International education is a strategic priority for Canadian post-secondary institutions and a pillar of Canada’s immigration and economic strategy, yet most international students arrive from cultural traditions very different from Canadian norms.
In his award-winning Master of Education thesis, Bridging Barriers: An Explorative Case Study of How Culture Influences Learning and Development in International Education, Brian Rochat examined how culture shapes the way international students learn, adapt, and transition into the Canadian workplace. The study is the research foundation behind the Axis of Intercultural Discovery and Development, the framework at the heart of Intercultural Advantage Canada’s work.
The Challenge the Research Addresses
Educators of multicultural cohorts often find that even well-prepared lessons fail to engage every student, and that traditional methods of instruction can be ineffective across culturally diverse groups whose members approach learning differently. Many international students face barriers adjusting to Canadian teaching styles, instruction methods, and assessments, and then again when transitioning from education into employment.
Employers, meanwhile, commonly cite concerns about Canadian work experience, language proficiency, cultural understanding, and soft skills. The research set out to understand what sits beneath these persistent challenges.
How the Study Was Conducted
Applying Geert Hofstede’s framework of cultural dimensions within a qualitative case study methodology, the research explored two guiding questions: how students discover, transition to, and adapt to cultural differences in international education; and how instructors and support staff recognize and support the cultural differences and barriers students experience in education and work-integrated learning.
Participants included international students registered at a Central Canadian polytechnic and the support staff working directly with them. Thematic analysis was then used to identify the shared patterns across their experiences.
Four Themes International Students Experience
The analysis identified four primary themes that international students consistently experience within international education:
Reduced power distance — adjusting to less hierarchical relationships with instructors and authority figures.
Increased individualism — navigating a shift toward individual accountability, initiative, and self-direction.
The importance of finding friends and social support — the central role of relationships and belonging in adapting successfully.
Self-efficacy in English language learning — building the confidence to communicate and participate effectively.
The consistency of these findings, the numerous commonalities and shared experiences across participants, is what led to the postulation of the Axis of Intercultural Discovery and Development in International Education.
Why It Matters
The research points to a practical conclusion: applying educational strategies that recognize and develop intercultural skills helps international students identify, adapt, and apply learning strategies and work skills in line with Canadian cultural norms and employer expectations. In other words, intercultural competence can be intentionally developed, and doing so improves both education and employability outcomes.
This is the same insight Intercultural Advantage Canada brings to organizations: awareness of cultural difference is only the beginning; understanding it, building the skill to navigate it, and acting on it is what turns diversity into advantage.
Citation: Rochat, B. (2024). Bridging Barriers: An Explorative Case Study of How Culture Influences Learning and Development in International Education (Master of Education thesis). University of Saskatchewan, Department of Educational Foundations.
