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YUS SHARMIZA BINTI YUSHRIMAN

ADAPTATION PROCESS: INTERNATIONAL


STUDENT CHALLENGES AND THE STAFF
CONTRIBUTION IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN
MALAYSIA
MASTER OF COMMUINCATION

YUS SHARMIZA BINTI YUSHRIMAN

MASTER OF COMMUNICATION
UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA TERENGGANU
2021

2021
ADAPTATION PROCESS: INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND
THE STAFF CONTRIBUTION IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN
MALAYSIA

YUS SHARMIZA BINTI YUSHRIMAN

Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Master of


Communication from Centre of Foundation and Continuing Education
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu
SEPTEMBER 2019
1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2

CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION 4

1.1 Introduction 4

1.2 Research Background 4

1.3 Problem Statement 5

1.4 Research Objectives 8

1.5 Research Questions 8

1.6 Definition of Terms 9


1.6.1 Adaptation Process 9
1.6.2 Communication 9
1.6.3 International Students 9
1.6.4 Contribution 10
1.6.5 Challenges 10

1.7 Scope of Research 10


1.7.1 Research Sample 10
1.7.2 Research Site 10

1.8 Limitation of Study 11


1.8.1 Restrictions to travel interstate 11
1.8.2 Differences in the time zone 11
1.8.3 Staff and students’ availability 11
1.8.4 Low network bandwidth 12

CHAPTER 2LITERATURE REVIEW 12

2.1 Introduction 12
2

2.2 Literature Review 13


2.2.1 Improves Next Generation Experience 13
2.2.2 Enhance the support given pre-and post-arrival 14
2.2.3 Locals as a crucial element 15

2.3 Theoretical Framework 17

2.4 Conceptual Framework 18

CHAPTER 3METHODOLOGY 19

3.1 Introduction 19

3.2 Research Design 19

3.3 Research Instrument 22

3.4 Population and Sampling 23

3.5 Data Collection 24

3.6 Data Analysis Procedure 25

REFERENCES 27
3

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

Chapter one discussed the basic knowledge readers need to know about this
research. All the statement above is written to enlighten the readers on the
purposes of this research. Terms that are frequently used in this paper were
introduced as the early introduction to the readers to understand the latter
chapters better.

1.2 Research Background

The university’s internationalisation served as the Ministry of Higher Education’s


Strategic Plan in an effort towards the internationalisation of the country and was
sealed on 27 August 2007. As a result, Malaysia began receiving an increased
influx of international students from all over the world. The government set the
target of international student admissions at a capacity of 150,000 in 2015 and
increased to 200,000 by 2020 (Negara, 2009). As a result, higher education in
Malaysia began to undergo radical changes to meet the internationalisation
requirements and, at the same time, beginning to emerge as the third group of
important destinations in the world of higher education. With the inclusion of
international students, there is an intercultural adaptation process, but it is found
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that international students face problems in adaptation processes such as cultural


adaptation of learning (academic), psychological and social challenges, language
issues, attitudes, ethics, local community stereotypes and norms held (Lashari et
al., 2018). These problems can contribute to dropouts, mental health and Graduate
on Time (GoT) if not overcome throughout their learning period. The objective of
this study was to establish and verify the Intercultural Adaptation Model based on
the local context at the selected public university.
This study uses the Intercultural Adaptation Model pioneered by Young Yun Kim
as the main medium for information retrieval. Four (Research University) RU
were selected for having the among the highest density of international students’
population, namely Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Sains
Malaysia (USM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Malaya (UM).
A qualitative method of interviews will be done as a data collection method for
international students and the staff that handles these international students.
Respondents will be selected from the mentioned RU above. The collected data
will be analysed using the Atlas t.i. application. The findings of this study are
expected to have strategic policy implications for national educational institutions,
have significant implications for universities internationally and integrate issues
found into government management, planning and policy as well as creating
appropriate programs to educate international students to help them appreciate the
culture, norms and academic values and local life.

