Academic Acculturation Research Articles

Double transitions of Chinese students in the ‘2 + 2’ articulation program under the influence of field coupling and social capital

ABSTRACT In the ‘2 + 2’ articulation program, Chinese students encounter many challenges in academic study and sociocultural life. There is debate regarding their intercultural transition experiences – whether they undergo acculturation, adhering to the home/original culture or adapting to the host/new culture, or remain in between the home/original and host/new culture in a ‘third space’? Existing research refers to numerous institutional and individual factors that influence students’ intercultural transition experiences. However, investigations are lacking regarding the cross-field effect triggered by field coupling and students’ three types of social capital: bonding, bridging, and linking. This study considers eight Chinese student participants who studied at a Sino-foreign cooperative university (SFCU) in China for the first two years and then transitioned to its partner university in the UK for the following two years. The findings showed that they experienced academic acculturation over time (from year one to three) and sociocultural in-betweenness across space (from the SFCU to the British partner university). The tight academic coupling and loose sociocultural coupling between the two educational fields, as well as students’ bonding, bridging, and linking social capital, led to disparate experiences in these double transitions. This study provides suggestions for higher education institutions to strengthen coupling and improve ‘2 + 2’ articulation programs.

A Distinct Rhetoric: Autistic University Students’ Lived Experiences of Academic Acculturation and Writing Development

A Distinct Rhetoric: Autistic University Students’ Lived Experiences of Academic Acculturation and Writing Development

The Impact of Academic Acculturation and Language Proficiency on International Students’ University Experience and Academic Success: A Longitudinal Study

The Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) assessment is a proficiency test for university admission. Most research has focused on the paper edition, not the recent computer edition (CE). Validity research on other proficiency tests found that relationships between proficiency scores and academic achievement measures can be tenuous because other factors intervene in students’ chances of success. Research on academic success has examined academic acculturation as one factor. However, the impact of acculturation on academic achievement has not been examined alongside language proficiency test scores. The current study investigated this issue by focusing on students with a range of CAEL scores and examining the relationship between CAEL-CE scores, academic achievement, and academic acculturation. Forty-four students at a Canadian English-medium university participated in the study. Students’ grade point averages were obtained, and an academic acculturation questionnaire was administered. A subset of participants took part in focus groups. The findings and their implications are discussed.

Reexamining feedback in the context of different rhetorical patterns of writing

Drawing upon research on the ways texts work as communication across different disciplines, this study investigated teacher and student feedback practices on three different patterns of writing: comparison-contrast essays, opinion essays, and cause-and-effect essays. The data were collected through three qualitative techniques: interviews, class observations, and an analysis of course documents and student-marked writing. The results showed that the participants did not always adhere to rhetorical features of different writing patterns when giving and responding to feedback. Rather, practices of feedback were majorly shaped by their beliefs about academic writing, assessment, and cognitive issues with rhetorical patterns. The results suggest a need for raising student and teacher awareness of the values of different patterns of writing for subject-domain studies; building a constructive alignment between writing course objectives, course assessment, and feedback practices; and involving students in the academic acculturation process.

Graduate Student Orientation:

This study surveyed graduate student orientation programming (GSOP) professionals (n = 33) on the current programmatic landscape for graduate orientation to build a taxonomy of interventions. The results indicate that GSOP addresses campus logistics and interpersonal belonging more frequently than institutional belonging, academic acculturation, or adjustment for students’ supporters. Additionally, orientation professionals were not involved in GSOP. Implications for practice are presented.

Academic Acculturation of International Doctoral Students in the U.S.: A Qualitative Inquiry

The aim of this phenomenological inquiry is to explore the academic acculturation experiences of international kinesiology professionals during their doctoral programs in higher education institutions in the U.S. Purposive sampling technique was used which include six study participants. The data collected from a demographic questionnaire and a focused interview. Using acculturation theory as a conceptual framework, the subjects' academic acculturation as former international PhD students were described. There are three subthemes: (1) graduate program and requirements, (2) the academic environment of graduate program, and (3) professional development for a career in kinesiology. Findings are discussed in light of academic acculturation with a focus on assimilation (proactive adaptation in a new environment), and integration (flexibly to embrace the life experiences, learning experiences, and current experiences of the students in a new context). Particularly, findings examine how international kinesiology professionals perceived their doctoral degree experiences and sustained academic acculturation, pertaining to research and professional development at their programs. Exploring the academic acculturation of international PhD students is crucial for diversity awareness in higher education in the U.S. Often described as a minority with a narrower status, these international students undergoing academic acculturation should be assisted with aligning to their contextual frames, in terms of degree level and its characteristics in their field of study.

