Page 38 - Movers, Shapers, and Everything in Between: Influencers of the International Student Experience

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Chapter 2
services experiences (Ammigan & Jones, 2018). Furthermore, “the preparation of graduates who have a strong knowledge and skill base in intercultural relations and communications is considered by many academics as one of the strongest rationales for internationalising the teaching/learning experience of students” (Knight, 1999, as cited Briguglio, 2006, p. 2). The classroom experience and taught curriculum play important roles in supporting interaction and integration. Educators can make use of cultural diversity in the classroom to foster cross-cultural perspectives (Commons, Mabin, & Gao, 2012). Facilitating interaction between international and domestic students both inside and outside the classroom improves communication skills, cognitive skills, and cultural awareness (Arkoudis et al., 2013).
While there is a wealth of research on the role of integration in the international student experience, few studies have taken a large scale (N>1,000) quantitative approach to measuring these differences. In a comprehensive literature review, no large-scale quantitative studies specifically exploring the influence of integration on international student satisfaction were found.
theorieS relAted to inteGrAtion And Student experienCe
Further backing the relevance of these research questions are seminal theories related to integration and student experience. Acculturation can be defined as “the dual process of cultural and psychological change that takes place as a result of contact between two or more cultural groups and their individual members” (Berry, 2005, p. 698). Acculturation models developed by Berry (1997), Safdar, Lay, & Struthers (2003), and Ward, Bochner, & Furnham (2001) support the notion that international students likely experience numerous life changes as a result of being in a new culture. These life changes have the potential to become stressors depending on how they are dealt with (Berry, 1997, 2006; Ward, Bochner, & Furnham, 2001). Smith and Khawaja (2011) cite the main sources of stress as linguistic, educational, sociocultural, discriminatory, and practical, and note the need for further research to determine how the cultural backgrounds of international students play a role in dealing with stressors.