A Research Of Chinese Exchange Students’ Learning Adaptability In American Universities

With the spread of the economic globalization, the international trend of higher education has also been intensified. The international development of higher education remands our country to absorb experiences from developed countries and explore its own local development routine. Among many different indicators affecting the internationalization of higher education, the indicator about the international students cannot be ignored. In order to improve it, many Chinese universities keep cooperating with universities overseas. The exchange program is an important way. The exchange students are also the objects of this study.Selecting these Chinese exchange students are all from Zhejiang Normal University, and there are two under-graduates and six post-graduates. It is held in West Liberty University, West Virginia, U.S. and research is all about those students’study. Using qualitative research methods, semi-structured interviews and supplemented by daily observation of life and learning. Data was collected from interviews, the author’s observation and recording logs. Based on the data collection and analysis, the author got the factors affecting Chinese exchange students to get used to American universities and finally put forward the measures and suggestions to help Chinese exchange students adapt to the study in American universities.Through data analysis, the factors affect Chinese exchange students’learning adaptability in the United States includes the main differences between Chinese and American educational culture, the external factors, the students’own factors and interactive communication factors. The differences between Chinese and American educational culture including academic atmosphere, educational content and ideas, educational methods and systems, the competition between schools, administrative and academic separation. External factors include changes in life, cultural differences and social support. Students’own factors include the individual’s physical condition, personality factors, the degree of knowledge and skills, development intentions and strategies to deal with psychological stress. Among them, a higher level of education, open personality, a good mastery of knowledge and skills, the intention to work abroad and positive thinking and strategies are in favor of the adaptability of Chinese exchange students. Conversely, a lower level of education, relatively closed personality, poor mastery of knowledge and skills, the intention to work in home country and negative thinking and strategies will hinder the adaptability of Chinese exchange students. These four factors greatly influenced the Chinese exchange students’ learning adaptability in the United States. Exchange students should deal with these four factors and the relationship between them, in order to achieve learning adaptability. The great differences of culture and the external factors, is an established fact that cannot be changed, this project can only start from the exchange student to improve the ability of adaptability. The suggestions of this article are to understand cultural differences and train cultural awareness; to strength the language skills and improve the ability of adaptability; to communicate with American teachers and classmates actively: these are the main strategies to improve the adaptability of study.