Chinese International Graduate Students Research Articles

A New Theoretical Framework for Researching Female Chinese International Students’ Experiences

This article critiques the prevailing damaged-based framework used in research on Chinese international students, advocating for a shift towards a desire-based framework inspired by Tuck's critique. While gender differences are often overlooked, recent studies highlight distinct challenges faced by female Chinese international graduate students. Centering on their experiences, this study introduces the "Women Strength" framework to amplify their voices, remove stereotypes, and foster empowerment within academia and society. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of their lived experiences and advocates for their recognition and empowerment.

Navigating Chinese international graduate students’ experiences and mobility during US-China geopolitical tensions

International students have played an important role in bolstering the soft power of host countries. However, despite their significant contributions to enhancing soft power, Chinese international graduate students, in particular, have faced a less-than-welcoming environment. As US-China geopolitical tensions grow, we know less about the effects on Chinese international graduate students’ experiences and mobility. Through a phenomenology study of eleven Chinese international graduate students’ narratives, this study draws interrelated theories of soft power and the push-pull model to explore how US-China geopolitical tensions shift Chinese students’ experience and mobility. The findings indicate that Chinese students are changing and have more academic and career options. Chinese students have also encountered stereotypes, xenophobia, and Sinophobia, which might shift their decisions on future mobility.

Exploring the Online Learning Experience of Chinese International Graduate Students throughout the Pandemic

Objectives The purpose of this study is to explore the online learning experience of international graduate students studying abroad in a pandemic situation. Methods To this end, in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 Chinese graduate students who had online learning experience while studying abroad in Korea, Australia, and the UK, and a qualitative analysis was conducted on the transcribed interview data. These semi-structured interviews were designed to gather comprehensive and detailed information regarding the participants' experiences, perspectives, and insights regarding online learning. The interview data were transcribed verbatim and subsequently underwent a qualitative analysis process to identify and extract meaningful themes and patterns. Results Firstly, the study participants expressed satisfaction with the opportunity to continue their learning journey while feeling physically and psychologically safe through online learning, a significant step forward from their initial concerns about the feasibility of online learning in the COVID-19 environment. Secondly, they faced various challenges in adapting to online instructors and teaching methods, particularly as international graduate students with language and cultural barriers. Thirdly, it was revealed that the participants in the study had complicated feelings about the dual aspects of using technology, which is one of the main elements of online learning. That is, they did not deny that ethical risks were a concern. In contrast, the ability of technology to speed up the learning process was also mentioned. Fourthly, the participants found solace in forming supportive student communities, whether self-sustaining or provided by the educational institution, as a means of overcoming the difficulties encountered in the online learning process. Finally, successful online learning required learners to possess adaptability and a greater tolerance for change, as they balanced the demands of online education with their work and family responsibilities. Conclusions This study intended to explore in depth the online learning experience that has rapidly increased since the COVID-19 epidemic. The results derived from this research are expected to be important data to understand what kind of experience international learners are in, especially those who have crossed borders who will be learning in different cultures and educational environments.

Transnational Chinese students’ online information literacies during the COVID-19 pandemic

Using a transnational lens, this narrative study examines the online information literacies of six Chinese international graduate students in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data of the study were collected from phenomenological interviewing, weekly information-seeking dairies, and focus group discussions. This study illuminates Chinese international students’ transnational information literacies in navigating the pandemic online information environment. These students stayed attuned with the pandemic conditions and relevant regulations in order to inform their important decision-making concerning health, safety, visa issues, and international travel. The study also highlights participants' cultural ways of information seeking and pragmatic approaches to information credibility assessment. Results from the study show the importance of understanding and empowering the information literacy of international students, especially during a global health emergency.

Transnational Habitus as a Configuration of Dispositions: Chinese International Students Navigating Online Information

This study investigates the impact of transnationalism on Chinese international graduate students’ literacy practices in online information seeking. Using phenomenological interviewing, weekly diaries, and focus group data, the study found that these students actively engage in recursive, dynamic, and flexible online information-seeking literacy practices that transcend linguistic, digital, and unconventional cultural boundaries due to their multilingual capacity and unique social positioning in the online information landscape. This study reveals that these students’ transnational habitus in online information seeking manifests as a configuration of dispositions rather than one fixed transnational habitus. These findings underscore the importance of understanding multilingual international students’ online information-seeking experiences, literacies, and challenges to inform engaging, transnationally inclusive, and culturally relevant information literacy curricula and instruction in U.S. higher education institutions.

Mosquito Bites: Unmasking Microaggressions and Marginalization Experienced by Chinese International Graduate Students in the United States

Mosquito Bites: Unmasking Microaggressions and Marginalization Experienced by Chinese International Graduate Students in the United States

Academic writing anxiety among Chinese international postgraduates

Language learning is a common but complicated activity that involves the development and application of different language skills, including listening, speaking, reading and writing. This study adopted a mixed method to investigate the problem of academic writing anxiety of Chinese international graduate students. The sampling method used in the research is purposive sampling. A total of 30 Chinese postgraduate students (15 males and 15 females), who enrolled in the faculty of modern language and communication. The purpose of study is to investigate the causes of second language learning writing anxiety. It is hope that this study can provide insightful implications for the acquisition and instruction of L2 academic writing. In addition, unlike the massive studies of anxiety on General English (GE), anxiety studies on English for Academic Purposes (EAP) has received insufficient attention, therefore, this study can enrich the research field of EAP.