CHAPTER 10: a Holistic, Continuous Approach to NWU Students’ Academic Acculturation: The Role of Academic Literacy and the Writing Centre

In this chapter we focus on the development of discipline-specific academic literacies with a sustainable approach towards developing crucial skills beyond the current first-year support. We perceive this challenge as one experienced across South Africa, especially regarding the various levels of academic literacy capabilities of students entering Higher Education (HE). In the chapter, we will, therefore, respond to the issue posed from the perspectives of the support entities, Academic Literacy and the Writing Centre, which work with the various disciplines at the North-West University (NWU). The chapter first offers an overview of academic literacy in South Africa, followed by a consideration of relevant literature used to develop a (suggested) rudimentary framework for a balanced response to the development of academic literacies. We argue from the perspectives of Academic Literacy and the Writing Centre, whilst focussing on the relevance of what we do and how we tap into the various disciplines to assist NWU students in their academic acculturation and in the acquisition of the necessary skills to write in their disciplines and across disciplines. While doing so, we shed light on the vital connection between the Writing Centre, Academic Literacy, and the disciplines we support. In addition, we highlight our current roles in the University, where we find ourselves in a space that provides academic writing support to students from various disciplines. The interwovenness of support structures is highlighted, as this leads to the points of discussion regarding responses to the importance of academic literacy support in the continuous academic acculturation of HE students.

The ‘mixed bag’ of segregation—On positive and negative associations with migrants’ acculturation

AbstractMany researchers and practitioners consider ethnic segregation in neighbourhoods or schools detrimental to migrants’ acculturation in host societies. Empirically, however, segregation is a 'mixed bag' and its effects depend crucially on the investigated acculturation domain (e.g., negative for language skills, positive for well‐being). As most prior studies have focused on a restricted spectrum of acculturation, a comprehensive assessment within one single study is needed to establish comparability across different acculturation domains. Among over 8000 immigrant‐background students from four countries, we investigated the association of classroom segregation, defined as opportunities for contact with natives and other migrants, with a broad spectrum of acculturation (academic, attitude‐related, identity‐related, social, health‐related, and psychological criteria). Some findings were consistent (e.g., academic acculturation), some were contrary to prior research (e.g., social acculturation). In sum, our results shed light on the 'mixed bag' of segregation and contribute to the understanding of a crucial social issue.

English medium instruction in the higher education in Pakistan: A retrospective analysis using the ROAD-MAPPING framework

Abstract. Introduction. EMI (English as a medium of instruction) is increasing far and wide due to spread of English around the world. Internationalisation and globalisation have compelled various counties to adopt EMI. However, the adoption of EMI in the higher education in Pakistan was more a colonial legacy than a thoughtful choice. In fact, EMI has remained the medium of instruction in the higher education in Pakistan for over seventy years.Aim. The aim of the article was to examine the factors that have contributed to implementation and continuation of EMI in the higher education in Pakistan.Methodology and research methods. The work is based on the retrospective analysis of the available literature on English-medium instruction in the higher education in Pakistan using the ROAD-MAPPING framework. Qualitative text analysis method (concept-driven) was utilised to deductively analyse the data. Thematic analysis of data was conducted employing inductive approach (data-driven).Results. The analysis revealed that English played (and still plays) the roles of official language and MOI (medium of instruction) at the university level in Pakistan. It was also established that these roles remained controversial yet unbeatable due to unclear policies regarding local languages and the tacit, unflinching support EMI received from the corridors of power. In addition, it was also observed that over the years, EMI had received considerable favour from teachers, parents and students in the higher education. Conversely, the research evidence indicated that EMI posed pedagogical challenges to students and teachers which were evident in students’ struggle with academic acculturation. Moreover, it was found out that tensions between international demands and local needs have not only created a socio-economic gap but have also discouraged the development of local languages.Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty of this work presents a bigger picture of independent yet interconnected dimensions that have influenced EMI in higher education in Pakistan.Practical significance. The study draws interesting conclusions based on the analysis and discusses practical recommendations for key stakeholders. Thus, the work will be worthy of consideration by educators who are interested in studying this concept in the context of Pakistan where the literature desperately lacks any theoretically-backed substantial work in this research area.

