as citing and listing references, and using the library. The overseas students also reveal an expected less than competent ability at using English whether it be spelling, making effective notes, writing grammatically, writing essays or taking notes in lectures. They also have extreme difficulty in joining in discussion, partly due, one suspects, to inadequate English and cultural values relating to questioning authority figures. Malaysian students appear to have somewhat higher self perceived competency at study, revision and examination skills than other overseas students whereas the Singapore students rated themselves as the most incompetent group on these skills.

Thirdly, "t" tests on each item in the study skills list reveals that on every item except skim reading, the local students rated themselves as significantly more competent than the overseas students (p <0.05 as a minimum). It is apparent that students of both groups require specific and individual help with their personal study skill difficulties, but the overseas students are aware that their major deficiency lies in the processes of efficient study, revision and examination techniques, and with mastering the use of English so that they can more adequately write notes, essays, and participate in class discussion.

There were no significant differences detected on the Study Skills scale using analysis of variance between male and female students or between overseas students from different source countries.

Higher Education Research and Development, Vol 10, No 1, 1991 65

Table 1: Percentage of Local and Overseas Students Believing they are Competent in Particular Academic Skills

Competence in Academic Skills

Skim reading Write summaries Make effective notes from text Spell Express your ideas clearly Write grammatically Use logical argument Cite references within text List references Read with understanding Understanding lectures in English Taking notes in lectures Using the library Plan my affairs Organise my time Cope with academic demands Write essays/reports Participate in class discussions Use efficient study methods Use efficient revision techniques Use efficient examination skills

Local

40 56 74 85 63 76 66 59 76 80 89 76 70 64 60 48 57 57 47 48 51

Percentage of Students

All 27 29 20 27 19 23 44 78 82 24 32 26 87 26 19 15 17 13 16 17 16

Overseas S 16 19 13 21 8

24 48 83 86 24 30 24 89 16 10 10 10 3 8 6 3

M 35 31 23 34 23 26 47 61 81 26 31 28 87 28 21 14 19 22 21 21 21

HK 24 30 12 12 12 6

36 77 82 12 18 12 83 12 12 6 12 0

12 12 18

S: Singapore M: Malaysia HK: Hong Kong

Perceived Competence in English Data on self evaluation of English abilities (Table 2) suggests the need for remediating speaking, hearing, reading and writing skills among the overseas students. Half or more of the overseas students perceived their competencies in these areas as "poor" or "very poor" with writing skills generating the highest percentages of poor and very poor evaluations. Reading was perceived as the least problematic skill of the four by the overseas students. Hardly any local students perceived themselves as having inadequate abilities in these areas, though writing and reading recorded a few poor and very poor self evaluations. Differences between the mean scores of the two groups were all statistically significant

Local

6 5 13 16

All 60 64 48 70

Overseas S 65 78 60 84

M 55 56 41 63

HK 64 82 53 88

66 Study and Stress in Overseas Students

Table 2: Percentage of Local and Overseas Students Evaluating their English Skills to be Poor or Very Poor

Evaluation of English Skills Percentage of Students

Speaking Hearing Reading Writing

S: Singapore M: Malaysia HK: Hong Kong

The difficulties with English lie in the fact that not only is it a second language but that the English the students learned in Asia was a standard English with formal grammar. It is highly likely that they are not used to the speed, slang or accent of an Australian speaker. These four skills are basic to academic success and inadequacies can lead not only to academic difficulty but equally to stress and emotional impediments to study. Around 75% of local and 80% of overseas students appear to spend at least 21 hours each week studying outside scheduled class time. This suggests that overseas students do not as a group spend more time on study than local students; in fact they spend slightly less as 25% of local students exceed 21 hours per week on study but only 20% of overseas students do so, possibly because more overseas students have to take on part-time work to supplement the money received from home. Taken together, the generally perceived inadequacies in English which slows study plus the need to take on part time work which also diminishes the time available for study, leaves the overseas student under considerable pressure to complete assignments and revision tasks on time.