Chinese International Graduate Students’ Perceptions of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) Courses at a Korean University

Chinese International Graduate Students’ Perceptions of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) Courses at a Korean University

Chinese international graduate students at Canadian universities: language barriers, cultural identities and perceived problems of engagement

ABSTRACT This study investigates the socio-cultural experiences of Chinese international graduate students in a Canadian university. Specifically, this research explores the multiple challenges of their engagement in and out of the classroom as it relates to their language and culture. Qualitative data was collected by interviewing students and staff at the university. The findings show that Chinese international graduate students’ experiences as passive learners and reduced engagement were disadvantaged in Canadian university classrooms. This is because active engagement is preferred in the Western-dominant ideology of student engagement in Canadian graduate schools. Implications from this study suggest that faculty and staff should deconstruct the Western dominant ways of the understanding of student engagement by empowering inclusivity and diversity of multiple languages and cultural identities. The study also provides some practical suggestions for the Chinese international graduate student population to better engage in Canadian graduate institutions and for educators and practitioners to better support Chinese international students in Canadian post-secondary schools.

A Bourdieusian Analysis of the Sociocultural Capital of Chinese International Graduate Students in the United States

For the last decade, Chinese international graduate students (CIGS) have represented the largest portion of international graduate students in the United States. Previous research studies on language barriers and cultural differences have revealed that CIGS experience difficulties in adapting to the American educational system (Zhang-Wu, 2018). Few researchers have critically examined the experiences of CIGS on a more organizational level. In this qualitative study, we analyzed interviews with CIGS utilizing a Bourdieusian (1986a) framework to identify the social and cultural capital (SCC) that CIGS possessed. We argue that SCC concepts can help theoretically and critically examine the experiences of international students as a minority student group in the United States. The results from our in-depth semistructured interviews imply that CIGS are excluded from access to and possession of the SCC necessary to adapt to academic, cultural, and social life in the United States.

Chinese international students’ multicultural identity and second language development: gesture awareness and use

This study examines language in conjunction with co-speech gesture awareness and use in relation to second language development, and as linked to identity-in-the-making for four Chinese international graduate students attending an American university in the U.S. Data collection took place at two different times: after three months of initial exposure and then again three years later. Participants were interviewed about their language and gesture awareness and use in the L1 and L2, and in relation to possible changes in identity over time. Additionally, participants were video-recorded while retelling a story that included motion events in their L1 and L2 at both times of data collection for possible changes in thinking-for-speaking. Findings are related to four areas: speech-gesture synchrony; language, gesture, culture and emotions; gesture awareness and use; and bonding with others. Overall, this study offers a window onto the role of co-speech gesture in relation to second language development as found in the contexts of naturalistic exposure, where agency plays a significant role in identity development, differing for individuals in accordance with how a person experiences an event or environment (perezhivanie). Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2020.1767118.

Expanding Meaningfulness: Perceptions and Strategy Use of Chinese International Graduate Students in Disciplinary Reading

This qualitative case study explored two Chinese international graduate students’ beliefs about their reading and reading processes. The researcher interviewed the participants, asked them to read aloud, analyzed their reading using miscue analysis, and then discussed their reading with them using retrospective miscue analysis (RMA). The researcher found that readers’ beliefs were not static and text difficulty influenced the students’ reading beliefs and strategy use. Through RMA, both students became aware of their respective reading processes and they both became more confident as readers. This study suggests that RMA is an effective tool for English-as-an-additional language graduate students, as it helps in the construction of meaning and the improvement of disciplinary literacy skills.

Discourse Analyses of Chinese Visiting Professors at Canadian Universities: Adaptation and Transformation

Chinese visiting professors, as Chinese university educators, are playing both practitioners and conformists in adapting to Western teaching perspectives and pedagogies while maintaining Chinese teaching beliefs. This study attempts to understand the international university experiences (Canada) of Chinese visiting professors. Arguably, Chinese visiting professors might potentially engage in programs aimed at providing an advance preparation for Chinese international graduate students, furthering their successful transition in study abroad. This paper is oriented to a post-structural paradigm in order to remain open to the attitudes, beliefs, and values of participants. The findings of a discourse analysis of Chinese visiting professors at a Canadian university are presented. The findings disclosed specific accounts as provided by this research group (i.e. dual academic and teaching experiences, and bicultural experiences in Chinese and Canadian universities). Using the findings, recommendations were made in bridging potential challenges to studying abroad. Specific to this task is the construction of an in-country program aimed at preparing Chinese undergraduate and graduate students for study overseas (specifically in Canada).

