International students' experiences transitioning into Western post-secondary education

Despite the ongoing challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has had in the number of international students able to come to Canada, over 500,000 students chose to study at Canadian institutions in 2021 (erudera, 2022). Many post-secondary institutions focus on acclimatizing international students to living in Canada versus what to expect in the classroom. The aim of this research was to explore the educational experiences of international students transitioning into Canada and a western post-secondary pedagogy. This qualitative research project interviewed three international students who were studying at a northern Canadian college for at minimum one semester in 2022 to ascertain what areas the students are being supported in, and where it is lacking. Analysis of their interviews revealed that instructors have a pedagogical bias in their educational expectations international students. This resulted in students facing many of the academic challenges in their Canadian education. A recommendation emerging from this research is training for staff and faculty in internationalizing curriculum.