1.3 Problem Statement

The rise in the number of international students in all the universities in Malaysia
has contributed to problems such as not catching up in their studies and failing to
Graduate on Time (GoT). There are few negative consequences to the students if
the intercultural adaptation cannot be applied to them. Research (Sakurai et al.,
2010) has stated that confusion and seclusion will sometimes be quite challenging.
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Hence, the international students must identify their support system, whether an
individual or group, to back them up whenever they need or have difficulties. It is
thought to be an important element to survive (Gresham, 2003). Some of the
problems with the international students that contribute to the failure of the
adaptation process relate to academic problems, health problems, money crises,
social problems and, of course, student’s personal problems. These problems have
been identified as problems that can gives negative impacts and cause stress and
pressure to the international students (Khamis, Yaakub, Shaari, Zailani & Yusoff,
2002). When these students further their study in any foreign countries, they have
to adapt themselves to facing some of the problems related to the new social and
academic surroundings. Difficulties in communication, accommodation, worries
about security in the housing area, adaptation to different food preferences,
climate changes, and difficulties in social mingling may face problems (Blake,
2006). Usually, students who choose to further their study abroad may have
chosen to experience different lifestyles experience, new learning systems, and, of
course, to experience new cultures and customs (Mohamad Kamal Harun, 2009).
International students often started to handle multiple challenges when they
started their education in new culture and surroundings. Most international
students felt that the staff and representative from the university did not
understand their origins and culture (Alavi & Mansor, 2011, Sherry, Thomas, &
Chui, 2010). Differences in culture among international students can cause an
individual to face intrapersonal and interpersonal collisions (Nadeem et al., 2019).
Hence, these students need to balance their own culture and the new culture (Lin
& Yi, 1997). Sandhu (1994) admits that interpersonal issue relates to culture and
situation that contain difficulties in communication, loss of social support, and
culture shock. Al-Zubaidi and Rechards (2010) categorise international student
problems into three categories, with intercultural adaptation difficulties as the
main component. It refers to cultural identity, ethnic background, local dishes,
lifestyles and religions in Malaysia. The problems mentioned above impacted
their intercultural communication and influenced them to have difficulties
adjusting to the new culture. International students also tend to face higher
pressure upon their arrival to the foreign country because they need to adjust,
adapt and adopt the social surroundings, new culture and academic environment,
uncertain environment, psychological problems such as depression and stress (Ye
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and Jun, 2018, Saravanan, Alias & Mohamad, 2017). Khosravi, Azman, Khosravi
& Khosravi (2018) research shows that mental health problems among a few
universities in Malaysia exist and contribute the most to the emotional depression
problem. This research suggests universities and colleges in Malaysia develop a
social support system for these students. Saravanan, Mohamad dan Alias (2019,
2017) research also found that international students were always exposed to
depression and the feelings of being homesick. It was also discovered that they
used multiple self-strategy to overcome these problems. The strategies are sharing
their problems with other individuals, purposely making themselves busy,
participating in physical activities, facing situations with courage, thinking
positively, and following religious teachings. While the group of the international
students that did not manage to overcome these problems were found to have
additional problems related to languages, social relationships, academic,
loneliness, depression, and family problems. Ye and Juni (2018) research found
that three types of depression dominate international students: academics,
financial concern, and social support. International students with depression
problems will face a decline in their academic achievement, causing them to risk a
dropout in their learning (Al-Jaberi, Juni, Shahar, Ismail, Saeed & Ying, 2020).
Freeman, Nga, and Mathews (2017) research also discovered that international
students face difficulties in academic adjustments and lack of support in facing
different sociocultural, psychological, social, and challenges to adjust themselves
during their higher education studies in Malaysia. Suppose these students are
unable to adapt and practice local norms and values. In that case, they may face
problems such as dropouts, unhealthy mental conditions, and inability to Graduate
on Time (GoT) during their studies in Malaysia’s higher learning institution.