Chinese Graduate Student Understandings and Struggles with Critical Thinking: A Narrative-Case Study

Qualitative research offers the potential to inform an ongoing issue concerning why international students struggle with critical thinking. This article approaches the issue by examining how international graduate students understand critical thinking as well as the challenges they have faced with critical thinking. The study used a narrative-case study framework to collect data from 4 Chinese international graduate students at a large mid-Western research university in the United States. The results showed that the participants had diverse conceptions of critical thinking and that they tended to focus on dispositions related to critical thinking rather than skills. These results suggest that participants’ struggles may be related to diverse conceptualizations of critical thinking as well as an overemphasis on dispositions. Furthermore, educational differences between the U.S. and China were highlighted in the interviews with the participants, which supports other findings in the literature.

Instructional Insights Gained From Teaching a Research Methods Course to Chinese International Graduate Students Studying in Canada

Chinese students represent an increasing proportion of the student body in Canadian postsecondary institutions (Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2015). While studying abroad, many of these students face linguistic and sociocultural challenges (Zhang, 2016), resulting in calls for Western instructors to provide linguistically and culturally sensitive instruction (Lin & Scherz, 2014). In this qualitative study, we utilized a form of reflexive ethnography (Enfield & Stasz, 2011) to outline our experiences teaching a required research methodology course to Chinese graduate students. Specifically, we discuss our pedagogical efforts in context of utilizing students’ reported research experiences, facilitating their acquisition of subject-specific vocabulary, and fostering a collaborative learning environment. We conclude by offering instructional suggestions to others who teach research methodologies to Chinese students.

Academic Integrity from China to the United States: The Acculturation Process for Chinese Graduate Students in the United States

The ethics-related beliefs of Chinese international graduate students are heavily influenced by their academic cultural background, and given the nature of that culture, they often face challenges when adapting to the U.S. academic environment. This qualitative study examines Chinese graduate students’ perceptions of the differences between Chinese and American academic integrity practices and the effects of those differences on their ethical practices and adaptations in a graduate program in the United States. Data were collected via semistructured interviews in a public university in the United States. Findings suggest that perceptions of academic integrity in Chinese universities are influenced by Confucian philosophy, collectivist assumptions, and a resultant convenience mind-set. These cultural premises clash with academic expectations in the United States. Participants describe how they, and their Chinese peers, navigate U.S. integrity standards and provide recommendations for ways that U.S. schools can help them better adjust. We expand on those and provide recommendations for university personnel.

Instructional Insights Gained From Teaching a Research Methods Course to Chinese International Graduate Students Studying in Canada

Instructional Insights Gained From Teaching a Research Methods Course to Chinese International Graduate Students Studying in Canada

Acculturative Stress and Leisure among Chinese International Graduate Students

ABSTRACTThis study explored the roles of leisure participation in helping Chinese international graduate students cope with acculturative stress. In particular, it examined (a) the expectations and preparations with respect to acculturative stress made by the students prior to their arrival to the United States, (b) the acculturative stressors experienced by the students during the postarrival transition phase, (c) the role of leisure participation in coping with acculturative stress, and (d) the limitations of leisure as a coping strategy and the negative impacts of leisure on acculturative stress. Two rounds of semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 first-year Chinese international graduate students attending a large midwestern university. The findings revealed that due to the unique cultural influence and the status of international students, the participants experienced distinctive acculturative stressors. Although leisure participation was an effective tool in combating acculturative stress, in some circumstances it a led to a plethora of negative outcomes.

A Study of Chinese International Students Enrolled in the Master of Education Program at a Canadian University

Even though more and more studies have been reported in the literature about international undergraduate students’ learning experiences in North America, little research has been done to study international graduate students on North American campuses. The university where this study took place has recently established a cohort-based Master of Education (M. Ed.) program for international students. This study was designed to investigate the adaptation of the international graduate students (all Chinese) who were enrolled in the M.Ed. program with a focus on their learning experiences, the challenges they encountered, and the suggestion they had for improvement of the program. Data analysis reveals that while Chinese international graduate students shared some common challenges with international undergraduate students such as language and cultural challenges, they had unique perspectives and expectations on curriculum and pedagogy. Suggestions for curriculum development for Chinese international graduate students are highlighted.

Are You Satisfied? Exploring the Mediating Effects of Mentoring Communication Strategies in Predicting Chinese International Graduate Students’ Program Satisfaction

This study examined how mentoring initiation and maintenance strategies mediate the relationship between acculturative stress and intercultural communication competence on Chinese graduate students’ program satisfaction. Results supported a partial mediation effect for mentoring maintenance strategies. By specifying the mediating effect, the model explained significantly more variance in program satisfaction beyond the direct effects of the intercultural variables. We extended one premise of mentor enactment theory to a cross-cultural context by investigating the unique roles of expressing appreciation and communicating personal goals as effective maintenance strategies in predicting Chinese international graduate students’ satisfaction. Practical implications are also discussed.