Instructional Insights Gained From Teaching a Research Methods Course to Chinese International Graduate Students Studying in Canada

Chinese students represent an increasing proportion of the student body in
Canadian postsecondary institutions (Citizenship and Immigration Canada,
2015). While studying abroad, many of these students face linguistic and
sociocultural challenges (Zhang, 2016), resulting in calls for Western
instructors to provide linguistically and culturally sensitive instruction (Lin
& Scherz, 2014). In this qualitative study, we utilized a form of reflexive
ethnography (Enfield & Stasz, 2011) to outline our experiences teaching a
required research methodology course to Chinese graduate students.
Specifically, we discuss our pedagogical efforts in context of utilizing
students’ reported research experiences, facilitating their acquisition of
subject-specific vocabulary, and fostering a collaborative learning
environment. We conclude by offering instructional suggestions to others
who teach research methodologies to Chinese students.