When Experts Become Novices: A Mixed-Methods Exploration of International Scholars' Experiences at a US University

The experiences of international scholars in the United States who are part of short-term or exchange programs remain vastly under-investigated compared to their full-time, tenure-track, and tenured peers. Guided by Blau's (1964) social exchange theory, this study investigated professional and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inComparative & international higher education Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 161 - 174
Main Author Krsmanovic, Masha
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education 11.07.2022
Subjects
College Faculty
Correlation
Cultural Awareness
Exchange Programs
Faculty Development
Foreign Nationals
International Education
Job Satisfaction
Professional Development
State Universities
Teacher Attitudes
Tenure
Work Environment
Work Experience
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Summary:The experiences of international scholars in the United States who are part of short-term or exchange programs remain vastly under-investigated compared to their full-time, tenure-track, and tenured peers. Guided by Blau's (1964) social exchange theory, this study investigated professional and social experiences of exchange scholars at a large public research university in the southeast United States. A mixed-method exploration was conducted through surveys and interviews with international scholars who participated in an exchange program in the spring of 2020. The results revealed that exchange scholars were most satisfied with work conditions and their research experience, but least satisfied with professional development opportunities and cultural exchange. Further, participants' research experience was significantly correlated with their cultural exchange, while their professional development was significantly correlated with work conditions and support. Additional implications were drawn from the results revealing the unmet needs of program participants regarding the different areas of their exchange experiences.
ISSN:2151-0393
DOI:10.32674/jcihe.v14i3a.4119