The Influence of Country of Origin and Academic Level on Asian Students’ Gains of Learning

Current literature shows that Asian students come from cultures where great values are usually placed on spending time with friends, but cultural barriers can hinder Asian students from developing intercultural friendships in international contexts (Gareis. 2012; Trice. 2004). In transferring to an international institution. Asian students can face a higher level of adjustment problems (Gebhard. 2012) and can experience a painful process of academic adaptation (Campbell & Li, 2008). Gareis (2012) found that "students from East Asia often had no American friends at all" (p. 12). Because of cultural and language differences. Asian students encounter social, cultural, and educational challenges upon their entry to the host institutions in America (Lee & Rice. 2007).There were 525.849 Asian students (i.e.. 64.16% of the total 819.644 international students) who attended American colleges and universities in 2012-2013 (Institute of International Education [HE]. 2013). The top three sending countries-China (28.7%). India (11.8%). and South Korea (8.6%)-comprised nearly half (49.1%) of the total international enrollment in U.S. higher education (HE. 2013). Students from Asia primarily study degree programs at the graduate level (46% of the total), and at the undergraduate level (36%), with the remaining 18% in non-degree programs (HE, 2013).If Asian students undergo a series of issues and challenges in adjusting and assimilating with American academic and social cultures, to what extent do Asian students believe they are achieving important learning objectives (gains) attending the American colleges and universities? There are five types of gains (see, Pace & Kuh, 1998) associated with the student college experience: personal development (e.g., developing values and ethical standards; understanding your abilities, interests and personality; pursuing ideas and finding information), science and technology (e.g., understanding the nature of science and technology; understanding new development and application in science and technology), vocational preparation (e.g., gaining job related information; acquiring background and specialization for future education), general education (e.g., developing an understanding and enjoyment of art, music, and drama; becoming aware of different philosophies, cultures, and ways of life), and intellectual skills (e.g., writing clearly and effectively, using computers and other information technologies). Despite the fact that Asian students represent the largest international population in the institutions of American higher education, bring diversity on campus, and contribute to economy, there is insufficient study that focuses on their college experience and learning outcomes.MethodsResearch QuestionsThe current study examines how learning outcomes, also known as gains of learning, of Asian students are similar or different if students are from (a) East Asia, (b) South and Central Asia, or (c) Southeast Asia, at undergraduate and graduate levels. In other words, do Asian students report different gains of learning (e.g., in personal development, science and technology, general education, vocational preparation, and intellectual skills)? Do undergraduate Asian students report different gains of learning than graduate Asian students in significant ways?ParticipantsAsian international students were invited to participate in an online survey from the selected 25 research universities in the United States in Spring 2012. The researcher coordinated with the staffmembers of the office of international programs at the selected U.S. universities to distribute the survey to Asian international students. The staffmembers agreed to distribute the survey to only a small portion of Asian student population, and the researcher did not verify the actual numbers of Asian students enrolled in the participating universities. Among 705 participants, there were 365 undergraduate and 340 graduate students. …