The issue arises whether the Cultural Adaptation Model pioneered by Kim
is suitable for international students studying at higher education institutions in
Malaysia. The main research purpose is to identify whether the Culture
Adaptation Model is applicable in Malaysia to help the international student in
adapting to Malaysian culture and at the same time to help them avoiding
dropouts’ problems, depression and increasing the GoT rate. In addition, this
research will also justify the suitability of the current model in the higher
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education context in Malaysia. It is very significant because if the intercultural


adaptation issues are not handled efficiently, the implication towards Malaysia
being the choices among the international students as the preferred destination
will be very severe and will affect the increasing admission of international
students to higher education institutions in Malaysia.

The majority of the previous research has narrowed its scope towards
intercultural adaptation among international students regardless of the role of staff
at the university in assisting the adaptation of international student culture
adapting to their respective institutions of study. This study will study the
adaptation process of international students and the role of staff in public
universities as hosts to them in assisting the cultural adaptation process while
studying at public universities in Malaysia. The study conducted by Young Yun
Kim (2001) also did not take into account the current factors that have
implications for the adaptation process of an individual student.

1.4 Research Objectives

The research objective is to build and ratify the Intercultural Adaptation


Model based on the local context in chosen public universities in Malaysia.
Specifically, the research objectives are as the followings:

a) To find out the challenges the international students have undergo.


b) To lists the staff in the international student’s management office
contribution towards the adaptation process.
c) To investigate how the challenges and contributions allow the
international students to adapt to Malaysia’s environment.
8

1.5 Research Questions

What are the international post-graduate students’ intercultural experiences?


In particular,

a) What challenges do the students undergo?


b) What does the staff has contributed to the adaptation process?
c) In what way do these challenges and contributions allow them to
adapt to Malaysia’s environment?

1.6 Definition of Terms

1.6.1 Adaptation Process

The ability for certain people to adjust to the new environment by


assimilating and adopting. (Byrnes, 2020). Through this process, which in this
research context, is the international students, will allow themselves to accept the
new behaviours by experiencing the new culture and academic study.

1.6.2 Communication

An act of giving, talking, hearing, and receiving information with two or


more parties as communicators (Stevens, 2005). Any encounter of two or more
people from different backgrounds, customs, and cultures is highlighted for this
research.
9

1.6.3 International Students

A student who has left their home country to continue studying by crossing
the border and has resided in the new country as a semi-permanent resident (Clark,
2009). Students from outside Malaysia with different backgrounds, furthering their
post-graduate studies, have resided in Malaysia for more than one year.

1.6.4 Contribution

An act of contributing something to other people to help you achieve


something or make something successful (CONTRIBUTION | Meaning in the
Cambridge English Dictionary, 2021). In this research, the staff contribution towards
the international student’s adaptation process while staying in Malaysia.

1.6.5 Challenges

An act of disputing the truth or validity of something or a call to prove or


justify something. In this research, challenges will be the staff’s obstacles and
hardships while handling the international students.

1.7 Scope of Research

1.7.1 Research Sample

Interviews will involve three international graduate students and three staff
from the faculty administrative division from four chosen RU. A total of 12
responses will be collected.
10

1.7.2 Research Site

UKM, USM, UPM, UM. These four locations were chosen because of their
high density of international students’ population, and the frequency of the
administrative division staff handling international students is higher than other
universities.

1.8 Limitation of Study

1.8.1 Restrictions to travel interstate

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic that has recently turned into an


endemic, Malaysia has closed all the country and states borders to restrain the
disease from spreading. Some international students have chosen to stay in Malaysia
instead of going back home, but the restrictions to travel remain in force. Since the
RUs are all located in Malaysia’s capital city and have been classified as a red zone
with the highest concentration of Covid-19 cases, the researcher still cannot travel
there to conduct the interviews face-to-face.

