I have been learned in GMU about 9 months. During this time, besides from discipline curriculums, I learned lots of language courses included EAP, PROV, and SPEAKING class. Factually, it is not easy to get through the transition leaving familiar studying environments to a strange environment. I believed that not only the low English ability, but some different culture lead to a few of troubles which lots of students are undergoing, accompanying with negative feelings like anxiety, frustrated, and disappointed. Fortunately, even sometimes I suffered various stress from undeveloped language ability, I still can organize daily study very well. Most of the international students like to reasoning the problem they are facing with on a daily basis owing to the shortage of language skills. Contrary, I think the language competence is no more than small part, the real problem is due to the different academic environment. In my opinion, the path-way programs is working as an bridge which helps us successfully to entre the college.
Through path-way program, I learned a lots of things which I never experienced before. Group working and goal orientation are crucial techniques for the students who want to get success in the field of academic. Undoubtedly, both of two ways are unfamiliar with international students, especially from Asian. When I was in TAIWAN, I never though about I can benefit from group works. I was used to achieve assignments, without any suggestions from any other friends. At that time, I considered that doing it myself is the most efficient approaches than doing it with group members at the same time I regarded group working as a way of wasting time. Moreover, I was not glad to accept other classmates’ opinions and suggestions. However, when I got into the path-way program, I find that almost every professors advice us to make a group to fulfill assignments like discussion leader, journal article summary, and feedback classmate’s paper. At first, I really got some troubles to be accustomed this new study atmosphere. Gradually, in order to adjust to this environment, I start to change my attitude to adopt American style study. Before long, I find that group work not only strongly develop our communication skills, but also encourage international students to recognize different culture and respect it. To take me as an example, in the first semester mathematic for computer science exam, I had to design a progress working with my group members who are from India. Even though our linguistic ability is limited, there are no barriers to communicate with each other. When I jumped into the discussion, I realized why professors speak highly of teamwork. From these students with different education background and language, I got lots of fresh ideals I had never though of before.
In addition to co-work, setting specific goals which is referred to as goal-orientation is a necessary skill for the international graduate students who are in the path-way program. The reason is that clear targets like a direction not only guide us to the destination, but also remind us of obligation of study. I believe that goal orientation prompts us to study more positive than the students who have no detailed schedules. Goals are that which an individual attempt to accomplish. Only under the directions of distinctive goals, we get learning motivation to take part in more academic activities to broaden our knowledge. When we are in troubles, one of the available approach is to set clear goals to adjust our moods ways to make clear it what we have to do know. In last semester PROV class, the professor requires students to list the goals ranging from curriculums to individual life at the beginning of the class, taking it as an assignment counting grade. In my opinion, it is an essential ability with which overseas students are equipped. When they are studying in the foreign county, we always have no clear ideal about what should we have to do or how should we accomplish it. Certainly, setting goals is an efficient way to save enough time on study instead of spending much time on unnecessary things. Only if owing elaborate goal-setting, we are not far away our goals.
Finally, I believe that every international students benefits from path-way programs. Even this program delays our enrollment time, it is valuable that we spent much time on being familiar new academic environment and requirements in order to have more benign performance in the future. Through path-way program, you not only take more time to make up our English ability, but also to get close to the American culture.