In Their Own Words – Phase III:
Reasons, Expectations and Experiences of International Graduate Students in the School of Education

Conducted by

Anne Therese Falkenstein
Antonio Soto Carlo

Chiou-Hui (Joyce) Chou
Shih-Hsien (Ivan) Yang
Snea Thinsan

With Special Thanks to the Project Advisor

Professor Sharon Pugh, PhD

Acknowledgements:

We also wish to express our gratitude to

Junko Dosaka, Jenna Harmeyer, Marlissa Hughes, Ozlem Kaya, Nita Levison, Shijuan Liu, Asegul Sukron Oz, Ginger Reece, Kazuko Suematsu for their assistance and support.

Introduction

            Phase I of this study began in the Spring Semester of 2000. Phase II took place during the Spring Semester of 2001 and Phase III of the initial investigation resumed in Spring Semester 2002. The purpose of Phase III was threefold.  First, to gain further knowledge from first year international graduate students in the School of Education (SOE), in regard to their reasons for attending the school, expectations they had prior to coming to the school and whether those expectations had been met, understanding of departmental expectations made of them, and what they would say to prospective students. The second purpose of the study was to identify and continue to encourage aspects of the program that contribute to international students’ positive experiences of studying in the SOE. Lastly, the third purpose of the study was to make informed recommendations to the School of Education that might help improve the experiences of international students who choose to be part of this academic community. 

A team of five graduate students in the School of Education, under the direction of Professor Sharon Pugh, conducted this research project. Every member of the team was responsible for conducting four interviews. Four other international students and three North American students conducted the remaining ten interviews. In total, eight international and four North American graduate students, enrolled in the School of Education, conducted the thirty interviews.

Problem Statement

International students have a great deal to offer academic communities in the United States. Among the many advantages international students offer to this School of Education, in addition to their intellectual skills, are cultural diversity, the potential to build understanding and peace among nations, and insight into various educational practices throughout the world, not to mention the out-of -state fees that help to support the system. These benefits make it obvious why so many U.S. institutions actively recruit international students. 

According to Open Doors 2001, the annual report on international education published by the Institute of International Education (IIE) with support from the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, “The number of international students attending colleges and universities in the United States increased by 6.4% in the 2000/2001 academic year to a record total of 547,867.” This was the highest increase over the last two decades. California led the nation in hosting international students (up more than 12% to74, 281), followed by New York (up 6% to 58,286), Texas (up 5% to 37,735), Massachusetts (up 4% to 29,395), Florida (up 2% to 25,366) and Illinois (up 6% to 24,229). Of the leading host states, California had the strongest growth in international student enrollment.

At the Indiana institution in which the current study was conducted, a total of 3,558 international students were enrolled in the 2001-2002 academic year, comprising 9.4 percent of the total population. Among graduate students, international students numbered 1,846, comprising 28.6 percent of all graduate students. Of these, 275 representing 39 countries were in the School of Education. These numbers indicate the extent to which the institution is international and hosts students from virtually every corner of the world. As reported in the Office of the Registrar 2001-2002 Fall Enrollment Report, the top ten countries sending students to this university were as follows:

In the School of Education, the five countries with the highest representation among graduate students are as follows:

            1. South Korea              68
            2. Taiwan                     60

            3. Turkey                     41

 4. Japan                      20

 5. China                      16

            While these numbers are encouraging, attracting international students to North American Universities is not enough. Institutions that invite international students to invest their knowledge, cultural background and finances in the academic host community have an ethical responsibility to try to meet the needs of international students. This concept was at the core of our research.

 Literature Review

With 1,200 universities in the US offering graduate degrees, 430 of which offer PhD programs, choosing a school can be a complex task. According to the website of the Australian-American Fulbright Commission, http://www.fulbright.com.au/home.htm,

Things to consider might be the size of the department, the size and geographic location of the school, the cost of attending the institution and the availability of financial support for international students. Other considerations might include the quality and reputation of the faculty, the school's library, computing and laboratory facilities, and details of the achievements of the program's graduates.