Worries Most of the students from all groups reported that they had major worries that interfered with their studies during their first semester at university. Sixty six percent of local students and 78% of overseas students responded affirmatively to this item. Financial matters are a major source of worry for 70% of all students surveyed. This comprised 55% of local students and 77% of overseas students. More local students had romantic upsets (21%) than overseas students (9%) but this is to be expected since overseas students had probably not yet had sufficient local opportunity or contacts for such entanglements and their high time expenditure on part-time remunerative activities and on academic pursuits, because of inadequate English abilities reported earlier, preclude much available time for non-academic matters of the heart. Surprisingly few students reported major worries about health, or motivation. Overseas students do register some concern over accommodation but it is greatly overshadowed by financial worries.

Higher Education Research and Development, Vol 10. No 1, 1991 67

Stress symptoms Stress occurs when the individual believes that they cannot meet the demands being made on them by the environment, i.e. it is a subjective self evaluation of not being able to cope, of feeling overwhelmed to some degree. Thirty two stress symptoms were rated by all respondents on a 4 point scale ranging from "symptom not present over the last six months" to "severe (symptom present two to four times over the last two weeks)".

Table 3 reveals a very similar pattern of symptoms afflicting all groups of students with moderate and severe categories combined and requiring a minimum of 25% of responses in that combined category for a group. Overseas students particularly felt "pressed for time" perhaps because of inadequate study and English skills, and reported high levels of general fatigue plus various aches in head, back and stomach. All this suggests a situation of being pressured by part-time work and study commitments. Singapore and Hong Kong students appear prone to increased cigarette smoking, and only overseas students report high levels of diarrhoea and constipation, dry mouths, poor memory/circling thoughts, and depression. Hong Kong students report high levels of anxiety and higher incidences of back and headache than other overseas groups. In comparing mean differences between local and overseas groups on the stress items, 14 out of the 32 items produced statistically significant differences; of these 11 manifested higher severity for the overseas students, viz. acid tight painful stomach, eye twitching, dry mouth, skin rash, increased smoking, diarrhoea, headache, insecurity, tenseness, feeling pressed for time, poor memory/circling thoughts. Local students reported significantly more heart pounding, eating problems, and general irritability. The five most severe stress symptoms were the same for each group, viz. pressed for time, lack of concentration, general fatigue, headache, back/neckache.

Only three stress items produced significant differences between male and female students. Female students surveyed tended to report significantly greater incidence of "flushed face" (p <.05) than the males who themselves self reported a significantly higher incidence of increased smoking and drinking (both p <.001) than did the females. These three stress responses are possibly gender related in terms of expected and acceptable social behaviour when stressed.

There were no significant differences detected on the Stress Symptoms Scale between overseas students from different countries of origin using analysis of variance techniques. In other words the various overseas student groups did not respond in a sufficiently different way to create significant differences. The major differences arose between local and overseas students as already indicated.

Interest and Awareness of Academic Staff Table 4 raises concern about the perceived interest and awareness of university academic staff in their students, whether local or overseas. Students felt that staff were hardly aware of students' social, emotional or health problems and were not particularly interested in helping even if they were aware. Even with regard to academic problems only around a third of the students felt that staff were aware and only around three quarters of the students perceived academic staff as interested enough to help in what would seem to be a fairly central part of any teachers role, that of helping students with academic problems. It can be argued that social, emotional and health problems are difficult to detect, that staff are not specifically trained to detect such and that problems in these aspects of life do not fall within their ambit. Yet such problems are the major source of academic failure. However, the general impression held by students is that staff are to some extent uncaring and not interested in their students.

68 Study and Stress in Overseas Students

Table 3: Percentage of Local and Overseas Students Rating Their Stress as Moderate or Severe for Combined Ratings Greater than 25%

Stress rated as Moderate or Severe

Acid, tight or painful stomach Nail biting Eye tension or twitching Dry mouth or dry throat Butterfly stomach Increased smoking Diarrhoea or constipation Back or neck ache Headaches Lack of concentration General fatigue Feeling pressed for time Poor memory/circling or

confused thoughts Nervous or anxious Depression

Local

26 26 26

27

42 32 47 42 49

Percentage of

All 42 27 38 37 27

42 54 53 40 57 77

37

27

Student? Overseas

S 56 35 40 43 40 30 55 62 60 32 57 70

35

M 33 30 38 37 38

31 49 46 46 58 75

37 30 28

HK 59

31 35 39 36 47 70 70 36 59 73

40

29

S: Singapore M: Malaysia HK: Hong Kong

Such perceptions by overseas students as indicated in Table 4 when reported back home to potential clients may cause some to have second thoughts about applying to Australian institutions. This is especially so when around two fifths of overseas students also report that their relationships with the lecturing staff are poor. For the majority, including local students, the relationship is only adequate. Only 16% of all students surveyed report good relationships while not one Singapore student assessed the relationship as good.

