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    Learning in the Language of Cinema: A Case Study of the Impact of Humanities Subjects on Chinese International Student’s Critical Thinking Ability
    Zhou, Y ; Zhou, S ; Liu, G ; Zhou, S ; Xu, H (Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press, 2020)
    Chinese students make up the largest portion of international students in Australia, yet we know relatively little about their study experience in the humanities and the impact of Australian humanities subjects on their critical thinking ability. Through a qualitative analysis of the academic performance of two cohorts of Chinese international students enrolled in two film studies subjects, this study has revealed that Chinese international students benefit considerably from an Australian-style training, as evident in their improved analytical skills and critical thinking ability. However, English proficiency remains a major challenge for them in obtaining higher scores, which they could have otherwise achieved in a native language educational environment. This study has also discovered that Chinese international students are generally adept at using multi-media tools to present and communicate ideas. Distanced from their home country, Chinese international students are more motivated to study if they feel a cultural or emotional connection with the course content. Communicating in a language that students can resonate with, be it more visual or culturally sensitive, will help both students and educators achieve better outcomes.
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    Language Class Students Placement in Victoria's Multi-cultural Society
    Zhou, S ; Zeng, R ; Liu, G ; Zhou, S ; Xu, H (Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press, 2020)
    The demography of school-level Chinese studies student cohort has been a popular topic since early 2000, which hints the arduous growing of number of local young talents who can achieve a high-level proficiency of this language. Following the development of Australia-China relationship, and its profound influence in Australia national defence, foreign trade, and domestic job market, fostering local school graduates who are able to acquire sufficient language for communication, and encouraging them to pursue further study in this language at tertiary level laid in the centre of Victorian school-level language policies. The hereafter commission to the Late Jane Orton from Australia China Relations Institute yielded the introduction of a new VCE Chinese studies from early 2017, VCE Chinese Language Culture and Society. This article is to investigate if the design of the new VCE Chinese study can address the issues brought out in Orton’s 2016 report. Within the course of two year’s provision, some issues become visible, and thus this chapter propose a review of the study design and a more straightforward and feasible definition of L2 learners, as Orton suggested in her report.
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