Building intercultural communication skills to support international students’ adjustment process to university: An action research

Abstract

This study aims to develop international students’ intercultural communication skills through action research as they adjust to university life. Action Research Interactional Ritual Cycle: The Compass Model is introduced in the current study. Ten international undergraduate students from different countries studying at a foundation university in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Türkiye voluntarily participated in this study. The research data was collected through face-to-face interviews, activity-centered focus group meetings and practices, reflective diaries and observation forms. The interactional data was analyzed and evaluated through the interactional ritual perspective, and discourse analysis was used for the analysis of student reflective diaries to determine how they reflected on the interaction. A series of practices was carried out as activities, experience sharing and workshops by academics who are experts in their fields. The main theme that emerged from the interactional rituals was "in-group interactional rituals in intercultural communication", and sub themes were "in-group belonging" and "in-group interaction”. The concept maps for the themes and sub-themes were created with MAXQDA. Analysis of the findings identified two sub-themes: “In-group belonging” with further sub-themes “experience sharing” and “feeling valuable”; and "in-group interaction" with further sub-themes "getting to know cultures" and "getting to know each other". Fine transcription of the interactional data was carried out and interactional rituals were revealed through discourse analysis. By implementing the action plan in relation to social interaction problems determined at the beginning of the action research, students' intercultural communication skills improved, and this contributed to the university adjustment process. This study provides rich insights for higher education leaders to enact culturally responsive inclusive approaches in their practices. The research is also expected to inform interdisciplinary action research studies in higher education leadership.

Keywords: Adjustment to University; Communication Studies; Intercultural Communication; Interpersonal Communication; Intercultural Interaction; Interaction Studies; International Students