Do Academic Orientations Make a Difference: A Preliminary Assessment

Abstract

Research on the experiences of international students and their adaptation to the education environment in NZ has revealed some dissatisfaction relating to the academic experience of international students in NZ. It has been suggested that the discrepancy between international students' expectations and reality may sometimes contribute to negative views and difficulties with study. Student Learning Support Service at Victoria University of Wellington has designed and trialled a number of academic orientation programmes and materials for international students, in an attempt to ease the transition, raise awareness of possible challenges students may face in a NZ tertiary environment, and ultimately create a more positive and rewarding academic experience. This paper reports on a preliminary evaluation of the influence of our academic orientation programmes on international students' attitudes and study behaviours. Students who attended the July 2004 orientation, as well as those who did not, were invited to participate in a two-stage research programme. They were interviewed at the beginning of the trimester, and at mid-trimester they responded to a questionnaire. We found that students who had attended our academic orientation programmes tended to demonstrate more detailed awareness of the main skills required in their new education environment. They also tended to apply a wider range of study strategies. We tentatively conclude that academic orientation programmes do make a difference.