Using the ExcelL program to help international students excel

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that international students from non-English speaking backgroun ds (NES B) experience difficulties with classroom participation and intercultural relations hips. Recently, calls have been made for research to examine strategies that universities can implement to facilitate intercultural interactions and intemational students' learning experiences. In response this pilot study investigated the effect of an intervention program ent itled Excellence in Experiential Learning and Leadership (Exce IL{ While the Excell, program has been success fully implemented in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and The Netherlands, this is the first time it has been utilised in the New Zealand context.Twenty-five students enro lled at a New Zealand institution completed the six-week ExcelL program. There were significant changes between the pre- and postintervention scores for open-mind edness, social initiative and emotional stability. Furthermore international students reported increased confidence and friendships both in the classroom and in the wider community. While this pilot study has shown the immediate effectiveness of the ExcelL program, it is recommended that further investigation of the long-term impact of such an intervention strategy be conducted and that this research be repeated with an increased number of domestic students to ensure relevant comparisons across a larger sample size.