The Council of Graduate Schools’ website, http://www.cgsnet.org, mentioned that size and location of the school, and students’ particular interests, academic backgrounds, and goals are factors that often influence a person’s decision about where to pursue graduate studies. In addition, it indicates that international students often base their decisions about whether and/ or where to study abroad on the recommendations from undergraduate professors, resources from websites, and library catalogues.

Research conducted by Talbot, Maier, and Rushlau (1996) found that the most important factors that influenced the choice of a potential program were the reputation of the program, institution, and faculty; location of the institution; and opportunity for assistantships or other financial support.

The last factor is important because of the cost of attending a foreign institution, which in the case of a public university may be three times as much or higher for international students than for in-state students. Why are foreign students willing to pay the price to enroll in U.S. institutions of higher education? According to the website of the U.K. based clearinghouse, StudyOverseas, http://www.studyoverseas.com:

We believe they do so because they view the cost of higher education as an investment. They have determined that the necessary skills and experience they will gain by studying in the United States will reap a high return for their money and a better paying job when they return home.

In addition, the vast majority of foreign students hope to return home fluent in

the English language. As also stated in the same website,

English proficiency is a tremendous asset and indeed, in some cases, a necessary skill if one is to work successfully in places [where English is an important commercial language] such as Luxembourg, Tokyo, Pretoria, Abu Dhabi, or Ontario. English proficiency can be gained as a result of U.S. study, and that is one reason why American higher education is a wise investment.

Regardless of the reasons upon which international graduate students base their decision to study in the United States, all of them face many challenges beyond those confronted by their North American peers. Cultural differences often add stress to their already demanding academic lives. According to Kornblum (1991), “Culture refers to the total system of values, beliefs, attitudes, traditions and behavioral norms regulating life among a particular group of people.” In addition to becoming acquainted with differences in educational practices, negotiating the simplest day-to-day activities in a new culture can become very complex for international students and demand a great deal of their time, energy and stamina. The Counseling Center webpage at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1996) stated,

Most people go through a process of adaptation when they move into a new culture. Some of the things that make this adaptation process difficult include:

• having to use a foreign language
• not being sure how to interact with people in authority
• not having a clear idea of how to make friends with people from different cultures
• not having a clear idea of how to date people from different cultures
• not being understood when you express yourself in your usual way
• finding that food and eating customs are different
• finding that religious practices are different
• finding large differences in the educational system
• finding that some people in the new culture are impatient when you don't understand things right away
• finding that some people are prejudiced against others from different cultures

In addition, Furnham (1986) stated, “Many international students struggle with problems upon their entry into the US. Some of the problems identified by international students are related to language, financial situation, academic stress, social interactions with Americans, food, and loneliness/homesickness.” Ellen (1997) indicated,

Many faculty and graduate students from other countries have language difficulties in the American classroom; they know that their students may have trouble understanding them, and that they may have problems understanding their students. What these teachers may not expect are other surprises: that different cultures make different assumptions about the academic background of college students, how students learn, the appropriate roles of teachers and students, and even the fundamental purpose of a college education.

Furthermore, Trice (2001), Cadman (2000), Cannon (2000), Angelova & Riazantseva (1999), Luzio-Lockett (1998), Perrucci & Hu (1995), and Selvadurai (1992), reported that for international students with limited English proficiency skills, the English language seems to be one of the greatest challenges they face while studying in the United States.

Lastly, in the Indiana University International Student Orientation Handbook (2001-2002), Levine and Adelman have provided a descriptive overview of the experiences of many international students as they acculturate to a new environment. This overview, while intended to help students better understand their experiences, may also help U.S. faculty, staff and students understand the special challenges of foreign study for international students. 

Understanding the cultural adjustment process can help international students cope with the often-intense feelings that they may experience as they begin their life in the U.S. Each stage in the process of cultural adjustment is characterized by "symptoms" or outward signs typifying certain kinds of behavior.

