Interaction design for supporting communication between Chinese sojourners

In our global village, distance is not a barrier anymore for traveling. People experience new cultures and face accompanying difficulties in order to live anywhere. Social support can help these sojourners to cope with difficulties, such as culture shock. In this paper, we investigate how computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools can facilitate social support when living physically separated from loved-ones in different cultures. The goal is to understand the design considerations necessary to design new CMC tools. We studied communication practices of Chinese sojourners living in the Netherlands and the use of a technology probe with a novel video communication system. These results led to recommendations which can help designers to design interactive communication tools that facilitate communication across cultures. We conclude the paper with an interactive communication device called Circadian, which was designed based on these recommendations. We experienced the design recommendations to be abstract enough to leave space for creativity while providing a set of clear requirements which we used to base design decisions upon

Understanding online learning across cultures: The encounter between Confucius culture and Western culture

The purpose of this study is to understand how much the field knows about the role culture plays in online learning. Further, the question is situated in the interplay between online learning behaviors influenced by Confucius culture and Western teaching pedagogy. The shared understandings of Confucius culture and Western culture presented in current literature are reviewed and compared. The impact on online learning beliefs and behaviors of international student sojourners from Confucius culture is discussed from the following three dimensions: teacher-student relationship, curriculum development, and teaching and learning pedagogy. This study cautions that culture matters in online learning but its influence should neither be underestimated nor overestimated/stereotyped

An ethnographic study of how Chinese students in a UK university understand and respond to emotions in their intercultural adjustment

This is an ethnographic study of a group of Chinese students in a UK university and their emotional experiences while they adjust to the host academic and sociocultural environment. The study focuses on these students’ understanding of and responses to emotions in their intercultural encounters in this context. The empirical findings show that: 1) Chinese students’ constructions of emotions: seek connections with people in the host environment; value approval in interactions with people in the host environment; pursue competence when performing academic and social tasks; promote positive self-presentation in classroom discussions; seek intimacy in intercultural friendships; and value sincerity in intercultural relationships. These constructions are centred on three aspects: encountering and engaging with the host environment; performing academic and social tasks; and developing interpersonal relationships. 2) Chinese students’ ways of responding to emotions involve: changing oneself; changing the environment; and other responses (including emotion-focused coping and the avoidance of emotion eliciting events or situations). 3) There are a variety of sociocultural and historical factors that influence the development of Chinese students’ constructions of or responses to emotions in their intercultural adjustment processes: emotional contagion, emotional coincidence, empathy, close proximity, the presence of other Chinese students, a perceived low level of host receptivity, conformity pressure from the Chinese group, being in a disadvantageous position in power imbalanced encounters, habituation with the existing Chinese network, and previous learning experiences. The findings give valuable insights into Chinese students’ affective intercultural adjustment journey, and have practical implications for prospective Chinese international students and intercultural education in higher education, especially in the context of the UK

A Longitudinal Study of Person-Culture Fit: Convergence of Mental Models

The person-environment fit hypothesis argues that the match or fit between an individual and the environment predicts positive adaptation outcomes for the person. Unfortunately, the person-environment fit hypothesis has not received consistent empirical support in the context of cross-cultural adaptation due to lack of a clear conceptualization of fit and an appropriate measure of fit. This dissertation proposes to use the convergence of mental models, a dynamic constructivist approach, to conceptualize person-culture fit, and to use it as a viable mechanism for understanding cross-cultural adaptation processes. A cross-lagged structural equation model was developed to examine how cultural adaptability and host language proficiency lead to positive adaptation outcomes through the mediating roles of mental model convergence and mental model change. Participants were 126 sojourning Chinese students studying in the U.S. and 30 American students and professors who were friends of the Chinese participants. Data were collected from the Chinese participants at two points in time: shortly after they arrived in the U.S. and three months after the first round of data collection. Based on results from a pilot study, participants were asked to rate the dissimilarities between 10 concepts relevant to cross-cultural adaptation. An index of person-culture fit was generated by comparing each Chinese sojourner's mental space with the aggregated mental space of domestic American participants. In addition, the Chinese participants reported their level of cultural adaptability, English proficiency, amount of intercultural communication with host nationals, and psychological wellbeing. Results from the study showed that Chinese sojourners' psychological wellbeing declined about three months after their arrival, which is consistent with the U-curve model of culture shock. Results indicated that cultural adaptability affected cultural adjustment. Specifically, cultural adaptability affected the development of host identification and was positively related to the degree of mental model change. English proficiency affected cultural adjustment through its direct positive effect on the amount of intercultural communication and psychological wellbeing. Finally, person-culture cognitive fit had a positive influence on host identification and psychological wellbeing. The interpretations and implications of the results, the contributions and limitations of the study, and directions for future research, were discussed

