The Learning Experiences of Taiwanese Nursing Students Studying in Australia

Abstract

Increasing numbers of international students from Asia are attracted to Australian higher education institutions. For many of these students, English is their second language (ESL). This article describes the experiences of 21 Taiwanese baccalaureate and graduate nursing students studying at Australian universities. Using a qualitative framework, semistructured interviews were conducted in the students'first language. The Chinese and English translations of the transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis. A picture emerges of Taiwanese nursing students who, despite obstacles, found a "joy of learning" in Australia. They developed strategies to overcome obstacles to their learning and advocated greater institutional and faculty support, including mentorship, for international students. The findings reinforce the unique difficulties ESL nursing students experience and highlight institutional and nursing faculties' responsibilities to develop a curriculum framework that addresses the language, pedagogical, academic, clinical, and sociocultural needs of this unique group of international students.

A case study on the language and socio-cultural challenges experienced by international students studying at Cape Peninsula University of Technology

“…Wang et al reported on the effect of LEP on students in their study, 'As a consequence of this, students were unable to articulate their thoughts and express themselves in written assignments and verbal presentations' (Wang et al 2008, 147). In the current study, we also found that these language-related challenges are expressed in somewhat similar forms to those reported by Wang et al (2008), ranging from communication skills difficulties to struggles with academic writing abilities. If international students experience such language competency gaps it stands to reason that their academic performance is bound to be compromised (Beoku-Betts 2004).…”

Culturally diverse health care students' experiences with teaching strategies in Finland: A national survey

“…International students, in particular, reported not knowing what was expected of them (Wang et al, 2008). Brown (2008) and Williams and Calvillo (2002) added to this by demonstrating that culturally diverse students are keen on to receive timely and frequent feedback on their success.…”

“…According to Chapman and Pyvis (2006), students' experiences of being part of the community contributed to their experience of the quality of their education. Studies involving students from ethnic or linguistic minorities reported students' current or former experiences of prejudice and discrimination (Amaro et al, 2006;Bheenuk et al, 2007;Sanner and Wilson, 2008;Wang et al, 2008).…”

“…On the one hand, some researchers have suggested that it is important and rewarding for students to share their experiences and opinions and to ask questions during lessons (Pitkajarvi et al, 2011). On the other hand, the literature (Sanner et al, 2002;Curran et al, 2008;Wang et al, 2008) indicates that asking questions or challenging the teacher is inappropriate in certain cultures. These studies also reveal that critical thinking is difficult for students accustomed to learning through memorisation.…”

A Longitudinal Study of the Effects of Discrimination on the Acculturation Strategies of International Students

“…Apart from being often stereotyped as handicapped, bewildered, and lacking English language ability and familiarity with the education system (Mestenhauser, 1983;Paige, 1990;Pedersen, 1991), they also face other negative stereotypes associated with their ethnicity and cultural background (Lee & Rice, 2007;Spencer-Rodgers, 2001). In this context they are often targets of racism (Yoon & Portman, 2004), face several other forms of PERCEIVED DISCRIMINATION AND ACCULTURATION STRATEGIES 4 discrimination (Bonazzo & Wong, 2007;Lee & Rice, 2007;Schmitt, Spears, & Branscombe, 2003;Sherry, Thomas, & Chui, 2010;Ward, Bochner, & Furnham, 2001;Yeh & Inose, 2003), and are also victims of exclusion, isolation, and unfriendliness from domestic students (Gu, Schweisfurth, & Day, 2010;Wang, Singh, Bird, & Ives, 2008). In the present research we focused on these perceptions.…”