Behind the façade: expatriate teachers’ experiences of marketisation in Chinese internationalised schools

Abstract

ABSTRACT With the explosive growth of the international school industry and the rise of nontraditional international schools, the experiences of expatriate teachers have gained importance. This qualitative, hermeneutical phenomenological study addressed an under-researched problem of marketisation in Chinese internationalised schools by exploring expatriate teachers’ experiences. Data collection involved individual interviews and focus groups, capturing insights from a diverse sample of 16 expatriate teachers who had worked in Chinese internationalised schools for at least one school year. Oliver’s expectation-confirmation theory served as the theoretical framework, affording the study an expectation-versus-reality lens. Participants’ expectations of employment in Chinese internationalised schools were inflated by these institutions’ “beautiful façade”, involving a carefully crafted image of professionalism, credibility, and elitism. The reality behind the façade revealed a focus on profit at the expense of educational quality, customer-service orientations towards parents and students, a diminished role of expatriate teachers, and draining workloads. The study makes a novel contribution to the literature by exemplifying specific aspects of marketisation affecting educators. The findings have implications for the management of expatriate teachers in for-profit international schools and expatriate candidates applying for jobs in China.