In this section, the main findings and implications, for the intercultural interaction of international and Taiwanese students, are summarized. Consequently, a review of the purpose and the specific research questions are highlighted. Thereafter, three main issues are summarized and suggestions for further studies. Finally the limitations of the study are given.
Conclusions
Celis & Wildermeersch, (2002, p.5) stated, ―Once international students enter the university, ‗gaps‘ between them and local students are likely to be highlighted‖. It is critical for international students to become tolerant of different viewpoints. This can take place through interaction with their host country counterparts. Thus, a huge importance should be placed on contact between international and local students. It has been noted that the agencies involved will suffer great losses if international and local students fail to get along and enhance intercultural learning. This study, therefore, examined the intercultural interaction between international and local Taiwanese students, taking both perspectives into account. The study was presumed suitable considering the aim of the stakeholders, such as the Taiwan ICDF, MOFA, and universities that offer international programs, to internationalize their universities and build intercultural relations.
In concluding about the findings of this research, the questions of the study are revisited.
The following questions were asked in the study:
1. What are the intercultural communication experiences of Taiwanese and international students studying in Taiwan?
2. What are the difficulties faced and the strategies employed, in the process of intercultural communication, by students studying in a culturally diverse environment?
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The results presented here indicated that Taiwanese and international students shared a number of intercultural communication experience while studying together. They also faced many difficulties and employed several strategies to battle those difficulties, during the process of intercultural communication. Contrasting experiences, when it came to the intercultural communication experience of international and local Taiwanese students studying together in Taiwan were unravelled. Most of the experiences shared between the two groups were quite different. This indicated that although contact took place, very little understanding did. Several instances of frustration and disregard for each other, in terms of integration, showed how ―Not open‖ the groups were to embracing intercultural communication. Several international students viewed Taiwanese students as shy, somewhat reserved and rather closed, when it came to interacting with internationals. Some international students believed that locals would not willingly interact with them, unless being forced to do so. Likewise, locals felt annoyed and upset, when they were judged and perceived wrongly by internationals. Studying together in the same classroom brought about several difficulties including language barrier, problems with the slow pace of teaching, telling each other about things they did not appreciate, and remaining silent, for the fear of problems with administration. Some strategies to combat these difficulties were employed. In terms of language barrier, talking slowly, using basic words, and looking up translations were employed. In terms of getting locals to open up, cracking jokes and relating to them were employed. To avoid miscommunication, getting to know one‘s culture was employed.
Essentially, failure to properly foster and build intercultural interaction between the groups resulted in losses for all parties involved-Taiwan ICDF, MOFA. The universities, which offer international programs, and the students, who study together in international programs.
Conclusively, the agencies involved in must constantly monitor the interaction between international and local Taiwanese students to ensure their goals are achieved. Failure to do so can result in many losses, not only to the scholarship donors, but also to the international and Taiwanese students alike.
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Recommendations
The results of the study are encouraging as they set the foundation for future research.
The recommendations below should be taken into consideration.
Recommendation for Universities and Scholarships Donors in Taiwan
Scholarship donors and universities alike embrace the idea of international students studying in Taiwan, not only for accreditation and recognition, but also to foster intercultural interaction, and broaden the mindset of all involved. If these purposes are not being fulfilled, then the entire aim of all these institutions will not be fully successful. For universities, in addition to simply placing students in mixed groups, (international and local students) intercultural communication must be fostered. Professors could organize their courses in such a way that most classroom activities and assignments are more inclusive of both international and local students, not just have the two groups work together on one assignment, for the semester and expect them to have ideal contact. Cultural awareness must be acknowledged as fostered, throughout the year.
Perhaps it is in the Taiwanese culture to be rather shy and standoffish, still universities must create exercises to promote team-building and social interaction. For example, the universities, especially departments that offer international programs, can hold social mixers which will allow the students to socially interact with each other, but instead of just bringing students together, as if to say ―Okay, you can be friends now,‖ team building exercises can be done, especially by departments, since students of one department are generally closer with each other. If people see they have common interests, they are more likely to get along. Events like these can help the local and international students alike to discover their common interests. This kind of university atmosphere can trigger a better rapport between international and local students. If there is good rapport, between the groups involved, then certainly their experiences will be better.