1.8.2 Differences in the time zone

During the early phase of precautions measure taken by the government, all
the international students were sent home just in case the disease required a long time
to disappear. Even the local students were asked to empty the universities’ hostel and
residences. Hence, the time zone differences between Malaysia and the international
student home country have restricted the efficiency of setting up the appointment.
Therefore, it requires a few times of setting up the appointment between the
researcher and the respondents. The availability of the respondents who are tied with
their work and online distance learning has caused the data collection to be delayed.
11

In addition, it is known that work burden has increased and regulates 24 hours per
day for the staffs and non-stop assignments for the students with short deadline has
caused the also cause the interview appointment with the to be postponed for quite a
few times.

1.8.3 Hard to share personal experience

As the interviewer is a local, the international students will thought that they
are facing a stranger and tha stranger is among the locals that condemn them.

1.8.4 Low network bandwidth

Some of the students and staff lived in remote areas with low network
bandwidth. Consequently, unstable conversations during interviews might cause
emotional disturbance towards the respondents. In addition, the interviews must be
postponed at certain times because of the lagging videos and audio caused by the bad
weather and external disturbance.
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CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

This chapter will help compile the significance of the study and the problems
the international student faced while residing in Malaysia, including the review of
related topics and previous studies that the researcher wishes to shed light on. They
are compiled here as a compilation of justification, and general topics were discussed
to give the readers a better understanding of this research

2.2 Literature Review

2.2.1 Improves Next Generation Experience

Even with the availability of social media to assist in the adaptation process,
social media only provides information without going through real experience. Yu
and Mustafa (2017) study found that international students at a public university in
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Malaysia use social media to find information such as daily life information that can
contribute to the intercultural transition of these international students in adjusting to
Malaysia. At the same time, Sin and Kim (2013) found that international students
studying in the United States use social media to find information regarding financial
information, housing, health, news about the country of origin and entertainment.
International students also use various social media tools or channels such as “search
engines” to seek and obtain academic and daily life information (Korobilil et al.,
2011; Malliari et al., 2011). The results of a study by Hosseini, Kotilainen and
Okkonen (2020) show that social media has the potential to reduce stress and aid the
process of intercultural adaptation among Iranian students studying in Finland. A
study from Abdul Latiff Ahmad et al. (2014) showed that technology has
implications for international students. Technology that did not exist in the early
2000s provided many different adaptive experiences for individuals. The presence of
Whatsapp and Video calls facilitates individuals to contact and see the faces of
family and friends in the country of origin, The presence of Facebook and Instagram
facilitates the sharing of the latest developments of individuals with those from the
country of origin.

However, some participants in this study felt that social media was not
helpful enough in the process of improving their cultural adaptation. They feel that
social media is not enough as a platform to facilitate communication between Iranian
and Finnish society. This situation is because social media platforms do not involve
experience in the intercultural interactions of international students with campus
residents or the local community compared to their direct involvement in other social
activities at the university. The study of Saad & Yusuf (2019) supports the use of
social media by international students to help intercultural communication because
the information obtained is in real-time without the need to face it and is more
interactive. Social media also opens space to global communication more widely
regardless of borders and saves time. Effective communication can further facilitate
cultural adaptation because intercultural communication occurs without physical and
place boundaries. While communicating, feelings of embarrassment or insecurity are
also successfully overcome through social media (Bartsch & Viehoff, 2010). In
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addition, the process of cultural adaptation through social media also supports
cultural adaptation through communities created online.

However, the accuracy of the information found on social media can be


doubted for its authenticity. Social media users are made up of various backgrounds
and demographics. The information provided is sometimes from a source that has no
authority in the delivery of the information. Sharing information in text or pictures
on social sites without filtering before uploading also affects other users who use the
media social. Consumers who hold positively towards the original culture are
certainly a cultural shock when there are differences about the new culture.