Knowledge of Location and Use of University Services A high proportion (60 - 90%) of students knew the location of the university's "helping services" (counselling, housing and health). Fewer knew where the Education Development Unit was. Despite knowing where those facilities were however, only a small minority (10 - 30%) of any group appeared to have used the services despite the self-reported deficiencies in academic skills, the high levels of some perceived stress symptoms, and other problems of adaptation to be discussed later.

Higher Education Research and Development, Vol 10. No 1, 1991 69

Table 4: Percentage of Local and Overseas Students Indicating that their Lecturers are Aware of, and Interested in Helping them with, their Problems

Students' Problems (if any)

Aware of Students Problems Academic problems Social problems Emotional problems Health problems

Local

31 5 1 6

Percentage of

All

36 12 9 12

Students Overseas

S

26 0 0 3

M

42 20 17 22

HK

29 0 0 0

Interested in Helping Students (percentage of those indicating awareness of problems) Academic problems 85 68 63 73 53 Social problems 15 20 10 26 17 Emotional problems 14 15 8 20 12 Health problems 20 19 10 29 0

S: Singapore M: Malaysia HK: Hong Kong

Preparation for University Study Most of the overseas students felt that they had not been prepared for tertiary study (Table 5), a not too unexpected finding in view of the known teaching and learning styles adopted to attain academic success in most S.E.Asian countries. Over half of the local students also felt unprepared, perhaps an indication that study, teaching and learning methods at the latter end of the Australian school system is not encouraging a more independent, critical and self regulated student In fact secondary education in Australia does not specifically prepare students for tertiary education but offers a pathway to it. Overseas students also reported more difficulty in knowing where to go on campus to obtain help and information than did local students. When asked about the main purpose of coming to university both groups provided the same general somewhat selfish theme of obtaining a degree so as to enter a well paid career. As one local female put it

"to get myself that piece of paper to open up a world full of opportunity". An overseas male student was more brazen,

"I want to get a degree so I am able to go out into the workforce back home and earn a lot of money".

No student considered such possibilities as becoming a better educated person or gaining expertise useful to society.

70 Study and Stress in Overseas Students

Table 5: Percentage of Local and Overseas Students Perceiving that they were not Well-prepared for Tertiary Studies

Preparation

Was the reality of university life similar to your expectations (% yes)

Did you find it hard to settle into a large campus (% yes)

Is the university a lonely place (% no) Were you prepared for tertiary studies

(% no) Have you had problems knowing where

to go for help and information (% yes)

Do you feel considerable pressure from your family to do well in your studies (% yes)

Is it necessary for you to work to help support yourself at university (% yes)

Local

73

16 5

60

28

26

42

Percentage of

All

35

55 18

79

57

70

57

Student:5 Overseas

S

29

68 13

89

68

92

68

M

" 38

50 21

77

55

66

51

HK

12

76 23

84

76

71

71

S: Singapore M: Malaysia HK: Hong Kong

Family Pressure It is evident (Table 5) that most overseas students are under considerable pressure from their families to do well (on average 70%, with 92% among Singapore students), whereas far fewer local students record feeling such pressure (26%). Of course the overseas parents are generally paying for the education of their offspring and this combined with very positive attitudes to education, and the excessive loss of face that failure involves, leads to pressure to do well. In written comments many overseas students wrote on their inability to achieve any sort of reasonable balance between study and non-academic activities. The consequences of failing are quite different for an overseas student compared to a local student. The latter who fails can return to study sometime later or find alternative employment. Overseas students must return home and face the future as a failure; it is unlikely they will ever complete the course or gain acceptable employment The consequent loss of face is not just personal disgrace but extends to the wider family who may have pooled resources to provide financial support.

