Design Proposal

Della Ma

DESN 410 Core Design Studio

Cultural Adjustment Package for International Students

Instructor Deborah ShackletonGilly Mah

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Content

1.0 Executive Summary 3

2.0 Design Proposal 4

2.1 Thesis Statement

2.2 Research Summary

2.3 Design Problem

2.4 Design Objectives

2.5 Design Criteria

3.0 Audience or User Profile 7

4.0 Visual Research 9

5.0 Educational Goals 15

6.0 Appendices 16 A Literature Review

B Bibliography

C Ethic Forms

D Sustainability Analysis

E Visual Research

F Gantt Chart

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1.0 Executive Summary

This document summarizes the information gathered by Della Ma. The project is focused on helping international students with their “mood swing” and cultural adjustment when they are in Vancouver. Research findings to date include primary research and secondary research including design journals, academic database, literature reviews, and survey ques-tion. Further information is needed on inter-view with international students and maybe school councillors.

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2.0 Design Proposal

More than 130,000 students come to study in Canada every year. The number has increased more than 75% over the ten-year period, from 22450 in 2000 to 39550 by 2009. British Columbia is a popular destination for international students coming to study. My project will be designing an informative and tangible package or a website which may help international students understand and learn about what they are going to see and at the same time helping them with their cultural adjustment. The design challenge is there are a lot of guidelines for international students with a lot of resources.

The number of international students in Van-couver is increasing every year, but the prob-lem still exists. When students are studying abroad they are facing all kinds of problems such as adapting to a new culture, language barrier, lack of understanding from the broad-er university community. Through an informa-tive and tangible package or a website which can help international students understand and adjust their emotion during their stay in Vancouver.

2.1 Thesis Statement

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Based on my research, I found out that mood swing is a major stress for international stu-dents and it have an adverse effect on their psychological health and academic perfor-mance. There are possible ways to help inter-national students ease the transition. One of the solutions is interacting with local people or establishing social relationships with other persons with a similar cultural background or nationality will help international students adjusting their new social environment when they are studying abroad (Al-Sharideh, Rich-ard Goe). I think this is one of the most effec-tive way to deal with stress and mood swing. According to my research, I found an article talks about cross-cultural journey of interna-tional students. All the international students have different reasons for studying abroad, however nearly all international students go through a period of adjustment. In “Interna-tional Students: A Vulnerable Population”, it highlights the problems that international

2.2 Research Summary

students experience such as adapting to a new culture, language problems, financial problems and lack of understanding from the broader university community. As well as many other journals and articles they all indicate that international students frequently encounter problems in adjusting to their new social environment when studying abroad.(See 6.0 Appendices A)

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2.3 Design Opportunity

There are so many international students here in Vancouver, and there are guidelines and bro-chures with a lot of information for them to view. When I go through all those websites, guidelines and brochures, the information is overwhelming. Moreover, it’s hard for me to focus on the content. My focus is designing an informative package for international students. It will be attractive and noticeable. Since I am an international student myself, I have more insight in what’s it like being an international student.

My project will be focusing on creating an informative package or a website to help international students with their personal adjustment and help them understand what they are going to expect here in Vancouver. It will send a much clear message to international students than the existing materials.

The project will be appeal to international students in Vancouver area, specifically those who are new to this country and about to entering colleges and universities.

The product will be an informative and tangible package which may include a guidebook and along with some other things that contains information about Vancouver. The colour palette will be bright and eye-catching.

Moreover, I will conduct a survey to get information from international students. (See 6.0 Appendices C)

2.4 Design Objectives

2.5 Design Criteria

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3.0 User Profile

My project is aiming at international students who are just graduated from high school and about to enter colleges or universities. They choose to study abroad to obtain a degree, to gain professional and academic training, to learn about another culture. Some of them may know a lot about Vancouver before they came here, but nearly all of them will have to go through the process of adjustment. Mainly, my target is international students from China, most of them are supported by their parents and speak two different languages both mandarin and English. My final product will be a tangible and informative package which may include a small handbook. The students will read the information on that book and understand the process of adjust-ment they are going to experience.

