FOREIGN STUDENTS’ ADAPTATION TO

LIVING AND STUDYING CONDITIONS IN

TATARSTAN

E.V. Salimullina

Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia.

M.S. Ilina

Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia.

I.A. Sherbakova

Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia.

E-mail: steelmar@yandex.ru

Recepción: 05/08/2019 Aceptación: 09/09/2019 Publicación: 23/10/2019

Citación sugerida:

Salimullina, E.V., Ilina, M.S. y Sherbakova, I.A. (2019). Foreign students’ adaptation to

living and studying conditions in Tatarstan. 3C TIC. Cuadernos de desarrollo aplicados a las TIC.

Edición Especial, Octubre 2019, 14-29. doi: https://doi.org/10.17993/3ctic.2019.83-2.14-29

Suggested citation:

Salimullina, E.V., Ilina, M.S. & Sherbakova, I.A. (2019). Foreign students’ adaptation to

living and studying conditions in Tatarstan. 3C TIC. Cuadernos de desarrollo aplicados a las TIC.

Special Issue, October 2019, 14-29. doi: https://doi.org/10.17993/3ctic.2019.83-2.14-29

3C TIC. Cuadernos de desarrollo aplicados a las TIC. ISSN: 2254-6529

ABSTRACT

At present the problem of foreign students’ adaptation is one of the most urgent

issues in educational system. During cultural adaptation process two main factors

are distinguished: the solution of dierent adaption students’ problems and

the dynamics of their motivation. It is based not only on the system of cultural

aspects and their changes, but also on various issues of interpersonal relations.

Motives are as one of the important aspects of cultural adaption system. Social

and psychological changes of foreign students’ motivational sphere depend on

dierent cultural features, person’s intentions and aims of living in a new country,

their further profession and career development. Though there are some works

on cultural interaction and relations between representatives of dierent cultures;

in Tatarstan the problem of foreign students’ adaptation to living and studying

conditions still exist nowadays.

KEYWORDS

The Russian language, Culture, Intercultural communication, Linguistic and

cultural competence, Adaptation, Foreign students.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.17993/3ctic.2019.83-2.14-29

1. INTRODUCTION

Foreign language knowledge may be dened as a component of a person’s general culture with

the help of which he/she (a personality) joins the world culture (Ilina & Voprosu, 2016). At

present, the main and global aim to master a foreign language is as an interaction of dierent

cultures and participation in “dialogue of cultures” (Ilina, Vildanova, & Timirgaleeva,

2017). In our opinion, increasing social demand for learning a foreign language can be explained

by present global processes happening in the world: the European market provides new aspects in

the study of a foreign language (Ilina et al., 2017).

One of the most important tasks of a teacher is to create conditions for a successful educational

and cognitive students’ activity (Ilina & Mullagajanova, 2016).

The purpose of our work is to study socio-psychological and personal problems

of foreign students’ adaptation to living and studying conditions in Tatarstan.

It has scientic interest in theoretical and practical aspects. The problem

of foreign students’ adaptation has not been thoroughly investigated from

psychological and pedagogical points of view. To our opinion adaptation is a

complex process; the result of certain established relationships between a person

and social environment. There are two coherent constituents: a man and his/her

environment (Murzinova et al, 2018; Pinto-Rojas & Parraguez, 2017; Kheirabadi

& Mirzaei, 2019).

This research is aimed at scientic and practical analyze of cultural interaction

problems.

Gradually students’ motivational system is changed. It inuences on students’

behavior patterns. The patterns of educational person’s motives are examined.

Several factors may inuence on adaptation process of foreign students in

Tatarstan. These factors are mutual interaction of people, intensity of interaction,

cultural peculiarities, several foreign representatives, ocial University policy, etc.

In practice, various types of relationships are established. Some groups of foreign

students are completely losing their cultural uniqueness and identity, others, on

the contrary, keep their cultural peculiarities and sometimes have some inuence

3C TIC. Cuadernos de desarrollo aplicados a las TIC. ISSN: 2254-6529

on Russian students. Finally this interaction always leads to cultural changes in

adaption system. Indeed, culture is an integrative person’s quality, adequately

regulating its socio-cultural and professional status. It determines student’s

ability in educational and professional spheres including special information and

a foreign language learning (Ilina & Kostyunina, 2016; Kashisaz & Mobarak,

2018).

The problem of a research consists in dening dierent conditions of successful

foreign students’ adaptation to new living and studying conditions in Tatarstan.