1. "Honeymoon" period: Initially, many people are fascinated and excited by everything new. The visitor is elated to be in a new culture.

2.   "Culture shock": The individual is immersed in new problems: housing,              transportation, shopping and language. Mental fatigue results from

            continuous straining to comprehend the new language.

      3.    Initial Adjustment: Everyday activities such as housing and shopping are

             no longer major problems. Although the visitor may not yet be fluent in

             the language spoken, basic ideas and feelings in the second language can

             be expressed.

      4.    Mental Isolation: Individuals have been away from their family and good

             friends for a long period of time and may feel lonely. Many still feel they

             cannot express themselves as well as they can in their native language.

             Frustration and sometimes a loss of self-confidence result. Some

             individuals remain at this stage.

       5.   Acceptance and Integration: A routine (e.g., work, business or school)

             has been established. The visitor has accepted the habits, customs, foods,

             and characteristics of the people in the new  culture. The visitor feels

             comfortable with friends, associates and the language of the country.

            In light of the literature regarding the numerous cultural adjustments made by international students who choose to study in the United States, every possible effort to help them in their efforts to succeed at this university is desirable.

Methodology

Data collection

            In an effort to solicit as many responses as possible, attempts were made to contact all first year international graduate students who were enrolled in the School of Education during the 2001-2002 academic year. Thirty international graduate students agreed to be interviewed and were asked the following questions, which were the same as those posed in previous phases of this research:

1.      Why did you choose to come to this School of Education?  Please tell me about your personal/social reasons or others such as the influence of certain individuals or institutions.

2.      What were your knowledge and expectations (academic/cultural/social/other) before you came here?  Please be specific and articulate your feelings whether positive or negative.

3.      How have your experiences matched (or not matched) your expectations?

4.      How do you perceive expectations made of you as a student in your department?

5.      What would you say to someone from your own country who was considering graduate studies in the School of Education at this university?

6.      Is there anything else you would like to add?

The interviewers audio-taped and transcribed their own interviews. During the data collection period, about fifteen weeks, the research team met weekly for at least three hours to analyze the data, form consensus, and categorize all of the interviewees’ responses. Because interviewees’ responses to Question Six were directly related to Questions Three and Four, they were incorporated into these questions.

 Each team member then wrote a synthesizing report on one question, following which the whole team invested approximately fifty hours to review, provide comments, edit each report, and compile the five reports into one document with general conclusions and recommendations at the end.  This final report is a result of the team’s collaborative efforts. 

Participants

Among the 1,203 graduate students in the School of Education at the studied university, 275 were international students. Thus, the thirty participants in this study (see Table I) accounted for 10.9 percent of all international students in this school.

Table 1: Participants by departments and major programs of study

To show how well the participants represent the international students in each department, Table 2 compares the representation of international students in the School of Education as of June 2002, with their representation in this study.

Table 2: Representation by department: population vs. participants

Table 2 suggests that students in the Counseling and Educational Psychology Department are overrepresented, whereas IST students are underrepresented in this study. Students in the other departments, however, are at least somewhat proportionately represented.

Table 3: Participants by degrees sought

            Table 3 demonstrates that master’s students are represented excessively in this study while doctoral students are underrepresented. However, given the small sample size of thirty and dependence on volunteers, the distribution of 56.7 % and 43.3 % of the master’s and doctoral groups respectively may be considered appropriate for this study. Moreover, one discovery of this study was the feeling of marginalization experienced by many students in master’s programs, so their high representation here may have the benefit of drawing attention to their needs.

Regarding citizenship, since not all of the students from countries represented in the School of Education (see below) are in their first year of study, it was not possible to have representatives from all countries. Students from Taiwan, South Korea and Turkey are highly represented because of the high enrollment of students from each of these countries in the School of Education. (See Table 4.)

Demographic information regarding gender, age, whether students are in the U.S. with families and their prior U.S. experience is provided in the Appendix.

Table 4: Participants by citizenship