ABSTRACT

Australia has among the highest percentages of international English as an additional language background (EAL) university students worldwide and this is steadily increasing. These students contribute immensely to Australia’s and the Asia-Pacific regional economy, research and cultural creativity. Despite this, EAL students face serious academic and social challenges and have increasingly negative views on their research degree in Australian universities. This paper is concerned with understanding the first year experiences of EAL research students in a major Australian university, particularly their concerns and proposed solutions. Fifty seven student datasets were collected from students and analysed using a hybrid methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis and case study. The findings were analysed across two themes: degree of outsiderness, and socialization bump. The degree of outsiderness emerged through perceived research students’ practices that fostered work in isolation. The socialization bump was regarded as a paradox: the most beneficial research degree experiences appeared to be profoundly social, however participants found a shortage of opportunities to socialize. The article sets forth recommendations for universities internationally to provide a clear, well-communicated and inclusive framework to allow meaningful social interactions for EAL research students to succeed in their academic and social integration.

摘要

澳大利亚作为全球其他语言背景（EAL）大学学生的国际英语百分比最高，并且这个比例正在稳步增长。这些学生为澳大利亚和亚太地区的经济，研究和文化创造做出了巨大贡献。尽管如此，EAL学生仍面临严峻的学术和社会挑战，并且对他们在澳大利亚大学的研究学位越来越持消极看法。本文旨在了解澳大利亚一所主要大学的EAL研究学生的第一年经验，尤其是他们的担忧和建议的解决方案。从学生那里收集了57个学生数据集，并使用解释性现象学分析和案例研究的混合方法进行了分析。研究结果跨两个主题进行了分析：局外人的程度，以及社会化的颠簸。外在程度是通过感知研究型学生的实践而产生的，这些实践促进了孤立的工作。社会化的颠簸被认为是一个悖论：最有益的研究学位经历似乎是深刻的社会化，但是参与者发现社会化的机会不足。本文为国际大学提出了一些建议，以提供一个清晰，良好沟通和包容的框架，使EAL研究学生能够进行有意义的社交互动，从而成功地实现学术和社会融合。最有益的研究学位经历似乎是深刻的社会交往，但是与会人员发现缺乏进行社交的机会。本文为国际大学提出了一些建议，以提供一个清晰，良好沟通和包容的框架，使EAL研究学生能够进行有意义的社交互动，从而成功地实现学术和社会融合。最有益的研究学位经历似乎是深刻的社会交往，但是与会人员发现缺乏进行社交的机会。本文为国际大学提出了一些建议，以提供一个清晰，良好沟通和包容的框架，使EAL研究学生能够进行有意义的社交互动，从而成功地实现学术和社会融合。