Culture Difference: Perceptions of Student Engagement of Chinese International Graduate Students at a Canadian University

This article provides the perspectives of Chinese international graduate students about student engagement while attending a university in Canada. The prominent Western perception of student engagement in Canadian universities emphasizes student-oriented and active-participation to hopefully enhance student academic success and better social engagement. However, this Western perspective fails to recognize the broader perceptions of student engagement from a global perspective. The Confucian perspective of student engagement highlights teacher-oriented and deep-thinking engagement through academic achievement and exam-oriented activities. This study found that the student and staff participants have varied perceptions of student engagement based on their prior experiences and cultural backgrounds. However, these different ways of perceiving student engagement are not well acknowledged in Canadian higher education. Chinese international graduate students need to understand the different perceptions of student engagement between Western and Confucian cultures, and they need to enhance their student engagement based on their experiences and cultural backgrounds.