The purpose of the research is signicant feature identication of foreign students’

motivational dynamics during studies in foreign culture conditions in Tatarstan.

The research object is motivation identication of foreign students’ educational

activities in Tatarstan.

The object of the research is signicant features identication of foreign students’

motivational dynamics in dierent socio-cultural conditions in Tatarstan.

The research hypothesis is intentions to develop professional career in a country of

study inuence on foreign students’ motivational dynamics during studies in

foreign organizational culture in Tatarstan.

Foreign students, planning to continue their professional career in the country of

study, are more prone to motivation changes during studies in Tatarstan.

The purpose and hypothesis of the research have dened the solution of the

following tasks:

1. Development of theoretical and methodological approaches to social and

psychological adaptation analysis;

2. Theoretical investigation of motivational dynamics during studies in

Kazan State University, in Tatarstan;

3. Development of conceptual research and methodological scheme of

foreign students’ successful adaptation in Tatarstan;

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4. Adaptability research of dierent foreign students’ age groups;

5. An empirical study of foreign students’ motivational dynamics during

studies in dierent social and cultural conditions.

The methodological basis of a research includes philosophical concept of general

communication; phenomena and activity inter-conditionality as the way of a

person’s self-realization in work and communication; philosophic and humanistic

approaches; theory and practice interrelation; culture comprehension of

philosophical category.

The system, personal activity and culturological approaches are used as a special

methodology.

Theoretical signicance reveals a complex of pedagogical conditions, directed

in successful realization of foreign students’ adaptation to living and studying

conditions in Tatarstan:

1. Original techniques of foreign students’ motivational dynamics research

are worked out;

2. Comparative analysis of foreign students’ motives from Estonia,

Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan

is carried out;

3. Essential features of foreign students’ motivational dynamics during studies

in Kazan Federal University are revealed

Practical signicance

Got results can be used in higher educational Institutions. The change of

motivational dynamics is one of the central aspects of successful foreign students’

adaptation in new socio-cultural conditions in Tatarstan. In this regard, it is

important to understand and control foreign students’ motivational changes of

foreign students.

3C TIC. Cuadernos de desarrollo aplicados a las TIC. ISSN: 2254-6529

2. METHODS

To achieve this goal, we studied the adaptation of a foreign student in the social

and educational realities of the university in the process of professional training in

the sociocultural eld (NCHI) of the KFU, in Tatarstan. The subject of the study

was foreign students who undergo a full cycle of training at KFU. The sample

type is quota based on the nationality and citizenship of respondents (Estonia,

Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan), and

by age (18-25 years). The sample size is 72 people.

To collect the diagnostic material, we conducted a natural experiment, used a

survey method. During the interview we talked with the students, discussed the

socio-psychological portraits of ethnic groups. It was necessary, since several

students had diculties in understanding the Russian language, and during

the conversation we overcame the language barrier that prevents the receipt of

representative data. Using the method of included observation, we made an

assessment concerning the correspondence of portrait characteristics of ethnoses

among the participants in the experiment. At the next stage we studied the

motivational readiness for a new social and educational environment, vocational

training, overcoming the language barrier and language training. This work was

carried out on a specially developed questionnaire containing closed and semi-

closed questions.

2.1. IN CONCLUSION THE MAIN RESULTS OF THE WORK ARE

MADE

After direct communication with students, we note that not all of them have a

desire to study or improve their knowledge of the Russian language, use it in

communication, the following statements prove this fact: “there is no desire to

learn the language,” “I answer when the teacher asks me”, “I did not intend to

come to Russia, my parents forced me,” “I will not come to Russia anymore,” “I

do not like complicated language,” “I sometimes use cheat sheets, write down

assignments,” “I only want to get a diploma “(18% of students), the motivational

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readiness to master the language environment and the language itself is not formed

in 15% of students, but practically all young students in informal communication

use profanity of the Russian language.

In the process of learning, foreign students build their own strategy of behavior

dierently. Some are more passive, they want more attention. In the process of

adaptation, individual characteristics are inherent in the national character -

patience, the ability to endure life’s diculties, enterprise, striving for the goal.

However, due to the peculiarities of division into “one’s own” and “others”, the

value hierarchy of a sense of national pride, superiority complicates entry into

the foreign culture environment. This predisposes rather to accommodation or

pseudo-adaptation. Some are more independent, ecient, cautious, persevering;

they are characterized by cognitive practicality, conscientiousness, punctuality,

accuracy, diligence, technical mentality.

