An exploration of cross-cultural adaptation in the context of European student mobility
This study explores cross-cultural adaptation in the context of European student mobility. It shows how the individual journeys of sojourners can be extremely varied, and are affected by internal and external factors, such as motivations, expectations, personality, coping strategies, skills, characteristics of the environment, and chance, among others. This longitudinal qualitative study follows a cohort of 21 Italian university students from before their departure to a number of European destinations, to their return back home. The data collected was in the form of interviews and weekly âdiary-tablesâ, used to create graphs representing the ups and down of the individual experiences. In terms of the research findings, I have shown how the complexities of the adaptation process can be adequately understood within a model that caters for that complexity, while showing that this type of experience can be situated within the perspective of life changes. Andersonâs (1994) model seems particularly suitable in this context. I have also shown that European student mobility has changed since it was set up in 1987, and that increasing numbers of mobile students, the rise of instruction through the medium of English
Beaven, Ana Maria G.
LB2300 Higher Education
An exploration of cross-cultural adaptation in the context of European student mobility. This study explores cross-cultural adaptation in the context of European student mobility. It shows how the individual journeys of sojourners can be extremely varied, and are affected by internal and external factors, such as motivations, expectations, personality, coping strategies, skills, characteristics of the environment, and chance, among others. This longitudinal qualitative study follows a cohort of 21 Italian university students from before their departure to a number of European destinations, to their return back home. The data collected was in the form of interviews and weekly âdiary-tablesâ, used to create graphs representing the ups and down of the individual experiences. In terms of the research findings, I have shown how the complexities of the adaptation process can be adequately understood within a model that caters for that complexity, while showing that this type of experience can be situated within the perspective of life changes. Andersonâs (1994) model seems particularly suitable in this context. I have also shown that European student mobility has changed since it was set up in 1987, and that increasing numbers of mobile students, the rise of instruction through the medium of English
exploration cross_cultural adaptation context european student mobility study_explore cross_cultural adaptation context european student mobility show individual journey sojourner extremely vary affect internal_external factor motivation expectation personality cop strategy skill characteristic environment chance among_others longitudinal qualitative_study follow cohort italian university_student departure number european destination return back home data_collect form interview weekly diary use create graph represent individual_experience term finding_show complexity adaptation process adequately understand within model complexity show type experience situate_within perspective life change model seem particularly suitable context also_show european student mobility change since set increase_number mobile student rise instruction medium english