Cultural Reentry Workshops:Cultural Reentry Workshops:The Good, The Good, the Bad the Bad And the Not So PrettyAnd the Not So Pretty

Laurie K. CoxLaurie K. Cox

Ed. D. Ed. D.

Educational LeadershipEducational Leadership

Dissertation StudyDissertation Study

Going Home: International Students perspectives of a Going Home: International Students perspectives of a cultural reentry workshopcultural reentry workshop

Completed Spring 2006Completed Spring 2006

2 years: design, market, facilitate 13 reentry workshops 2 years: design, market, facilitate 13 reentry workshops for international students at USCfor international students at USC

9 months: collect and analyze data, write dissertation 9 months: collect and analyze data, write dissertation and defend.and defend.

Why was Why was cultural reentry cultural reentry the focus of my the focus of my

dissertation study?dissertation study?

Interest in reentry issuesInterest in reentry issues

Project ASPIRE/Transpacific Leadership ProgramProject ASPIRE/Transpacific Leadership Program

Knew the workshop and materials could/should be Knew the workshop and materials could/should be improvedimproved

Unique educational opportunityUnique educational opportunity

Another reason is that I had personally experienced Another reason is that I had personally experienced culture shock and reentry shock…culture shock and reentry shock…

I was an international student I was an international student 28 years ago…28 years ago…

I performed in the International Student Talent NightI performed in the International Student Talent Night

That’s me, middle row, far left.That’s me, middle row, far left.

Going Home WorkshopGoing Home Workshop

11. . Introductions/frame game: Introductions/frame game: “Been There, Done That”“Been There, Done That”

2. Cultural Reentry Theory 2. Cultural Reentry Theory LecturetteLecturette3. Career Preparation3. Career Preparation4. 4. Going Home in your ImaginationGoing Home in your Imagination5. Strategies for Reentry 5. Strategies for Reentry a. framework for strategiesa. framework for strategiesb. brainstorm ideas for strategies b. brainstorm ideas for strategies 6. Self6. Self--Study PacketStudy Packet7. Evaluation7. Evaluation

Workshop DesignWorkshop Design

Affective elements (concrete experiencer) : participant introductions, frame game, guided imagery exercise, and brainstorming session.

Perceptual elements (reflective observer) : cultural reentry lecturette, frame game, discussing strategies, video, observing time commitments, controlling length of the discussion and providing clear directions.

Symbolic elements (abstract conceptualizer):Making connections between the frame game’s reflection on the entry and reentry experience, cultural reentry lecturette and integration of theory and future events.

Behavioral elements (active experimenter) : discussions and brainstorming, encouraging interactions between students, making the workshop comfortable and meaningful and focusing on real-life issues.

Workshop DetailsWorkshop Details

Length of workshopLength of workshop--80 minutes80 minutes

13 workshops held over 12 month period13 workshops held over 12 month period

66 students attended and completed an 66 students attended and completed an evaluationevaluation

22--14 students attended each workshop14 students attended each workshop

MethodologyMethodology

Three surveys were administered utilizing Three surveys were administered utilizing withinwithin--stage mixed model research.stage mixed model research.

A quantitative research method was interpreted A quantitative research method was interpreted from a qualitative and quantitative perspective from a qualitative and quantitative perspective using openusing open--ended and closeended and close--ended questions.ended questions.

1. Pre1. Pre--test Surveytest Survey

The purpose of the first questionnaire was The purpose of the first questionnaire was to assess the interest and likelihood of to assess the interest and likelihood of international students in attending a reentry international students in attending a reentry workshop. workshop.

Over 250 international students responded Over 250 international students responded to this initial survey questionnaire.to this initial survey questionnaire.

Countries of BirthCountries of Birth

196 of the students identified nationality

38

3824

19

88 7

IndiaS. KoreaChinaTaiwanHong KongJapanCanada

GenderGender

41%

59%MenWomen

I would like to attend a workshop that I would like to attend a workshop that prepares me for my return homeprepares me for my return home

Attend a reentry workshop

11%9%

10%

41%

29%

Agree Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

Attending a reentry workshop would help students Attending a reentry workshop would help students to successfully make the transition to life back to successfully make the transition to life back

home.home.Transition to life back home

13%5%

4%

45%

33%

Agree Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

Need to attend a reentry workshop Need to attend a reentry workshop

My international students usually did not My international students usually did not perceive a need to attend a reentry workshop. perceive a need to attend a reentry workshop. Why?Why?New conceptNew conceptCan’t anticipate reentry difficultiesCan’t anticipate reentry difficultiesSituation too far away (1Situation too far away (1--6 years)6 years)

2. Evaluation Survey2. Evaluation Survey66 students (23 countries) 66 students (23 countries) participated in the Going participated in the Going Home workshop & Home workshop & completed an evaluation.completed an evaluation.

