Monash Nutrition leads the way with its international student mentoring program
Monash University is ranked in the top one per cent of
universities in the world. The education and professional training
opportunities offered by the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food have
cultivated a strong international reputation. This has resulted in a steadily
increasing number of overseas students from culturally and linguistically
diverse (CALD) backgrounds in Nutrition Science and Nutrition Dietetics courses
at Monash. This diversity in the student cohort enhances cross-cultural learning
and enriches our teaching through the inclusion of students from many
backgrounds.
Students from Confucian heritage cultural backgrounds often
present with very different, sometimes conflicting learning orientations from
the Western model of clinical education (Ladyshewsky, 1996). This is where Dr
Tammie Choi, the Department’s International Student Mentor, steps in.
The Monash Nutrition International / CALD Student Mentoring
Support Program was established in 2017 with the objective to support our
students of CALD backgrounds in their transition to university life in
Australia. According to cross-cultural researchers (Hall, 1976; Hofstede, 1984,
2010), the Australian and Asian cultures are very different, with a cultural
clash or misalignment often experienced by international / CALD students. As
illustrated in Figure 1, the aim of this program is to increase awareness of
the cultural differences and identify strategies to cultivate a supportive and
inclusive learning environment.
Dr Tammie Choi, a former international student and current
teaching associate, has been the facilitator of the program. Tammie has combined
her research knowledge on Confucian learning orientations and Asian preferences
for implicit support with her personal transition in designing the program.
Tammie holds regular meetings with students in the program, which are filled with activities that enhance students’ food knowledge and communication skills, empowering them to adapt to the Australian education environment.
During the meetings, students participate in taste-testing activities
of common Australian foods, identify areas of learning concerns, and
problem-solve with the facilitation of Tammie.
One student commented that “it was the first time talking
about things so relatable since coming to Australia”, with another stating
that “this is the one place I feel I could express myself safely about my
problems”. I “love(d) the story sharing session, which gave us a better picture
of what is coming next. This is really important to me as an international
student”.
Figure 1: Adapted from Hall, 1976; Hofstede, 1984, 2010
“As a department, Monash Nutrition is committed to provide a supportive and inclusive environment for all students of diverse backgrounds and maximise their study experience to become nutrition professionals” said Professor Helen Truby, Department Head. “We are exceptionally proud of the program that Tammie has established, and her commitment to the student experience is second to none” continued Helen.
More information:
For those who identify as an international student / student
of a CALD background, you can either self-enrol onto our program Moodle page
via the Departmental Moodle page, or email Tammie directly on tammie.choi@monash.edu.
You can follow Tammie on Twitter via @tammie_choi.
References:
Ladyshewsky, R. (1996). East meets West: the influence of
language and culture in clinical education. Australian Journal of
Physiotherapy, 42(4), 287-294.
Acknowledgements:
This project has been funded by Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health
Sciences Learning and Teaching Research Grant Scheme 2017. The project is
brought together by a team of researchers including Tammie Choi, Amanda
Anderson, Janeane Dart and Wendy McKenzie.
