Class Participation of International Graduate Students in Social Sciences

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session Twelve
  In Roundtable Session: Understanding International Student Experiences (Table 2)

Abstract

This study explores barriers for effective intercultural communication among international graduate students, their domestic peers, and instructors during classroom discussions in the Social Science disciplines. Data were collected through interviews with six international students at a Midwest campus and analyzed through the lens of Deardorff’s intercultural competence framework. We found three barriers that reduce international students’ willingness and ability to participate in classroom discussion: 1) ethnocentric attitudes during the in-class discussion; 2) differences of contextualized knowledge; 3) imbalance in cultural sensitivity among international students and domestic students. The positive factor that motivated participation in the discussion is an appreciation of international perspectives and experiences.

Authors

• Daria Ivleva, Indiana University
  Presenting Author

• Seonmi Jin, Indiana University
  Presenting Author

• Yumeng Liang, Indiana University
  Presenting Author

• Yih Tsao, Indiana University
  Presenting Author