Open Access Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington
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Cambodian and Laotian Students' Experience of Language Barriers, Cultural Differences, and Teacher-Student Rapport in a University in Vietnam: A Grounded Theory Approach

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posted on 2021-11-12, 12:22 authored by Doan, My Ngoc

An increasing number of international students have enrolled in university degree programmes in Vietnam in recent years and this has presented a range of new pedagogical opportunities and challenges in the higher education context of the nation. Currently, little is known about international students’ academic experiences in Vietnamese universities although the literature suggests that effective teacher–student relationships are an important factor in establishing effective teaching and learning processes. This study employs grounded theory to examine the influence of teacher–student relationships on international students’ academic experiences at a university in Vietnam that is located in a region that draws in students from the neighbouring countries of Cambodia and Laos. A mixed research design combining data from questionnaires and in-depth interviews was used in this research. Data from questionnaires were collected from all Cambodian and Laotian international students who were enrolled at a university in the An Giang province in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. These data were supplemented by in-depth interviews with a sample group of the students. The findings from this study show that while the Cambodian and Laotian international students reported good relationships with their Vietnamese teachers and having no difficulty in adapting to Vietnamese culture, they also struggled with the challenges of studying in a new language and this made it difficult for them to communicate effectively with their teachers or participate fully in classroom activities.

History

Copyright Date

2012-01-01

Date of Award

2012-01-01

Publisher

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Rights License

Author Retains Copyright

Degree Discipline

Education

Degree Grantor

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Degree Level

Masters

Degree Name

Master of Education

Victoria University of Wellington Item Type

Awarded Research Masters Thesis

Language

en_NZ

Victoria University of Wellington School

Te Kura Māori

Advisors

Kidman, Joanna