Walking A Kilometer In Their Shoes: An Exploration Of American And South Korean University Students Expectations And Experiences

Abstract

An exploratory study of university students from very different cultural backgrounds, attending universities in their home countries, was undertaken to assess their perceptions of multiculturalism, and their expectations and experiences as university students. Although a number of similarities existed, survey results indicated that the South Korean students were significantly more interested in multicultural issues.  Survey results of American students indicated that even though their university offered myriad opportunities for increasing their understanding of diversity, multiculturalism and global issues, students lacked awareness of the opportunities and infrequently participated in the activities. This finding suggests that if a university is constrained by the non-diverse demography of its region, it will face a difficult task in motivating students to become globally aware and internationally competitive.