Higher Education Research and Development, Vol 10, No 1, 1991 71

Questions Restricted to Overseas Students

A number of questions relating to coping with a new culture pattern were asked of overseas students only.

The Study of English Only 13% of the overseas students claimed that English was their first language and these were mosdy students from Singapore. None of the Hong Kong students made such a claim. Eighty percent of the students used English as a medium of instruction in their educational institution prior to coming to Australia and this was true of all the Singapore students.

The overseas students have on average studied English for 10.9 years; 80% of Singapore and Malaysian students have studied English for 12 years while 90% of Hong Kong students report 15 years of English. Females generally seemed to have studied English for on average 6 months longer than males in the overseas group. These averages hide the fact that a few overseas students, particularly from Indonesia (two students less than 6 years), and mainland China (one less than 6 years), do come with very limited previous exposure to English. As the greater proportion of those who have studied English for most of their school-days report inadequacy with English language skills, those with fewer years must be experiencing severe problems and need help with their English skills on a continuing basis.

Overseas students report it difficult to join in general campus activities (particularly females) due to time spent on studies (perhaps reflections of earlier reported pressure to succeed and inadequate English skills) and part-time work. Thus they tend not to have time to enjoy a social life. They show considerable concern that there may be political spies from their home country among their student group. This is not un-surprising given the recent events on the mainland of China and the tendency towards autocracy in Singapore and Malaysia. Being able to speak out and express opinions is difficult for most to handle as they are not used to such freedom in either the academic or social context

Coping with Academic Matters There are many reported difficulties in coping with academic matters (Table 6). Virtually all the overseas students report it is very hard for them to cope with the amount of work on their course, the type and frequency of assessment, coping with examinations, adapting to an independent learning style, coping with the fear of failure, knowing how to study effectively and obtaining academic help from staff. The female overseas students had more difficulty than did the males in coping with these academic problems with 96% of females (78% males) indicating it was hard to cope with pressure from home, 80% of females ( 6 1 % males) coping with the independent learning style, 92% of females (82% males) reporting considerable difficulty with writing timed examinations and 78% of females (45% males) having difficulty in approaching teaching staff with an academic problem.

Gassin (1982) and Ballard and Clanchy (1984) among others have reported on the significance of the fundamental differences in educational styles and philosophies of the Asian and Western academic traditions. Many of the overseas students concur in their comment on their personal experiences. In their countries teachers provide all the information and notes whereas in Australia the student has to be far more active, doing the reading, making notes, and involving themselves in class discussions. To add to any culture shock being felt there is study shock, an incongruity between reproductive learning and analytic understanding. As one Singapore

72 Study and Stress in Overseas Students

Table 6: Percentage of Overseas Students Rating Matters associated with their Academic Progress as Very Easy or Easy

Matters rated as Very Easy or Easy Percentage of Overseas Students All 4 2

S 0 3

M 8 0

HK 0 6

9 6 4 12

8 5 3 8

8 6 8 14

7 6 0 6

Coping with the amount of work in your course The frequency and style of assessment in your course Having to write written answers in a short time under

exam conditions 2 6 2 0 Teaching staff discriminating against you, showing racist

attitudes or making offensive remarks 74 75 88 75 Independent learning style used in Australia; taking

responsibility for what and how much you study or work

Fear of failure; pressure from home to get good marks Not knowing how to study effectively Getting individual help from teaching staff Approaching teaching staff or Faculty adviser for help

with a study problem 32 8 38 24 Practical work in laboratories; field work; work

experience over the vacation 68 61 77 69

S: Singapore M: Malaysia HK: Hong Kong

student wrote, "In Singapore we were spoon fed; here we are made to think not just memorise". It is apparent though that unlike the reported situation with administrative and library staff,

there is little perceived discrimination from teaching staff.

Open-Ended Question (Note that the percentages below exceed 100% because many students wrote on several separate issues.)

