1. The Overview of Oversea College
Pre-class Learning：Watch the video and have the overview of oversea college, then finish the following tasks.
Topic: Think about it and share your opinions on the online forum.
1. Do you have the ideal oversea university？
（cues: ivy league, top 100, TAFE, etc.）
2. What is your general impression on the oversea university？
（cues: diverse students, academic life, multiple clubs, international fame, energetic community, unique experience, world-class professor, etc.）
Test: Please watch the video online and answer the questions in the form.
Please answer the following questions according to what you have learned from the video.
1. How many academic years does it take to get a bachelor's degree in the United States?
2. Do American students have to decide their majors at the first year in the university?
3. If some students don't have plenty of time to study, what kind of study will fit them well?
4. If you only have the certificate now, do you have the possibility to get the university degree in the future？
Wordlist
Glossary
In-class Learning
Skill Tips
Knowledge about western educational system
•Types of colleges/universities in the USA
•Different study level
•Credit system: compulsory course, elective course, core course, major course, etc.
Reading Text
Study Abroad in College——benefits ＆ challenges
Studying abroad offers a unique opportunity to grow academically, professionally, and personally while going on an adventure. There are a number of other benefits to study abroad; however, there are also numerous challenges. Consider the pros and cons, and decide if studying abroad may be right for you.
Benefits
1. Experience a Foreign Culture
Visiting foreign lands in person is an entirely different experience. When you study abroad, you participate in the day-to-day life of a new locale, gaining a first-hand understanding and new appreciation of the culture.
2. Improve Your Second Language Skills
You may already be fluent in a second language, or you might study abroad in one of the many countries where English is spoken as a first language.
3. Explore Your Own Heritage
Students whose familial heritage stems from abroad will often choose to explore their ethnicity and ancestry. In fact, reports show that minority students benefit both personally and academically when they have studied abroad in the country of their family's origin.
4. Learn How to Communicate Across Cultures
Studying abroad helps you become familiar with the customs and traditions of the country in which you are studying, in addition to the language. By interacting with locals, you can develop an appreciation for the culture and its differences from your own.
5. Become More Independent
Studying abroad removes you from the normal support network that you are accustomed to back home. While on the other hand, being away from friends and family can seem daunting, it is also a chance for you to hone your own skills and gain some independence.
Challenges
1. Homesickness Can Occur Frequently
If you have never spent much time far from home, this could be a serious issue. You may find yourself yearning for the people you left back home, and the less outgoing you are, the more of a problem this can become.
2. It May Be Difficult to Get to Know Locals
In some countries, the locals will be warm and inviting, while in others, it might take a little more effort to make friends. If you're concerned, find out in advance how Americans are typically received and treated in the area.
3. You May Experience Culture Shock When You Return Home
Once you become used to a foreign environment, your home might actually seem foreign to you. This effect will be most notable when returning from countries where cultural differences from your home are numerous.
（adapted from website https://www.moneycrashers.com/reasons-why-studyabroad-benefits/）
Question 1: How do minority students explore their own heritage？
Question 2: By which way can students develop their understanding of foreign cultures and their own culture？
Question 3: What type of people may suffer from homesickness more？
Question 4: What does“culture shock”mean from the text？
Project
Let us do the discussion on what we have learned from the class. Follow the steps.
Step 1: Use the information from the above text and give a short talk about your personal understanding of what you will get from the oversea university.
Sample structure
From what I've learned in this class, I know there are challenges and benefits when we study at abroad.
What benefits are…
What challenges are…
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Step 2: Try to compare the eastern and western universities and list their commons and differences as much as possible.
Sample structure
Both in eastern and western universities, we have to…
However, in eastern universities, they…, while in the west, they…
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