Asian students are less likely to participate in class discussions--does that mean they don't learn as much?

Ronald MillerPaul FreebairnJeremy OrregoKeitaro YoshidaSin Sze Cecilia Yiu

BYU Hawaii

Small, 4-year comprehensive university About 2400 students Highly international campus Mission to serve Asia & Pacific Arts & sciences (professional programs in business,

education and computing) Located near Oahu’s north shore

What we’re presenting…Overview

NSSE and BYUH’s Participation

Research Questions, Methodology & Statistical Analysis Previous Studies ( NSSE, Participation & Culture)

In-class Participation

Actual GPAs

Other VariablesDistribution of MajorsGrades in Discussion-intensive vs Lecture CoursesHow Students Spend Their Time

Faculty & Student Feedback

Summary & Implications

Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education

(Chickering & Gamson, 1987)

Student-faculty contact Active learning Prompt feedback Time on task High expectations Respect for diverse learning styles Cooperation among students

Participation in NSSE

Since 200265% average response rate over 4-yrsBYUH NSSE Database (n=1989)

Ethnicity (1331)Asian (632)Caucasian (699)

440 FY and 891 SR Country of Origin

Asian Countries: Japan (111), Hong Kong (70), South Korea (69), China (46), Taiwan (32), Mongolia (26), Thailand (25), and Malaysia (19)

USA (1105)

“Asian” Cultural Values

• Respecting elders

• Group over individual interests

• Maintaining harmony in relationships

Research QuestionsDo Asian students participate less in class?

Do Asian students participate more as seniors than they do as first-year students?

Does participation in class impact a student’s GPA?

Are there other factors related to academic performance besides classroom participation?

Do course grades for Asian students differ significantly in discussion-intensive courses?

Do Asian students tend to gravitate to certain majors?

Previous Studies• Discussion between peers and instructors increases problem

solving ability (Hake, 1998).

• Students who engage in learning perform significantly better than lectured and tutored students (Redish & Steinberg, 1999).

• Higher engagement levels and higher grades go hand-in-hand (Kuh, 2003)

• Asian students participate significantly less in class than others (Yeh & Inose, 2003)

• Students report better understanding of course concepts when actively engaged in learning (Ahlfeldt, Mehta & Sellnow 2005)

Statistical Analysis

•Hotelling’s T² t-test by ethnicity

•ANOVA (Tukey post-hoc test) by ethnicity and home country

•Correlations (GPA/participation by ethnicity and home country)

Class Participation

Class Participation Questions (NSSE)

Students were asked how often they did each of the following:

(Scale: 1-Never, 2-Sometimes, 3-Often, 4-Very Often)

• Asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions (CLQUEST)

• Included diverse perspectives (different races, religions, genders, political beliefs, etc.) in class discussions or writing assignments (DIVCLASS)

2.65

3.193.04

3.28

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

CLQUEST DIVCLASS

Asian

Caucasian

Class Participation by Ethnicity

Hotelling T-square test results

*Significant at the .01level

Asians participated in class significantly less than Caucasians

*

*

Class Participation by Country

Students from Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan participated in class significantly less than

students from the U.S.

2.6

2.4 2.5

2.9

2.72.8

2.3

2.6

3.1

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

CLQUEST

Hong Kong

Japan

Malaysia

Mongolia

China

Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

USA

Class Participation (FY to SR)

Participation in class did not differ significantly for First-Year and Senior students from Asian countries

*

*

2.55

2.81

2.55

3.18

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

First-Year Seniors

AsianUSA

Actual GPA’s

3.213.36

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

GPAs

Ethnicity

Asian

Caucasian

GPA Comparison by Ethnicity

When comparing GPA’s by ethnicity, Asian students tend to have slightly (but significantly) lower GPA’s

than Caucasians, however…

*

*Significant at the .01 level

GPA Comparison by Country

There is no significant difference in GPA’s when comparing country of origin (Asia to USA)

Tukey Test Results

3.4

3.2 3.23.23.33.3

3.2 3.23.2

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

GPA

Hong Kong

Japan

Malaysia

Mongolia

China

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

USA

Class Participation of Asian and Caucasian Students

Class participation is significantly correlated with GPA for Caucasians (r=.20)* but not for Asians (r=.05)

*significant at the p<.05 level

Other Correlations for Asians

– Preparing for class (r=.13)*

– Relationships with Faculty (r=.12)*– Acquiring a broad general education (r=.12)*– Acquiring job or work-related knowledge and skills (r=.13)*– Attending the same institution if you could start over again

(r=.12)*

*significant at the p<.05 level

Other Variables

Course grades (English & Biology)

Distribution of majors

How students spend their time

Course Grades

Grades in ENGL101 (by Country)

Class participation is essential in English 101

at BYUH

3.4

3.23.1 3.2

3.2

3.4

3.2

3.43.3

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

English

Hong Kong

Japan

Malaysia

Mongolia

China

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

USA

Grades in BIOL100 (by Country)

Class participation is not required in Biology 100

We found no significant difference between grades received in either English

101 or Biology 100

3.4

3.0

3.3

3.0

3.7

3.1

2.9

3.1

3.3

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Biology

Hong Kong

Japan

Malaysia

Mongolia

China

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

USA

Distribution of Majors

Distribution of Majors (USA)

Most popular:– International Business Management (12%)

– Information Systems (8%)

– Intercultural Studies (7%)

Least popular:– Hawaiian Studies (1%)

– Math (1%)

Distribution of Majors (Asian)

Most popular:– Psychology/Social Work (16%)

– International Business Management (9%)

– Hotel and Tourism Management (9%)

– Accounting (9%)

Least popular:– Elementary Education (1%)

– English (1%)

– Political Science (1%)

Most popular:– Psychology/ Social Work (23%)

– Information Systems/Computer Science (12%)

– TESOL (8%)

Least popular:– Biology / Biochemistry (1%)

– English (none)

– History (none)

Distribution of Majors (Japan)

How students spend their time

Time Spent Studying (by Country)

Students from China, Mongolia and Japan prepare for class significantly more than students from the U.S.

