Experiences Of Chinese International Students Research Articles

The adaptation of Chinese international students to online flexible learning: two case studies

The cross‐cultural experiences of Chinese international students in Western countries have been subject to intensive research, but only a very small number of studies have considered how these students adapt to learning in an online flexible delivery environment. Guided by Berry’s acculturation framework (1980, 2005), the investigation discussed in this article aimed to address this gap by exploring the adaptation processes of Chinese international students to online learning at an Australian university. This article reports on the challenges perceived by two students from Mainland China, their coping strategies, changes in their opinions of online learning, and their respective patterns of adaptation. By presenting two indicative case studies drawn from a wider study, this article aims to demonstrate the use of Berry’s concepts as a means to frame such studies.

Experiences of Chinese international students learning English at South African tertiary institutions

This article aims to provide insight into the experiences of Chinese international students in some South African tertiary institutions. The study investigates their successes and failures in endeavouring to learn English and the culture shock and 'learning shock' they endure when registering to study in an African country with an essentially European-based tertiary education system. The current state of English learning and teaching in China is compared with that of South Africa, as is the daunting prospect of taking the step to study in a country on the other side of the globe where their home language is hardly spoken and their cultural background little understood. The students' insecurities surrounding their language learning suggest that the hugely different approaches in mainland China and South Africa are at the root of their anxieties and problems concerning their learning experiences. By opening up, exploring and understanding some of these differences South African academics might be empowered to help reduce the shock international students experience in adjusting to our system and assist them to achieve academic success. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol. 20 (3) 2006: 387-399