Lorraine Brown

The Initial Stage of the International Sojourn: Excitement or Culture Shock?.

ABSTRACT This paper presents findings from an ethnographic study of the adjustment journey of international postgraduate students at a university in the South of England, which involved interviews and participant observation over a 12-month academic year. It was discovered that the initial stage of the sojourn1 was not characterised by feelings of excitement, as suggested by the U-curve model (and its successors): though such feelings were present, they were overwhelmed by negative symptoms more commonly associated with culture shock. The implications of these findings for support structures in higher education are discussed.

A Failure of Communication on the Cross-Cultural Campus:

This article reports findings from an ethnographic study into the adjustment experience of a group of postgraduate international students at a university in the South of England. Friendship emerged as a major theme in this study; of particular importance to students was the desire and failure to achieve contact with host nationals. An absence of host contact was a source of deep disillusionment for students who understood the positive impact of host friends on linguistic and cultural knowledge. A lack of host contact was attributed by students to indifference on the part of the host community, and in the extreme to racial and Islamophobic prejudice. Such suspicion was provoked by students’ encounter with verbal and physical abuse, which also served to entrench the move to form monoethnic friendship groups. Research into the host perspective of international education is called for to inform the internationalization strategies adopted by HEI.

Meaning not measurement

Purpose – Events research is witnessing a gradual increase in experience‐related studies, reflecting a challenge to the dominance of positivist, quantitative‐based studies. This purpose of this paper is to support a paradigm shift to effect a more balanced examination of events within the existing body of literature.Design/methodology/approach – A search of events‐related publications in both events and non‐events journals is conducted in order to identify the level of use of the ethnographic approach by researchers in event studies. The literature on qualitative methods and on ethnography in particular is also examined, in a bid to show how ethnography can be used and how it is specifically suited to inquiry into the consumer experience of events and festivals.Findings – Ethnography is advocated as an appropriate research approach to the events field, and this paper details the extensive potential that this approach offers. Drawing from the wider literature on ethnography, a rationale for an alternative ...

The Incidence of Study-Related Stress in International Students in the Initial Stage of the International Sojourn

This article explores the incidence of stress in international students in relation to the requirements of an international masters programme. The data presented here were taken from a doctoral ethnographic study of the adaptation of international postgraduate students to life in the United Kingdom, involving individual interviews with 13 students during the academic year 2003-2004 as well as participant observation of the entire cohort of 150 masters students. It is suggested that stress related to the academic task is caused by academic cultural differences, particularly in regard to critical evaluation and participation in discussion in class, and by language ability. This study shows that stress is intense at the beginning of the academic programme and declines gradually as a function of a reduction in the academic workload rather than as a function of time.

Language and Anxiety: An Ethnographic Study of International Postgraduate Students

Abstract This paper presents some findings from an ethnographic study of international postgraduate students at a university in the South of England, which involved interviews and participant observation over a 12-month academic year. One of the major themes that emerged from this research was students’ anxiety over their level of English language. Although all students entered their course with a minimum level of IELTS 6, the majority felt disadvantaged by particularly poor spoken English, and suffered feelings of anxiety, shame and inferiority. Low self-confidence meant that they felt ill equipped to engage in class discussion and in social interaction which used English as the medium of communication. A common reaction to stress caused by language problems was to retreat into monoethnic communication with students from the same country, further inhibiting progress in language. Whilst some linguistic progress was made by nearly all students during the academic sojourn, the anxiety suffered by students in the initial stage must not be underestimated, and appropriate support systems must be put in place to alleviate their distress.

A taste of the unfamiliar. Understanding the meanings attached to food by international postgraduate students in England.

Using findings from semi-structured interviews with international postgraduate students in England, this paper explores the meanings attached to the food they eat in a new culture. Our study, using interviews, aimed to uncover student responses to both the food they eat whilst abroad and to the food they have left behind. Many students criticised local English food as bland, fattening, and unhealthy; nevertheless, most showed an openness to new foods, trying not only local food but also dishes prepared by their international friends, but this sat alongside a strong attachment to their home country dishes. Eating together was a popular leisure activity, and food of the origin country or region was the most popular cuisine. Eating home country food offered emotional and physical sustenance; students felt comforted by familiar taste, and that their physical health was stabilised by the consumption of healthier food than was available locally. Despite acknowledgement of the importance of food to cultural identity and overall quality of life in the anthropology and nutrition literatures, there is a dearth of research into this aspect of the international student experience; this study, therefore, marks an important beginning.