This second questionnaire This second questionnaire assessed the students’ assessed the students’ immediate perceptions immediate perceptions regarding the usefulness of regarding the usefulness of the Going Home workshop the Going Home workshop directly following the reentry directly following the reentry workshop. workshop.

Countries of BirthCountries of Birth

Top Nine Countries of Birth

13

1085

43

2 2 2

Taiwan India ChinaS. Korea Singapore IndonesiaIran Japan Malaysia

GenderGender

58%

42%MenWomen

Attending the Going Home workshop Attending the Going Home workshop was generally useful to studentswas generally useful to students

general usefulness of workshop

8%

45%

47%

AgreeStrongly AgreeNeutral

Attending the Going Home workshop will help Attending the Going Home workshop will help students to make the transition to life back homestudents to make the transition to life back home

Transition to life back home

26%14%

60%

Agree Strongly Agree Neutral

3. Web3. Web--based Surveybased Survey

62 of the workshop participants were sent an 62 of the workshop participants were sent an email invitation.email invitation.21 students responded.21 students responded.9 of the students returned to their home 9 of the students returned to their home countries by the end of this study. countries by the end of this study. Goal: to discover the participants’ perceptions Goal: to discover the participants’ perceptions on usefulness and efficacy of the Going Home on usefulness and efficacy of the Going Home workshop after returning home.workshop after returning home.

Countries of BirthCountries of BirthStudents who returned home

1

3

11

1

11

Argentina Singapore TaiwanIndonesia Malaysia JapanUnited Kingdom

Attending the Going Home Workshop Attending the Going Home Workshop was generally useful to studentswas generally useful to students

6

3

AgreeStrongly Agree

Participants would recommend the Going Home Participants would recommend the Going Home workshop to USC international studentsworkshop to USC international students

Recommend the workshop to others

3

1

5

AgreeStrongly AgreeNeutral

Attending the Going Home workshop helped Attending the Going Home workshop helped students to reduce one or more symptoms of students to reduce one or more symptoms of

reentry shockreentry shockReduced symptoms of reentry shock

2

2

5 AgreeStrongly AgreeNeutral

Attending the Going Home Workshop helped Attending the Going Home Workshop helped students to successfully make the transition to life students to successfully make the transition to life

back homeback homeWorkshop helped in making transition

1

44

Agree Strongly Agree Neutral

Which Going Home workshop topics Which Going Home workshop topics did the students find most useful?did the students find most useful?

22%

79%

56%

44%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%50%

60%

70%

80%

Useful topics

relationships withfamily

feelingcomfortable withgrowth/changesstrategies fortransition

relationships withfriends

Did the length of the sojourn affect the Did the length of the sojourn affect the perceived efficacy of the reentry workshop?perceived efficacy of the reentry workshop?

The international students who lived in the U.S. The international students who lived in the U.S. the longest had the the longest had the most positive reactionsmost positive reactions to the to the Going Home Workshop after returning home.Going Home Workshop after returning home.

Recommendations to international Recommendations to international educatorseducators

Mandatory Mandatory v.sv.s. . voluntaryvoluntary

Advertise, advertise, Advertise, advertise, advertiseadvertise

IncentivesIncentives

Scheduling Scheduling workshopsworkshops

Fall Fall v.sv.s. Spring . Spring workshopsworkshops

Virtual reentry Virtual reentry workshopsworkshops

Benefits of Virtual Reentry Benefits of Virtual Reentry WorkshopsWorkshops

Available whenever student needs itAvailable whenever student needs it

Greater convenience for both students and facilitatorGreater convenience for both students and facilitator

Less time and money spent on advertisingLess time and money spent on advertising

Less expensiveLess expensive--no need for incentives & no need for incentives & refreshmentsrefreshments

MaterialsMaterials

Study PacketStudy Packet

Copy of CD Power point presentationCopy of CD Power point presentation

12 page Abstract/partial bibliography12 page Abstract/partial bibliography

Questions?Questions?

Thank youThank you