“Glocal” patterns of communication-information convergences in Internet use: Cross-cultural behavior of international teaching assistants in a culturally alien information environment

“You don't feel that you're so far away”: Information sharing, technology use, and settlement of international student immigrants

“…The international students we interviewed, as prospective immigrants to Canada, use ICTs in ways that share similarities with the ICT use of non‐international students, in line with the marginal differences seen in social media site use by Saw et al (). They use ICTs in ways similar to other immigrants (see Andrade & Doolin, ; Caidi et al, ; Dekker & Engbersen, ; Fisher et al, ; Komito, ; Mehra & Papajohn, ; Verdery et al, ), but with nuances that represent the unique challenges and situations they face in their dual student and immigrant roles. These ICTs, in turn, play roles in their settlement process beginning as early as their preparation for moving and increasing for many as they move to Canada.…”

“…Immigrants, including international students, rely on online social networks, ties, media, and ICTs to find social and informational support and connect the global and local facets of their lives, improving their understanding of community, culture, and information and their psychological, emotional, and social well‐being (Andrade & Doolin, ; Caidi et al, ; Dekker & Engbersen, ; Fisher, Durrance, & Hinton, ; Mehra & Papajohn, ; Verdery et al, ). Those who are part of information‐centric online communities use them for informational and emotional reasons; sharing personal stories, information, and resources helps immigrants “settle in Canada successfully” (Chien, , p. 157), satisfy informational and social support needs, and build relationships in their new country as they settle into true communities (Chien, ; Komito, ; Saw, Abbott, Donaghey, & McDonald, ; Sin & Kim, ).…”

“…341‐345). However, we know less about their information sharing in online environments or—beyond Chien () and Mehra and Papajohn's () work—their use of ICTs and social media as part of their settlement process (Caidi et al, ). All four of our research questions help fill this existing gap.…”

“…These newcomers will include many of the over 572,000 international students who studied in Canada in 2018 (Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), ), given that 60% intend to immigrate and settle in the country after graduation (CBIE, ). International student immigrants find online information sharing important and significant in their lives (Sin & Kim, ), just as other settling immigrants rely on online social networks, ties, media, and ICTs to find and share information and social support; connect their global and local lives; improve their social, emotional, and psychological well‐being; and better understand information and settle into Canadian culture and communities (Caidi, Allard, & Quirke, ; Mehra & Papajohn, ).…”

The “Had Mores”: Exploring korean immigrants’ information behavior and ICT usage when settling in the United States

“…We first discuss how Korean immigrants adapt the ICTs infrastructures of the host country into their information behavior. Then, we unfold how they use various ICTs, using the "global" and "local" dimensions of immigrants' ICT usage (Mehra & Papajohn, 2007) as a framework.…”