4. To know if international students use marginalization
4.1 QUANTITATIVE STUDY RESULT
4.1.1 Background Information
Table 4.1 Number and percentage of the country of origin of the participants (n = 68)
Country of origin Number Percentage
China 62 91.2
Myanmar 3 4.41
Nigeria 3 4.41
Total 68 100.0
Table 4.1 showed that most of participants are from China as found 62 students (91.2 %) followed by from Myanmar 3 students (4.41%) and Nigeria were found the same number 3 students (4.41%).
Table 4.2 Number and percentage of Gender of the participants (n = 68)
Gender Number Percentage
Male 27 39.7
Female 41 60.3
Total 68 100.0
Table 4.2 showed that most of participants are Female as found 41 students (60.3%) and the number of Male students is 27 (39.7%).
Table 4.3 Number and percentage of Age of the participants (n = 68)
Age Number Percentage
20-25 32 47.1
26-30 28 41.2
31-35 6 8.8
36-above 2 2.9
Total 68 100.0
Table 4.3 showed that most of samples Age are between 20-25 years old as found 32 students (47.1%); Age between 26-30 which found 28 students (41.2%); Age 31-35 years old were found 6 students (8.8%); and Age 36-above were found 2 students (2.9%).
Table 4.4 Number and percentage of the number of years of residence outside the passport country of the participants (n = 68)
Number of Years residence outside Number Percentage
Less than 1 year 7 10.3
1-2 years 40 58.8
3-4 years 13 19.1
5-years above 8 11.8
Total 68 100.0
Table 4.4 showed that most of samples have number of years residence outside the passport country are between 1-2 years as found 40 students (58.8%); 3-4 years which found 13 studentthus (19.1%); 5-years above were found 8 students (11.8%);
Less than 1 year were found 7 students (10.3%).
Table 4.5 Number and percentage of the years of working experience related to education of the sample (n = 68)
Number of Years working experience related to education
Number Percentage
Less than 1 year 21 30.9
1-2 years 21 30.9
3-4 years 15 22.1
5-years above 9 13.2
No working experience related to education 2 2.9
Total 68 100.0
Table 4.5 showed that most of participants have Number of Years working experience related to education about Less than 1 year and 1-2 years as found the same number of 21 students (30.9%); 3-4 years working experience have 15 students (22.1%);
5-years above was found 9 students (13.2%); and No working experience related to education was found 2 students (2.9%).
Table 4.6 Number and percentage of the frequency of taking Multicultural or intercultural communication courses/workshops of the participants (n = 68) The frequency of taking Multicultural or
intercultural communication courses/workshops
Number Percentage
0 11 16.2
1-2 times 31 45.6
3-4 times 18 26.5
5-9 times 8 11.8
Total 68 100.0
Table 4.6 showed that most of samples have the frequency of taking Multicultural or intercultural communication courses/workshops about 1-2 times as found 31 students (45.6%), the students’ number of 3-4 times are 18 (26.5%); 0 time was found 11 students (16.2%); and 5-9 times was found 8 students (11.8%).
4.1.2 Perceptions towards ICC
This part was to study about how the participants perceive ICC. For each statement, the degree to which the sample agree in the 5-Point Likert Scale comprise of 1= strongly disagree 2 = disagree 3 = moderately agree 4 = agree 5= strongly agree.
There are 41 statements in this part. Their perceptions of ICC were interpreted based on the rating and descriptive scales shown in Table 4.7.
Table 4.7 The Participants Perceptions of ICC.
No. Item x S.D. Interpretation
1 I know the essential norms and taboos of
the host culture. 3.88 0.89 agree
2
I can contrast important aspects of the host
language and culture with my own. 3.68 0.85
Agree 3 I could contrast my own behaviours with
those of my hosts in important areas. 3.74 0.82 Agree
4
I can discuss and contrast various
behavioural patterns in my own culture with those in host country.
3.74 0.79
Agree 5 I can recognize signs of culture stress and
some strategies for overcoming it. 3.54 0.84 Agree 6 I know some techniques to aid my learning
of the host language and culture. 3.66 0.89 Agree 7 I can describe a model of cross-cultural
adjustment. 3.69 0.87 Agree
8
I can cite various learning processes and apply strategies for learning and adjusting to the host culture.
3.68 0.85 Agree
9
I can describe interactional behaviours common among people in the host culture in social and professional areas (e.g., family roles, team work, problem solving).
3.74 0.86 Agree
Table 4.7 The Participants Perceptions of ICC. (Cont.)
No. Item x S.D. Interpretation
10
I can cite important historical and socio- political factors that shape my own culture and the host culture.
3.68 0.80 Agree
11 I am willing to interact with host culture members.
3.90 0.88 Agree
12 I am willing to learn from the language and culture of host country.
4.03 0.93 Agree
13 I am willing to try to communicate in the host language and behave in appropriate ways.
4.06 0.84 Agree
14 I am willing to deal with my emotions and frustrations with the host culture when experiencing cultural differences.
3.74 0.78 Agree
15 I am willing to take on various roles appropriate to different situations.
3.84 0.73 Agree 16 I am interested in learning and
experiencing new cultural aspects.
3.94 0.79 Agree
17 I am willing to try to understand differences in the behaviours, values, attitudes and styles of my culture and those of the host.
