Does adaptation to U.S. culture and language proficiency affect international student engagement?

Does adaptation to U.S. culture and language proficiency affect international student engagement?

Ronald Miller

William Neal

Kathy Pulotu

Amber Hanza

BYU-Hawaii

• Mission to serve Asia and the Pacific

• A highly multi-cultural environment

• 48% are international students

• International students are from all educational and economical backgrounds

• Participation in NSSE since 2002

Definitions

• Language—our spoken, written, or signed words and the ways we combine them to communicate meaning (Myers, David G., 2005).

• Culture—the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next (Myers, David G., 2005).

• Acculturation—coordinating two cultures and languages...by adopting new beliefs and values from the receiving culture and retaining beliefs and values from the culture of origin (Cote, James E. 2006; Tong, Virginia M. et. Al. 2006).

Past Studies

• Communication problems arise from language barriers and from differences in learned cultural behavior.(Barnlund, D.C., 1989)

• Chinese immigrants were found to have a low level of acculturation when relocated to New York City. (Yu, P., & Berryman, D. L. 1996)

• Factors predictive of acculturative stress affected students’ participation in class.(Yeh, Christine J., 2003)

• Levels of acculturation have an effect on students’ ability to function in the university atmosphere. (Greenland, Katy, 2005)

Research Question

• Are there any significant differences between first-year and senior Asian students in areas dealing with culture and language adaptation?

Focus Group Responses

• “I think in your First-year you have to learn to adjust yourself. In the first-year [international] students have to learn to adjust so many things other than just academics because everything is different.”

• “The reason there is such a difference is because Americans are already here and have adjusted to their environment, so the gap is not as big as it is for Asians. Americans do not have to worry about culture shock or adapt in that way.”

Method

• Process– Analyzed 2002-2005 National Survey of Student

Engagement (NSSE) data– Analyzed only variables dealing specifically with culture

and language

• Participants– Brigham Young University-Hawaii students– 337 Asian – 1097 U.S.

Hypothesis

• Exposure to the dominant language and culture will result in senior international students being more similar to mainland students than first-year international students in the following categories:

Personal ValuesCollaborationSocializingAcademic EffortAcademic Skills

Personal Values

Personal Values

To what extent has your experience at this institution contributed to your knowledge, skills, and personal development in the following?

Understanding yourself

1=Very little, 2=Some, 3=Quite a bit, 4=Very much

Asians reported a significant increase (p<.01) between First-Year and Senior students in their ability to understand themselves.

“I would say that the education in the states is quite

different from Asian culture and lets you

explore, so US students may understand

themselves a bit more than we do.”

-2006 Focus Group Member

3.193.03

3.213.35

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

Personal Values


Developing a personal code of values and ethics


Asians reported a significant increase (p<.001) between First-Year and Senior students when developing a personal code of values and ethics.

“Since I have come to [BYUH] everything is so

new and now I have to choose for myself whereas before my decisions were made by my family. I am building a foundation for

myself. I am growing from this experience and

now I have to make decisions for myself.”


3.38

2.93

3.513.35

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

Personal Values


Understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds


Asian students significantly increased (p<.001) between First-Year and Senior students in understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds.

“I know there are some countries who do not like Japan because of

things that have happened in the past but [on campus] we are in a kind of cultural fusion so I think it is a really

great opportunity where we can avoid discrimination more and learn a lot of things from each other. [This

experience] has changed my perspective of those from other countries, I have begun to really

respect them.”


3.52

3.09

3.65

3.48

2.75

2.95

3.15

3.35

3.55

3.75

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

Personal Values

In your experience at your institution during the current school year, about how often have done the following?

Had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity than your own1=Very little, 2=Some, 3=Quite a bit, 4=Very much

First-Year and Senior Asian students did not significantly differ in frequency of serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity.

“As your English ability increases you have more

opportunities to have conversations with native

speakers.”


3.18

2.17

3.45

2.65

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

Personal Values


Had serious conversations with students who are very different from you in terms of their religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values


Asians significantly increased (p<.001) from First-Year to Senior students in frequency of serious conversations with students of differing religious beliefs.

“As freshmen, we must adapt to a new a environment and

language. Many English speakers will not talk to first-year Asians whose English is

not very good. Freshmen year is harder than their

senior year.”


2.66

1.97

2.7

2.44

1

1.3

1.6

1.9

2.2

2.5

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

Personal Values

Conclusion

• Prolonged exposure to the dominant language and culture showed significant change for Asian students in all areas of Personal Values except in having serious conversations with students of differing race or ethnicity.

Collaboration

Collaboration


Worked with faculty members on activities other than coursework(committees, orientation, student life activities, etc.)


Asians did not significantly differ between First-Year and Senior students in frequency of working with faculty members on activities other than course work.

1.67

1.83

2.021.95

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

2.2

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

Collaboration


Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with facultymembers outside of class


1.79

2.02

2.252.11

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

2.2

2.4

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

Asians did not significantly differ between First-Year and Senior students in discussing ideas or readings from classes with faculty outside of class.

Collaboration


Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with others outsideof class (Students, family members, co-workers, etc.)


Asians showed no significant difference between First-Year and Senior students in discussing ideas from readings or classes with others outside of class.

2.81

2.44

3.04

2.77

1.3

1.5

1.7

1.9

2.1

2.3

2.5

2.7

2.9

3.1

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

Collaboration

Mark the box that best represents the quality of your relationships with people at your institution:

Relationships with Other Students

Asian students did not significantly differ between First-Year and Senior students in how they rated their quality of relationships with other students.