Qualitative research in sport and physical activity

PART ONE: INTRODUCING QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN SPORT Qualitative Research and Its Use in Sport and Physical Activity The Main Characteristics of Qualitative Research Qualitative Research in Sport and Physical Activity Ethical Considerations in Research Recruiting Participants Informed Consent Confidentiality and Anonymity Avoiding Harm Developing the Research Question and Writing the Proposal The topic and Research Question Writing the Proposal The Role of the Literature in Qualitative Research The Literature and the Proposal The Literature Overview The Inductive Approach The Ongoing Dialogue with the Literature Keeping Track of References Sampling Purposive Sampling Sampling Types Sampling Decisions Accessing the Sample Referring to the Sample PART TWO: COLLECTING QUALITATIVE DATA Interviews Types of Interview Variety of Interviews Asking Questions Interviewing Skills The Relationship Between Interviewer and Participants Practical Sspects of Interviewing Potential Problems in Interviewing Focus Groups The Origin and Purpose of Focus Groups Choosing the Sample: Size, Number and Composition Conducting Focus Group Interviews The Involvement of the Interviewer Analysing Focus Group Data Ethical Issues Advantages and Limitations of Focus Groups Participant Observation The research Setting Types of Observation Getting Started Keeping a Record Using Documentary Sources of Data Problematic Issues PART THREE: CHOOSING THE RESEARCH APPROACH Grounded Theory The Origins of Grounded Theory The Main Elements of Grounded Theory The Process of GT: Data Collection and Analysis The Developing Theory Problems in Grounded Theory Ethnography Fieldwork A Focus on Culture Ethnographic Methods Sample and Setting The Ethnographic Record Analysis and Interpretation Problems in Conducting Ethnographic Research Phenomenology Descriptive and Interpretive Phenomenology Eliciting Life-World Descriptions The Use of Bracketing and Sensitising The Findings of Phenomenological Research Sampling Phenomenological Interviews Analysis in Descriptive and Hermeneutic Phenomenology Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) Limitations Narrative Research Stories and Their Structure Types of Story The Functions of Peoples Stories Collecting Data Narrative Analysis The Distinctive Nature of Narrative Research A Critique of Narrative Research Mixed Methods Research Adopting Mixed Methods Research Designing Mixed Methods Research The problems Inherent in Mixed Methods Research PART FOUR: ANALYSING AND REPORTING QUALITATIVE DATA Data Analysis Managing the Data Transcribing and Writing Memos Data Reduction and Conceptualisation: Codes, Categories and Themes Computer-aided Analysis of Qualitative Data Interpreting the Data The Quality of Qualitative Inquiry Validity and Reliability Alternative Criteria for Qualitative Research How to Ensure Trustworthiness Writing Up Qualitative Research Writing in the First Person The Format of the Report Checklist Before Submission Telling the Tale: Creativity and Originality Publishing and Presenting the Research Glossary References Index

Understanding the experiences of female doctoral students

This article presents findings from a qualitative study of the impact of gender on the doctoral experience. Eight women who had recently completed or who had almost completed a PhD were interviewed about their experiences. Seven studied part time and one full time. It was found that being a mother had profound implications for doctoral‐level study. First, the timing of study was dictated by domestic demands; second, balancing home and academic life was a source of great stress, and women were torn between their roles as wife/mother and student. Finally, attendance at conferences was problematic, and, for many women, impossible. The literature suggests that gender also has an impact on the supervisory relationship; however, this was not supported, as although all of the interviewees had a male supervisor, they did not report dissatisfaction with the supervision received.

Encounters with racism and the international student experience

This article makes a contribution to the existing and extensive literature on the international student experience by reporting on the incidence of racism and religious incidents experienced by international students at a university in the south of England. Out of a survey of 153 international postgraduate students, 49 had experienced some form of abuse. In most cases, this took the form of verbal abuse, though racism manifested physically for nine students. Strong emotional reactions were reported, including sadness, disappointment, homesickness and anger. There was a consequent reluctance to return to the UK as a tourist, or to offer positive word-of-mouth recommendations to future students. This article offers a portrait of the reception offered to international students against a backdrop of increased racism in the UK. A link is thus made between the micro experience and macro forces. Implications for student satisfaction and future international student recruitment are drawn.

A consideration of the challenges involved in supervising international masters students

This paper explores the challenges facing supervisors of international postgraduate students at the dissertation stage of the masters programme. The central problems of time pressure, language difficulties, a lack of critical analysis and a prevalence of personal problems among international students are discussed. This paper makes recommendations for the improvement of language and critical thinking skills, and questions the future policy of language requirements at HE for international masters students.