Unrestricted and independent sharing of information affects the retention of


the original identity. However, it goes back to the ethics of culture and the consumer.
Therefore, the study to be conducted by this researcher is still significant even in the
era of digital communication and the dominance of social media use in
communication because the cultural adaptation faced by international students can
not only depend on the use of social media but also requires direct human interaction

2.2.2 Enhance the support given pre-and post-arrival

For native communities in a new culture, support is needed to make the


adaptation process easier and not take long to adapt to the new culture (Showkat,
2017). Effective communication can further facilitate cultural adaptation because
intercultural communication occurs without physical and place boundaries. Feelings
of embarrassment or insecurity while communicating are also successfully overcome
through social media (Lashari et al., 2018). In addition, the process of cultural
adaptation through social media also supports cultural adaptation through
communities created online. In addition, the process of cultural adaptation through
social media also supports cultural adaptation through communities created online
(Yu & Mustafa, 2017).
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Nevertheless, the process of cultural adaptation through experience is still


relevant even with the widespread dominance of social media today. Universities in
the United States have developed a program to assist international students in
adjusting to the culture and education system in the United States(Park, 2016). This
music therapy program has attracted many students, especially the graduate level, to
participate. This music therapy program has provided support to international
students to adapt themselves to the academic environment, local culture and
overcome challenges in new places (Lan, 2020). Chang and Chan’s (2020) study also
found that international students who engage in ‘local culture, society and traditions’
get more exposure, encourage involvement, and directly increase their social and
cultural understanding. The study of Gündüz, Alakbarov, and Demirci (2020) also
supports that the adaptation process should occur directly through cultural activities
with host students in the classroom, school and around campus, and directly involved
with the local community to enable these international students to recognise the local
culture. Better, Saad, & Yusuf (2019) also acknowledge that social media provides
information to international students.

2.2.3 Locals as a crucial element

The existence of a local community enclave in the new country also plays a
role in the adaptation process (Yakin & Totu, 2018). When a person continues his
studies in a new country, for example, Malaysia, there is already an enclave of the
local community. A situation can be taken as an example when an Indonesian student
studying in Malaysia will find it easier to adopt because more Indonesians are in
Malaysia creating Indonesian villages. It is easier for them to socialise and get food
from Indonesia, for example. Similarly, students from the Middle East find it easier
to adapt in Malaysia because many Arabs are in Malaysia, and there is a growth of
Arab food restaurants in Malaysia.

Human migration often occurs in accordance with the demands of life.


Students usually migrate by continuing their studies in another country. This
migration demands them to get to know and deepen the local culture. In this
16

migration process, adaptation needs to be done to ensure that they can adapt to the
new environment (Kunasegaran et al., 2016). The intercultural adaptation process is
a person’s adaptation process that can eventually create a feeling of comfort with the
situation in a new environment (Kim, 2001). Adapting to a new place will often take
some time, depending on how quickly an individual adapts. These individuals will
try to adapt to a new social environment where these differences can pose some
problems. Challenges and problems that arise, such as bringing the image and life to
the place of origin, are new experiences this group will face (Kudo & Simkin, 2003).
But the situation may be different for the country that has a different origin compared
to Malaysia. Cultural differences, lifestyles, languages, and other differences require
every migrating person to adapt (Ahmad et al., 2016). The aspect of intercultural
communication provides an opportunity for them to determine the self-behaviour that
has indeed been inculcated in the original culture. Gabel, Dolen and Cerdin (2005)
define intercultural adaptation as the changes individuals undergo to form
relationships with the host community in a country. According to Constantine,
Okazaki and Utsey (2004), intercultural adaptation involves understanding and
incorporating the host culture’s behaviours, values, and beliefs into one’s original
cultural perspective. Whereas according to Kagan and Cohen (1990), intercultural
adaptation is a process that involves several interrelated factors of behavioural,
cognitive, affective and demographic aspects as well as results in various stages of
adjustment from cultural assimilation to cultural transmutation.

2.3 Theoretical Framework


17

FIGURE 1 Theoretical framework

This study will use the Intercultural Adaptation Model pioneered by Young
Yun Kim through the Integrative Communication Theory of Cross-Cultural
Adaptation. This theory provides two models to explain how and why people
migrated from a country of origin to a new place change through continuous
experience while interacting with the host environment. First, the Process Model
describes the stress-adaptation-growth dynamic as a dialectical psychological
movement and through a cycle that supports the gradual transformation of an
individual to have better psychological health in the host country environment and
promotes cross-cultural identity orientation own cultural boundaries.

