International Students’ Use of Communication Technologies in American Universities
Abstract: Participants in this roundtable discussion will exchange ideas and approaches for studying international students’ use of communication technologies (CT) as they adjust to life abroad. The author is studying the role of CT in international students’ cultural adjustment in America. The study’s original goal was to track Japanese students’ progress in American universities, but the scope of the study expanded to include students of all nationalities due to the lack of Japanese students in the target universities. The author has collected data and will analyze exchange students’ use of CT (both domestic and international), identify communication strategies that contribute to positive cultural adjustment, and develop communication recommendations to improve international students’ acculturation process.
Presider: Ferdinand Guinko, Université Laval