In response to the open question what are the major problems or pressures on you in your university life the pattern of overseas student responses was categorised as follows: • work loads too heavy, no time for leisure, time planning poor (69% of overseas students); • inadequate English; makes for slow study; unable to speak in class (62% of overseas

students); • financial problems; paying for course, books food etc (57% overseas students); • loneliness; little contact with other students; want Aussie friends; need better mix in tutorial

groups and in social events (34% of overseas students);

Higher Education Research and Development, Vol 10. No 1, 1991 73

transport difficulties to university (29% of overseas students); worries about academic failure (22% of overseas students); insufficient seats and books etc in library (17% of overseas students); part-time work interferes with study (15% of overseas students); inexperienced student tutors; no contact with lecturers; huge lecture groups (11% of overseas students).

GENERAL DISCUSSION

The survey produces many similar findings to those scattered in a variety of other studies, briefly reviewed earlier, conducted both in Australia and the U.S.A. on the problems of overseas students. This suggests that the data and evidence produced here is reasonably reliable and valid despite the bulk of it being based on subjective perceptions, and from a non-random sample in one institution.

The overall picture that emerges is that overseas students do have a number of problems in common with local students since they are both subject to the same student role, coping with finance, part-time work commitments, academic demands and administrative procedures. But the additional role of being an alien exacerbates and magnifies the stress through linguistic problems, lack of support networks, social isolation, study method deficiencies and the socio-cultural-emotional difficulties (not tackled in this paper) involved in cultural adjustment. There is evidence of study shock in these findings as documented by recurring themes from the self perceived difficulties of those students. Overseas students surveyed tended to spend the bulk of their time studying and earning money. Lack of finance, English language problems, tertiary study method requirements, personal worries, separation from family and friends at home and adjustment to the Australian culture form the basis to individual problems. Overseas students constitute a potentially "at risk" group.

The study reveals that the average overseas student surveyed is a hardworking and hard up person with problems with the English language, with acquiring new study skills, and coping with a very different culture. Cultural and social differences create two different sets of expectations as to the appropriate behaviour. The identification of culture shock and study shock problems in a simplistic way with non-random samples does nothing to solve such problems. Although overseas students confront similar developmental issues and experience similar difficulties to local students the fact that they are foreigners and temporary sojourners means that overseas student must face additional difficulties. Many of the personal problems of overseas students are better solved by their fellow students than by other agencies from outside their culture. In most East Asian countries it is not the done thing to discuss your problems with strangers; overseas students are more inclined to confide their academic, personal and family problems to members of their own ethnic group rather than to counsellors. In view of this, financial and training support given to national clubs and associations and to employing trained counsellors of the relevant ethnic origins will pay better dividends for facilitating the adjustment of new overseas students than a whole bevy of Australian counsellors and social workers whose own cultural background constrains knowledge and empathic understanding of the problems of overseas students. The cultural values and norms implicit in counselling are essentially white, Western and middle class. (This also has implications for Aboriginal students.)

74 Study and Stress in Overseas Students

In terms of study shock overseas students appear to face an intellectual revolution, where questions, argument, criticism and participation are required, where informal teachers raise questions and leave them unanswered expecting further reading to pursue the issue. Asian students rarely challenge the teacher, critical thinking and independent study are not required for success. Success so far in their lives has been brought by memorisation and replication. In respect of academic writing, Western society places great value in comparing, discussing, and evaluating various arguments which leads to conclusions based on marshalling data. Moreover Western society prefers such evidence to be presented in logical order, a linear argument with no digression. Asian thought tends to look at things as a whole, evidence being brought in as required with the argument seeming loose and never getting to the point. It is a circular argument structure, of relevant but not necessarily connected points that eventually homes in on the central issue.

That the overseas student succeeds, and on average their results are better than local students (Pauley, 1988), is the high price they pay in personal commitment. Their educational traditions, and inefficient study methods are counteracted by dint of constant diligence and single minded attention to academic goals. Yet despite this industriousness many complain that they have difficulty keeping up with the prescribed work.

