THE ACCULTURATION PROCESS OF TAIWANESE EXCHANGE STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES

Abstract

新文化衝擊下的成長--台灣學生赴美交換求學經驗

The Acculturation Process and Influence of Taiwanese Exchange Students in the United States. Major Professor: Dr. Lienti Bei & Dr. Sharon A. DeVaney.\r\n\r\nWith the increasing globalization of university education, the exchange programs among universities have become a hot topic that many students would be interested in. Every year thousands of exchange students from Taiwan select schools in the foreign countries, especial universities in the United States, as their exchange destination in order to learn foreign languages and to experience different cultures. Although the number of exchange students from Taiwan has been increasing annually, little research has investigated the acculturation process and reflections of exchange students in the host countries.\r\nThe objectives of this research was to take a first step in exploring the impacts on Taiwan exchange students’ learning attitudes and socialization to the new culture that encountered during their study in the US. In addition, to understand the transition of students’ learning attitude and cross-culture adjustment that took place from their arrival in the United States to returning to their home countries. Therefore, three central questions was first generated to form the core of this study :1) What are the differences in class between the participants’ home universities and host universities? 2) What are the culture differences between the participants’ home country and host country? 3) How did the participants adjust themselves to fit into the different situations and how do they feel about the adjustment?\r\n The acculturation process and transition of exchange students’ learning attitude was examined here with a phenomengical and experimental research design. In order to understand thoroughly the exchange students’ learning and acculturation experiences in the US, this study arranged in-depth interviews with eight exchange student who had their exchange experiences in the US. Based on Hofestede’s four dimensions of culture and the differences between Socratic learning and Confucian learning, the study structured the research questions for the in-depth interviews. In addition, a questionnaire amended according to Hofestede’s four dimensions of culture was distributed to 26 former or prospective exchange students who selected for study at the universities in the US as a support data.\r\n Through the in-depth interviews and the analysis of questionnaire, the study found that interactions between professors and students in American classes are much higher than those in Taiwanese classes. This came from not only the differences of culture but also instructional arrangements of classes in American universities. The lower distance of American culture and the encouragement to the in class interaction did promote the exchange students’ participation in the US. In addition, given that the exchange students’ higher inclination and preferences to American or western culture and learning methods, they are more likely to have integrative or bicultural strategies to proceed their studies in the US.\r\nIn sum, the study showed that exchange students rarely encounter problems of cultural adjustments, learning barriers or lack interpersonal communication that took place among students who pursue degrees in the US. Many of the exchange students maintained their original cultural identities and characteristics for expression in appropriate contests, such as collectivist relationship with classmates; however, they could also add a new behavioral repertoire to participate in American culture. Therefore, the study anticipates that exchange students integrated both the Confucian and the Socratic learning approaches and performed even better by American academic standards.

LIST OF FIGURES iv\r\nLIST OF TABLES v\r\nINTRODUCTION 1\r\nStatement of Purpose 3\r\nREVIEW OF LITERATURE 5\r\nConceptual Development 5\r\nCulture Differences 7\r\nPower Distance 8\r\nUncertainty Avoidance 9\r\nIndividualism and Collectivism 10\r\nMasculinity and Femininity 11\r\nLearning Differences 11\r\nSummary 12\r\nMETHODS AND PROCEDURES 13\r\nCharacteristics of Qualitative Research 13\r\nSocially Constructed Knowledge Claims 14\r\nThe Researcher’s Role 15\r\nThe Research Setting 16\r\nSelection of Site 16\r\nParticipants Recruiting Process 16\r\nInterview Process 17\r\nEthical Considerations 18\r\nData Collection Procedures 18\r\nPrimary Data 18\r\nSecondary Data 19\r\nQualitative Analysis 20\r\nPhenomenological Approach Design 20\r\nConstant Comparative Analysis 21\r\nFINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 22\r\nAn Overview of Participant’s Background 22\r\nPurpose of Exchange Study 25\r\nIn Class and Living Experiences 30\r\nPower Distance 30\r\nIn Class Interaction 30\r\nUncertainty Avoidance 36\r\nIn Class Interaction 36\r\nTrust in American Society 38\r\nIndividualism and Collectivism 42\r\nIn Class Interaction 42\r\nFriendship in the United States 45\r\nIn Class Exercise & Developing the Team Project 47\r\nMasculinity and Femininity 51\r\nIn Class Competition 53\r\nSports is Important to Americans’ Life 56\r\nAdjustment to Fit in the Learning/ Culture Difference57\r\n\r\nSUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS 62\r\nSummary of Finding and Conclusions 62\r\nImplications 67\r\nInstructional Implications 68\r\nAcademic Implications 69\r\nLimitations and Future Research 70\r\n\r\nLIST OF REFERENCES 74\r\nAPPENDICES 79\r\nAppendix A: Consent Form for Exchange Students 79\r\nAppendix B: Structured Interview Questions 82\r\nAppendix C: In-Depth Interview Participant’s Data 84\r\nAppendix D: Exchange Report on the website 88\r\nAppendix E: Questionnaire Analysis 91