Engaging ethnically diverse first year students. A Practice Report

Abstract

This Practice Report focuses on selected findings from a New Zealand Teaching and Learning Research Initiative project on student engagement. It analyses data from different ethnic groups (Pakeha, Māori, Pasifika and Asian), identifying some similarities and differences in the importance each group accords two aspects of engagement relevant to the FYHE conference topics – belonging and feedback. The data suggests that these students’ views align with recent research on feedback but differs from some of the importance attributed to a sense of belonging.  The discussion by the participants focussed on what the presenter and participants did in their practice to enhance the engagement of students from different ethnic groups by fostering their sense of belonging and providing constructive feedback promptly, especially to those students who feel like “fish out of water” in their institution.