3.99 0.74 Agree
18 I am willing to adjust my behaviours to communicate appropriately with people from different culture.
3.90 0.79 Agree
Table 4.7 The Participants Perceptions of ICC. (Cont.)
No. Item x S.D. Interpretation
19 I am willing to adjust my behaviours to communicate appropriately with people from different culture.
3.96 0.80 Agree
20 I am willing to deal with different ways of perceiving, expressing, interacting, and behaving even in something that I was not accustomed or preferred.
3.76 0.92 Agree
21 I am willing to suspend judgment and appreciate the complexities of
communicating and interacting interculturally.
3.75 0.78 Agree
22 I demonstrate flexibility when
interacting with persons from the host culture.
3.74 0.73 Agree
23 I adjust my behaviour, dress etc as appropriate to avoid offending my host.
3.81 0.85 Agree
24 I am able to compare and contrast different aspects of my culture and those of the host.
3.85 0.83 Agree
25 I use strategies for learning the host language and culture.
3.82 0.86 Agree
26 I have the ability a to interact with people appropriately in various social situations.
3.79 0.70 Agree
Table 4.7 The Participants Perceptions of ICC. (Cont.)
No. Item x S.D. Interpretation
27 I use appropriate strategies to adapt to the host culture and reducing stress in adapting process.
3.79 0.84 Agree
28 I use culture-specific information to improve my style and personal interaction.
3.62 0.83 Agree
29 I help resolve cross-cultural conflicts and misunderstandings when they arose.
3.78 0.83 Agree
30 I use models, strategies, and techniques that aided my learning of the host language and culture.
3.79 0.68 Agree
31 I monitor my behaviours and its impact on my learning, my growth, and
especially on my hosts.
3.75 0.80 Agree
32 I am aware of differences and
similarities across my own culture and the host language and culture.
3.96 0.70 Agree
33 I am aware of the need to adjust my interaction strategies in different situation in accordance with the host culture.
3.88 0.74 Agree
Table 4.7 The Participants Perceptions of ICC. (Cont.)
No. Item x S.D. Interpretation
34 I am aware of diversity in the host culture (such as differences in race, gender, age).
3.96 0.74 Agree
35 I am aware of the dangers of
generalizing individual behaviours as representative of the whole culture.
3.90 0.81 Agree
36 I am aware of my choices and their consequences which made me more or less acceptable by the members of the host culture.
3.84 0.70 Agree
37 I am aware of my hosts’ reactions to me and the reason that reflected their cultural values.
3.97 0.73 Agree
38 I am aware of varying cultural styles and language use, and their effect in social and working situations.
3.85 0.76 Agree
39 I am aware of my own and others level of intercultural development and the factors affected my solutions to overcome cultural frustrations.
3.84 0.80 Agree
40 I am aware of my personal habits and preferences and reactions or responses to differences reflected the values and ethics of my culture.
3.91 0.73 Agree
Table 4.7 The Participants Perceptions of ICC. (Cont.)
Table 4.7 showed the number, percentage, mean score, standard deviation, and interpretation of the Perceptions towards Intercultural Communication Competence (ICC) of the sample. It was found that the overall Perceptions towards ICC was found in the Agree level with mean score 3. 81, S. D. 0. 49. The mean score of the top three statements from the highest mean score to lower mean score were found the item number 13 statement: I am willing to try to communicate in the host language and behave in appropriate ways (x̅ =4.06, S.D.=0.84), followed by the item number 12: I am willing to learn from the language and culture of host country (x̅=4.03, S.D.=0.93), and the item number 17: I am willing to try to understand differences in the behaviours, values, attitudes and styles of my culture and those of the host (x̅=3.99, S.D.= 0.74) respectively.
The quantitative results informed the RQ1 that while fewer participants were Nigerian (4.41%) and Burmese (4.41%), the majority were Chinese (91.2%), female (60.3%) and aged between 20 and 30 (88.3%). Most of them had 1-2 years of residency in Thailand ( 58. 8% ) and one year above education- related work experience ( 66. 2% ) and attended multicultural or intercultural exchange courses/ workshops once or twice ( 45. 6% ) , 3- 4 times ( 26. 5% ) . The overall mean score of ICC perception (x̅ 3. 81) i n d i c a t ed t h a t 68 bilingual education students perceived they had the abilities that needed to be effectively and appropriately expressed when interacting with people from culturally diverse backgrounds (Byram, 2009).
No. Item x S.D. Interpretation
41 I am aware of how I perceived myself and being perceived by others as communicator, facilitator, mediator, in an intercultural situation.
3.85 0.80 Agree
Total 3.81 0.49 Agree
In addition, they thought they knew some customs and taboos about Thai culture, held open, curious and respectful attitudes towards Thai language and culture, had skills in dealing with people from different backgrounds and were aware of similarities and differences between the local culture and their own culture. They had this perception perhaps due to the length of their stay in Thailand, implying that they may have already adjusted themselves to this country (Kohli Bagwe & Haskollar, 2020).
Their experiences in school teaching and IC training may also influence their perception (DeJaeghere & Zhang, 2008). The qualitative data also supported these findings.
When considering the top three mean scores, all of them were from the attitude component. This analytical result implies that among those four components of ICC,
‘attitude’ plays the most significant role in the way they perceive their ICC.