For this study, researchers will use the second model, which is the Structural Model,
which highlights the ability of individuals to communicate according to the cultural
norms and practices of the host country and active involvement in interpersonal
activities and communication with the host country, also serves as the main engine
driving the process of intercultural adjustment. The communication factor explained
through the model is how an individual influences, and is influenced by, the
conditions in the host country environment and the individual’s individual and ethnic
tendencies. In addition, this Intercultural Adaptation Model describes how
individuals adapt their communication with people from different cultures based on
previous experience.

Cultural shock, acculturation and cultural adaptation are among the issues of
intercultural relations that often plague the lives of international students who
migrate to Malaysia to continue their studies. Among the issues of cultural adaptation
include different academic cultures, local cultures that are very contrary to one’s own
culture, stereotypes of the local community, language problems, accommodation and
others that can contribute to depression, dropout and GOT throughout the study
period.
18

2.4 Conceptual Framework

Intercultural
Adaptation
Contribution Challenges

Staff Students

Support Cultural and Student General


Social Personal Environment Institution
System Management Issues Factors Factors Factors
Adaptation

Academic
Psychological Physical Social Cultural Adaptation
Adaptation Adaptation Adaptation Adaptation (study
system

FIGURE 2: Variables developed based on the theoretical framework


19

CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter discusses the type of research design, population, and sampling.
Besides, this chapter also discusses the exact planning to do the data collection.
Hence, the data collection, data analysis and data analysis instruments to be used are
also elaborated. The research will revolve around the international post-graduate
students and the management staff in Malaysia’s RU. Interviews will be held
according to the students’ and staffs’ free time. Although most of the interviews will
not be a walk-in interview and has been replaced with the method of online
interviews, we can get a direct answer through the social media interaction, and the
final analysis may take time when the walk-in interviews face some complications
such as change of time or non-cooperation from the respondent

3.2 Research Design

This research has adopted a qualitative research design that involved the
structured and semi-structured based interview questions (Burnard, 1991)which they
will be directed towards the desired results with two option questions (Example: Yes
or No) and the open-ended questions where they will be free to give their own
opinions based on their general knowledge. Questions given will be mainly on their
adaptation process and experiences. This dissertation will allow the data collected to
serve the purpose of gaining perceptions, thoughts, and phenomena to avoid biasness
in the answers given. The type of population of sampling would be non-probability
sampling with quota sampling as the technique (Richards & Morse, 2006). Since this
20

research design is qualitative, interviews are the best instrument to carry out the
collection of data. The interview steps are based on the steps written in the article
Interviewing for Research – Asking Questions (University of Leicester, 2005). While
questions constructed are based on the guidelines from Strategies for Qualitative
Interviews (Harvard Department of Sociology, 2017), starting with how the research
questions and research objectives will be answered if the questions of interviews
were asked to the informants, how they will satisfy the research and finally, the
process of the validation. Furthermore, the crucial part of the data analysis was done
using two combined method colours –coding and thematic network analysis, which
ought to be a more efficient method in analysing data (Gorden, 1998).

Before constructing the data analysis, the first step would be sorting
the themes and sorting the themes; colours are used to differentiate themes. For
example, if we encounter a word or text passage with the same or close suitable with
our research, it can be sorted into the same code from the previous one, and we
highlighted them with the same colour (Stottok et al., 2011). As soon as the coding
step is done, thematic networks will be built in Atlas t.i, based on these colours.
These codes will be sorted into Basic Themes, Organising Themes and Global
Themes to process the textual data into a more convenient image and make them
linked to each other (Attride-stirling, 2001). Qualitative research is often assigned
with grounded theory, case study, historical, and other qualitative approaches
(Weston et al., 2001). This research approach is research regarding phenomenology
that focuses on describing a person’s experiences as they are lived (Braun & Clarke,
2006).

