International visiting scholars' experiences in America: An effort towards professional development for social change

• In Event: International student access, choices to study, and acculturation outcomes

Proposal

Relevance of the Topic
In the past two decades, many studies have focused on the experiences of international students and the challenges they face at foreign campuses (Ackers, 1997; Andrade, 2006; Coles, & Swami, 2012; Constantine, Okazaki, & Utsey, 2004; Lewthwaite, 1996; Myles & Cheng, 2003; Sawir, Marginson, Deumert, Nyland, & Ramia, 2008; Sherry, Thomas, & Chui, 2010). These studies demonstrate that international students experience considerable pressure to navigate new systems, learn a new language, and create social and academic networks, reflecting the prominence of globalization and neo-liberalism in international education (Altbach, & Teichler, 2001; Altbach, & Knight, 2007).
One subgroup of these international students is comprised of “visiting scholars,” defined as individuals with non-degree status who conduct research, study, and teach abroad at host institutions for periods ranging from several months to one year, but maintain their affiliation with their home institutions (Shimmi, 2014; Zhao, 2008). Due to poorly defined roles and the loosely structured programs in which they participate, visiting scholars represent a unique group within the larger population of international students. Despite the fact that this group is rapidly expanding on foreign campuses, research about who they are and their experiences abroad remain scarce. In this study, we sought to develop a deeper understanding of the learning and development needs of visiting scholars at an American university.

Discussion of Relevant Theory
We sought to move beyond the adjustment and neo-liberal perspectives that have been used to conceptualize the experiences of international students and scholars. For this reason, transformative learning theory (Mezirow, 1991; Taylor & Cranton, 2012; Savicki 2008) was used to help define how participants perceived and made sense of their experiences and activities in which they were engaged while at their host institution. This theory allowed us to interpret participants’ descriptions of their experiences through what Mezirow (1991) refers to meaning perspectives. The overall research question pursued in this study was: How do visiting scholars perceive, understand, and make sense of their experiences in a visiting scholars program within the Midwestern United States?

Context of the Study
Two cohorts of visiting scholars from two different visiting scholars programs were included in the study from the year 2016-17. The purpose of both programs was individual and institutional capacity development and scholars were required to return to their home countries after completing their programs. The scholars attended a large, public university in the Midwestern United States.
Short Term Non Degree Granting Visiting Scholars’ Program. The Chinese visiting scholars program was hosted by the college of education at the midwestern university to provide professional development to Chinese visiting scholars from a Chinese regional university. The visiting scholars included five female master’s students, one male Ph.D. scholar, and one female faculty leader studying K-12 education, teacher training, and vocational education. The length of the program varied for different visiting scholars as the five female masters students spent five months in the United States and the male Ph.D. scholar and the female faculty member spent a year at the midwestern university. The program was partially sponsored by their home university in China, whereas the host institution (midwestern university) provided resources and a support structure.
Long Term Degree Granting Visiting Scholars’ Program. This group of visiting scholars included nine students from sub-Saharan Africa studying various disciplines in the agricultural sciences. The African visiting scholars were degree-granting students while at the midwestern university and were recipients of a U.S. federal government scholarship program aiming to build the capacity of research scientists in the Global South. The scholarship program had strict regulations limiting the visiting scholars’ academic engagement, as they were only allowed to spend three years in the United States, while they accomplished their coursework requirements and developed their dissertation proposal.

Method and Analysis
Semi-structured interviews were conducted in English between with both groups of visiting scholars. First cycle coding methods were utilized generating initial codes for large data portions (Saldana, 2016). Second cycle coding included pattern coding, which is “a way of grouping those summaries into a smaller number of categories, themes, or constructs” (Miles, Huberman, & Saldaña, 2014, p. 86). This was an iterative process of putting codes into code categories. Broad categories were formed, which then shaped into themes expressing the goals, objectives, and motivations of the international visiting scholars studying in the United States.

Findings
The visiting scholars participating in this study framed their experiences within a globalization narrative that reflects the national policies and priorities of their government.
They considered this experience as an opportunity for career advancement, professional growth and skills development, and relationship and network building. However, their desire for professional growth and skills development was deeply embedded in their sense of obligation to their home countries. The visiting scholars considered their professional and personal development to be closely aligned with the economic development of their home countries. In the case of the Chinese scholars, professional and personal development were deeply intertwined. The Chinese scholars mentioned a desire to “broaden their horizons” and wanted to connect with the outside world and claim international citizenship. Furthermore, refining their English language skills was extremely important for Chinese scholars. For the African visiting scholars, professional growth was also critically important, but these scholars were firmly rooted in their home country identity and did not desire to become global citizens like the Chinese scholars. The Africans used their time in the United States to hone their academic and research skills in order to advance their professional careers and meet their personal goals.

Contributions to the Field
There is a gap in the higher education literature on international visiting scholars’ experiences at U.S. universities. Most researchers in the field of international higher education focus on neo-liberal perspective to explain international experiences of international students. However, this study showed international visiting scholars’ experiences are more complex, and their desires for exposure to the U.S. academic system stem from both personal growth and professional economic gains, in addition to identifying as agents of change for their home societies.

Authors

• Sara Bano, Michigan State University

• Jennifer Marcy, Michigan State University