Expatriate teachers in China: Exploring the utilisation of social media in the adaptation process

• Published in: SEARCH Journal of Media and Communication Research
• Main Author: Mahamad T.E.T.; Roujia L.; Ibnu I.N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor's University Lakeside Campus 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85204714507&doi=10.58946%2fsearch-SpecialIssue.ICOMS2023.P1&partnerID=40&md5=4fcd91aa27ad8ffbf5c614cb9f07d8ec

With the popularity and ubiquity of social media, it seems that adjusting to different cultures is easier than it used to be. Despite social media's pervasive presence in the daily lives of expatriate teachers, there is little research on how it influences their acculturation experience. Hence, this study looks at social media’s role in the cross-cultural adaptation process of expatriate teachers in China. Nine expatriate teachers who taught in China were selected from five Chinese colleges as the study’s participants. Using semi-structured interviews, the study explored the role of social media in the participants’ adaptation experiences in China. The study highlights three important findings that advance the discussion on the development of social networks and cross-cultural communication when working abroad. First, social media is primarily used by expatriate teachers to maintain daily contact with their family and friends from their hometown, and local friends. Second, even though they do join several online expat support groups, expatriate teachers primarily make local friends and fully integrate into the offline culture to achieve cross-cultural adaptation. Thirdly, social media plays a less significant role in expatriate teachers' cross-cultural adaptation compared to personal traits and local support. © SEARCH Journal 2024.