Likewise, the scholarship donors must try different methods to ensure that international students become fully apart of Taiwanese society, in and outside of school. Rather than simply placing international students into an environment, where they are expected to interact and get along with local students, find other means of fully integrating them. Also, check on them to
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really monitor their experiences in order to ensure that while studying in Taiwan, students received all the gains that the scholarship donors expected them to-intercultural as well as educational gains.
Recommendations for International Students Studying in Taiwan
It is said that experience teaches wisdom. However, it is known that not everyone will have all the same experiences. Still, it is good to know the experiences of others, in order to better cope in future situations. In the case of international students, studying in Taiwan, it is absolutely necessary for them to acknowledge and accept that Taiwan is different from their home countries-however large or small that difference is. Perhaps it would be useful for international students to get some kind of cross cultural training, before leaving their home country to go abroad and study. This could help them to function better in their new environment.
Students must also realize that they did not only sign up to study in Taiwan for academic success, but also to build intercultural relations, for this is only a preparation for when they enter the workforce. It is not only the responsibility of the local Taiwanese students and the scholarship donors to foster intercultural contact, but international students must take the initiative to try and build culturally understanding between them and their local counterparts.
Therefore, it is recommended that despite the difficulties encountered, international students must move beyond those to achieve their aim of studying in Taiwan and fully submerge themselves in a different culture to gain useful knowledge for future use.
Recommendations for Taiwanese Students who Study with International Students
Taiwanese students must realize that the world is changing. Perhaps 20 years ago, it was looked at as absurd, for foreigners to be integrated into their school system. However, circumstances have changed, and they must be dealt with. Therefore, Taiwanese students must embrace the opportunity that they have been given to study locally, in an international setting.
Thus, they must ensure that the experience, of their international classmates, is a good one-one that will draw them back to Taiwan, either in terms of friendship or business. As opposed to simply being misunderstood as shy or standoffish, Taiwanese students must move beyond
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language and other communication barriers, in order for international students to understand and not criticize them. They must become more open with international students and be willing to accept or understand them, for who they are, rather than expecting them to simply assimilate into their culture. Taiwanese students must realize that being different or standing out is okay, so instead of ostracizing international students, understand them. Understanding will lead to better intercultural communication experience between them and international students.
Limitations of the Study
The study was delimited to local Taiwanese and international students studying in Taiwan, because the researcher was interested in analyzing interactions between the two groups.
The study, therefore, may not be applicable to all international students studying in a foreign country or host country nationals of other foreign countries.
Since the sample of the foreign population was from different countries, cultures, ethnicities, and altogether different demographic backgrounds, the result of the study were too broad to generalize. Only ICDF scholarship recipients were used as a part of the international student body, and this posed a limitation to the study, for the researcher was unable to generalize the results to all international students. ICDF scholarships students may communicate differently with local students, because of some of the planned activities by the foundation. Another limitation that needs to be taken into account is the fact that although the international students hail from several different countries, where English is not the first language, the interview questions were drafted in only English. The researcher encountered difficulties arranging interviews, since some of the interviews were conducted via skype, due to certain constraints of the researcher. The local sample was particularly difficult to arrange; thus, four, of them, gave their input to the research via a questionnaire. As a result of this alternative method of collecting data, vital information could have been lost.
The fact that snowball sampling was used presented another limitation. The sample might be biased, because initial subjects might have nominated people whom they know very well.
Thus, the subjects might have shared the same traits and characteristics resulting in a sample that is only a small representation of the entire population. Another limitation is that the scope of
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qualitative researches is limited due to the in-depth, comprehensive data gathering approaches required.
Suggestions for Further Studies
In spite of the results and recommendations offered here, further studies should be conducted. The research study only focused on international students (ICDF and MOFA scholarship recipients) studying in Taiwan. Consequently, the results should be used with caution, when being transferred to other contexts. Further research can be conducted using a broader array of international students studying in various parts of Taiwan, since most of the sample hailed from Northern Taiwan. In this study, most of the international students‘ home country included Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of Africa. Students from Europe and the United States can be used in future studies to compare their experiences with those of the ones in this study. Factors such as the relationship between age and gender could be monitored more closely to see their overall effects of the intercultural interaction of students.
Perhaps a comparative study could also be conducted, using the same interview questions investigated in this study. Such a study would validate and strengthen what has been reported in this study.
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