The income side of full fee paying students is readily apparent. What is not so apparent is the hidden cost for additional support services. The major issue emanating from all this is to what extent should the university devote scarce resources mainly to one particular group of students. Should we only accept those who will not make great demands on extra services i.e. those with the necessary language skills who are also quite Westernised or have we a moral obligation to assist developing countries and as a consequence, a moral duty to provide extra services in an ethos of positive discrimination for their student citizens whom we accept for study here to enable them to achieve the end they came for? Can we preferably devise support structures that can be used by all students? This would remove the stigma, increase inter- group contact and enable local students to derive benefit too. It must not be forgotten that many local students revealed similar problems to overseas students concerning their preparation for university study, competence at academic skills, worries, and stress symptoms. Hence measures taken and resources used to alleviate difficulties for overseas students also have spin off for local students thereby facilitating their adjustment, academic performance and positive feeling too. The gains are gains for all, whether students, staff or administrators creating an ethos of warmth, support and acceptance in which every member of the university community can develop and grow.

Under such circumstances a mixed model of providing support services seems appropriate. There is a clear call for specialist support and services, even ethnically based in some areas, but in others overseas students can use the mainstream service provided the mainstream service is sensitive to the needs, circumstances and cultures of overseas students.

While increases in enrolments of local students lead to fairly predictable planning needs, a sudden increase in overseas students demands more careful planning of support services, course content and teaching styles. If such does not take place feelings of anxiety, frustration and failure among the general student population and among staff will occur since neither group will be able to cope adequately with unplanned and un-resourced change. What usually happens is that these students are plugged into existing courses and taught as if they were Australian students with all the previous cultural and educational experiences that assumes.

Some of the overseas students in this survey are already questioning whether they are getting value for money. The provision of adequate support services can minimise the problems

Higher Education Research and Development, Vol 10, No 1, 1991 75

overseas students face, and facilitate academic and personal gains. A viable future engagement in the overseas market where students are already starting to do some comparative shopping will be more feasible if an institution has developed a high profile in terms of support services. Caring will pay in many ways.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Mitigation of the problems of overseas students would appear to require: 1. Thorough and detailed pre-departure orientation before overseas students depart for

Australia on academic and cultural issues. 2. The production of a simplified guide to the campus containing inter alia details and names

of who to see for what purpose; how to deal with various administrative procedures like enrolment, and where various facilities are located.

3. Overseas students should arrive at the institution well before the normal orientation week. A longer familiarisation period is needed so that not just an understanding of the institution and the academic demands occurs but a gradual infusion into the culture and local community is achieved well before study starts.

4. Most Asian students have been sent off by a large group of family and friends. They would normally be met by such on their return. It is therefore highly desirable that overseas students be met at the airport if possible by people from their own country.

5. Universities need to investigate carefully the correlation between performance on tests that assess language skills of potential students and the subsequent performance of those students to determine which are the most valid tests for particular academic areas. Students who do not reach an agreed criterion must take some remedial course either at the University or privately before being admitted; otherwise we are loading the student with constraints on academic performance to compound the other psycho-social difficulties they also face and handing over to untrained individual staff the invidious duties of remediation and even perhaps having to fail conscientious students.

6. A strong case can be made for initial study skills courses but more so for continuing assistance. Only when a student feels dissatisfaction with their performance are they likely to try to get benefit from such a course. Courses on study skills in specific content areas given in collaboration with academic staff of the discipline are generally more successful than general study skills courses. Not only can study skills be discussed and practised within the framework of a given discipline but the presence of academic staff gives such courses a stamp of approval very crucial for status conscious Asian students.

7. Counselling centres should examine the feasibility of developing, training and supporting a peer counselling network for overseas students which would provide a more culturally relevant self help service as well as a source of referrals for more serious problems. The provision of peer group counselling could help to offset the reluctance of overseas students to seek counsel at formal counselling and establishes peer counsellors who have empathy and understanding of their own ethnic group.

8. A mentor or buddy scheme to assist new students settle in using older experienced students of the same ethnic group should be developed in conjunction with overseas student

76 Study and Stress in Overseas Students

organisations. Such orientation is also facilitated if the new student has a close and sympathetic host culture friend in addition.

9. At least one member of staff in each School/Department should be identified as one who will monitor, advise and support overseas students.