4.3

4.74.9

5.2 5.3

4.4

5.0

4.4

4.1

1

2

3

4

5

6

ACADPR01

Hong Kong

Japan

Malaysia

Mongolia

China

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

USA

1 = 0 hours 2 = 1-5 hours 3 = 6-10 4 = 11-15 5 = 16-20 6 = 21-25 7 = 26-30 8 = More than 30 hours

Time Spent Relaxing & Socializing (by Country)

Students from Asia spent about the same amount of time relaxing and socializing as U.S. students

1 = 0 hours 2 = 1-5 hours 3 = 6-10 4 = 11-15 5 = 16-20 6 = 21-25 7 = 26-30 8 = More than 30 hours

2.9

3.3

2.6 2.5

2.9 2.93.1

2.93.2

1

2

3

4

5

6

SOCIAL01

Hong Kong

Japan

Malaysia

Mongolia

China

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

USA

Time Spent in Co-curricular Activities (by Country)

Students from Asia spent about the same amount of time in co-curricular activities as U.S. students

1 = 0 hours 2 = 1-5 hours3 = 6-10 4 = 11-15 5 = 16-20 6 = 21-25 7 = 26-30 8 = More than 30 hours

2.4

1.92.2 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

2.2 2.1

1

2

3

4

5

6

COCURR01

Hong Kong

Japan

Malaysia

Mongolia

China

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

USA

What we’ve learned…from our Faculty

Faculty L2 survey results

I feel that ______ of the ESL students in my classes have adequate English language skills to …

Almost None

Very Few

Some Many Almost All

N/A Avg

understand and follow class instructions.

0% 0% 14% 46% 34% 6% 4.22

meaningfully participate in class discussion

2% 12% 34% 32% 12% 9% 3.43

give comprehensible, acceptable oral presentations.

1% 1% 33% 41% 14% 10% 3.73

Some faculty comments…“The ESL Students will not ask questions in class. Most feel that it is not their place to ask.”

“Generally, I call on those students who volunteer to respond. ESL students (with several notable exceptions) are often hesitant to raise their hands or otherwise volunteer to participate.”

“Some of my ESL students lack confidence in joining in class discussions for fear of not understanding or being able to express themselves or are fearful other students will not understand them.”

“Nonverbally, they are begging me not to. While I want to challenge students I don't want so much stress in their lives that it becomes counter productive and impromptu oral engagement/argument can do that.”

“I don't always have the chance to manipulate the situation so that they are not being asked to speak off the top of their heads without time to organize what they will say.”

What we’ve learned…from our Students

Asian students participate less…

Because it takes them longer to process– “I would speak out but it takes me longer than other students to

think what to say.”

– “Foreign students do not always understand what the teacher is talking about and need time to think about it. They want to participate but cannot just jump into the discussion.”

– “In a class where the majority of people are Americans, they talk about things that only Americans will understand.”

2006 Focus Group Members

But Asian students… Participate in different ways

– “In class, I may not say something, but I am participating in my mind.”

– “Sometimes as Asians we take in what other people say and analyze it. That is how we are trained.”

– “I think some students ask questions just because they want to impress the teacher.”

– “Teachers back home ask for the correct answers to a question, whereas teachers here ask for students’ opinions.”

– “Under the Asian style education system, getting good grades is learning.”

2006 Focus Group Members

Summary & Implications

SummaryAlthough there are significant differences in class participation, there is not much difference in actual GPAs for Asian and Caucasian students. An Asian students’ amount of participation doesn’t increase over time.

Class participation is moderately correlated with GPA but only for Caucasian students. For Asian students, class preparation, relationships with faculty and acquiring a broad general education and work-related skills and knowledge are slightly correlated with GPA.

Asian students do as well academically in discussion-intensive courses (English 101).

Some Asian students compensate for less participation in class by spending more time in preparation for class and and less time relaxing and socializing.

Both Asian and US students enjoy a variety of majors that are participatory in nature.

Implications for the ClassroomCreate alternatives

Share expectations

Be sensitive to cultural values

Schedule sufficient office hours

Remember names (direct questions)

Give students time to think about discussion topics in advance (email,

preview topics)

Questions?

Please contact us…Ronald Miller (millerr@byuh.edu)

Paul Freebairn (freebaip@byuh.edu)

Jeremy Orrego (orregoj@gmail.com)

Keitaro Yoshida (keicima0154@gmail.com)

Cecilia Yiu (ceci1027@gmail.com)

Accreditation & IR Websites

http://w2.byuh.edu/PIRAT/Accreditation/index.php

http://w2.byuh.edu/PIRAT/Institutional%20Research/AIR2006-participation.pps