Development of the “Transition Is a Becoming” Metaphor: The Perspectives of International Students

Introduction

International students often face unique challenges as they transition to studying at a university in a different country. These challenges include cultural differences, language barriers, and being away from home and support systems (Bai, 2016; Ecochard & Fotheringham, 2017; Gu et al., 2010). The result can be feelings of stress and isolation. Student transition is an ongoing challenge for Higher Education institutions with implications for student retention, graduate employability, and preparedness for lifelong learning and professional practice. Universities support student transition through a combination of orientation programs, student services and faculty support, and extra-curricular initiatives. These events are intended to connect students with their education community and build academic skills. Transition interventions in universities also play a critical role in preparing students for their future careers (Savickas, 2001; 2013). They provide a foundation for career development, helping students understand and navigate the transition from academic study to the workforce (Green et al., 2020; van der Host et al., 2021). However, students facing new transition situations can be unaware that certain positive qualities and behaviors, such as organizational, interpersonal, and teamwork skills, serve as enablers for success in academic study, career adaptability, and job search strategies (e.g., effectively managing their time and workload, building meaningful relationships with peers and teachers, and working effectively in group settings). Developing these skills can also support agile learning, allowing students to adapt to new situations and information more easily. Additionally, these qualities can enhance students’ employability as they demonstrate an ability to communicate, collaborate, and manage tasks effectively.

This chapter explores the student experience of transition within the Higher Education ecosystem. It highlights a unique participatory arts intervention aimed at promoting a sense of belonging and enhancing recognition of existing capabilities among undergraduate and graduate university students from the Indo-Pacific region. The intervention took the form of a drama-based performance composed of theatre principles, mime, role-play, and applied improvisation and a post-performance small group reflection activity of guided metaphor development. Students recorded their group reflections, and from these, metaphors were identified and analyzed, taking a deductive approach to the data based on the transition typology in Higher Education of induction, development, and becoming proposed by Gale and Parker (2014). The transition intervention involved a cross-disciplinary collaboration between an Arts and Fine Arts and Music faculty and was designed with three objectives in mind: firstly, to create a safe space for the process of self-discovery focused on recognizing existing capabilities through guidance and modelling of organisation, interpersonal skills including verbal and non-verbal communication, and teamwork; secondly, to stimulate awareness, perceptions, and understanding of their value as transferable qualities and behaviors; and thirdly, to collect and analyze the metaphors students developed to understand their capabilities and application to university transition. The intervention brought together 148 undergraduates and graduates from developing countries, specifically those countries located in the Indo-Pacific region, enrolled in an intensive pre-semester introductory academic program at a large metropolitan university.