6.01

5.62

6.17

5.68

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

1 = Unfriendly, Unsupportive, Sense of Alienation, 2 = 3 = 4 = 5 = 6 = 7 =Friendly, Supportive Sense of Belonging

Collaboration

Mark the box that best represents the quality of your relationships with people at your institution:

Relationships with Faculty Members

Asian students did not significantly differ between First-Year and Senior students in how they rated the quality of their relationships with faculty members.

5.64

5.16

5.875.54

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

1 = Unfriendly, Unsupportive, Sense of Alienation, 2 = 3 = 4 = 5 = 6 = 7 =Friendly, Supportive Sense of Belonging

Collaboration

Conclusions• Prolonged exposure to the dominant language and

culture did not show a significant change between Freshmen and Senior Asians in areas of Collaboration

• After exposure to the dominant language and culture Asian seniors are more similar to US Seniors in how often they:– Discuss ideas from readings or classes with others

– Discuss ideas from readings or classes with faculty

Socializing

Socializing

About how many hours do you spend in a typical 7-day week doing the following? (Number of hours per week)

Participating in co-curricular activities (organizations, campus publications, student government, social fraternity or sorority,

intercollegiate or intramural sports, etc.)

Asian students did not significantly differ between First-Year and Senior students in the amount of time spent on participation in co-curricular activities.

2.21

1.92

2.1 2.12

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

2.2

2.4

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

1 = 0 hours 2 = 1-5 hours3 = 6-10 4 = 11-15 5 = 16-20 6 = 21-25 7 = 26-30 8 = More than 30 hours

Socializing


Relaxing and socializing (watching TV, partying, etc.)

Asian students did not significantly differ between First-Year and Senior students in the amount of time spent relaxing and socializing.

3.373.1 3.11 3.01

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian


Socializing

Conclusion

• Prolonged exposure to the dominant language and culture did not significantly affect Asian students’ performance in variables relating to socializing.

Academic Effort

Academic Effort


Prepared two or more drafts of a paper or assignmentbefore turning it in


Asians did not significantly differ between First-Year to Senior students in how often they prepared two or more drafts of a paper or assignment before turning it in.

2.8 2.772.6

2.73

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

Academic Effort


Preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, doing homework or lab work, analyzing data, rehearsing, and other academic activities)

Asians did not significantly differ between First-Year and Senior students in the number of hours spent preparing for class.

3.84

4.44.18

4.88

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian


Academic Effort


Come to class without completing readings or assignments1=Very little, 2=Some, 3=Quite a bit, 4=Very much

Asians showed a significant increase (p<.001) between First-Year and Senior students in how often they came to class without completing readings or assignments.

2.18

1.93

2.26 2.26

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

2.2

2.4

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

Academic Effort

Conclusions• Prolonged exposure to the dominant language

and culture did not significantly increase Asian student performance in variables dealing with academic effort.

• After prolonged exposure to the dominant language and culture, Asian students more often came to class unprepared.

Academic Skills

Academic Skills


Asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions1=Very little, 2=Some, 3=Quite a bit, 4=Very much

Asians did not significantly differ between First-Year and Senior students in how frequently they asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions.

2.812.55

3.18

2.55

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

Academic Skills


Speaking clearly and effectively


Asians did not significantly differ between First-Year and Senior students in speaking clearly and effectively.

2.92 2.89

3.02 3.01

2

2.2

2.4

2.6

2.8

3

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

Academic Skills


Writing clearly and effectively


Asians did not significantly differ between First-Year and Senior students in writing clearly and effectively.

3.03 2.99 3.1 3.13

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

Academic Skills

3.14

2.69

3.37 3.29

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian

During the current school year, how much has your course work emphasized the following?

Analyzing the basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory such as examining a particular case or situation in depth and

considering its components


Asians significantly increased (p<.001) between First-Year and Senior students inanalyzing the basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory.

Academic Skills

2.93

2.41

3.082.91

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian


Making judgments about the value of information, arguments, or methods, such as examining how others gathered and interpreted

data and assessing the soundness of their conclusions


Asians significantly increased (p<.001) between First-Year and Senior students in how often they made judgments about the value of information, arguments, or methods.

Academic Skills

2.94

2.532.81 2.78

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

First-Year Seniors

U.S.Asian


Memorizing facts, ideas, or methods from your courses andreadings so you can repeat them in pretty much the same form


Asian students significantly increased (p<.05) between First-Year and Senior students in memorizing facts, ideas, or methods.

Academic Skills

Conclusions• Prolonged exposure to the dominant language and

culture did not change Asian student performance in :– Asking questions in class– Speaking skills– Writing skills

• Prolonged exposure to the dominant language and culture did show marked increase in how often Asian students:– Analyze the basic elements of an idea– Make judgments about the value of information– Memorize facts, ideas, or methods

Conclusions

Conclusions

• Overall, engagement activities most heavily dependent on language or requiring interaction with others do not seem to change over time for Asians even though we know their language does improve.

• Asians do see a significant change in engagement activities that are mostly self-driven and more strongly related to culture.

Contact Information

Dr. Ronald Miller [email protected]

Kathy Pulotu [email protected]

Amber Hanza [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



Documents

Does adaptation to U.S. culture and language proficiency affect international student engagement?