Taiwanese students in a United States university: Expectations, beliefs, values, and attitudes about learning and teaching (Chinese)

This research study aimed at exploring: (1) Taiwanese students' expectations, values, beliefs, and attitudes about learning and teaching, (2) how those differed from their American teachers', and (3) how Taiwanese students adjust to those differences, by interviewing eight Taiwanese students at Penn State University concerning their perspectives about differences between Taiwanese and American teachers/students in an academic setting. The result of this research yielded positive evidence that the academic cultures in distance between Taiwanese students' and their American teachers' cultures of learning might exist in the academic classroom of L2 fields as well as in other academic disciplines at Penn State.; An analysis of the data revealed that eight Taiwanese students in different fields at Penn State tended to be uncritical in learning and passive in participation or sharing their opinions in class. In addition, they also seemed to believe that the teachers' role should be to transmit knowledge and talk in class. However, these eight Taiwanese students' attitudes and beliefs about learning and teaching did not absolutely match their experiences in American classrooms. The findings of this study showed that these eight Taiwanese students perceived that their American teachers expected students to be more critical and active in class. In addition, they perceived that American teachers also tended to believe that teachers should not be the only one to transmit knowledge and talk in class.; Five issues related to cultures were identified as the main factors that caused the different expectations, beliefs, and attitudes about learning and teaching between Taiwanese students and their American teachers. These five issues were authority in power, learner autonomy, the power issue, the face issue, and group harmony.; In addition, the findings of this study revealed that the differences between these eight Taiwanese students' expectations and their experiences in American classrooms negatively affected their cross-cultural adjustment. In order to adjust to the differences, these eight Taiwanese students changed their learning strategy, such as becoming more critical and more active in participation in class. In particular, their prior attitudes and values about learning and teaching were also modified by American academic culture. For example, Taiwanese students began to question the authority of their teachers. They also began to appreciate the activity of the group discussion or presentation.; Based on the findings, this study called for several implications. Therefore, this research provided not only a framework for understanding Taiwanese students' expectations, beliefs, attitudes, and values about learning and teaching, but also useful suggestions for education in the field of L2 as well as in other academic disciplines. It could be innovative with respect to language pedagogy and language learning in the USA as well as in Taiwan.