The Role of Confucian Concepts in Adolescent International Students’ Learning Motivation and Life Aspirations

Abstract

This is the first study to explore the impact of significant life experiences and the Confucian concepts guanxi, renqing and mianzi on the learning motivation and life aspirations of adolescent international students from Confucian Heritage Cultures (CHCs). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four students, who arrived in Australia to study when they were aged between 12 and 17 years. The findings indicated that during their first two years of studying abroad, the students were motivated to continue learning by their friends and family, as well as their teachers and homestay hosts. More importantly, despite facing difficulties of growing up in a foreign country and various issues related to studying abroad, significant life experiences and the Confucian concepts mianzi, renqing and guanxi, played a key role in mediating their learning motivation and life aspirations. Implications for students’ family, teachers and other stakeholders in international education are discussed.