Embarking on this research project has been a fascinating and complex endeavour. I found great fulfilment in designing and facilitating the focus group, where we delved into the multifaceted experiences of international students at a UK university. Their engagement and candour provided invaluable insights.

My journey through this action research project has been as revelatory as it has been formidable. Balancing my role as a part-time lecturer at the University of Westminster with my PGCert studies at UAL presented its unique set of challenges, not the least of which was navigating the intricacies of ethical approval.

In the eleventh hour before our focus group commenced, I found myself constructing a survey – a 20-question exploration designed on Microsoft Forms. The intention was to extend the conversation initiated in the focus group, bridging themes and extracting wider student perspectives.

As I embarked on my final PGCert module, I faced an initial quandary about the most effective approach to take. My research background was non-existent, and the topic at hand – the experiences of international students in UK universities – seemed best explored through a collective, conversational format, which my professional background as a video producer, I’m good at interviewing people.

My foray into university teaching was untraditional. With a background in media production rather than academia, I found myself in classrooms and studios of LCC in 2020, not due to formal training but to my industry experience. One of my initial surprises was the cultural makeup of the students  – particularly the high number of Chinese students. In my MATV class of 2021, the entire cohort was international. Which led me to challenge my positionally and conscious and sub-conscious basis.

List of articles, blog posts, podcasts and videos which I have accessed for my research.

Navigating the complexities of pursuing my Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice at UA while concurrently teaching at the University of Westminster presented a unique set of challenges.

In my research, I looked for any articles or media on the topic of international students’ experience while studying in the UK. I came across this article and podcast by Ben Chu, BBC Economics editor at Newsnight, which focuses on the phenomenon of Chinese students in the UK, a group often subject to stereotyping and controversy.

In the realm of qualitative research, few methods are as personally resonant and academically profound as autoethnography. This was illuminated for me upon reading “Analyzing Analytic Autoethnography: An Autopsy” by Carolyn S. Ellis and Arthur P. Bochner, whose unconventional approach—a scholarly conversation mirroring a casual chat—broke the mold of academic writing for me.