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The International Student | Persona

Amy Chen

Personal Profile

Amy is an international student from China. Now she is been in Vancouver for 3 months now. She has a younger sister and a little brother back in China living with their parents. She spends a lot time on the internet while she is free communicating with her friends in China through MSN, QQ, Facebook etc. She is a student in University of British Co-lumbia, her major is in business. Sometimes she feels homesick and wonders if she made a wrong decision by studying in Vancouver where she has no one here.

Amy doesn’t go out very often, she is a very quiet girl in class and she’s very shy when she has to talk to strangers, even her classmates. When she first came to Vancouver, everything was interesting and strange. She was sacred to talk to anyone. When it comes to class, the experience she had back in China did not help her much. When she was in high school, she was taught not to speak in class unless

• Female,

• Age 20

• International Student from China

• Study Business in UBC

• Speaks both Mandarin and English

the teacher gave permission. It is quite differ-ent here in Vancouver, she is encouraged to talk in class but it needs time to fit in this new environment.

After Amy finishes one day’s classes, she went home. Computer became her best friend. She will talk to her friends in China about her life here at beginning, however, af-ter a while, she noticed that her best friends are having a very different life than she has, and they don’t have anything in common any-more. She doesn’t know how this happens.

The goal is to help Amy go through the process of adjustment with an informative handbook help her understand what cultural adjustment is and the emotional phase that she is going through

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4.0 Visual Research

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See 6.0 Appendices E 6.1-6.4

http://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu/?page_id=533

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See 6.0 Appendices E 6.1-6.4

http://www.students.ubc.ca/mura/international/?LinkServID=E067F510-C295-9743-FAB720C3EB5C7BDF

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InternatIonalstudentarrIval guIde

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Welcome to Canada and welcome to Vancouver. You have chosen to study at one of Canada’s leading universities of Art, Design and Media, in one of the most beautiful cities in the world!

Contents1 WelCome

About the university, our internAtionAl environment, When you Join us, About vAncouver

6 ImmIgratIon mattersstudy Permits, us citizens, exchAnge students, visAs, Working

18 arrIvIng In CanadacAnAdA customs, trAnsPortAtion from the AirPort, leAving cAnAdA

22 HealtH InsuranCe + medICal InformatIon

bAsic heAlth insurAnce, extended heAlth insurAnce, seeing A doctor, PrescriPtions

28 transportatIonPublic trAnsit, driving, PArking, cycling

34 money matterscAnAdiAn currency, bAnking + shoPPing

37 HousIng

38 around toWn In vanCouver

40 safety In vanCouverPersonAl Protection, consumer Protection

43 stayIng ConneCtedemily cArr emAil Accounts, internet, Phone oPtions, skyPe

47 emIly Carr InformatIonstudent services, lAnguAge Proficiency, registrAtion + AcAdemic Policies, other good stuff

54 InternatIonal student orIentatIon

welcome

burrArd bridge And looking out toWArds english bAy, vAncouver. Photo courtesy of tourism Bc.

http://www.ecuad.ca/sites/www.ecuad.ca/files/pages/71/EmCarr_IntlArrGuide.pdf

See 6.0 Appendices E 6.1-6.4

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INTERNATIONAL STUDENT REFERENCE GUIDET H E A R T I N S T I T U T E O F V A N C O U V E R

Renfrew:2665 Renfrew St

Vancouver, BC V5M7A0

Phone 604.683.9200

Culinary:609 Granville St.

Vancouver, BC V7Y 1G5

Phone 778-373-8905

International Student Guide

STUDENT

AFFAIRS

* A reference guide for students new to Canada and Vancouver.

18 – The Art Institute of Vancouver

For a more comprehensive listing, go to: http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/socialplanning/newtovancouver/telephone.htm

C I T I Z E N S H I P A N D I M M I G R A T I O N 1-888-242-2100 (within Canada)

I N F O R M A T I O N City Hall (City of Vancouver): 604-873-7011

Information Services Vancouver: 604-875-6381

Provincial Government Info: 604-660-2421

Residential Tenancy Office: 604-660-1020 (24 hr. info line) www.rto.gov.bc.ca

L E G A L A D V I C E / D I S C R I M I N A T I O N BC Human Rights Commission: 604-775-2000 Legal Services Society 604-601-6000

Lawline604-408-2172

L I B R A R Y, V A N C O U V E R P U B L I C Main Branch, 350 W. Georgia St., 604-331-3600 www.vpl.ca/general/hours.html