This research adopted qualitative research. A qualitatively driven


project is done with a qualitative core and quantitative sequential component
(Richards & Morse, 2006). Hence, defining a qualitative design method is by seeing
them as an examination of variables or phenomena in a deep, comprehensive manner
(Sinaga, 2014). The data of this design is in the form of subjective answers from
interviews that will be conducted. Questions are constructed according to the
research questions that have been stated above. Every respondent who will be
interviewed will be chosen from specific characteristics and connected to the
21

hypothesis stated. This type of research design is chosen because perceptions are
subjective, uniquely defined by each person’s subject view. Hence, the quantitative
research design cannot be chosen because of the minimised answers given in each
survey.
22

3.3 Research Instrument

The main instrument of this research is by using an interview to collect data.


The researcher has chosen to use this instrument because the idea that perception
varies for each person can be thoroughly collected if they have the freedom to
express their views and not restricted to the given answers in surveys or
questionnaires (Maxwell & Reybold, 2015). Moreover, it somehow allows the
informants to throw out their opinions, which gives more accurate data than the
quantitative approach (Rayburn et al., 2015). Hence, questionnaires may not help
justify the aim and objective of this research because of the restricted opinion in the
options given. Moreover, experiences are not something that can be observed easily
in daily life. Since it is the modern-day 21st century, as the early assumption, the
researcher might not observe something subjective and complicated if the
quantitative research technique was chosen.

The adaptation process, as its name, are a process, a cycle that took some
time to be experienced (Valeeva & Valeeva, 2017). All these interviews were not
conducted face-to-face because of the limitations mentioned in Chapter One.
Guidelines of an effective online interview were extracted from Qualitative Online
Interviews (Salmons, 2015) and Online interviewing with Interpreters in
Humanitarian Contexts (Chiumento et al., 2018). Since many informants live in
different states or areas, interviews were conducted simplified through online
mediums. It uses the Zoom, Google Meet, WebEx application or by putting them on
the telephone line. The interviews will also be easier to transcript since it is either
recorded during the call. Hence, the time set for both researcher and informants will
be synchronised, and it will be easier for both parties to cooperate and have
interviews conducted online.
23

This interview used open-ended and semi-structured interview


questions (Burnard, 1991) as the main instrument in collecting data. Respondents
were chosen based on their accessibilities since they are post-graduate students and
in a week full of assignments, deadlines and presentations. Each question was
constructed based on the research questions, research objectives and the literature of
related studies. They are originally produced to serve the research and answer the
questions revolved around them. The first draft was viewed and corrected by Dr
Abdul Latiff Bin Ahmad and Associate Professor from the Humanity and Social
Science Faculty, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Dr Isma Rosila Binti Ismail
from the Centre of Foundation and Continuing Education, Universiti Malaysia
Terengganu, whereas the second, third and final drafts were reviewed, corrected and
validated by the Human Ethics Committee of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.

3.4 Population and Sampling

In order to achieve the objectives stated, it is concluded that the respondents


should be within the international student’s population of the four Research
Universities (RU) in Malaysia, which are Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM),
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Malaya (UM) and Universiti Sains
Malaysia (USM). In addition, three students from various backgrounds from each
university will be chosen from each RU based on their accessibility.

As this research uses a qualitative research method, the sampling can be


chosen, and the most accurate is non-probability sampling. Since the sample
population has a small number of individuals that can be accessed, quota sampling
will be chosen. Quota sampling gives the interviewers the exact numbers of sample
numbers or quotas of persons by varying characteristics to be interviewed (KIM &
KIM, 2016). Choosing the subjects related will be based on a particular criterion
such as gender, age, income etc. (Al-Saggaf & Williamson, 2004). For this research,
the students selected were post-graduate students residing in Malaysia for more than
one year. As for the staff selected, they shall have provided their services in handling
24

international students for more than five years. Whether it is in faculty or directly on
duty in International Office is not an issue.

