Fear of the unknown: a pre-departure qualitative study of Turkish international students

Brown, Lorraine; Aktas, Gurhan

doi:10.1080/03069885.2011.576314

Cited by 18 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Host universities can predict that the initial month of transition may be the most difficult for many students and, therefore, plan to offer immediate services and social/cultural opportunities [44]. Depending on the context, resources might include personal tutors, chaplaincy [47], counseling that emphasizes coping skills [48], opportunities to facilitate connections with professors and international students [49], and university-sponsored social functions that foster connections with host-national students. Information about student welfare services (e.g., student counseling) should ideally be made available in the initial week; staff/faculty such as counselors who will be engaging with students are recommended to have training in serving clients of diverse backgrounds [47].…”

Section: Future Research and Practical Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Birds of a Feather Fare Less Well Together: Modeling Predictors of International Student Adaptation

Gibbs¹,

Güneri

Pankau

et al. 2020

Sustainability

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Sociocultural adaptation to the host country is an important corollary to the psychological well-being of international students. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to test a model of sociocultural adaptation and psychological wellbeing. International students in Ankara, Turkey (N = 161, mean age = 22.35) completed online surveys. Consistent with our hypotheses, interpersonal connections with host nationals predicted greater sociocultural adaptation (β = 0.250, p = 0.001) and interpersonal connections with co-nationals resulted in poorer psychological adjustment (β = −0.171, p = 0.025). Host-country language proficiency led to better sociocultural adaptation (β = 0.262, p < 0.001), and perceptions of greater cultural distance had a negative impact on both psychological (β = 0.314, p < 0.001) and sociocultural adaptation (β = 0.328, p < 0.001). Thus, students who were able to engage in relations with host-country nationals fared better. Our results provide insight for sending and receiving institutions regarding the preparation (e.g., exploring cognitive frames for immersion, language skills, reviewing coping strategies) and supportive services (e.g., connection with host country nationals) that will facilitate the adjustment of international students. Drawing on the model of cross-cultural adaption proposed by Searle and Ward [9,10] and related literature, we modeled the effects of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual factors on the psychological and sociocultural adjustment of international students at a prestigious, comprehensive, public university in Ankara, Turkey. This university attracts over 1000 international students to its campus from 85 different countries. The largest proportion come from the Middle East and Central Asia and they enroll in the variety of majors/disciplines that are offered. The overall number of students who are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs is 27,000. While the language of the country and the surrounding community is Turkish, the medium of instruction is English. Turkey is a developing country with a diverse population that has, over the last several decades, seen cultural shifts towards the adoption of several Western ideals, such as individualism and a nuclear family structure, but in many ways retains its collectivistic roots through cultural values of sharing and hospitality. With this specific cultural context established, questions surrounding how international students adjust to this environment can be explored. Sociocultural AdaptationSociocultural adaptation has been defined as "behaviorally based competencies required in various situations and circumstances during cross-cultural transitions" [11] (p. 1476). Examples include adjusting to living, working, and studying in a new environment, and the ability to perceive, understand, and respond appropriately to new cultural situations. Research on international student adjustment has been advanced by Ward and colleagues [9,12,13], who have analyzed numerous variables across their studies, such a...

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Section: Future Research and Practical Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Birds of a Feather Fare Less Well Together: Modeling Predictors of International Student Adaptation

Gibbs¹,

Güneri

Pankau

et al. 2020

Sustainability

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“…What future barriers and opportunities does VisitWiltshire face? The interviews were characterised by flexibility and spontaneity, noted hallmarks of semi-structured interviewing (Brown and Aktas, 2011;Mason, 2002).…”

Section: Interviewsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding collaborative innovation from a dynamic capabilities perspective

Alford

Duan

2018

IJCHM

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Purpose-This paper aims to understand the key factors affecting collaborative innovation in a destination management organisation from a dynamic capability perspective. Design/methodology/approach-An in-depth case study was conducted, using semistructured interviews with the CEO and Chairman of the DMO and internal DMO documents from 2011-2016. Thematic analysis was carried out on the data both deductively, with generic themes identified and informed by theory, and inductively, where detailed subthemes were developed from the data. Findings-The success of innovation in the context of a DMO depends on having a strong base of microfoundations that underpin the DMO's capabilities to sense and seize opportunities and reconfigure its assets for competitive advantage. Collaboration with the key players in the sector has been the essential elements of these microfoundations. Research limitations/implications-This study has been conducted within a single DMO case study. Future research should test the proposed models in different types of organisation and collaborative contexts. Practical implications-The proposed dynamic capability framework helps managers to achieve collaborative innovation, leading to competitive advantage through better development of relevant capabilities. Originality/value-The study represents a first attempt to understand the key factors enabling successful collaborative innovation in the context of DMOs, from a dynamic capability perspective. The unique opportunity of accessing information and witnessing the changes in a DMO over a period of five years enabled the authors to gain in-depth insights and comprehensive understanding as to why and how a UK DMO has been successful in enhancing its business performance through a successful collaborative innovation.

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“…Brown (2009) argued that students who share foreignness go through a cultural learning process together. Brown and Aktas's (2011) study revealed that the cultural learning that the international students go through together is different than the cultural learning the host country offers. As Jong explained, if he did not travel to Turkey, he would not have contact with someone from the Middle East.…”

Section: Discussion and Implications Of The Studymentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Gudykunst stated that cross cultural contact among international students helps the development of a mindful attitude which is an important aspect of building a world community based on civility and tolerance. Brown and Aktas (2011) also stated that the international students that share and experience things together have the feeling of contribution to peace as a community and that their relationship will have an impact on other international group interactions in the future.…”

Section: Discussion and Implications Of The Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“Gördüğünüz Bir Şey Duyduğunuz Birçok Şeye Bedeldir”: Güney Kore ve Japonya Değişim Öğrencilerinin Türkiye Yolculuğu

Ates

2019

SOBİLD

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Öğrenci hareketliliği ve yurtdışında eğitim araştırmalarının çoğunluğu, ABD ve Birleşik Krallık gibi Batı ülkelerinde yaşanan sorunlara odaklanmaktadır. Bu makale, Batı dışında eğitim gören uluslararası değişim öğrencisi deneyimleri konusunda devam eden araştırmalara katkı sağlamaktadır. Ankara'da eğitim almış olan, 21 Güney Koreli ve dört Japon değişim öğrencisinin deneyimleri ve düşünceleri paylaşılmaktadır. Katılımcıların deneyimlerinin analizi transformatif öğrenme kuramı çerçevesinde yapılmıştır. Tematik analizler aracılığıyla üç ana tema belirlenmiştir 1) Tarihi ittifak kardeşlik demektir, 2) Farklı düşünmeyi öğrenmek ve 3) olumlu bir değişim / etki yaratma arzusu. Sonuçlar, katılımcıların kendileri dışındaki insanlar, kültürler ve diller hakkındaki görüşlerini genişlettikleri ve benzerlikleri kadar farklılıkları takdir etmeyi öğrendikleri bir öğrenme sürecine girdiklerini göstermiştir.

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Fear of the unknown: a pre-departure qualitative study of Turkish international students

Cited by 18 publications

References 49 publications

Birds of a Feather Fare Less Well Together: Modeling Predictors of International Student Adaptation

Birds of a Feather Fare Less Well Together: Modeling Predictors of International Student Adaptation

Understanding collaborative innovation from a dynamic capabilities perspective

“Gördüğünüz Bir Şey Duyduğunuz Birçok Şeye Bedeldir”: Güney Kore ve Japonya Değişim Öğrencilerinin Türkiye Yolculuğu

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