P A R K S A N D R E C R E A T I O N S E R V I C E S 604-257-8400

T R A N S P O R T A T I O N BC Ferries 1-888-BC FERRY (223-3779)

Translink (Bus Information): 604-953-3333

VIA Rail Canada (Train) 1-800-VIA-RAIL

T O U R I S M Vancouver Tourist Information: 604-683-2000

VO L U N T E E R S Volunteer Vancouver 604-875-9144

International student reference guide – 3

ABOUT VANCOUVER

Population: 2 million (Greater Vancouver Area) • Time zone: Pacifi c• Largest Port on the West Coast of North America • Largest city in British Columbia • 3rd Largest City in Canada (Largest = Toronto; 2nd • Largest = Montreal) Annual Rainfall: 1219 mm (48 inches) 10% of that • during the summer months (For comparison: Seattle gets 36 inches a year; San Francisco 21 inches) Average Temperatures: 3°C (37.4°F) in January 18°C • (64.4°F) in July Daylight: 16 hours in June / 8 hours in December • A person who lives in Vancouver is called a • Vancouverite

N A T I O N A L N E W S P A P E R S

Th e Globe and Mail:• http://www.theglobeandmail.com

Th e National Post:• http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/

V A N C O U V E R N E W S P A P E R S

Th e Vancouver Sun:• http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/

Th e Vancouver Province: • http://www.canada.com/theprovince/

F R E E D A I L Y N E W S P A P E R S

Metro: • http://www.metronews.ca Dose: • http://www.dose.ca/vancouver/ 24: • http://vancouver.24hrs.ca

Starting a new school is exhilarating and exciting but it can often be overwhelming ; especially when you are attending school in a different country. Even the most independent students need help at times, which is what this International Student Handbook is for. Famil-iarize yourself with this guide so that you can better adjust to life in Canada and school life at The Art Institute of Vancouver.

http://www.artinstitutes.edu/vancouver/pdf/international-new-booklet.pdf

See 6.0 Appendices E 6.1-6.4

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See 6.0 Appendices E 6.5

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5.0 Educational Goals

• Understand the communication design needs of a specific cultural community such as Chinese Culture and Canadian Culture

• Explore and widen my knowledge on sustainable design

• Improve my written, oral and visual pre-sentation skills

• Develop my organization skills

• Time and Project management

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6.0 Appendices

A Literature Review

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More and more students are coming to study in Canada. A result conducted by Internation-al Student Survey (ISS) indicate that a large percentage of survey respondents were from Eastern Asia (49 %). This figure was followed by Southern Asia (8 %), North America (8%), and South America (6 %). As an international student myself, I understand the problems that we have. When we are entering a new country there are problems that we have to face. From Peter Thomas’ study he highlights the problems that international students ex-perience such as adapting to a new culture, language barrier, lack of understanding from the broader university community (34-39). There are all kinds of things that keep us from success, and I think the most important is our state of mind. When we are in a new environment away from our families and sur-rounded by strangers we will feel insure. There are eight phases of cultural adjustment that international students have to go through while they are abroad. First, initial anxiety which means when students

are getting ready for departure, they will feel nervous, but hopeful. The second phase will be initial elation, with an excitement of a trav-eller. After they have been in Vancouver for a week or two, they are entering into the third phase: Reality Check. All these expenses might cause them to worry about money and going to grocery store might feel overwhelm-ing. After that the students will realize that things are very different from home. They will feel alone and want to drop out and go home. This is the phase called Resistance. The fifth is Superficial Adjustment. Students start to take control of their emotions, make friends in class but not close friends. After that they will feel like nobody knows them and they are all alone. Which lead us to the seventh phase, acceptance. Now the students find their places and feel more comfortable talking to people. When the students go back home, it will be the last phase re-entry shock. They will miss their new friends. The eight phases of cultural adjustment is not exact science, but we do know it affect us.

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One of the international students in a research study says that it is hard to ask questions because she doesn’t want to ask questions that can sound “stupid”(Thomas, 38). Lack of confidence is one of the issues that international students have. Because of the language barrier, the students are scared to talk to people, and they are usually embarrassed to ask questions. Studies have shown that one of the strategies is to make connection with others. Establishing social relationships with other persons with a similar cultural background or nationality will help international students adjusting their new social environment when they are studying abroad (Al-Sharideh, Richard Goe). In order to make international stu-dents understand what they will encounter when they get here, and an informative pack-age about the eight-phase transition along with information that they need will give them a clear idea of what they are about to see and help them with their mood adjustment.

