Korean International Graduate Students in Canada: Identity and Internet Use by Pauline Carpenter Department of Integrated Studies in Education McGill University, Montreal June, 2009 A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts © Pauline Carpenter 2009 Library and Archives Bibliothèque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l’édition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-61502-7 Our file Notre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-61502-7 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non- L’auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant à la Bibliothèque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par télécommunication ou par l’Internet, prêter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des thèses partout dans le loan, distribute and sell theses monde, à des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non- support microforme, papier, électronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L’auteur conserve la propriété du droit d’auteur ownership and moral rights in this et des droits moraux qui protège cette thèse. Ni thesis. Neither the thesis nor la thèse ni des extraits substantiels de celle-ci substantial extracts from it may be ne doivent être imprimés ou autrement printed or otherwise reproduced reproduits sans son autorisation. without the author’s permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformément à la loi canadienne sur la Privacy Act some supporting forms protection de la vie privée, quelques may have been removed from this formulaires secondaires ont été enlevés de thesis. cette thèse. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans in the document page count, their la pagination, il n’y aura aucun contenu removal does not represent any loss manquant. of content from the thesis. ii Abstract East Asian international students often face challenges identifying and participating as active and equal members in western academic communities (Morita, 2004). Even though international students often depend on the internet during this critical time (Yang, et al., 2004), how their internet uses impact their identity is largely unknown. Using semi-structured interviews, this phenomenological study explores the experiences of seven South Korean graduate students in Canada, their internet uses, and how these uses influence their identity construction. Findings reveal that these students often experience identity challenges and report that using the internet for socializing, entertainment and information alleviates these issues. Depending on the degree of awareness and purposes of their online practices, these students‟ internet uses both enable and constrain their identities. Understanding these processes is useful for university student services and students themselves in considering ways the internet can be used to facilitate overcoming challenges international students face during educational sojourn. iii Résumé Les étudiants internationaux d‟Asie de l‟Est se retrouvent souvent confrontés à de nombreux challenges quant il s‟agit de s‟identifier et de participer de manière active et égale aux autres étudiants au sein des communautés universitaires occidentals (Morita, 2004). Même si l‟on sait que les étudiants internationaux dépendent souvent d‟internet durant cette période cruciale (Yang, et al., 2004), la façon dont ils l'utilisent et l‟influence que cela peut avoir sur leur identité reste un domaine largement peu connu. En utilisant des interviews semi structurés, cette étude phénoménologique explore les expériences de sept étudiants universitaires au Canada, leur utilisation d'internet et comment cette utilisation peut avoir une influence sur la construction de leur identité. Les résultats nous révèlent que ces étudiants se retrouvent fréquemment confrontés à des challenges identitaires et que l‟utilisation d‟internet à des fins de socialisation, d'amusement et d‟information les aident dans les difficultés qu‟ils rencontrent. L‟utilisation d‟internet peut à la fois affirmer leur identité ou alors être une source de contrainte suivant le degré de conscience et les raisons pour lesquelles ils se servent d‟internet. La compréhension de ces processus décrits précédemment est non seulement utile pour les services aux étudiants au sein des Universités, mais également pour les étudiants eux-mêmes, puisqu‟elle met en lumière différentes manières dont internet peut être utilisé afin de dépasser les difficultés que peuvent rencontrer les étudiants internationaux durant leur parcours universitaire. iv Acknowledgements First and foremost, I owe a great deal of thanks to my two supervisors Doreen Starke-Meyerring and Ratna Ghosh who have stuck with me along this journey. Their knowledge, patience, guidance and encouragement were outstanding and I could not have asked for anything more from them as mentors. To my partner Tim, I am truly thankful for your support both emotional and intellectual. Your continued encouragement and unquestioning belief in me has much to do with the completion of this thesis. Moreover, our frequent brainstorming sessions and your insightful feedback (not to mention ongoing editing and technical assistance!) was always appreciated and beyond helpful. I am also grateful to my friends for allowing me to talk for hours about my thesis while also giving me a chance to get away and enjoy life. A special thanks to Nicole for being a great sounding board and never turning down a brainstorm session. Your insight and suggestions always made things more clear. Isin as well, although brief, your input was both significant and inspiring. To all my friends (you know who you are!) thank you for your company. The enjoyment I got from our friendships was greatly needed during the ups and downs of the thesis process. Whether it was long and frequent phone conversations, walks on the mountain, dinner parties or Korean restaurants, it goes without saying that I highly valued and cherished our time. To the participants of this study who made time in their busy schedules, I am very thankful to you for sharing your experiences and for allowing me a window into your worlds. I learned so much from your accounts, and for me, our interviews were truly the highlight of this research project. And finally, a deep thank you to my family who never lost faith in my abilities and who were always there to help out with anything when need be. Having you as a constant in my life is never taken for granted. v Dedication This thesis is dedicated to Grandma Vivian who always held great enthusiasm for our accomplishments. vi Table of Contents Abstract ………………………………………………………………………….. ii Résumé …………………………………………………………………………. iii Acknowledgments ……………………………………………………………… iv Dedication ……………………………………………………………………….. v CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Current Trends in International Education and Student Mobility: An Overview..10 Statement of Purpose …….....………..…………...……………………….…….12 Methodologies.…………………………………...……………………..……….12 Key Terms Defined ………...……………………………………………………13 Structure of the Thesis …………………………...……………...………………13 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Introduction …………………………………..………………………………… 14 International Students: Setting the Context ……………………………………..15 International Students in the Literature …………...…….……………….15 International Students, Identity Politics and the Negotiation and Construction of Identity ……………….…………………………...… 17 Theoretical Framework: Identity ………………………………………………..19 Identity Construction is a Process …...…………………….................... 21 Identity is Discursive ……………………………...……………………. 22 Identities are Multiple/ Plural …………………...……………………... 23 Identities are Performed and Practiced ……………...………………… 23 Identity Construction is Dependent on Social Spaces ………..………... 24 Identity and the Internet ………………………………………………………... 25 Enabling Aspects of Online Environments on Identity Construction.…... 27 Constraining Aspects of Online Environments on Identity Construction..29 International Students and the Internet ………………………………………… 31 Quantitative Studies of International Students Online……..........……….32 Qualitative Studies of International Students Online.........................……34 Summary …………………………………………………………………...……38 vii CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGIES Introduction ………………………………………………………………..…… 39 Purpose of the Study ……………………………………………………….……39 Methodological Approach ………………………………………………….……40 Phenomenology …….....................………………………………….……...……42 The Interview……………...…..........……………………………………………42 Research Participants ……………………………………………………………43 Ethical Considerations Involving Research and the Internet ……………………44 Procedure …………………………………………………………………...…...45 Revisiting and Revising the Research Questions ………………………………..47 Data Analysis …………………………………………………………...……….48 Role of the Researcher …………………………………………………………..49 Background of the Researcher …………………………………………………..50 Experience Living Overseas and Using the Internet …………….……...52 Interest in the Topic ……………………………...………………………52 Delimitations and Limitations …………………………………………………...53 Summary ………………………………………………………………………...54 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS Introduction ……………………………………………………………………...55