Session 26: Clues-in-the-cues: how to improve student experience through a better understanding of their non-western socio-cultural backgrounds

Abstract

Session overview:

This session will help attendees to better appreciate how the socio-cultural backgrounds (values, norms, worldviews, etc.) of ethnically diverse students - which shape the way they learn, socialise, respond to challenges, and seek support - differ from those of the West, and how the socio-culturally informed behaviours and approaches (cues) of such students could, therefore, be misunderstood/misinterpreted (wrong clues) if rationalised using the lens of the Western culture, leading to unpleasant/inadequate student experience and poor outcomes.

The session is relevant to academic and non-academic staff within the university. It will:

1. Present a range of scenarios of non-Western cues, discuss what they mean and the impact on student experience if they are misinterpreted, and suggest best approaches for addressing them.
2. Include case studies and narratives of personal experiences from ethnically diverse individuals.
3. Present the results of LJMU-funded Clues-in-the-Cues Project that developed an evidence base for the experiences of ethnically diverse students.
4. Deploy animation videos (made through the project) and quizzes to illustrate key scenarios.
5. Signpost attendees to further resources to improve their awareness.
6. Discuss the implications of the issues for individual staff and organisational practices and how findings from the project could help improve the inclusiveness of academic, pastoral and professional services support for ethnically diverse students.

The session will present useful learning to support the implementation of a range of institutional strategies and goals, including with respect to enhancing student experience, Employability, EDI, Race Equality Charter, Widening Access Programmes, and Access and Participation Plans.

Key learning points from this session:

Attendees will appreciate the challenges ethnically diverse students face as a result of staff being unaware or misinformed of how the students’ socio-cultural backgrounds, different to the Western culture, influence how they learn. Attendees will obtain guidance on how to address this problem and thus provide inclusive support.

Clues-in-the-cues: how to improve student experience through a better understanding of their non-western socio-cultural backgrounds PowerPoint and EDI Animation Project recording. Only LJMU staff and students have access to this resource.