Adaptation of foreign students to new conditions depends on the attitude of

the host party, mutual sympathy, antipathy, stereotypes (Ilina & Voprosu, 2016),

socio-cultural and psychological characteristics of dierent ethnic groups, the

knowledge of them helps university sta understands and explain the readiness of

foreign students to adapt to another socio-cultural and educational environment.

The use of cheat sheets and cheating inuences the process of adaptation of

foreign citizens negatively. Such a behavior makes the adaptation process dicult,

but at the same time, as our study showed, 21% of foreign students are ready to

use such methods by the end of training (Nakhaee & Nasrabadi, 2019).

Thus, the adaptation of foreign students in a new country is associated with

psycho-physiological, educational and cognitive diculties; inadequate language

training, overcoming dierences in education systems; with new requirements

and a system of knowledge control; with the diculties of mastering the new

socio-cultural and educational space of the university; moral and ethical norms

of behavior and coexistence, diculties in everyday life (Dehdar et al., 2019;

Eslami & Ahmadi, 2019; Jabbari et al., 2019).

3C TIC. Cuadernos de desarrollo aplicados a las TIC. ISSN: 2254-6529

The results of revealing the parameters of the students’ motivational readiness

showed that for the students of the KFU, like the results of the research published

in the literature (Aydarova et al., 2017). the factors of satisfaction with life and

study are as follows: positive attitudes with people around them; the desire of

teachers to teach, to transfer knowledge by profession, the use of information

technology; safety of life in the city. Education is perceived as an opportunity for

socio-cultural and professional mobility.

Adaptation of foreign students to a new socio-cultural, linguistic and educational

environment begins with entry into the cultural and educational environment.

The main meaningful goal in the new environment for each student is the creation

of subjectively signicant comfortable living conditions and peace of mind, so

during the initial adaptation they do not try to understand and become part of a

culture and the system of life unfamiliar to them. Organization of the process of

interaction is more freely aligned with students of its ethnos, thereby becoming

more desirable and there is no need for communication with Russian students.

The sta controlling the process of professional training of foreign students at

the university should pay special attention to the formation of their motivation

and necessity to show their activity, interest and desire to deepen and expand the

information eld of culture and life features of citizens of Tatarstan.

2.2. THE EXPERIMENTAL BASE OF THE RESEARCH

Experimental work was carried out in Kazan State University, in Tatarstan.

2.3. THE STAGES OF THE RESEARCH

The research was carried out in several stages.

The rst phase of the research was dedicated to the study and analysis of

domestic and foreign psychology-pedagogical literature on the research problem;

understanding methodological and theoretical foundations of the research;

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determining the nature, structure and content of the notion “adaptation”,

formation of experimental and control groups; planning of the teaching

experiment. At this stage we had an experiment in Kazan State University.

At the second stage, necessary conditions for a successful foreign students’

adaptation were singled out to living and studying conditions in Kazan State

University, in Tatarstan. This stage included analysis, processing, generalization

and systematization of experimental work results; formulation of conclusions and

development of methodological recommendations on the investigated problem,

their introduction into the practice of educational institutions, formulation of

thesis.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1. DURING THE RESEARCH, THE TASKS WERE SOLVED, AND

THE MAIN HYPOTHESES WERE CONFIRMED

A review of the work of domestic and foreign researchers on the problem

of adaptation of foreign students in the conditions of a new socio-cultural

environment showed that the situation is indicated correctly, and the topic of

research is relevant.

1) Adaptation is a process, the course of which depends on individual traits and

skills, the characteristics of the situation, the strength of the changes required

by the individual, the time spent in the new culture, previous experience and

training, and close social ties with the representatives of the country in which

they are located.

2) The solution of the problem of motivation of educational activity is determined

by the fact that the motivation of the teaching is necessary for the eective

implementation of the educational process.

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3) Intentions concerning the development of a professional career in the country

of instruction inuences the dynamics of the motives of educational activity

of foreign students studying in conditions of a foreign organizational culture

of the university.

4) Foreign students planning to continue their professional career in the country

of study are more likely to change their motivational environment.

5) It also became clear that a two-year period of stay in conditions of interaction

with the holders of the dominant socio-cultural environment of the university

is enough for a signicant change in the motives of educational activity.

