Understanding the differences in learning styles: A guide for Asia-Pacific students studying in the UK.
For students from the Asia-Pacific region, studying in the UK offers an exciting opportunity—but it also comes with challenges. One of the biggest hurdles is the difference in expectations between students and lecturers. In the UK, you'll be expected to take more responsibility for your learning and work independently, which might be a big shift from what you're used to. Below are some examples of how studying in the UK might be different from studying in your home country.
Embracing Independent Learning
As we mentioned, learners in the UK are expected to be independent and conduct self-directed study outside lectures and seminars. In many countries in Asia-Pacific, teachers direct study and provide learning materials throughout a course. In contrast, In the UK, your lecturers will provide content and resources, but they also expect you to go beyond that.
After lectures and seminars, you'll need to generate your own ideas for further research. This means you’ll need to manage your time effectively and remember that just because you won’t be attending lectures and seminars all week, you still need to spend time studying and building on your knowledge. University libraries usually have all the resources you need and a great way to manage this independent learning is by keeping a study journal. You can use it to track your reading, note down key arguments, and reflect on what you've learned. This habit will help you stay organised and better prepared for your assignments.
Critical Thinking
In many Asia-Pacific countries, teachers often focus on fact-based learning, where memorisation plays a key role. Teachers are often highly respected and what they say is usually considered completely factual. In the UK, however, students are expected to question the information they’re provided, whether this is from teachers, public figures or academics. There’s more of an emphasis on understanding a writer or speaker’s view or opinion about a topic and you’re expected to compare and contrast different views to form your own opinion about something.
Have you ever heard the saying, 'There are always two sides to every story'? This perfectly sums up the UK approach to learning. Just because someone says something is a fact, doesn’t mean you should accept it without question. You’re expected to explore different perspectives and form your own opinion. When you’re writing your assignments, you should try and read texts from different authors with different perspectives to demonstrate to your assessors that you’ve done wider reading and analysed various sources to form your argument.
Active Participation in Lectures and Seminars
In many Asian contexts, lessons can be teacher-centric where students are expected to remain quiet and take notes. In the UK, educators often ask their audience questions and promote active engagement with the content they’re presenting. They might ask you to participate in the traditional way, by encouraging people to raise their hand to give an answer, or may deliver their presentations through software like Mentimeter which enables students to engage in polls, quizzes and other activities. In seminars, more so than in lectures, students are expected to actively participate in discussions and debates – your input is valued and speaking up shows your tutors that you’ve engaged in the learning content.
Group Work and Collaboration
Whilst you will be given independent assignments like essays, you’ll likely also be required to participate in things like group projects and presentations. To effectively do this, you need to be aware of how different perspectives, cultures, strengths and weaknesses, etc. Group projects are a great way for you to practice your project management skills and to demonstrate your skills in group work, problem-solving and communication.
Lecturer-Student Relationships
Lecturers in the UK are happy to be approached informally and to take questions from students. You’ll be encouraged to discuss questions with them and meet for one-to-ones to discuss your learning and assignments. You will be expected to take the initiative and develop your working relationship rather than the other way around.
We understand that studying abroad can seem daunting, but remember, it’s an exciting opportunity for you to learn in different styles and receive top-class education from industry leaders. The independence you’re afforded will help you develop professionally and demonstrate that you’ve managed your time effectively, participated in projects, conducted self-directed research and much more.
It’s also worth noting that you should make the most of the resources on offer to you at your university – after all, you’ve paid enough money for them (or will have). Don’t feel disappointed because you won’t receive as much direction from your teachers in the UK as you might in your home country. Universities have an abundance of support staff and resources for you to take advantage of whilst you’re there and they’re some of the best in the world. Even though adjusting to a different way of learning might be challenging at first, by the end of your time in the UK, not only will you have grown academically, but you'll also leave feeling more confident and prepared to face the challenges of the global workplace.