Rethinking orientation: Innovation and collaboration in a language and culture camp at a Sino-US university.

Abstract

The past few decades have seen a dramatic increase in the internationalization of higher education institutions, from study abroad programs to increasing internationalization efforts at home (Institute of International Education, 2019; Ogden & Brewer, 2019). Many internationalized higher education institutions aim to develop intercultural competence and L2 proficiency, particularly in study abroad programs. Both are often assumed to be natural outcomes for students in these contexts. However, research suggests that simply spending time in another country, studying at an institution with a diverse student body, or even experiencing intercultural encounters are insufficient (Gurin, Day, Hurtado, & Gurin, 2002; Otten, 2003). Most students require explicit instruction and mentorship to develop these valued competencies (Brewer & Moore, 2015; Jackson, 2017, 2018a; Paige & Vande Berg, 2012). This chapter reports on an intervention during first-year student orientation at Duke Kunshan University (DKU), a newly established Sino–U.S. university in China. The primary goal of this orientation was to employ group activities that would foster connections among all incoming students, while delivering targeted instruction in language learning and academic skills.