Chinese International Research Articles

Research on the Path of Integrating Chinese Culture into Offline Chinese International Education Teaching

At present, learning Chinese has become a global craze, so the demand for teachers of Chinese international education is gradually increasing in China, and more and more excellent people become teachers of Chinese international education. However, the current situation is that most teachers only adopt traditional teaching methods according to the content of the teaching materials and ignoring the principle of combining theory with practice in teaching leads to a lack of interest and practical application in teaching. Therefore, as a teacher of Chinese international language education, it has become a very important issue in the teaching process to spread excellent Chinese cultural knowledge with efficient and interesting teaching methods while teaching. Through three parts, this paper discusses how to use cultural content to better use teaching methods in the offline teaching of Chinese as a foreign language, so as to promote the further development of teaching Chinese as a foreign language and expand the influence of Chinese in the world.

A Study of Elite Education in Chinese International High Schools

The article examines the meaning of elite and elite education, as well as the characteristics of elite schools in China. Elite schools are institutions that offer education to a small number of predominantly middle or upper-class students. The admissions process for these schools is competitive and costly, resulting in a majority of middle- or upper-class pupils. The schools are also distinguished by the acquisition of cultural capital, a resource that embodies or generates cultural worth. Due to the lack of cultural capital, students from lower socioeconomic origins are excluded from top universities. In addition, the piece discusses the effects of tiny class sizes in top institutions, which are touted as a way to provide each student individualised attention. Yet, the effect of class size on student progress is dependent on instructional strategies. The article claimed that elite education has caused a vicious cycle of increased educational inequality, which has widened the gap between socioeconomic classes.

A Study on Professional Identity of Teachers of Chinese International Education

With the continuous development of the globalization of the Chinese language craze, the profession of teaching Chinese as a foreign language is more and more well-known. As Chinese teachers who teach in a multicultural environment, their professional identity has gradually become a topic of concern. This paper takes full-time teachers of Chinese international education as the research object. With the help of existing survey data in the academic field, this paper makes an in-depth discussion and interpretation of their development status. It found that the professional identity of teachers of Chinese international education is in a relatively negative state in all dimensions. Based on the current situation, the paper gives a reasonable analysis of the reasons, and believes that social evaluation, salary level, working environment, career development path and other aspects have a negative impact on the professional identity of teachers of Chinese international education. Based on the reasons, the paper also gives suggestions on feasible measures from the government, society and other aspects, so as to provide a reasonable path for the future career construction of teachers of Chinese international education.

School Performance Evaluation of Chinese International Language Education Institutions

As an institution of international Chinese language teaching and cultural dissemination, the scientific evaluation of Chinese international language education institutions is conducive to sustainable high-quality development. This paper designs the performance evaluation indicators of Chinese international language education institutions from the four dimensions of input, process, output and benefit. Taking the Confucius Institute at XX University in Spain as an example, this paper evaluates its school running performance with the help of the Analytic Network Process-Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation model. Research has found that the Confucius Institute at XX University in Spain has a good performance rating and a relatively optimistic performance situation. However, the scores of input performance and output performance are relatively low, and there are problems such as unstable funding sources, unreasonable use of funds, and non-standard financial management.

The Reconstruction of the Cosmopolitan Imaginary: Chinese International Students during the COVID‐19 Pandemic1

Social and geopolitical disruptions triggered by the COVID‐19 crisis have raised crucial questions about the shifting meaning of race, citizenship, and nationality for transborder migrants amidst receding globalization, hardening borders, and geopolitical tensions. The aim of this paper is to examine the ways in which Chinese international students have viewed and negotiated their ambiguous racial and ethnonational position between nations during the global pandemic. Drawing on 16 student interviews at one upstate New York campus between 2019 and 2021, we argue that Chinese international students have occupied a liminal space between nations that shapes their understanding of race and racism through a distinctly geopolitical lens. Double‐edged exclusion and discrimination from both the US and China during the global pandemic have heightened their sense of social dislocation and withdrawal from nationalist politics in both countries. In the process, they have not so much surrendered the cosmopolitan ideals that motivated their migration but rather, reimagined them while maintaining a delicate balance between global cosmopolitan ideals and ethnonationalist loyalties. Our findings provide insights into the future political trajectory of Chinese transborder migrants amid tense US–China relations and help to explain the contradictions of diasporic Chinese worldviews on current affairs.

The Impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on Chinese International Political Influence: An Empirical Study Using a Difference-in-Differences Approach

The Impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on Chinese International Political Influence: An Empirical Study Using a Difference-in-Differences Approach

More Than Language: The Learning Experience of Chinese International English Language Learners (ELLs) at a Canadian University

This study examines the learning experience of Chinese international undergraduate students taking a large core first-year anthropological science course (ANT101) by distance learning during the Winter of 2021 at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). By analyzing qualitative and quantitative data collected from self-report pre- and post- course surveys (n=587), we review the general learning experience of Chinese international students (n=30) in comparison to other international students (n=34) and domestic students (n=523). Our study shows support, but at the same time undermines some prevailing notions about Chinese international student experiences of studying in Western universities. Our data suggests that while many Chinese international students may feel a lack of English language proficiency is a barrier to their learning, it does not significantly impact their performance when compared with domestic students. The preliminary results suggest that educational research and policy makers should move beyond a focus on language proficiency and examine the role of other factors when developing strategies to facilitate supportive learning environments for English Language learners (ELL) and international students in a university setting.

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.

What Has COVID-19 Taught Us: Advancing Chinese International Student-Related Research, Policies, and Practices Through Critical Race Perspectives

As the largest international student group in U.S. higher education, Chinese international students have been made particularly vulnerable due to the resurgence of anti-Asian racism and U.S.-China geopolitical tensions. There is therefore a pressing need to make sense of Chinese international students’ perspectives and experiences around U.S. higher education—and in doing so, to highlight the ever-present educational inequalities rooted in academic capitalism, global unevenness, and institutional racism. This article builds on the results of a critical qualitative research project investigating Chinese international students’ agency, decision-making, and perceptions of race, racism, and power. It aims to unveil global hierarchies and racial inequalities in the field of international education in order to help advance future research and open new paths to practice. Greater critical reflexivity can help enhance the higher education institution’s understanding of and engagement with Chinese international students in today’s highly interconnected but politically polarized society.

An Analysis of Identity Transition Among Chinese International University Students in the United Kingdom

An Analysis of Identity Transition Among Chinese International University Students in the United Kingdom

Remote Learning in Higher Education During the Pandemic: A Study of the Experiences of Chinese International Students at United Kingdom and United States Universities in 2020/21

During the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, many universities around the world made a drastic change by transferring most of their offline classes to emergency remote learning (ERL). The aim of this study was to explore how Chinese students, who studied in United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US) universities during the 2020/21 academic year, perceive their experiences of remote learning. As the UK and the US have two relatively advanced education systems, the arrangements of their universities for ERL and their support for international students are worth exploring. Moreover, during the ERL, a portion of Chinese students had online classes in their home countries instead of the country in which their universities are located. Therefore, semi-structured interviews were carried out to explore the academic experiences and social interaction of students who studied in UK and US universities, while remaining in China. The data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. The findings showed that ERL was perceived negatively by students despite its flexibility in areas of academic learning experiences and social interaction.

Unwitting Agents: Representations of Chinese International Students in US-China Geopolitics.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12140-023-09409-5.

Intercultural Opportunities to Evoke Empathy toward Minority Citizens: Online Contact with Chinese International Students at a Japanese Women’s University

Exchanges with Chinese students in Japan, who comprise the majority of international students, may be a worthwhile intercultural experience for Japanese students. However, because of the lack of contact between Chinese and Japanese students on campus, many Japanese students tend to form impressions of China through the media. This study aims to explore the factors influencing Japanese students’ positive attitudes toward Chinese students and the former’s awareness of stereotypes based on an online interview in Japanese conducted during an elective political science course. This study adopts a qualitative research methodology to analyze students’ written reflections contextually. The content analysis revealed that Chinese students’ “Japaneseness”, characterized by Japanese language fluency, affected the perceptions of Japanese students, who changed their attitudes toward Chinese people and intercultural exchanges. Further discussion is necessary to determine whether Japanese students’ preferences for “Japanese-like” international students may create new stereotypes rather than enhance diversity benefits. The findings illustrate the need for future research and practice on how students with no experience in communicating with minority citizens can overcome ethnocentric perspectives and embrace diversity.

Exploring the Competitiveness of Chinese International Graduates Seeking Employment

The term "involution" was defined as peer pressure to work harder to compete for few resources, which lowers an individual's "effort-to-reward ratio. According to data presented at the recently ended 20th China International Talent Exchange Conference, COVID-19's effects and evolving overseas ties will accelerate the trend of international students returning home to find jobs. After finishing their studies, 777,000 international students will return to China in 2020, and in 2021, it's anticipated that 1,049,000 students would do the same. In such a setting, pertinent study on international students is particularly crucial, yet there aren't many research instances and pertinent findings about their employment competitiveness. To this end, this paper adopts an exploratory empirical study to examine the factors influencing the employment of Chinese students returning to their home countries, to discuss potential issues and the current situation of the competitiveness of international students returning to their home countries in general environment of "inward-looking" high. The study examines potential issues and the existing state of competition among international students who return to China to find jobs in the "inward" higher education environment and offers useful recommendations and findings.

