Same Same or Different?: Comparing Perceived Internationalization, Experiences and Satisfaction of Domestic and International Tertiary Students in Thailand

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.57260/csdj.2024.266615

Keywords:

Internationalization of higher education, Comparison of international and domestic students, Perception of internationalization

Abstract

There appears to be a lack of literature analyzing and comparing experiences and behavior of foreign and domestic tertiary students in non-traditional destinations. Using quantitative approach, this study examined and compared how international and home students in Thailand perceive the extent of internationalization of their host institution, their sense of belongingness, discriminatory experiences and satisfaction. Findings showed that both groups of students did not perceive differently the academic, social and organizational dimensions of internationalization. However, foreign students felt a stronger sense of belongingness and higher level of satisfaction than their local counterparts. They had a more positive perception of the course contents and the university’ s physical environment. They indicated less positive perception of the availability of opportunities to socialize, to participate in exchange study, and to use the English language in learning and communication. The differing perceptions and attitudes of domestic and foreign students suggest that the institution may consider to further develop and improve the various aspects of internationalization in order to satisfy their needs and enhance their student experience.

References

Australian Education International. (2002). How international students view their Australian experience: A survey of international students who completed a course of study in 1999. Canberra: DEST.

Carlos, V. S., & Rodrigues, R. G. (2016). Development and validation of a self-reported measure of job performance. Social Indicators Research, 126(1), 279–307. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-015-0883-z

Chang, C. (2008). Internationalization Development of Thailand’s Higher Education: Positioning Thailand as An International Education Center for The ASEAN Region. Country Report. Retrieved from http://dspace.spu.ac.th/bitstream/123456789/1003/1/FullPaperTemplateTHAILAND%20COUNTRY%20REPORT.pdf

Chiang Mai Rajabhat University-International College. (2021). Annual Report 2021. p. 32.

Chrysikos, A., Ahmed, E., & Ward, R. (2017). Analysis of Tinto’s student integration theory in first year undergraduate computing students of a UK Higher Education Institution. International Journal of Comparative Education and Development, 19(2/3), 97-121. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCED-10-2016-0019

De Lange, F., Heilbron, M., & Kok, P. (2018). How Do Expectations Shape Perception? Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 22(9), 764-779. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2018.06.002

Devos, T., & Mohamed, H. (2014). Shades of American identity: Implicit relations between ethnic and national identities. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 8(12), 739–754. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12149

English, A., & Zhang, R. (2020). Coping with perceived discrimination: A longitudinal study of sojourners in China. Current Psychology, 39, 854-869. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00253-6

Fit, C. R., & Gologan, D. (2018). Student Perspective on the Institutional Efforts to Develop Internationalisation Within Romanian HEIs. In Curaj, A., Deca, L., Pricopie, R. (Eds.), European Higher Education Area: The Impact of Past and Future Policies. Springer. p.119-137. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77407-7_9

Glass, C., & Westmont, C. (2013). Comparative effects of belongingness on the academic success and cross-cultural interactions of domestic and international students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 38, 106-119. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2013.04.004

Grebennikov, L., & Skaines, I. (2006). Comparative analysis of student surveys on international student experience in higher education. Journal of Institutional Research, 13(1), 97-116. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1055587

Knight, J. (1994). Internationalization: Elements and checkpoints. Canadian Bureau for International Education, 7(1), 1–15. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED549823

Kondakci, Y., Broeck, H., & Yildirim, A. (2008). The Challenges of Internationalization from Foreign and Local Students’ Perspectives: The Case of Management School. Asia Pacific Education Review, 9(4), 448-463. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF03025662

Kuroda, K., Sugimura, M., Kitamura, Y., & Asada, S. (2018). Internationalization of Higher Education and Student Mobility in Japan and Asia. Paper commissioned for the 2019 Global Education Monitoring Report, Migration, displacement and education: Building bridges, not walls. Retrieved from https://www.jica.go.jp/Resource/jica-ri/publication/other/l75nbg000010mg5u-att/Background_Kuroda.pdf

Lertjanyakit, H. (2019). The Forecast of International Education in Thailand. Apheit International Journal, 8(1), 22-36. Retrieved from https://apheit.bu.ac.th/index.php?id=197

Liu, R., & Liu, R.K. (2004). Satisfaction and Performance: A Reciprocal Model. Boston.

Mavondo, F., Tsarenko, Y., & Gabbott, M. (2004). International and Local Student Satisfaction: Resources and Capabilities Perspective. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 14(1), 41-60. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1300/J050v14n01_03

Nguyen, N. (2022). Factors Affecting Student Satisfaction When Studying At A University In Vietnam. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 6(7), 2349-2355. Retrieved from https://journalppw.com/index.php/jpsp/article/view/11768

Oliver, R. (1996). Satisfaction: A Behavioral Perspective on the Consumer. McGraw-Hill, New York.

Pad, N. (2005). Internationalising Thai higher education: Examining policy implementation. University of Leeds. United Kingdom.

Ramburuth, P., & Tani, M. (2009). The impact of culture on learning: Exploring student perceptions. Multicultural Education & Technology Journal, 3(3), 182-195. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1108/17504970910984862

Son, H., Ha, N., & Pham, K. (2018). Measuring Students' satisfaction with higher education service - An experimental study at Thainguyen University. International Journal of Bussiness Marketings and Management, 3(2), 21-34. Retrieved from https://www.ijbmm.com/vol3-issue4.html

Spencer-Oatey, H., & Dauber, D. (2019). Internationalisation and student diversity: how far are the opportunity benefits being perceived and exploited?. Higher Education, 78, 1035-1058. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-019-00386-4

Tinto, V. (1998) Colleges as Communities: Taking Research on Student Persistence Seriously. The Review of Higher Education, 21(2), 167-177. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.1998.a30046

UNESCO Institute for Statistics. (1998). UNESCO Statistical Yearbook 1999-2015. Data Centre Custom tables.

Wachira, W. (2022). Choice Criteria Among Thais Towards Choosing an International Master’s Degree Program in Thailand During the Covid-19 Pandemic. Bangkok: Mahidol University. Retrieved from https://archive.cm.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/4374

Weerasinghe, S., Lalitha, S., & Fernando, S. (2017). Students' Satisfaction in Higher Education. Literature Review, 5(5), 533-539. Retrieved from https://www.sciepub.com/education/abstract/7552

Yang, F., He, Y., & Xia, Z. (2022). The effect of perceived discrimination on cross-cultural adaptation of international students: moderating roles of autonomous orientation and integration strategy. Curr Psychol, 42, 19927-19940. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03106-x

Zhang, J., Chen, W., Petrovsky, N., & Walker, R. (2021). The Expectancy-Disconfirmation Model and Citizen Satisfaction with Public Services: A Meta-analysis and an Agenda for Best Practice. Public Administration Review, 82(1), 147-159 . Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13368

Zimitat, C. (2005). Student perceptions of internationalisation of the undergraduate curriculum. In Wallace, M. & Dunn, L. (Eds.), Student Perceptions of the Internationalisation of the Undergraduate Curriculum. Routledge: New york.

Downloads

Published

2024-05-14

How to Cite

Alcoba, R. . C. ., La-ongsri, W. ., & La-ongsri, W. . (2024). Same Same or Different?: Comparing Perceived Internationalization, Experiences and Satisfaction of Domestic and International Tertiary Students in Thailand. Community and Social Development Journal, 25(2), 49–63. https://doi.org/10.57260/csdj.2024.266615

Issue

Section

บทความวิจัย (RESEARCH ARTICLE)