Supporting international students’ academic acculturation and sense of academic self-efficacy

International students arriving in New Zealand must acculturate to studying in a new academic environment. This article evaluates graduate and postgraduate level international students’ perceptions of their home and host environments and the benefits of offering an academic preparation course to support international students’ sense of academic self-efficacy. The data were collected using quantitative surveys, including a pre-post design with a control group. The findings highlight notable differences in many students’ host and home country academic environments, and how international students’ sense of academic self-efficacy tends to reduce at the commencement of their academic journey in New Zealand. However, participation in an academic preparation course may be able to minimize this decline. Hence, the academic adjustment of international students should be increasingly perceived as a joint responsibility of both students and education providers, highlighting the need for institutional adjustments in a form of relevant academic support services.

Academic acculturation in 2 + 2 joint programmes: students’ perspectives

ABSTRACT As a response to the increasing number of Chinese students seeking higher education in Western countries, joint programmes have been set up between universities in these destination countries and China. The unfamiliar host academic cultures can pose challenges for international students. Using the ‘acculturation model’ to frame the study, we interviewed 22 Chinese students on Sino-Australian 2 + 2 joint tertiary study programmes to examine their pre-departure academic acculturation at Chinese home institutions. By comparing and contrasting academic cultures in their home and host universities, the participants reported major differences in academic cultures, particularly in the lecture–tutorial model, learning and teaching approaches, and assessment methods. The findings suggest that these 2 + 2 students were not well prepared at their home institutions for the Australian academic culture. Based on the findings, the acculturation model was extended, with the outcome being a new model constructed towards developing students’ pre-departure academic acculturation on joint programmes.

Treading on a Foreign Land: A Multiple Case Study of Chinese International Students’ Academic Acculturation Experiences

This article reports a multiple case study to explore the lived academic acculturation experiences of four Chinese international students with limited oral English capacity and how they describe the relationship between low oral English proficiency and academic acculturation. Self-Determination Theory was utilized as the theoretical framework to inform data collection and analysis. Findings indicated all four Chinese students experienced significant psychological stress during their academic acculturation as a direct result of their limited spoken English capacity, which negatively impacted their sense of competence, autonomy and particularly relatedness. Emotional pain, involuntary isolation, helplessness, and regret emerged as the salient themes from the cross-case analysis. Implications for various stakeholders are discussed.

Exploring Oral English Learning Motivation in Chinese International Students with Low Oral English Proficiency

This study employed narrative inquiry to understand the oral English learning motivation of Chinese international students with low oral English proficiency through their academic acculturation stories. Expectancy-Value Theory served as the theoretical framework to inform the study design and the interpretation of results. Findings suggest all participants’ motivation for oral English learning increased as a result of the newly acquired high subjective value of spoken English during their academic acculturation. However, they experienced high levels of psychological stress during their academic acculturation due to their low oral English proficiency. Further, participants’ perceived expectancy of success for learning oral English declined as their academic acculturation progressed, negatively influencing their oral English learning motivation. Implications for various stakeholders are discussed.

The sound of silence: A musically enhanced narrative inquiry into the academic acculturation stories of Chinese international students with low spoken English proficiency

Situated within an increasing trend of globalization and internationalization, many universities pride themselves on the number of international students they recruit. At Canadian universities, there are more international students from China than any other country. However, Chinese international students tend to demonstrate lower spoken English proficiency than other international student groups. Research has shown that oral English proficiency significantly influences international students’ academic acculturation, however, little research has examined what academic acculturation looks like for Chinese international students with limited spoken English proficiency. This study sought to understand the academic acculturation experiences of Chinese international students with limited spoken English proficiency. We employed a musically enhanced narrative inquiry approach, building on traditional narrative research methods by utilizing sound and music to re-tell participants’ stories. Data were collected through arts-informed interviews with six Chinese international students, and analyzed through both narrative and musical restorying, resulting in the creation of literary and musical narrative representations. The findings contribute to the understanding of international students’ academic acculturation by giving authentic voice to their stories and communicating them through musically enhanced representations. These evocative representations can affect audiences in new ways, engendering resonance and understanding through the unique use of sound and music.

A Study on the Correlations among Academic Motivation, Anxiety, and Acculturation of Immigrant Adolescents

A Study on the Correlations among Academic Motivation, Anxiety, and Acculturation of Immigrant Adolescents

Ghanaian university students’ entry grades in English and their performance in academic writing

Although there is a strong interrelationship between English proficiency and academic English as evidenced by several studies in the South African educational context, studies that explore the correlation between the standard of English and performance in university first-year interventionist courses in academic English in the Ghanaian university context are virtually nonexistent. The level of work elsewhere, especially in South Africa provides a strong motivation for this line of inquiry in another African university. This study attempts to correlate performance of students in English at the point of entry to the University of Ghana and their performance in academic writing. The academic records of a total of 23,806 students, composed of Mature Students (716), Ordinary “O” Level students (2,199), and Senior Secondary School students (20,891), and covering a period of five years were analyzed. The grades students obtained in English were correlated with the grades they obtained in academic writing at the end of a onesemester academic writing course. The analysis indicates a weak relationship between the students’ entry grade for English and their final grade in academic writing. Keywords: Computer supported collaborative work, academic writing, Facebook, perceived self-efficacy, academic acculturation

