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Double-edged sword: How international students on an intensive programme cope with a new national and academic culture where few host culture students exist Item Type Thesis Authors Sweeney Bradley, Irene Citation Sweeney Bradley, I. (2017) 'Double-edged sword: How international students on an intensive programme cope with a new national and academic culture where few host culture students exist' EdD Thesis, University of Derby Download date 01/10/2021 15:47:53 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10545/621839 UNIVERSITY OF DERBY DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD: How International Students on an intensive programme cope with a new National and Academic Culture where Few Host Culture Students Exist. Irene Sweeney Bradley Doctor of Education 2017 ABSTRACT The Work-Based Project (WBP) set out to explore how international students in a Swiss hospitality institution manage to cope with two quite different cultures to where they came from i.e. the Swiss national culture and the British academic culture. Previous research on international students have been in locations where the host culture student is in plentiful supply which is a way to help the international student adjust socioculturally. Within this WBP, the student body is made up of mainly international students and very few Swiss students. Concepts that were used to assist the exploration of this topic include: what influenced the choice of Switzerland and the institution as a place to study, along with how the information was searched for (Mazzarol and Soutar’s, 2002 Push-Pull Model; The Model of International Students’ Preferences by Cubillo, Sánchez and Cerviño, 2006). Hyde’s (2012) adaptation of Oberg’s 1960 stages of adaptation explored culture shock as a concept followed by Berry’s (1997) acculturation and coping strategies. It investigated the use of friendship networks as a way to help students cope in this new environment (Bochner, McLeod and Lin, 1977; Schartner, 2015). These models were used to provide a framework for the questioning used in the gathering of the primary research. The study is applied in nature and using a case study allowed for the exploration of the rich detail that was needed to understand how the international student feels in this environment and how they cope with it in an effort to instigate change as a result of the findings. Focus groups were used as a scoping tool to identify the key themes which were then developed into a questionnaire for distribution among the wider student body. The key findings indicate that reputation of Swiss hospitality education is influential in the decision making of the student. Word of mouth through previous students is a key way for the students to find out the information they believe they need. The findings revealed that the student views both the Swiss and academic culture of the institution as one and the same. The issue of culture shock is difficult to plot as there was such a mix of feelings identified when the decision to come to Switzerland is made and when the student arrives. The friendships that are generated have evolved since the creation of the !ii Bochner et al (1977) Model and Schartner (2015) identified a newer group which could be added to this model i.e. friends back home as a way to help with psychological adjustment. The key conclusions drawn from the research indicate that the students use word-of- mouth to a great extent in preparation for their study abroad however, the information received is informal in nature. Those that used more sources of information felt they arrived more prepared. Friends were referred to throughout the study for many reasons however, the addition of the 4th group of friends i.e. friends back home, were used as a form of escape to cope with the challenges experienced (whether national or academic culture) due to both cultures being viewed as one and the same. Implications of this relate to how information is provided to the potential student Dissemination of the findings to those that prepare the students for their venture e.g. agents and those that have to help the student adjust upon their arrival e.g. institution members so that the student can adapt more quickly in the 18 weeks that they have to feel comfortable in their new environment. !iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people provided support in the creation of this WBP. There are too many to name separately. However, without the contribution of the students in the sample it would not have been possible. They provided the richness of information that was required in order to complete and for that I thank them wholeheartedly. The work is dedicated to my family and friends that gave me the space that was needed in order to produce the work and who listened to me in the good times and the