The Problems International Students in Turkey Face in Learning Environments and the Problem-Solving Skills Preferred

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to determine the problems international students studying in Turkey face in the learning environments and the problem solving skills preferred to solve these problems. The study is a qualitative research in the case study design. 10 international preparatory year students studying at Dumlupinar University, School of Foreign Languages in 2013-2014 academic year spring term participated in the study. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview and analysed using descriptive analysis. The problems international students in Turkey face in the learning environments can be categorised into four main themes as language problems, academic adjustment problems, social and psychological problems and problems related with belongingness to the university and the students were found to have language problems most. As a result of the study, it was seen that international students use various strategies to solve the problems faced in the learning environments. The results of the study indicate that international students' awareness about the problems they experience in the host country, Turkey, is high. Furthermore, when solving the problems they use the skills of 'understanding the problem, planning for the solution and evaluating the solution' while they use the problem-solving skills in the application level poorly.