B Bibliography

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1. Al-Sharideh, Khalid A., and W. Richard Goe. “Ethnic Communities Within The University: An Examination Of Factors Influencing The Personal Adjustment Of International Students.” Research In Higher Education 39.6 (1998): 699-725. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Sept. 2012. This paper contends that an important strategy used by international students in the adjustment process is to establish social relationships with other persons with a similar cultural background or nationality and form ethnic communities within the context of the university. Personal adjustment is quite important when comes to adapt into a new culture. The article explains the importance of social relationship for in-ternational students, and it gives me a new perspec-tive on how to solve existing problems.

2. Cheng, David, Frederick T. L. Leong, and Robert Geist. “Cultural Differences In Psychological Distress Between Asian And American College Students.” Journal Of Multicultural Counseling & Development 21.3 (1993): 182-189. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.<http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.eciad.ca:2048/ehost/detail?sid=bc234308-a764-49ef-9838-67a9fb0faa3e%40sessionmgr111&vid=2&hid=106&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=9309165394> This article presents information on cultural differ-ences in psychological distress between Asian and Caucasian college students. International students at U.S. universities experience a variety of problems, some of which are common to all college students

and others that are unique to international students. It also shows the problems that international students have but not the local students. The way we pass on information will be different regarding to a different group of students.

3. Faiz. M. Shaikh, et al. “Attitude And Per-ception Differences Among International Students And Local Students: A Case Study Of Australia And New Zealand.” Asian Social Science 8.2 (2012): 34-41. Academ-ic Search Premier. Web. 2 Oct. 2012. This study gathered information, and used focus groups, about Asian international students’ experi-ences and attitudes toward Australian-New Zealand-ers, to identify the sources of these attitudes, and to discover methods that could address negative attitudes that Asian students might have towards Australian-New Zealanders students. Because it is about Asian international students’ experiences and attitudes toward Australian-New Zealanders, it’s not relevant to my topic. However, it talks about devel-oping friendships among international students and the locals, it could be a possible aspect of solutions towards helping international students understand a new culture and adapt it.

4. Hayes, Richard L., and Heng-Rue Lin. “Coming To America: Developing Social Support Systems For International Stu-dents.” Journal Of Multicultural Counseling & Development 22.1 (1994): 7-16. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.

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This article presents information related to developing social support systems for international students. In the growing number of studies on bicultural adjust-ments, social concern has been identified as one of the biggest problems for international students. Re-search has shown the benefit of establishing relation-ships with host nationals. It’s a useful article that provides specific details how social network plays a significant role in our lives. Moreover, it inspired me with my grad project on helping international students deal with the mood swing.

5. Lee, Debra S. “What Teachers Can Do To Relieve Problems Identified By International Students.” New Directions For Teaching & Learning 70 (1997): 93. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.

This article identifies problems encountered by for-eign students including listening difficulties, lack of understanding of differences in cultural backgrounds, poor oral communication skills, insufficient vocabu-lary, and poor writing skills. The students suggest ways that professors can help them overcome these problems. It gives me a general idea of the physical problems that students have, and shows some pos-sible solutions for professors when they dealing with international students.

6. Millar, Ngaire. “Korean Children’s Cultural Adjustment During Transition To The Early Years Of School In Australia.” Australasian Journal Of Early Childhood 36.3 (2011): 10-18. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1Oct. 2012. This study investigated Korean children’s cultural adjustment during transition to South Australian junior primary school settings. It identified cultural adjust-ment issues which may also be relevant to other

students from a non-English-speaking background. It contained information from interviews with a sample of South Korean international students which could be helpful for my research. Also it can help me to understand “cultural adjustment” better.

7. McClure, Joanne W. “International Gradu-ates’ Cross-Cultural Adjustment: Experienc-es, Coping Strategies, And Suggested Pro-grammatic Responses.” Teaching In Higher Education 12.2 (2007): 199-217. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. This study examines the experiences of international graduates to find out how they perceived their new learning environment abroad, and to explore the strat-egies they employed to adjust to, manage and con-struct meaning out of their learning situation. Learning from different group of students can be helpful to my design. This is a study about international graduates and it will give me information which new comers won’t have such as personal experiences, possible solutions. and they would know what they need.