bad. !iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv TABLE OF CONTENTS v List of Tables x List of Figures xii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Brief Review of Literature 4 1.3 Context and Motivation for the Research 9 1.4 Aim 11 1.5 Objectives 11 1.6 Value of the Study 12 1.7 Overview of the WBP 13 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 14 2.1 Introduction 14 2.2 Choosing a University 16 2.3 Culture 25 2.3.1 Intercultural Contact 28 2.4 Culture Shock in the context of National Culture 31 2.4.1 Adaptation 34 2.4.2 Acculturation and Coping Strategies 38 2.4.3 Acculturative Stress 44 2.4.4 Coping Strategies 47 !v 2.5 Culture Shock in the context of Academic Culture 51 2.6 Friendship Patterns 60 2.6.1 Co-Nationals 64 2.6.2 Host Nationals 67 2.6.3 Other Non-Compatriot Foreign Students 70 2.7 Implications for Practice 71 2.8 Conclusion 73 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 76 3.1 Introduction 76 3.2 Nature of the Research 76 3.3 Research Design 78 3.4 Ontological and Epistemological Perspective 80 3.5 Theoretical Perspective 82 3.6 Approach Adopted 83 3.7 Strategy Chosen 86 3.8 Research Instruments - Focus Group 88 3.9 Research Instruments - Questionnaire 94 3.10 Sample 98 3.11 Secondary Research 99 3.12 Ethical Considerations 101 3.13 Time Horizon 102 3.14 Data Analysis 103 3.15 Limitations 108 3.16 Conclusion 109 !vi CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND ANALYSIS 111 4.1 Introduction 111 4.2 Findings from the Focus Group 111 4.2.1 Prior to arrival in Switzerland - Focus Group Findings 113 4.2.3 Arrival in Switzerland - Focus Group Findings 115 4.2.3 Coping Strategies - Focus Group Findings 118 4.2.4 Could things be done better? - Focus Group Findings 124 4.3 Findings from the Questionnaire 127 4.3.1 Prior to arrival in Switzerland - Questionnaire Findings 131 4.3.2 Arrival in Switzerland - Questionnaire Findings 138 4.3.3 Coping Strategies - Questionnaire Findings 142 4.3.4 Could things be done better? - Questionnaire Findings 145 4.4 Analysis and Discussion 149 4.4.1 Prior to arrival in Switzerland - Analysis 151 4.4.2 Sources used to research 156 4.4.3 Feelings prior to arrival in Switzerland 160 4.4.4 Arrival in Switzerland - Analysis 162 4.4.5 Challenges with National and Academic Culture 165 4.4.6 Friendship Networks 175 4.4.7 Acculturation and Coping Strategies - Analysis 187 4.4.8 Could things be done better - Analysis 192 4.5 Conclusion 198 CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION 202 5.1 Conclusion and Implications for Practice 202 !vii 5.2 Contribution to Theory 210 5.3 Recommendations for Future Research 212 5.4 Recommendations for the Institution - Comments from Findings 214 5.5 Personal Reflections 215 CHAPTER SIX: DISSEMINATION 217 6.1 Introduction 217 6.2 Changes to Practices influenced by WBP findings 219 6.3 Dissemination Strategy 220 6.3.1 What do we want to disseminate? 220 6.3.2 Who are our stakeholders? 221 6.3.3 Dissemination Media and When 222 REFERENCES: 231 APPENDICES 1 Appendix 1 - Email sent to seek volunteers 1 Appendix 2 - Focus Group Question Guide 2 Appendix 3 - Transcript from Focus Group 1 5 Appendix 4 - Transcript from Focus Group 2 17 Appendix 5 - Transcript from Focus Group 3 32 Appendix 6 - Transcript from the Interview 43 Appendix 7 - Follow-up Questionnaire for Focus Group Members 50 Appendix 8 - Questionnaire 53 Appendix 9 - Email seeking Questionnaire Participants 60 Appendix 10 - Email to Management seeking Permission 61 Appendix 11 - Why choose Switzerland? 62 !viii Appendix 12 - Comments on Feelings once Decision was made 65 Appendix 13 - Information Sought on Switzerland Prior to Arrival 68 Appendix 14 - Comments on Information Sought about Institution 69 Appendix 15 - Sources that Students used to Research 72 Appendix 16 - Comment by Students on Feelings Upon Arrival 75 Appendix 17 - Comments from Students on Challenges with Swiss Culture 78 Appendix 18 - Comments from Students on Feelings Upon Arrival at Institution 82 Appendix 19 - Comments about the Intensity of the Programme 85 Appendix 20 - Comments on Challenges in the Academic Culture 89 Appendix 21 - Comments on how Negativity was Overcome 93 Appendix 22 - Comments on Support Networks Developed 96 Appendix 23 - Comments on Students Feelings on Adjustment 97 Appendix 24 - Would you do Anything Differently Prior to Arrival? 100 Appendix 25 - Could the Institution do Anything Differently Prior to Arrival? 102 Appendix 26 - Could you do Anything Differently Upon Arrival? 104 Appendix 27 - Could the Institution do Anything Differently Upon Arrival? 106 Appendix 28 - Advice Students would give to Potential Students 108 Appendix 29 - First Draft of Abstract created for Publication 111 !ix List of Tables Table 1.1 Contributors to theory on factors influencing choice of study 5 Table 2.1 Inclusion and exclusion of concepts 15 Table 2.2 Decision-making as applied to