The relationship between acculturation and academic adjustment has been under-investigated. A mixed longitudinal design was used in this article, with study 1 employing a questionnaire survey (N = 642) to explore student sojourners’ academic adjustment status and its predictors, and study 2 adopting qualitative approaches (reflective journal and interview) to track changes in acculturation strategies and adjustment experienced by a sample of 12 participants. Study 1 found that acculturation strategies (integration and marginalization) and social support (from family, Chinese friends, and teachers) were significantly associated with the academic adjustment of student sojourners in the Chinese higher education context. Integration was positively associated with academic adjustment, whereas marginalization was negatively associated. Study 2 revealed that student sojourners experienced changes in their acculturation strategies, students are suggested to embrace the integration strategy to sustain their academic journey in China. This study also provides implications for policymaking and education practices.
Considering the increasing influx of international students to Chinese universities in recent decades, it is surprising to find that few empirical research, especially longitudinal ones, have been conducted in exploring the motivation of international students in China. To fill up the existing gap, this study explored and tracked international students' motivations dynamically. Mixed research design, such as surveys, reflective journals, and interviews, was employed in this study. Data were collected from 671 international students and three teachers in three Chinese universities in Zhejiang province, mainland China on a longitudinal basis. The present study found that international students' motivation could be discussed with considerations to the following two different phases: preliminary phase before they come to China and follow-up phase when they are in China. This study found that the integrative understanding of the external pulling force and the self-motivated pushing force plays a vital role in answering international students' motivations to China. International students were driven more by the self-motivated pushing force than the external pulling force in selecting China as their study destinations. Moreover, international students experienced motivational changes when their expectations conflict with reality and their positive motivational adjustments and social interaction were important to the sustainability of their academic journey. Moreover, this study provides implications for the government, universities and international students in the aspects of policymaking, education and application.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.