3.2. STAGES

3.2.1. ASCERTAINING STAGE

At the rst stage, the main approaches to the study of psychological adaptation

are considered. The section provides an overview of various features of socio-

psychological adaptation in the framework of various socio-psychological and

psychological paradigms. Social psychologists dene adaptation as interaction and

mutual inuence of the individual and the social environment, living in a system

of intragroup relations and the development of standards of communication,

behavior that reect the system of values and norms of the production team

with the active inuence of past social experience, psychological qualities and

personality characteristics. Also in the section the main factors aecting the

process of adaptation of foreign students to a new socio-cultural environment

were considered.

3.2.2. FORMING STAGE

During the forming stage of the experiment scientic and methodological

adaptation research was developed and implemented. It included software,

training manuals, guidelines and a diagnose Tatarstan tic Tools.

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3.3. THE CONDITIONS OF SUCCESSFUL FOREIGN STUDENTS’

ADAPTATION PROCESS TO LIVING AND STUDYING

CONDITIONS IN TATARSTAN

The features of successful foreign students’ adaptation process to living and

studying conditions in Tatarstan shown in the determinism of content selection

of educational information, forms, methods of teaching, goals of teaching a

foreign language and explanation.

3.4. EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS

OF THE PROPOSED CONTENT OF SUCCESSFUL FOREIGN

STUDENTS’ ADAPTATION PROCESS TO LIVING AND

STUDYING CONDITIONS IN TATARSTAN

Stated results showing the dierences during the process of foreign students’

adaptation in control and experimental groups are statistically signicant.

Consequently, the revealed and theoretically grounded pedagogical issues

of eective inuence on the succession process of communicative culture’s

formation. Comparative analysis of the issues at dierent levels of the research

allows us how to conclude that at the rst stage, along with the motivational factor

is determined. It helps to mastery communicative skills and a higher degree of

complexity (cross-cultural, professionally directed, and specialized) at the stage of

University education in Tatarstan.

The experiment proves the use of authentic situations-the problematic nature

aected by the eciency of the educational process at each stage of learning

a foreign language. The participants of the communication were able to

communicate.

The analysis of scientic works devoted to the problem of foreign students’

adaptation to living and studying conditions in Kazan State University, in

Tatarstan.

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4. CONCLUSIONS

The decision to create optimal conditions for the adaptation of foreign students

is almost entirely is a function of the university. Experience shows that an

eective mechanism for managing the process of socio-cultural, educational

and professional adaptation of foreign students is the system of coordinated

and responsible interaction of all structural units of the university. Among the

conditions is a system of joint actions of students, considering their established

values, the foundations of the cultural stock of their ethnos, the development of

readiness to be active participants of the educational process, etc.

For example, the KFU successfully implements the existing system of work that

ensures the adaptation of foreign students. Its essence lies in the creation of

optimal conditions for fast and safe adaptation of foreign students in the eld of

professional training of a foreign specialist. It correlates with the socio-pedagogical

support for the adaptation of foreign students, aecting the success of training

and psychological development in situations of interaction conditioned by the

status of a foreign student in a new environment for themselves. In addition, the

system work is aimed at solving natural diculties for the rst year student to

meet the requirements of the university, manage their needs and desires due to

the age and status of their ethnic group.

It will be natural that the success of the process of adaptation of foreign students

will proceed with the appropriate socio-pedagogical conditions, considering the

coinciding socio-cultural values of both sides, the student and the country of

the host institution. Teachers participating in the course of mastering a future

profession by a foreign student are previously acquainted with cultural and ethnic

characteristics, value orientations, readiness to learn, and adaptive abilities of

students.

Active attraction of foreign students to out-of-class activities, creation of

educational and living conditions promotes adaptation of the target audience.

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Currently, the university is working towards the creation of a modern educational

and methodological support for the teaching and educational process, English-

language programs, methodological equipment for individual courses, the

formation of students’ motivation and interest in mastering the language.

Our research has shown that the peculiarities of adaptation of foreign students

are determined by a complex of factors and are conditioned by the formation

of readiness to include an individual in a new social and educational space. The

eectiveness of adaptation allows us to assess the multilateral process of equal

interaction of foreign students with the cultural, educational and intellectual

environment of the host institution adequately, maintain psycho-emotional

balance, form the necessary personal and professional qualities, master the Russian

language, new roles that support the social status, and realize the importance of

their profession.

5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The work is performed according to the Russian Government Program of

Competitive Growth of Kazan Federal University.

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