Motivators and Outcomes of Faculty Actions towards International Students: Under the Influence of Internationalization

Abstract

The population of international students continues to grow in the U.S. colleges and universities against the backdrop of internationalization, so do the studies on their academic and social experience as well as predicaments and concerns. However, most of the research has approached these issues from the perspectives of institutions and students, while little has focused on a critical player who guides and helps such experience-faculty. Hence, from the faculty's perspective, this research study analyzed quantitative responses from a questionnaire on internationalization and international students from 471 faculty members in two universities. Findings of this study revealed that a) faculty's attitudes toward internationalization and international students have significant effect on their teaching practices with international students; b) the adjustment of their teaching practices is conducive to the academic performance of international students; and c) students' enhanced learning outcomes, in turn, can raise the level of faculty satisfaction in teaching international students and their engagement in the internationalization initiative.

Faculty Views on International Students: A Survey Study

“…One important area of focus has been international students' language abilities. Multiple studies confirm that faculty consider some students' linguistic skills to be weak or even inadequate for typical academic tasks (Andrade, 2010;Cao et al, 2014;Haan et al, 2017;Nguyen, 2013;Roy, 2013;Ryan & Viete, 2009;Trice, 2003). As Cao et al (2014) note, weak language skills can also foreground other problems, including cultural isolation (see also Trice, 2003).…”

“…Empirical studies exploring the topic of faculty and international students have followed one of two approaches: gathering data through surveys or interviews with international students (Glass et al, 2015;Mak, Bodycott, & Ramburuth, 2015;Mamiseishvili, 2012;Palmer, 2016), or gathering data through surveys, interviews, or other methods with faculty (Andrade, 2010;Cao et al, 2014;Dewey & Duff, 2009;Haan et al, 2017;Korhonen & Weil, 2015;Sawir, 2011;Trice, 2003). At least one study employs a combination of both approaches (Nieto & Booth, 2010).…”

“…Multiple studies confirm that faculty consider some students' linguistic skills to be weak or even inadequate for typical academic tasks (Andrade, 2010;Cao et al, 2014;Haan et al, 2017;Nguyen, 2013;Roy, 2013;Ryan & Viete, 2009;Trice, 2003). As Cao et al (2014) note, weak language skills can also foreground other problems, including cultural isolation (see also Trice, 2003). Along the same lines, Ryan and Viete (2009) observed that faculty often see multilingual students as working with a deficit, and language skills can indirectly affect "the ways international students are assessed and afforded rights of participation" (p. 305; see also Zamel, 1995;Marginson, 2013).…”

“…Stohl (2007) observed that without strong faculty engagement, the larger project of internationalization "will not deliver the learning, discovery, and engagement that we seek" (p. 360). Nonetheless, as others have noted, the role of faculty in internationalization has received limited scholarly attention (Cao, Li, Jiang, & Bai, 2014;Dewey & Duff, 2009;Haan, Gallagher, & Varandani, 2017;Korhonen & Weil, 2015;Leask, 2013;Sawir, 2011).…”

“Nigerian Students in the American ESL Freshman Writing Class: A Site of Resistance and Accommodation”

“…Peacock (2001) suggests that instructors' "mistaken beliefs" about language (e.g., grammar, vocabulary building, and form being the most important aspects of the second language classroom) can result in persistent problems for students. Cao, et al (2014) showed that a combination of linguistic and cultural sophistication along with a sense of agency on the part of faculty members were the factors that seemed to lead to better learning outcomes for international students. Faculty members with a feeling of confidence about their teaching and a better understanding of their students' linguistic and literacy practices will likely have better outcomes.…”