Socio-Cultural and Economical Problems of International Graduate Students in Turkey and Australia


ARSLAN H., BABİRZADE K.

Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, vol.39, no.2, pp.1-21, 2020 (Peer-Reviewed Journal) identifier

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the socio-cultural and economical problems of international students in three different faculties (Health Sciences, Social Sciences and Science Institute) of various universities in Turkey and Australia. In that regard, following questions were directed to the participants:1. What are the problems experienced by students in the dimension of human relations?2. What are the problems experienced by students in the dimension economy?3. What are the problems experienced by the students in the dimension of accommodation?4. What are the problems experienced by the students in the dimension of homesickness?5. What are the problems experienced by the students in the dimension of meals?6. What are the problems experienced by the students in the dimension of dressing?7. What are the problems experienced by the students in the dimension of traditions?In order to identify problems faced by foreign graduata students studying in Turkey and Australia the phenomenology design, one of the qualitative research methods designs, was used in this study. Phenomenology is the conscious experience of people's own living worlds; that is, all understanding of human life comes from sensory experiences of phenomena and personal interpretations of these experiences. The sample of the study included twenty seven international students who were attending health, social and life sciences of the university in Turkey and Australia in 2016-2017 academic year. In the formation of the study group, the maximum diversity sampling was chosen from purposeful sampling methods in determining the foreign graduate students in both countries. In this study to show socio-cultural and economical problems of international students more clearly, 27 students from different departments were interviewed. The data were collected by a semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers. Considering the fact that international students may have language proficiency problems, questions were asked with simple language and students’ responses were waited patiently. Interviews lasted about 25-30 minutes and were recorded by the use of tape recorder. Twenty seven participants from different foreign countries were coded as S1, S2... S27.Descriptive analysis -one of the qualitative data analysis techniques- was used in the analysis of the opinions of international students related to socio-cultural and economical problems. For descriptive analysis, transcribing was made and then data were coded. After analyzing, paraphrasing and coding the data, draft was created under themes and categories. Relations between themes and categories were determined, arranged and interpreted in accordance with the purpose of the study.To this end, socio-cultural and economic problems were analyzed under such headings; human relations, economic problems, housing, homesickness, food, clothing, and local customs. The study sample included 15 international students (Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Palestine, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Niger, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Turkmenistan, Yemen, Tuva, Raura, Mauritania, Kyrgyzstan) from Turkey and12 international students China, Vietnam, Japan, India, Pakistan, Thailand and Endenozo) from Australia . While purposive sampling technique was used in the study, in the analysis of the opinions of international students descriptive analysis was utilised.Numerous factors indicate that socio-cultural and economics problems of international students were present after literature review produced in both countries. To prove this finding in practicum, survey section of this study, aimed that international students, who study at Ondokuz Mayıs University and Queensland University, have been interviewed to identify their socio-cultural and economic problems. In this study, it was determined that participants did not face any prejudice or exclusion in Turkey because Turkish culture shows similarities with their own cultures, but in Australia partipicipants faced many problems as a language proficiency and did not communicate with local people. Economical problem was found as the most common one among the problems of international students. Solutions to these problems are stated as cooking at home, finding rental houses at affordable prices and getting help from people in their own country. Foreign students of the housing problems of the majority of respondents in Turkey and Australia are reported to have trouble shelter. Participants in Turkey have said that they get help from friends to resolve these problems, but Participants in Australia have said that they have friends in this country because of this they have many problems to find cheaper houses or dorms. Opinions of international students regarding foods in Turkish culture varied. Most of the students expressed that they had difficulty in getting accustomed to foods when they first came to Turkey but they got used to Turkish foods over
Bu çalışmanın amacı, Samsun Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi ve Avusturalya Queensland Üniversitesinde farklı enstitülerde eğitim gören uluslararası lisansüstü öğrencilerin sosyal-kültürel ve ekonomik anlamda yaşadıkları sorunları incelemektir. Bu amaca yönelik olarak sosyal-kültürel ve ekonomik sorunlar; insan ilişkileri, ekonomik sorunlar, barınma, ev özlemi, yemek, giyim ve gelenek-görenek temaları altında incelenmiştir. Bu araştırmada yöntem olarak nitel araştırma yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Teknik olarak maksimum çeşitlilik örnekleme yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Veriler araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu ile elde edilmiştir. Yabancı uyruklu yüksek lisans öğrencilerinin sosyal-kültürel ve ekonomik sorunlarına ilişkin görüşlerinin analizinde nitel veri analiz tekniklerinden içerik analizi yaklaşımı kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu 2016-2017 eğitim-öğretim yılında Samsun Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesinde lisansüstü öğrenim gören onbeş yabancı uyruklu yüksek lisans öğrencisi ve Avustralya Queensland Üniversitesinin farklı enstitülerinde öğrenim gören yedi farklı ülkeden oniki yabancı uyruklu yüksek lisans öğrencisi oluşturmaktadır. Yapılan yurtiçi ve yurtdışı literatür araştırması sonucu yabancı uyruklu yüksek lisans öğrencilerin sosyokültürel ve ekonomik sorunlarının olduğu görülmüştür. Buradan hareketle çalışmanın araştırma bölümünde yabancı uyruklu yüksek lisans öğrencilerin sosyokültürel ve ekonomik sorunlarını etkileyen faktörler araştırılmıştır. Çalışma sonucunda yabancı uyruklu öğrencilerin kendi kültürleriyle Türk kültürünün benzerlik göstermesi nedeniyle Türkiye’de insani ilişkilerde sorunlarla karşılaşmadıkları ama Avustralya’daki yabancı uyruklu öğrencilerin yerli halkla iletişime geçememe ve dil yetersizliği yüzünden insani ilişkilerde sorunlarla karşılaştıkları belirlenmiştir. Öğrencilerin önde gelen sorunlarının daha çok ekonomik olup okul harçları, yemek, ulaşım, dil ve barınma gibi konularda yoğunlaştığı belirlenmiştir. Öğrencilerin üniversite içinde veya dışında çalışmaları için ortamlar oluşturulmalı veya çalışacakları yer bulmalarına yardımcı olunmalıdır. Öğrencilerin uyumlarını kolaylaştıracak danışmanlık faaliyetlerine daha çok dikkat edilmelidir. Sınıf danışmanlarının ve yabancı öğrenci ofislerinin daha aktif çalışması sağlanmalıdır.