Faculty of Business English

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Some other data are collected by observing the FBE students’ activities on Facebook that are related to sharing information between classes or cooperating in FBE events.

Results

In question number 2, students were asked to describe how well they are connected with other FBEers. Their situations are varied, but can be divided into 3 groups:

1. Poorly connected (if the answer is either A, B, C, D or F): they make up to 69% of the surveyed students.

2. Somewhat well-connected (E or G): 21%.

3. Very well-connected (H or I)[1]: 10%.

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Question number 3 asked about the benefits of having a well-connected network of students in FBE. Some benefits are listed and students were asked how strong they agree/disagree in each benefit. The results are:

0. Students are given the option to say that improving student connection will have little effect on them. 90% of the participants disagreed on this. 3 students were not sure if this issue is important and 5 agreed that student connection is not important.

1. 72% agreed that this is the chance to widen their circle of acquaintances.

2. 95% agreed that students’ experience would be shared more. 32 students even strongly agreed on this benefit.

3. The benefit of better career chances was agreed by 41% of students.

4. 28% agreed that the quality of Faculty’s events would be improved. 52% were not sure about this benefit.

5. The benefit of better perfomance in examinations was agreed by 55% of students, mostly “somewhat agree”.

6. 70% agreed that more books would be exchanged.

Question number 4 gave some suggestions to solve the issue. Students are asked how much are they ready to support each method:

1.Using a common Facebook group. This suggestion was approved the most. 68% said that they would ready to take part in and 15% said they would even contribute to the Facebook group.

2 and 3. Organizing offline meetings between FBE students. These solutions were also responded positively with 60% ready to participate.

4. Buddying. Students mainly chose “Maybe I would join in” for this suggestion (83%).

5. Book exchange. This idea had 56% responded with “maybe” and 31% with “couldn’t wait to take part in”.

Question number 5 investigated the students’ situation to know why they are not very well-connected. The students were asked to choose only one answer best describing their situation. The results are shown in the chart below:

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Question number 6 asked students how they connected with FBE friends. The students could choose as many option as they have. The ways that were chosen the most are: “I was told of them / introduced to them by other FTU friends” (41 times), “Via Facebook/Twitter/…” (30 times) and “I met them in an FBE’s event” (28 times).

Discussion

The situation: Many FBE students currently feel disconnected with other classes. They either don’t know about them, know some of them, or know many of them but have little contact with them. The students who are well-connected usually are sociable ones, or classes’ monitors or members of clubs.

The reason: Most students want to be connected, but they do not have many chances to do this. This is the most considerable reason. Everyday FBE students come to separate classes, meet their FBE teachers, study and then go home without any further mention about their faculty. The students must rely on the most feasible access to contact other students: Facebook[2]. There is an office of the Faculty, but is only visited by students when the students have business there (e.g. to submit homework). The students often get the business done quickly and then get out of there. It is not a place for students to meet students, though.

The solution:

Conclusion

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Annex 2: The demand of communication between students between FBE, as seen on a Facebook page of the Faculty.

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Annex 3: Over 50 FBE students (about 15% of the total FBEers) are participating in a Faculty’s upcoming event, consisting of mainly K52 and K53 (see the bolded column).

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http://www.kellybear.com/TeacherArticles/TeacherTip50.html

http://www.warwicksu.com/democracy/asm/about/

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