The Interaction between Sleep Quality and Gender on Depression Level among Chinese International Students

Sleep plays a vital role in biological and psychological processes, as during sleep the brain restores homeostasis and clears toxins. As such, depression is considered the most common psychiatric disorder associated with insomnia, with data showing that 90% of depressed patients have sleep quality problems. Women are more likely to suffer from mental illness due to the different physiology and hormone levels of different genders. Therefore, in order to further study the relationship between sleep quality and depression, this paper assessed the specific effects of sleep quality on depression and gender differences through questionnaires.

An Investigation into UK University Students Identity Negotiation through Naming Practice and Choices: the Case of Chinese International Students

This article explored how Chinese international students negotiated identity options via naming practice and choices in the UK. The existing literature has mainly discussed the Chinese students practice of adopting English names, and scant attention has been paid to the identity construction of international Chinese students through choosing between their English and ethnic names in an English-speaking context. In this case, this research was situated in the UK, a less studied context, to gain a holistic understanding of students identity negotiation. Using a qualitative approach, this research conducted four semi-structured interviews among Chinese international students studying in the UK. The findings demonstrated that when they selected an English name which can present their authentic selves, uniqueness, or wishes. Besides, when deciding whether to adopt their English names or Chinese names in the British academic community, they hold different interpretations of contextual needs, cosmopolitan identity, as well as cultural identity and ethnic belonging. The implications and limitations were also discussed in the end.

Analysis of Second Language Writing Based on Discourse Coherence Theory- A Case Study of High School Students in A Chinese International School

Students’ discourse coherence has always been a topic that is often discussed in writing. For intermediate-level students with the purpose of taking exams, discourse coherence is also an important part of writing. Based on the students’ discourse analysis, this paper obtains the frequency of students’ use in the second language writing process, and uses the form of interviews to study the thinking of students’ writing process. The results of the study found that students at the intermediate level use reference and conjunction much more than the other methods, as others students at the advanced level. However, substitution and ellipsis devices are almost missing in their writing. Such results may be influenced by the test-oriented writing teaching mode in the second language writing class, which will increase the huge difference and partial loss between the different methods used by students. Therefore, in second-language writing teaching for intermediate-level students, teachers can modify the classroom according to the current problems of students.

Performance of Chinese International Contractors in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Uganda

Performance of Chinese International Contractors in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Uganda

Challenges and Resilience of First-Year Chinese International Students on Academic Probation

A substantial percentage of international students are placed on academic probation each year. This study explored the challenges and resilience characteristics of Chinese international students placed on academic probation in their first year of college. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine probationary Chinese international students, and the data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The results indicated that challenges with daily routine, reduced adult supervision, inadequate academic preparation, and limited participation in the application process were the main factors that contributed to their academic probation. Proactivity, independence, and flexible thinking were important resilience characteristics that may have helped students cope positively with stresses relating to academic probation. Targeted institutional support could be strengthened. Implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are also discussed.

Developing Critical Thinking in EFL through Visible Thinking Routines: Experiences of Teachers in a Chinese International School

In recent years, critical thinking (CT) has become a key factor in promoting language learning, especially in Chinese international schools. However, there is limited research about the approaches to develop CT within this context. Therefore, this paper focuses on the ways in which English language teachers engage with Visible Thinking (VT) routines to develop students’ CT ability among students in an international school in Fujian, China. Also covered in this paper are suggestions on how to overcome certain challenges that result from the use of these routines. In this qualitative study, data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with four EFL teachers and data were analysed thematically. The results show that English teachers utilized VT routines as a lead-in and a text-based discuss tool to improve students’ CT skills. Additionally, six challenges were identified and these related to the complexity level of VT routines and teachers’ understanding of the these routines, students’ difficulty in providing critical answers, lack of motivation, internet dependence issues and students’ language proficiency level. To overcome these difficulties, teachers should devote more time to lesson-planning and problem-prediction, recognize the value of content knowledge, encourage motivation through peer-support and reward-systems, encourage discussion. Implications for teaching include gaining familiarity with VT routines which can be done through informal conversations with colleagues and also through professional development activities.