Developing first-year students’ self-efficacy beliefs about academic writing through online peer collaboration: The case of Facebook

Higher education in South Africa faces the challenge to provide every student with an open and accessible learning environment. Educational institutions, therefore, have to make students feel confident and competent in their own learning practice and provide them with opportunities to develop positive selfefficacy beliefs. In the case of language learning, students foremost need to acquire confidence and competence in communicating in an academic context. This paper reports on a peer collaboration project at North-West University where a closed Facebook group was established to support firstyear students’ development of positive self-efficacy beliefs about a specific aspect of their academic trajectory: their academic writing skills. Students were instructed to collaborate on a writing assignment through Facebook, enabling them to discuss their writing and learning process. The results show that the students in the project feel comfortable interacting with their peers online and feel confident in their academic writing practice. The participating students considered themselves significantly better prepared to complete their task in comparison to the control group. These results provide strong indications that peer collaboration on a Facebook forum may have a positive effect on students’ self-efficacy beliefs and, by extension, facilitate students’ engagement with their peers and the academic community.Keywords: Computer supported collaborative work, academic writing, Facebook, perceived self-efficacy, academic acculturation

Implicit Acculturation and the Academic Adjustment of Chinese Student Sojourners in Australia

ObjectiveChinese students comprise the largest group of foreign‐born tertiary students studying in Australia, and these students face unique challenges when striving toward their academic goals. The challenges including acculturation stress, culture shock, and studying in a foreign language. In this article, we explore implicit acculturation strategies of China‐born student sojourners in Australia, and how this relates to academic outcomes.MethodIn Study 1, the capacity for the go/no‐go association task to assess implicit cultural identification was established in local samples of local students (39 in Australia, 36 in China). These data were then used as a comparison after measuring the implicit acculturation of students studying abroad. Thus, in Study 2, 68 China‐born student sojourners in Australia responded to this measure of implicit acculturation, as well as levels of academic adjustment, acculturation stress, and life satisfaction.ResultsThe sojourning sample demonstrated implicit separation acculturation attitudes, and moreover the excessive implicit associations with their home (Chinese) culture suggested an implicit cultural reaffirmation effect. Implicit acculturation was associated with increases in acculturation stress and decreases in life satisfaction, academic lifestyle, and motivation.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that Chinese student sojourners may not be able to (or choose not to) self‐integrate within the Australian‐based education community; however, this implicit cultural reaffirmation may be beneficial for ameliorating education‐related outcomes.

An investigation into the academic acculturation experiences of Mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong

Over the past few decades, Mainland China has witnessed a massive outflow of students to higher education institutions in Hong Kong. In the context of an up-surge in Mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong, this research aims to explore (1) why Mainland Chinese students choose to study in Hong Kong over other higher education systems, (2) perceptions about the advantages and disadvantages of studying in Hong Kong, and (3) challenges in the process of acculturation from their homeland to Hong Kong. Five key themes are identified: education, finance, learning culture, language, and discrimination/labelling. While Mainland Chinese students often struggle to blend into the new environment, most gradually become accustomed to the local way of life. What remains a challenge is (perceived) discrimination following political tensions over the “one China, two systems” framework. This paper identifies the expectations and dissatisfactions of the participants with regard to studying in Hong Kong, ultimately offering higher-education administrators an insight into how to better cater for the expanding share of Mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong’s universities. This research is significant because it extends the literature by examining acculturation and cultural adaptation issues in an increasingly globalized context.

Abandonner le terrain des bikers

Cet article propose une analyse reflexive des mecanismes ayant participe, au moment de mon entree sur le terrain tout a la fois ethnographique et scientifique, a renoncer d’enqueter plus avant sur les bikers. Si la sexualisation de la relation d’enquete a permis comme limite l’acces au terrain, c’est un jugement de classe denie qui va en signer l’auto-exclusion. Les conditions sociales (mobilite ascendante) et professionnelles (formation intellectuelle) de mon integration academique expliquent cette denegation du role des origines sociales. Il s’agit alors de comprendre les motifs de la reintegration ulterieure de cette categorie d’analyse, et ses effets dans un contexte ou sa pertinence sociologique tend a etre contestee.