Chinese Visiting Scholars’ Academic Adjustment at a Canadian University

In recent years, an increasing number of visiting scholars from China come to Canada and international academic adjustment is considered an important component in their professional development. However, a review of relevant literature indicates that there is a lack of research on Chinese visiting scholars regarding their academic adjustment experience at their host institution. Drawing upon semi-structured interviews with nine Chinese visiting scholar participants, three host professor participants, and three graduate student participants, this research aims to examine Chinese visiting scholars’ academic adjustment experiences at a middle-sized Canadian university in Ontario, and to understand how they perceive their international experiences in connection with their professional development. Based on participants’ reports of their motivations, expectations, challenges and strategies during their visits, this research attempts to understand Chinese visiting scholars’ international academic experience. This research also offers some suggestions to future international visiting scholars on how to engage in a new academic community, and to members of host institutions—including faculty members and graduate students—on how to benefit from the diverse expertise of international visiting scholars

Intercultural encounters: PR China students in Singapore

There are more than a billion people learning English as a second language around the world, and the majority of those language learners are in China. However, so many go overseas to learn English that Chinese learners of English is probably the largest national group of language students in the world. This huge learner population of students of the English language has thus made phenomena such as those of study-abroad, sojourner and intercultural adjustment all the more important, and its implication for Singapore is also significant. The purpose of this research, therefore, investigates the adjustment of PR China students to life in Singapore. It attempts to elicit those factors that affect the study's 18 students and examines to what extent those factors promote and hinder their adjustment to the new environment. While most empirical studies of intercultural adjustment were conducted on students adjusting to host cultures that were very different to their own, this study looks at the adjustment of students whose culture shares more similarities than differences with the host country. This research of intercultural adjustment is therefore unique, especially when the complex of attitudes, beliefs and practices may reveal that adjustment can be problematic despite cultural and even ethnic similarities. It also attempts to relate to other studies where considerable research on the intercultural adjustment of students has already been done, and intends to link, where possible, to general and interaction adjustment domains that represent those factors that most confront student sojourners. Studies in the Asian region are also scrutinized for relevant and related areas that could directly inform this study. The findings show that the students found their adjustment to life in Singapore problematic, and that there are many physical aspects in the environment, ranging from food to the weather, that have affected their adjustment. Only a quarter of the students reported some adjustment but the rest found it difficult to adjust to those physical aspects

Functions of the Common Ingroup Identity Model and Acculturation Strategies in Intercultural Communication: American Host Nationals' Communication with Chinese International Students