3.5 Data Collection

According to Victoria Clarke (2006), thematic analysis emphasises specific


criteria and making the general answers of informants into a narrow scope while
examining and recording patterns (or “themes”) within data (Braun & Clarke, 2006).
Data collection is the process involved while collecting data. Interviews are not
restricted by only a means of face-to-face interviews (Seidman, 1998). In this
research, questions that will be constructed later will be asked accordingly to the
sample either directly (face-to-face approach) or through social media interactions
due to obstacles in transportation, time, or accessibility. For an interview is qualified
to be called an interview, the minimum of its participant would be between two
people interacting with each other (Mohd Nazri, 2013)

The research sample for the interviews will be approached based on


quota sampling. Quota sampling requires specific characteristics from the selected
population (Kim & Kim, 2016). The respondents will be interviewed with a set of
semi-structured questions that the researcher has personally constructed with some
validation from a scholar in the social sciences field. The requirements for selected
students are they should be post-graduate students from countries besides Malaysia,
namely international students. They should also have lived in Malaysia for more than
one year. Interviews will be conducted in English. Translations were the reborn
phase of the original words. Hence, they do not have to be precise and be the exact
copycat of the original word, as long as it serves its main purpose (DiCicco-Bloom &
Crabtree, 2006). The recorded video will be converted into audio, and transcription
will be done using an Online Audio-to-Text converter. Since this is an Artificial
Intelligence (AI) application, some polish will be needed for precise transcriptions.
Transcripts of interviews will be included in the appendices.
25

3.6 Data Analysis Procedure

The thematic and coding analysis aided by Atlas t.i. as an analysis tool
application is the best choice of efficiently analysing the data from all 12 interviews.
This analysis requires six full phases to be completed and get accurate results. There
is a total of 12 respondents to be interviewed. The six phases are to become familiar
with the data that are going to be collected. Transcription will be done at this phase.
The second phase generates initial codes by doing a) data reduction and b) data
complication. The third phase will be conducted to search the themes. These themes
will be reviewed in the fourth phase. There are two levels in this phase which are
Level 1 and Level 2. The fifth level is to define and name the themes after the review
has been done. The report will be produced as the last steps to complete the phases in
analysing Qualitative Data.

A total of 18 questions for the international students and 13 questions


for the staff regarding their experiences will be asked in the samples. Questions will
be constructed according to the research objectives to reach the aim of the
investigation. After all the 12 interviews were conducted, an analysis will be done
using a combined method. The analysis method in the options is the Thematic
Network analysis and Colour-coding analysis (Stottok et al., 2011), which is based
on Grounded Theory. The first method was the Colour Coding method, and the
second method was the Thematic Network which will be assisted by using the Atlas
t.i. application. I chose to combine these two methods because they allow me to use
both visualisation mind-mapping and colour generator. The first method used is the
Colour Coding method because it has been proven that colours give better memory
trigger to the brain because of the arousal caused by colours such as red and yellow
(Huchendorf, 2007). Therefore, Thematic Network and Colour- Coding combination
give easier data analysis techniques with efficient results. However, analysis requires
researchers to do some mind-map with branching for called thematic networks.
26

Hence, the thematic network will justify and clarify the categorised keyword in the
colour coding.

Thematic networks are web-like illustrations build to aid the research


(Attride-stirling, 2001) and have three themes as a branch structure. These branches
are Basic Theme, Organizing Theme and Global Theme and were sorted according to
the table in colour coding. These two analysis methods focus on finding the
similarity of codes or keywords extracted from the interview answers from the
informants.

Since the qualitative approach was subjectively arranged, data accuracy was
hard to prove because of the terms of the Garbage in, Garbage out (GIGO). GIGO is
the slang term to tell that no matter how precise a program’s logic is arranged and
run, the results will still be fallacious and out of place if the input data is wrongly
submitted (Oosten, 1989). Moreover, since the approach of this research is only a
single method and design, the triangulation method to prove the data accuracy
created for the combined method (Olsen. W, 2004) was certainly not suitable,
although it is the most relevant in this era. Anyhow, the four aspects were taken from
the previous research article’s suggestion. Therefore, this research should be cautious
of the credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability aspects.
27

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