A phenomenological study on Chinese parents's primary choice in Gothenburg, Sweden

Abstract: Aim: As big differences exist in the culture and school system in China and Sweden, it is hard for Chinese parents to choose primary schools for their children in Sweden. No research has investigated Chinese parents’ school choice in Sweden. The research is aimed to explore how Chinese parents choose primary schools for their children such as what type of school they choose, what are their concerns and what are the information sources. This study will give a better understanding of Chinese parents’ primary school choice process in Sweden. Theory: This study is developed based on the rational choice theory and in return it serves as a good tool to interpret the results. Besides, the results are also explained by the theory of acculturation. Method: The qualitative method, to be more specific the phenomenological approach is employed in this research. Data was collected through one-on-one interviews with five participants who are enrolled by nonprobability sampling and convenience sampling. In the end the data was analyzed thematically. Results: Firstly, Chinese parents chose municipal Swedish schools and the international English school based on their migration purpose or stay time in Sweden. If they move to Sweden to seek permanent residence, the municipal Swedish school is their option while if they just come to work for a short period, they would select the international English school. Secondly, as to the concerns that Chinese parents take into consideration; the commonly mentioned are the medium of instruction, school location and ethnical composition. Other reasons like school safety, school achievement and special program offered by the school emerged in the data. Lastly, in regard with the information channel, searching information on the internet is the main source of information, whereas information gained through social network is more influential.