Us and them: The experience of international nursing students engaged in team based learning: A qualitative descriptive study

Background: International students report multiple challenges adjusting to educational settings. Instructional strategies such as Team Based Learning (TBL), could provide international students with opportunities that promote academic success, language skills and social connectedness. However, little is known about international students' experience of TBL. The aim of this study was to explore culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students' experiences of TBL. Methods: This paper reports on a qualitative study that explored the experiences of 15 international students enrolled in an Australian university nursing program, where TBL is used. Results: Findings indicate that TBL promotes language proficiency and respectful intercultural connections. It also uncovered an unintentional benefit of TBL in interrupting racism towards international students from domestic students. However, it is not enough to rely on TBL to mitigate the impact of racial and cultural power dynamics in educational settings. Conclusion: To improve international student experiences, educators must actively engage students in dialogue about privilege and structural racism as it relates to international students and other people of colour.