Mapping the research on pedagogies with international students in the UK: a systematic literature review

Abstract

International students are a key demographic in UK higher education, yet there is limited literature dedicated to pedagogies for and with international students. We undertook a systematic literature review of journal articles from 2013 to 2019 which presented empirical evidence on specific pedagogic practices relating to international students in the UK. We identified 49 articles matching our selection criteria and analysed their aims, methods, findings and discursive framings of international students. Our findings show a dispersed literature, with wide ranging practices and conclusions, prohibiting an effective evidence based synthesis. International students continue to be subtly framed as in deficit or passive, rarely as partners or knowledge agents. We propose future research can be more methodologically ambitious, offer richer pedagogic detail to facilitate transferability and replication of teaching practices, and build in positive framings of international students.