8. Sherry, Mark, Peter Thomas, and Chui Wing Hong. “International Students: A Vul-nerable Student Population.” Higher Educa-tion 60.1 (2010): 33-46. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.

This study examines the experiences of international students at the University of Toledo. It highlights the problems that international students experience such as adapting to a new culture, language problems, financial problems and lack of understanding from the broader university community. This article gives me a deep insight of the problems that international students have, and helps me understand more about international students not only from Vancouver.

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9. Selvadurai, Ranjani. “Problems Faced By International Students In American Col-leges And Universities.” Community Review 16.(1998): 153. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.

This article shows the differences in opinion about institutional responsibilities that international students have; their concerns on language barrier. Also the problems faced by international students in both colleges and universities. It covered two areas both college and university, when students in different environments the existing problem will be slightly different.

10. Sovic, Silvia. “Coping With Stress: The Perspective Of International Students.” Art, Design & Communication In Higher Educa-tion 6.3 (2007): 145-158. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Sept. 2012. This study explores how stress is experienced by international students. While problems connected with language are the most widespread cause of stress, other less obvious issues are also important. Also it explains “cultural shock” and “social shock”. This study is more focus on the emotional phase that international students go through. It helps me to gain more thorough information in order to solve the prob-lems.

11. Tochkov, Karin, Lisa Levine, and Am-ritha Sanaka. “Variation In The Prediction Of Cross-Cultural Adjustment By Asian-Indian Students In The United States.” College Student Journal 44.3 (2010): 677-689. Aca-demic Search Premier. Web. 1 Oct. 2012.

The study shows that Homesickness is a major stress for college students in general, andinternational stu-dents in particular, that has an adverse effect on their psychological health and academic performance. The present study examined the incidence and determi-nants of homesickness in a sample of international students from India attending a US university and compared the results to a control group consisting of American students in their freshman year. My project focuses on helping international students in Vancou-ver, but research from other region might help me in some other ways. It’s not only international students in Vancouver has issues on cultural adjustment but also students in other countries. It will give me a wider perspective on the subject.

12. Ying, Huang. “Transitioning Challenges Faced By Chinese Graduate Students.” Adult Learning 23.3 (2012): 138-147. Aca-demic Search Premier. Web. 2 Oct. 2012. This literature review examines transitioning chal-lenges faced by Chinese international students who pursue graduate degrees in the United States. Based on existing research on adulthood in U.S. and Chi-nese contexts and the features of Chinese graduate students, Chinese adults, and international students as learners in Western countries, the examination includes the adult learning environment in American graduate education, the demographic features of Chinese international students who pursue graduate degrees in the United States, and the challenges they are confronted with inside and outside the class-room. This literature review is about Chinese graduate students in United States. It is more about the challenges they have both inside and outside the classroom. it is a little off to my main focus, but still some of the information is worth to read.

C Ethic Forms

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D Sustainability Analysis

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My project is to design a tangible package with print product, or a website that people can get access to the information they need. Design is our way to understand the world and the chang-es around us. It is our responsibility to ensuring our designs, products and services are devel-oped in a way that will make our planet green. For my project, I will use materials that can be recycled, reused and integrate the principles of sustainability into all aspect of my design. In terms of my package, the size of the hand book will be small, and it will be smaller than letter size. If there is a secondary tool designed for my audiences, it will be paperless and it is going to be a webpage that people can get access to.

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E Visual Research

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These are existing examples of guidelines that available to international students. For the first two examples on Page 10 to Page 13, they are guidelines for students con-tained with a lot of information online such as housing, learning and health information. On Page 11, it is a hand book form UBC for international students to look at. Followed by the booklets from Emily Carr University and The Art Institute of Vancouver, they all provide specific information for international students

This is a brochure that I get from student ser-vice. It demonstrates 8 stages that interna-tional students go through when they arrive in Vancouver.

Visual Research 6.1-6.4 Visual Research 6.5

1. Initial Anxiety 2. Initial Elation 3. Reality Check

4. Resistance 5. Superficial Adjustment

6. The Plunge 7. Acceptance 8. Re-entry Shock

F Gantt Chart

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