We have conducted a series of focus group meetings with students and staff at our project partner institution, Chinese University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) and at Victoria University. The following emails and excerpts of conversations are taken from the focus group discussions.

Feedback about the new resource 2009

Kim and Richard Video

Notes from CUFE focus group June 2009
» Download notes (PDF format, 64Kb)

Notes from VU focus group July 2009
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April's Journey

Notes from CUFE focus group June 2009
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Graphic Novel

Notes from VU focus group July 2009
» Download notes (PDF format, 38Kb)

Feedback about the existing resource 2008

Clarification list from interviews

The project team held five face-to-face interviews with VU international students from China to identify problems with the existing video from the pilot project.

Students suggested culturally meaningful examples which could be used to replace the ‘western’ examples. They pointed out words, phrases and concepts which they did not understand. They identified technical, navigational issues and quiz difficulties. They also raised other issues about the topic of plagiarism, such as peer pressure to ‘show’ their work to their friends and techniques they had developed to avoid the appearance of not wanting to help.

» Download notes (PDF format, 74Kb)

Notes from focus group with Chinese students at Victoria University

Participants: Roger James (Research and Communcations Consultants) & Victoria University (VU) staff and students
Date: Melbourne, September 2008
» Download notes (PDF format, 37Kb)

Excerpt from conversation about the existing academic literacy website

Participants: Micah Tolman (China-based English language teacher) & Victoria University (VU) staff
Date: Melbourne, August 2008
» Download this excerpt (PDF format, 30Kb)

Emails from CUFE students about the existing academic literacy website

Participants: Chinese students (CUFE)
Date: Beijing, July 2008
» Download the emails (PDF format, 22Kb)

Excerpt from conversation with academic staff about academic honesty

Participants: Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) & Victoria University (VU)
Date: Beijing, June 2008
» Download this excerpt (PDF format, 29Kb)