Identities of social groups have been considered as the fundamental factors which influence communication practices (e.g., Harwood, Giles, & Palomares, 2005). Guided by the Intergroup Contact Hypothesis (Allport, 1954; Brown & Hewstone, 2005), the Common Ingroup Identity Model (CIIM; Gaertner, Rust, Dovidio, Bachman, & Anastasio, 1994), and the acculturation framework (Berry, 1980), this experimental study examined American host nationals' perceptions of Chinese international students' cultural adaptation strategies and the effects of the strategies on American host nationals' willingness to communicate with the Chinese students. In addition, the current study also examined the indirect effects of the adaptation strategies through American host nationals' perceptions of anxiety in communicating with and social attractiveness of the Chinese students on willingness to communicate with the Chinese students. Four scenarios describing Chinese international students' cultural adaptation strategies (i.e., assimilation, integration, separation, and marginalization) were developed based on CIIM and the acculturation framework. Prior to the main study, two pilot studies (N = 113 in pilot 1, N = 60 in pilot 2) were conducted to examine the validity of the manipulation of the four strategies along two conceptual dimensions: identification with home culture (i.e., Chinese culture) and identification with the host culture (i.e., American culture). In the main study, European American participants (N = 284) were asked to report their demographic information, strength of identification with American culture, and attitudes toward Chinese people in general. Then, they were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental conditions in which they read a scenario describing a Chinese international student's cultural adaptation strategy. After reading the scenario, participants answered questions measuring their perceptions of the cultural adaptation strategy used by the Chinese international student described in the scenario. Then, they reported their perceptions of willingness to communicate with, social attractiveness of, and interpersonal communication anxiety with the Chinese student. Hypothesis 1 predicted that participants' perceptions of willingness to communicate with the Chinese international student would vary with the experimental conditions. Partially supporting Hypothesis 1, univariate analysis of variance results revealed that participants were more willing to communicate with the assimilated and integrated Chinese students than with the separated and marginalized students. Hypothesis 2 predicted that participants' judgments of the Chinese international student would vary depending on the experimental conditions. Partially supporting Hypothesis 2, multivariate analysis of variance results revealed that the assimilated and integrated Chinese students were judged more positively than the separated or marginalized Chinese student. Guided by the prior literature on intervening variables in intergroup contact research (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2008; Stephan & Stephan, 1985; Voci & Hewstone, 2003), Hypothesis 3 further predicted the indirect effects of the experimental conditions on American host nationals' willingness to communicate through two mediator variables (i.e., interpersonal communication anxiety and social attractiveness). Results of nonparametric bootstrapping procedures revealed that intercultural adaptation strategies had indirect effects on willingness to communicate through both interpersonal communication anxiety and social attractiveness. Results of this study provide several theoretical and practical implications for the growing body of intergroup contact research in an intercultural context. By incorporating the acculturation framework, for example, findings from the current study provided empirical support for a critical role played by a common ingroup identity in an intercultural context. In addition, this study challenged the taken-for-granted intervening function of anxiety in intergroup contact literature and demonstrated an imperative role of a positive intervening variable. Moreover, on a practical note, findings from this study provide insightful suggestions for the communities and education institutions in the host culture to develop effective intercultural communication training programs and strategies to cope with intercultural communication anxiety and uncertainty. Results are discussed in light of prior literature and theories of intergroup, intercultural, and interpersonal communication

Exploring language contact and use among globally mobile populations: a qualitative study of English-speaking short-stay academic sojourners in the Republic of Korea

This study explores the language contact and use of English speaking sojourners in the Republic of Korea who had no prior knowledge of Korean language or culture prior to arriving in the country. The study focuses on the use of mobile technology assisted l anguage use. Study participants responded to an online survey about their experiences using the Korean language when interacting with Korean speakers, their free time activities, and the types of digital and mobile technologies they used. The survey respon ses informed questions for later discussion groups, in which participants discussed challenges and solutions when encountering new linguistic and social scenarios with Korean speakers. Semi structured interviews were employed to examine the linguistic, soc ial and technological dimensions of the study participants’ brief sojourn in Korea in more depth. The interviews revealed a link between language contact, language use and a mobile instant messaging application. In the second phase of the study, online surveys focused on the language and technology link discovered in the first phase. Throughout Phase Two , the researcher observed the study participants in a series of social contexts, such as informal English practice and university events. Phase Two concluded with semi structured interviews that demonstrated language contact and use within mobile instant messaging chat rooms on participants’ handheld smart devices. The two phases revealed three key factors influencing the language contact and use between the study participants and Korean speakers. Firstly, a mutual perspicacity for mobile technologies and digital communication supported their mediated, screen to screen and blended direct and mediated face to screen interactions. Secondly, Korea’s advanced digital environment comprised handheld smart devices, smart device applications and ubiquitous, high speed Wi Fi their Korean speaking hosts to self reliance. Thirdly, language use between the study participants and Korean speakers incorporated a range of sociolinguistic resources including the exchange of symbols, small expressive images, photographs, video and audio recordings along with or in place of typed text. Using these resources also helped the study participants learn and take part in social and cultural practices, such as gifting digitally, within mobile instant messaging chat rooms. The findings of the study are drawn together in a new conceptual model which h as been called sociolinguistic digital acuity , highlighting the optimal conditions for language contact and use during a brief sojourn in a country with an unfamiliar language and culture

