The starting point for this document’s conceptual model was Tinto’s (1993) longitudinal model of institutional departure, on which he posits an explanation of the various interactions, including social and academic integration, which affect a students’ likelihood to persist. Like Tinto’s model, this model also operates within the higher
education context. Secondly, it is longitudinal and interactional in its configuration and also considers institutional experiences surrounding the academic and social systems within the institution and the external community. Thirdly, it focuses on key events or experiences that occur primarily within the institution and attempts to explain how they may affect particular outcomes, thus it is also an explanatory model. Many of the same underlying factors can be used to seek explanations for interactions which influence students’ satisfaction with their educational sojourn. Key differences to Tinto’s model are that a) this model focuses primarily on international students, b) the outcome to the causal sequence is not departure decision but level of satisfaction and loyalty outcomes; and c) English language proficiency is the key mechanism which is being studied, and not goals and commitments. Language proficiency is seen as acting causally on international students in many ways, such as through successful adaptation to their academic, social and cultural environment, and at the completion of their sojourn, affecting the success of their academic performance, overall course satisfaction, and propensity to loyalty such as referral and repurchase behaviours. Therefore, this model has also been influenced by key findings from the literature review conducted and reported above. Finally, research conducted by the author in earlier stages of her doctorate has also helped to develop a fuller understanding of the international students’ journey. The final model has incorporated these three different sources to theorise how the international students’ English language proficiency affects their interactions within the academic, social and cultural contexts, i.e. the university and wider community environments, which is influential in the longitudinal formation of satisfaction and loyalty outcomes.
Figure 2.1: Proposed Conceptual Model
Pre-Entry Attributes Institutional Institutional
Experiences Outcomes
Time --->
Students begin their Masters course with a pre-existing and unique set of background characteristics & personal attributes which have a moderating influence on their ability to cope with (persist) in the course and integrate into the academic, social and cultural environment. International students experience a longitudinal process of interaction with the Academic and Social Systems of the institution as well as the Cultural System of the host community. Experiences with the Academic System refer to the effectiveness of interactions with the academic processes and university personnel, such as teacher-student communication, learning resources, support services and facilities, together with assessment events, which result in development of a student’s academic competences and performance profile. Experiences with the Social System include the development of relationships with their peer group, formally in the classroom and informally in the university community, facilitated by the availability of a range of extracurricular activities. Experiences with the Cultural System refer to the host community and the ability of the student to adapt to the normative culture in order to function effectively in day-to-day interactions. Over the duration of the course, all of these continuous interaction events provide the basis for student evaluation of their
English language proficiency
ACADEMIC SYSTEM
Academic performance Teaching & learning
effectiveness CULTURAL SYSTEM Socio-cultural Adaptation Overall Satisfaction Loyalty SOCIAL SYSTEM
Peer Group Interaction Extra-curricular Activities Cultural background Previous education Length of residence Pre-sessional course completion
sojourn, which produce attitudes and opinions; the more favourable their assessment of their interactions within the Academic, Social and Cultural Systems, the more likely they will feel satisfied with their overall experience, and the more loyalty they will exhibit, demonstrated by commitment to their institution, and propensity to recommend said institution to others.
A key aim of this study was to determine the extent to which language proficiency affected the overall satisfaction of an ISs’ course experience, as well as favourable outcomes of loyalty (referral intention, commitment, and willingness to return or repurchase intention). As discussed in Section 2.1 above, language proficiency has been identified as one of the main determinants of ISs’ academic success, but the research on satisfaction is scarce. Nevertheless, there was a slim body of research found which establishes language proficiency as a predictor of satisfaction with academic study. Therefore the first two hypotheses are:
H1a: The higher an international student’s (IS’s) English language proficiency, as measured by perceived English language proficiency and communication confidence, the higher the overall satisfaction of course experience.
H1b: The higher an IS’s English language proficiency, the higher the loyalty, as mediated by overall satisfaction.
Discussed in Section 2.2 above, research on the IS experience did identify the ability to overcome the academic, social and cultural shocks in order to successfully adjust to their environment as a key factor in achieving satisfaction, and satisfaction has been suggested as an antecedent to other positive outcomes. In addition, previous results showed that ISs’ confidence with their English proficiency influences or triggers other events, such as their ability to adjust to the academic, social and cultural environments, and there was some research identified which highlighted the link between adjustment and academic success and satisfaction. Accordingly, it is likely that more proficient English speakers will achieve more successful adaptation, which will trigger greater feelings of satisfaction. Thus, the next set of hypotheses are:
H2a: Academic adjustment, as measured both by perception of academic performance and teaching effectiveness, mediates the positive effects of English language proficiency on overall satisfaction.
H2b: Social adjustment, as measured by peer group interaction and extracurricular activities, mediates the positive effects of English language proficiency on overall satisfaction. H2c: Cultural adjustment, as measured by socio-cultural adaptation, mediates the positive
As identified in Sections 2.1 and 2.2, previous research has suggested that the longer international sojourners spend as a resident in an English-speaking country, the more likely they are to experience cultural adjustment, particularly when there is a large cultural distance between their home and host country. In addition, the literature from Section 2.1 indicated that successful completion of pre-sessional Academic English courses, and pre-Masters Business courses, increased confidence in English usage as well as familiarity with academic requirements at Masters level, which facilitates academic adjustment and improves course experience. Linked to that, and based upon the authors’ experience teaching on the MSc Marketing course, it is posited that completion of a degree in business or management positively influences academic adjustment and course experience, as the students will be familiar with the language and have prior knowledge of their subject discipline. Furthermore, the literature review within Section 2.2 identified that the length of residence in an English-speaking country, whether or not the international students are attending pre-sessional courses, also allows for the development of same culture (co-national) friendships and peer relationships, which improves social adjustment prior to and during their Masters course. It is hypothesised, therefore, that the length of residence, pre-sessional course completion, previous degree subject and cultural background all affect the strength of the relationship between English language proficiency and adjustment to the Academic, Social and Cultural Systems, i.e. they are all moderators. The next set of hypotheses are, therefore:
H3a: The length of time residing in an English-speaking country moderates the positive effect of English language proficiency on social and cultural adjustment, such that the longer the student resides in an English-speaking country the more positive the effect. H3b: Completion of a pre-sessional course moderates the positive effect of English language
proficiency on academic and social adjustment, such that the effect is stronger for successful completion of a pre-sessional course.
H3c: Completion of a first degree in business or management moderates the positive effect of English language proficiency on academic adjustment, such that the effect is stronger for prior completion of a business or management degree.
H3d: Cultural distance moderates the positive effect of English language proficiency on academic, social and cultural adjustment, such that the effect is more negative for greater cultural distance.