Negotiating the Culture of the Academy: Chinese Graduate Students in Canada

Abstract

This paper presents the process and results of a narrative inquiry into the stories of eight Chinese international graduate students. Results show three main commonalities in participants’ education narratives in China: parental influence, the exam system and independent study. In the Canadian setting, specific aspects of the academic culture are experienced as permeable (written work, lab work, tests and reading ability) or impermeable (in-class discussions, oral presentations, group work, oral discourse, communicating with local people). Discussion articulates participants’ use of unique personal resources, which results in distinctive trajectories of entry into and navigation within this new academic culture. Cet article présente le processus et les résultats d'une enquête narrative de huit étudiants internationaux chinois de troisème cycle. Les résultats montrent les trois éléments communs dans la narration des participants: l'influence des parents, le système des examens, et l'étude individuelle. Dans le cadre canadien, les participants ont reconnu des aspects spécifiques de la culture académique comme perméables (travaux écrits, travaux de laboratoire,les examens et compétence en lecture) ou imperméables (discussions en classe, présentations orales, travaux en groupes, entretiens oraux, et communication avec les habitants locaux). La discussion clarifie l'usage d'uniques ressources personnelles par chaque participant La discussion clarifie l'usage d'uniques ressources personnelles par chaque participant dont le résultat définit des trajectoires distinctifs d'entrée et de navigation au coeur de cette nouvelle culture académique.

Why Don’t They Participate? A Self-Study of Chinese Graduate Students’ Classroom:Involvement in North America

“…Each of the six factors will have more or less impact depending on the "developmental stage" of the Chinese graduates in question. In the students' initial year of arrival, language might be their biggest barrier to speaking up in the classroom, as noted in previous literature (Windle, et al, 2008). However, after an extensive period of language practice and improvement, personality might play a bigger role in class performance.…”

“…Although Chinese students share similar experiences with other international students, they also have unique characteristics deserving further examination (Lin, 2002;Zhang, 1992). In the only Canada-based study, Windle, Hamilton, Zeng, and Yang (2008) identified two specific aspects of academic culture among Chinese graduate students in Canada: permeable aspects, related to non-human interactions (such as written work, lab work, and reading ability); and impermeable aspects -human interactions including in-class discussions, oral presentations, group work, oral discourse, and communicating with local people. Some of these findings confirm those in studies conducted in the U.S.…”

“…Few studies have been conducted on Chinese students' experiences (Chan, 1999;Oxford, et al, 1992;Phillips, Lo, & Yu, 2002), and it seems that most of these were conducted exclusively by interviewing Chinese students, or sending them surveys to complete. In order to acquire valid and in-depth understanding of their issues, the students' own perspectives and narratives must be obtained (Windle, et al, 2008).…”

Experiences, challenges, and supports during studying and sojourning in Canada: the case of Chinese international students

“…For those students from countries where English is not the primary language, English proficiency is one significant challenge (Windle, Hamilton, Zeng, &Yang, 2008;Zhou & Zhang, 2014). East Asian students, including those from China, might encounter bigger challenges in learning English because of the "linguistic distance" between English and their native languages.…”

“…Studying and living abroad facilitate their personal development. The greatest personal achievements reported by international students include maturation and independence, experiencing growth, accepting personal responsibility, broadened life experiences and interests, changes in ways of thinking, and improved interpersonal and communication skills (Gu et al, 2010;Windle, Hamilton, Zeng, & Yang, 2008).…”