10. Academic staff should be encouraged (a) to employ a variety of teaching methods that permit for differences in learning style for while we do expect overseas students to adapt to the required study skills they cannot do so overnight and in any case not even all local students learn and study in the same way. There is no best way to teach anything. Cultural sensitivity requires flexibility in teaching style; (b) to learn students' names as this helps to promote a feeling of acceptance and interest by the academic; (c) to avoid slang, idiom, irony and sarcasm which are often meaningless and confusing to overseas students. Jokes do not translate well either, (d) to write key words and concepts on the overhead projector; (e) to provide study questions for guidance; (f) to remember that no matter how objective the format of an examination no assessment instrument is culturally neutral. The ethnicity of the tester in an oral, the test taking experiences of the testee, the language skills required are a few of the variables that will influence the reliability and validity of the test. It might be useful to consider whether in their first year all overseas students be given slightly longer to complete written examinations; (g) to develop sensitivity to the needs of overseas students and initiate contact with them if any appear to have difficulties. Overseas students are reluctant to bother teachers; there is a cultural respect for them and so students will rarely make the first move. Assist those who are failing and encourage them to seek specialist help if necessary; (h) to provide comprehensive feedback on assignments etc. Simply writing "wrong" or "poor introduction" does not tell anyone what is the problem and how they should go about rectifying it.

11. Staff need to be fully aware of the indicators that suggest a student is in distress. One of the most sensitive is that of attendance. Disinterest in personal appearance, avoidance of participation in class, and withdrawal from social contact all indicate a potential or developed problem. Signs of drug abuse and drinking should not be ignored. They are an easy escape no matter who the student is. Academic performance is also an indicator. Fluctuating quality of work, lateness of assignments, copying, and lying may also indicate emotional strain. In severe cases of culture shock there will be psychosomatic symptoms such as headaches, memory lapses, poor concentration, tiredness. It is better to recognise a problem when it is small than have to handle an increasingly unmanageable problem.

Address for Correspondence: Dr R.B. Burns, Bruce Hall, GPO Box 827, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia.

Higher Education Research and Development, Vol 10, No 1, 1991 77

REFERENCES

Australian Vice-Chancellors Committee. (1988). Code of Ethical Practice in the Provision of Full Fee Courses to Overseas Students by Australian Higher Education Institutions. Canberra: Author.

Arubayi, E. (1981). Perceptions of problems identified by Nigerian students in the USA. College Student Journal, 15, 115-120.

Ballard, B. (1980). Overseas students and university study techniques. Paper presented at the Australian Development Assistance Bureau conference, Canberra.

Ballard, B. (1982). Language is not enough. In H. Bock and J. Gassin (Eds.), Communication at University. Melbourne: La Trobe University Press.

Ballard, B. and Clanchy, J. (1984). Study Abroad. Manual for Asian students. Longman: Kuala Lumpur.

Bradley, D. and Bradley, M. (1984). Problems of Asian students in Australia. Canberra: Department of Education and Youth Affairs.

Burke, B.D. (1986). Experiences of overseas under-graduate students. Sydney: University of New South Wales, Student Counselling and Research Unit.

Gassin, J. (1982). The learning difficulties of the foreign student Higher Education Research and Development, 4, 13-16.

Goldring Committee Report. (1984). Mutual Advantage: Report of the Committee of Review of Private Overseas Student Policy. Canberra: Australian Government Printing Office.

Kaputin, C. (1988). Teaching and learning styles in Singapore and Malaysia. Perth: Curtin University of Technology, Education Development Unit.

Pauley, G. P. (1988). Overseas fee paying students at Curtin University of Technology: Report on their progress after one year. Unpublished manuscript.

Phillips, D. (1985). Formative evaluation of English language training needs of Indonesian students. Canberra: Australian National University.

Pedersen, P. (1983). Asian personality theory. In R. Corsini and A. Marsella (Eds.). Contemporary theories of personality. Ithaca, New York: Peacock Press.

Samuelowicz, K. (1987). Learning problems of overseas students. Higher Education Research and Development, 6, 121-133.

Schram, J. (1988). Alienation in international students, Journal of College Student Development, 29, 146-150.

Surdam, J. and Collins, R. (1984). Adaptation of international students. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25, 240-245.