Effectiveness of an Adaptation Video Viewed by Chinese Students before Coming to Study in the UK/EFFICACITÉ D'UNE ADAPTATION VIDÉO VUE PAR LES ÉTUDIANTS CHINOIS AVANT QU'ILS AILLENT FAIRE LEURS ÉTUDES AU ROYAUME-UNI

Abstract: Aim: A pilot study was carried out to investigate the effectiveness of viewing a video discussion for preparing Chinese students for postgraduate study in the UK. Methods: While still in China, 52 Chinese students were shown a video of a discussion among Chinese students in the UK about what studying in the UK is like. The students in China were shown the video five months before they commenced postgraduate studies in the UK. The students who participated in the video discussion had themselves been studying in the UK for at least six months. Before and after viewing the video, the students in China completed a pre- and post-intervention questionnaire about their expectations of differences between teaching and learning in China and the UK. There was also a follow-up evaluation questionnaire that the students completed after they had been studying for three months in the UK. This elicited their views about the usefulness of the video and suggestions for improving it. Results: After viewing the video, students expected bigger differences between teaching and learning in the UK than before they had viewed the video. In the follow-up evaluation, they reported that the video had been helpful in preparing them for study in the UK, and they suggested ways in which the video could be made more helpful. Conclusions: The pre-departure video approach has potential for assisting in the adaptation of Chinese students studying in a different culture and the suggestions for improvement should be noted by future adaptation video producers. Key words: Chinese students; cultural adaptation; cultural expectations; international students; video Resume: Objectif: Une etude pilote a ete realisee pour etudier l'efficacite de visionner une video pour la preparation des etudiants chinois qui vont faire leurs etudes superieures au Royaume-Uni. Methodes: Alors qu'ils etaient encore en Chine, 52 etudiants chinois ont vu une video d'une discussion entre des etudiants chinois au Royaume-Uni sur ce que les etudes au Royaume-Uni etaient. Les etudiants en Chine ont vu cette video cinq mois avant qu'ils aient commence les etudes de troisieme cycle au Royaume-Uni. Les etudiants qui avaient participe a la discussion dans cette video avaient fait eux-memes des etudes au Royaume-Uni pendant au moins six mois. Avant et apres avoir vu la video, les etudiants en Chine ont fait un pre- et post-intervention questionnaire sur leurs attentes de differences entre l'enseignement et l'apprentissage de la Chine et du Royaume-Uni. Il y avait aussi un suivi de questionnaire d'evaluation que les etudiants ont complete apres trois mois d'etudes au Royaume-Uni. Ainsi, on a obtenu leurs avis sur l'utilite de la video et des suggestions pour l'ameliorer. Resultats: Apres avoir visionne la video, les etudiants attendaient des differences plus grandes entre l'enseignement et l'apprentissage au Royaume-Uni. Dans le suivi d'evaluation, ils ont signale que la video a ete utile dans la preparation pour leurs etudes au Royaume-Uni et ils ont suggere certaines manieres pour rendre la video plus utile. Conclusions: La video avant le depart a le potentiel pour aider les etudiants chinois a s'adapter aux etudes dans une autre culture et leurs suggestions d'amelioration devraient etre notees par les futurs producteurs de l'adaptation video. Mots-Cles: etudiants chinois; adaptation culturelle; exceptions culturelles; etudiants internationaux; video INTRODUCTION During the past decade, as the number of Chinese postgraduate students studying in UK universities has increased, the adaptation problems of this population have received much attention (e.g., Spencer-Oatey & Xiong, 2006), partly because successful resolutions to the adaptation problems of these students are likely to be associated with satisfactory teaching and learning outcomes. Moreover, the identification and analysis of international students' problems are seen by university administrators as means of improving service provision. …