Research Setting
The East Asian island nation of Taiwan is internationally recognized for its economic accomplishments in high-tech manufacturing, including the semiconductor and optoelectronics industries (Yang, 2007). Taiwan ranks 19th worldwide in terms of knowledge based economic competitiveness (World Bank Assessment, 2007).
Policymakers and scholars examining the Taiwanese economic miracle (Yang) cite factors such as land reform, United States aid, the establishment of export processing zones, government industrial policies, and a strong work ethic as elements of economic growth.
In recent years critics in Taiwan have associated the 2007 presidential election of Ma Ying-jeou, a Kuomintang politician, with the nation’s lagging economic growth (Wong, 2008). Mr. Ma ran on a platform of improving the economy through closer ties with China. The presidential election was viewed as a referendum on policies for Taiwan independence instituted by the former president, Chen Shui-bian. The role and influence of education in the current political climate is viewed as a key to Taiwan’s economic growth (Wong, 2008). In 2000 the Taiwan government launched a series of initiative to transform and restructure prominent universities such as the NCCU. These initiatives committed government investment funds to accelerate the establishment of Taiwan institutions as world class universities and further seal the internationalization of higher education across the nation.
As a leading Taiwan institution of higher education the NCCU is committed to produce leaders that are humane, professional, innovative and cosmopolitan for the 21 century:
We aim to serve as leaders in innovation and explore the new fields of knowledge in response to the changing times, in order to become the leading academic institution in Taiwan, Asia and even the world. We will develop our unique features in teaching, researching, and service, on campus and in internationalization (Wu, 2008).
The vision of the current NCCU president resonates with the institution’s active efforts toward internationalization involving approximately 12,000 students, 33 departments, and 47 MA programs. Internationalization is an integral element of the NCCU mission statement and strategic plans. As such the NCCU maintains close global contact with more than 150 universities and research institutes through a wide range of national and international projects. Opportunities for faculty exchanges and recruitment of international students are ongoing via a wide range of mutual cooperation agreements with institutions in Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, South Africa, Korea, China and Latin America.
Data Collection and Analysis
The research was designed as a mixed method study. Methodology from both qualitative and quantitative paradigms were systematically combined (Johnson &
Christensen, 2008). Beginning research questions included:
1. What are the benefits and dilemmas associated with the NCCU international student population in terms of institutional commitments for the expansion of internationalization?
2. What are the interpretations of participants in regard to the issues and dilemmas surrounding the NCCU international student experience?
Scholars, who conduct research involving international dimensions, note the importance of primary sources as a viable option for data collection (Pinar, Reynolds, Slattery & Taubman, 1996). In response the investigation was initiated with a review of sources to develop a contemporary reference for the dilemmas and issues of globalization in Taiwan and the NCCU. The inspection of written documents such as books, periodicals, newspapers, and legal documents to gain a foundation for the history, geography, ecological needs, and community efforts at work in Taiwan were ongoing during all stages of investigation.
Procedures for both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analyses were completed in sequential phases by means of a convenience sampling technique (Stewart & Shamdasani, 1990). Data collection involved 88 participants from 17 countries, enrolled in the NCCU Mandarin Studies Program as full-time language students or with transition status to undergraduate and graduate programs. For the purposes of this research, participants were defined as those who (1) were citizens or permanent residents of a country other than Taiwan; (2) had legal residence outside of Taiwan; and (3) were in Taiwan solely for educational purposes on temporary student visas.1 The qualitative data set included 5 videotaped and voice recorded focus group interviews, the daily upkeep of a focus group field log, and biweekly researcher debriefing sessions. The quantitative data set consisted of a structured survey questionnaire designed to provide both descriptive and inferential evidence.
Summaries and descriptions of the data collection procedures and analyses are outlined as Phase One and Two.
Phase One: A standardized written announcement was posted throughout the Mandarin Studies building and public student areas one week prior to scheduled focus group interviews. The announcement briefly introduced the study, included researchers’ contact information, as well as the dates, times, and location of focus group interviews. In May 2008 focus group interviews convened on five consecutive days during the student lunch hour in a public yet semi private space near the Mandarin Studies classrooms. Participation was voluntary; pizza, cheese cake, and
soft drinks were offered as incentives. Each focus group included 6-12 students along with one bilingual Chinese-English interviewer and assistant. Participants included 33 students ranging in age from 18 to 36; they represented 17 nations (Belgium, Brazil, Chile, France, Hungary, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kiribati, Korea, Mexico, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Philippines, Russia, Ukraine, and the United States). Interviews were conducted in English; participants responded using both English and Chinese.
Development of the interview guide followed principles outlined by Stewart and Shamdasani (1990) as the funnel approach; six unstructured, open-ended questions were ordered from general to specific as a strategy to engage the interest of participants. Interview procedures included an introduction of the group discussion, overview of the topic, ground rules, and the initial question. All interviews were videotaped and voice recorded.
Documentation and analysis followed Stenhouse’s (1988) categorization style of case data. The interviewer summarized key themes, reflections, and insights in a field log after each session. Minor adjustments were made for subsequent interviews based on a review of the field logs. Researchers independently reviewed field logs and focus group recordings to generate a list of key themes. Biweekly two hour sessions were scheduled to individually present and discuss emerging themes. The aim of the biweekly sessions was to identify trends and patterns that reappeared within either a single focus group interview or across them. A case record was established for each focus group interview. Data were kept intact as a way to illuminate meaning and insights in relation to case by case processes and to gleam themes and sub-categories across all cases under study. This approach limited the possibility of losing important themes of each case (Stenhouse, 1988). Primary themes were determined after all data were transcribed as case records. Topics and emerging themes were recorded and a master list was generated. A reexamination of case records was completed followed by formation of one case study.
Phase Two: A survey questionnaire was developed based on key themes generated from analysis of the focus group interviews and a review of the push-pull model literature. A pilot test was administered to a small sample and minor revisions were made. The survey questionnaire was administered on a voluntary basis in June 2008 in a public area of the Mandarin Studies building during the student lunch hour.
Incentives for completion of the questionnaire included NCCU pens, candy, and various Taiwan souvenirs. The questionnaire was written in English and required approximately 10-20 minutes for completion.
A total of 45 participants representative of 22 countries completed the questionnaire. Table II shows that English was the predominant first language of participants (27%), followed by Spanish (11%), and German (9%). Participants’
second languages included English (44%), Mandarin Chinese (26%), and French (10%). Just over half of the sample (51%) consisted of international students studying abroad for the first time. Approximately one-third of the participants were enrolled in NCCU degree programs; all others were full-time students in the university Mandarin Studies program.
Table II
Participant demographics (N=45) Factor n % M SD Min. Max.
Age 45 25.18 5.16 18 38 Gender
Male 25 56 25.92 5.47 Female 20 44 24.25 4.72 First language
English 12 27 Spanish 5 11 German 4 9 Second language
English 27 44 Mandarin 16 26 French 6 10
NCCU Program
Mandarin Studies 30 67
Degree Seeking 11 24 Exchange Student 4 9 Study abroad experience a
First time 23 51 Two 13 29 Three 7 16
More than three 2 4
Note. a Number of short and/or long term study abroad experiences.
Data gathered from the survey questionnaire were encoded and analyzed using the Statistics Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 15. Internal consistency using Lee Cronbach’s (1951) coefficient alpha (Cronbach’s alpha) was computed at 0.89, suggesting a high level (Nunnally & Bemstein, 1994). Descriptive analysis included the mean, standard deviation (SD) and cross-tabulation of participants’
multiple responses for identified questions.