A Hermeneutical Study of Older Korean Graduate Students’ Experiences in American Higher Education: From Confucianism to Western Educational Values

Abstract

In this hermeneutical study, the authors focus on understanding the experiences of older Korean students who have come to the United States to pursue academic degrees at American universities. The purpose of this study is to describe the critical events related to their adjustment processes as well as to address some of the specific concerns of the students who returned to higher education after a long professional career in their home countries. In particular, the authors find it important to describe some of the adjustment problems from the Korean cultural perspective relating to Confucianism, loyalty, and respect. The authors conclude by arguing that without situational cultural understandings or without respect for the cultural historicity of international students, the quality of the educational experience in higher education will not be promoted.