ERIC Number: EJ1399896
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0316-1218
EISSN: N/A
An Unknown World: The Academic Experiences of Korean Immigrant Students at Two Universities in Toronto, Canada
Kim, Eun Gi
Canadian Journal of Higher Education, v52 n4 p107-120 2023
Although the participation of immigrant students from diverse cultural backgrounds continues to increase in Canadian universities, there is still a lack of a good understanding of their experiences. This study compared the experiences of nine Korean immigrant students in the sciences and social sciences at two Toronto-based universities and the support resources they utilized. Using Reason's (2009) persistence framework, different aspects of student experiences, including the transition from high school to university and their academic studies, were examined through semi-structured focus groups and interviews. Research participants commonly had difficulties adjusting to Canadian universities and encountered linguistic difficulties throughout their lecture participation and assessment completion that hindered their persistence toward their goal of graduation. The participants varied in the difficulties they encountered with the disciplinary natures of the sciences and social sciences throughout their studies. The participants developed strategies of audio-recording lectures, reaching out to their peers and teaching staff, and using online resources to overcome the challenges. Differences in participant experiences between the two universities appeared regarding Korean student groups, which they found as the most beneficial source of support. Suggestions are made to better support the experiences of immigrant students in Canadian universities.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Immigrants, College Students, Acculturation, Science Education, Social Sciences, Student Experience, Cultural Differences
Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education. P.O. Box 34091, RPO Fort Richmond, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5T5, Canada. Tel: 204-474-6404; Fax: 204-474-7561; e-mail: csshe@cc.umanitoba.ca; Web site: http://journals.sfu.ca/cjhe/index.php/cjhe/index
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: South Korea; Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A