CROSS-CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT OF NATIVE ENGLISH TEACHERS IN HONG KONG: AN INVESTIGATIVE STUDY

Since its inception, the attrition rate of teachers in the Native English Teachers (NETs) scheme in Hong Kong has been very high. Though the introduction of financial incentives has reduced this slightly, the problem remains, and this thesis explores an alternative explanation for the high attrition, in the field of cross-cultural adjustment. The thesis argues that the effectiveness of the NET scheme is affected by the extent to which issues of cross-cultural adjustment are addressed sufficiently, and that the high attrition rate can be explained, in part, by neglect of issues in cross-cultural adjustment, both in terms of the sojourners and of the host culture. A literature review indicates that cross-cultural adjustment has many different dimensions, and that levels of culture shock and cross-cultural adjustment depend, in part, on individuals’ characteristics. The thesis reports a small-scale qualitative investigation into the experiences of NETs in Hong Kong, seen through different lenses and theories of cross-cultural adjustment, and using a grounded theory approach to data analysis. The empirical data gathered reveal a complex, differentiated and individualized view of cross-cultural adjustment, and that it changes in individuals over time. Cross-cultural adjustment is also seen to apply to host cultures and service providers as well as to the sojourners themselves. Serious shortcomings are found in the provision of suitable preparation, induction, training and ongoing support provided for NETs in Hong Kong in terms of cross-cultural adjustment, and recommendations are made for interventions with the sojourners, the schools and the Hong Kong government’s NETs scheme and associated training programmes

Language and Interaction Adjustment of Chinese Students In Thai Living and Learning Environment

The current study is then to investigate the difficulties in the process of adjustment of Chinese students to the Thai learning environment, and to explore the predictors for their language and interaction adjustment as well as the strategies they use in coping with Thai and English inefficiency and interacting with Thai people. A total of 250 Assumption University students in Thailand participated by responding to a questionnaire developed to meet the objectives of the study. The results of this study suggest that Chinese students have moderate language learning and interaction adjustment, while the variables covered in language adjustment have no significant effects on their language adjustment. Thai and English language proficiency is not found to contribute significantly to the language adjustment. Chinese students are fairly satisfied with their interaction with Thai nations. Cultural identification with the host, perceived personal similarities, positive expectations, and quality of contact with the host, attitude of the host and host receptivity variables contribute greatly to Chinese students’ interaction adjustment in Thai learning environment. A multiple regression test shows perceived similarities and attitude of the host toward Chinese students have the strongest predictive power for their interaction adjustment. Demographic variables have some predictive power for Chinese students’ adjustment. Female students have less difficulty in Language adjustment and interaction adjustment, indicating female less adjusted to the Thai learning environment. It is also found that the older students are, the less they adjust in learning and interacting with Thai. Length of stay in Thailand has significant impact on their adjustment and amount or kinds of difficulty they experience in Thai learning environment. In coping with Thai language inefficiency, most preferred strategy is to look up in the dictionary followed by avoidance of the topic, co-national help and using English. In terms of interpersonal interaction, the majority of the Chinese students choose to stay with their co-nationals. The rest three strategies in order of frequencies are sharing, support and initiative. Recommendations for Thai School educators and administrators and suggestions for further research on this topic are also discussed. Future research should extend the range of nationalities of international students in Thai higher institutions to generalize more common factors and predictors for their successful adjustment, to explore and classify the causes for their experienced difficulties in adjustment and longitudinal research is recommended for future research which allows observing the adjustment process over time