Beyond Silence and Fluency: Rethinking Chinese International Students' Class Participation and Engagement in Canadian Higher Education
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| Title: | Beyond Silence and Fluency: Rethinking Chinese International Students' Class Participation and Engagement in Canadian Higher Education |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Chenkai Chi (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of International Students. 2026 16(5):23-41. |
| Availability: | Journal of International Students. 4005 Spurgeon Drive #6, Monroe, LA 71203. Tel: 318-600-5743; Fax: 318-342-3131; e-mail: jis@ojed.org; Web site: https://www.ojed.org/index.php/jis/index |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 19 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Students, Foreign Countries, Student Participation, Learner Engagement, Higher Education, Graduate Students, Student Attitudes, Student Behavior, Ideology, Social Influences, Cultural Influences, Self Concept, Personal Autonomy, Power Structure, English (Second Language), Universities, Student Experience |
| Geographic Terms: | China, Canada |
| ISSN: | 2162-3104 2166-3750 |
| Abstract: | This qualitative study explores how Chinese international graduate students perceive and negotiate classroom participation and engagement at a Canadian university. Drawing on the notions of investment and time inheritance, this study examines how identity, linguistic and cultural capital, ideological expectations, and temporal resources interact to shape Chinese international students' academic behavior. Sixteen graduate students from diverse faculties at a Canadian university were interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed that classroom participation and engagement are determined not only by language fluency or pedagogical familiarity but also by inherited time, neoliberal performance pressures, and classroom power dynamics. While some Chinese international students found affirming spaces for cultural identity and relational trust, others encountered marginalization through monolingual norms and deficit discourses. The study advances a multidimensional understanding of class participation and engagement for Chinese international graduate students, calling for inclusive pedagogical practices that honor linguistic diversity and temporal equity. The findings offer practical insights for Asia--Pacific institutions that are preparing students for transnational education and for global educators seeking to support culturally diverse learners. [Note: The page range (23-42) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct page range is 23-41.] |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1508557 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This qualitative study explores how Chinese international graduate students perceive and negotiate classroom participation and engagement at a Canadian university. Drawing on the notions of investment and time inheritance, this study examines how identity, linguistic and cultural capital, ideological expectations, and temporal resources interact to shape Chinese international students' academic behavior. Sixteen graduate students from diverse faculties at a Canadian university were interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed that classroom participation and engagement are determined not only by language fluency or pedagogical familiarity but also by inherited time, neoliberal performance pressures, and classroom power dynamics. While some Chinese international students found affirming spaces for cultural identity and relational trust, others encountered marginalization through monolingual norms and deficit discourses. The study advances a multidimensional understanding of class participation and engagement for Chinese international graduate students, calling for inclusive pedagogical practices that honor linguistic diversity and temporal equity. The findings offer practical insights for Asia--Pacific institutions that are preparing students for transnational education and for global educators seeking to support culturally diverse learners. [Note: The page range (23-42) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct page range is 23-41.] |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2162-3104 2166-3750 |
