A Qualitative Study of the Adjustment Problems of International Students in Their First Year of Study at Two Selected New Jersey Community Colleges PDF Download

Author: Adolphus N. Ike
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Community college students
Languages : en
Pages : 416

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Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Dissertations, Academic
Languages : en
Pages : 634

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Abstracts of dissertations available on microfilm or as xerographic reproductions.

Author: Janet Ray
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Foreign study
Languages : en
Pages : 520

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There has been substantial growth in the number of international students enrolling in higher education each year. This population contributes financially to institutions, bringing cultural awareness, diversity, and other benefits to campuses (Altbach, 1989; Institute of International Education, 2016; Lee, 2010). The US remains a top choice for many international students because of the reputable academic system. Many researchers have investigated the experiences of international students as a homogenized group, from a specific region, or from specific countries (Altbach & Wang, 1989; Arenstein, 2015, Feng, 1991, Hayes & Lin 1994; Hurny, 2014, Lee, 2010; Yan & Berliner, 2011, 2013). Despite the increasing presence of this population, however, and the growing body of literature on international students, the research regarding the experiences of first-year international students’ adjustment to college is minimal. Therefore, this qualitative phenomenological study explored the following research question: 1. How do first-year international students describe their lived experiences as they adjust to college? A phenomenological study aims to illustrate or interpret the meaning, structure, and essence of the lived experiences of a person, or a specific group, around a specific phenomenon (Christensen, Johnson, & Turner, 2011) and should focus on the wholeness of experience and search for the essence of an experience (Moustakas, 1994). This phenomenological study was conducted by triangulating three data sources: N=9 first-year international student interviews, N=4 faculty dyadic interviews, and supplemental document analysis. Data were analyzed using Van Kaam’s seven-step modified method of analysis (Moustakas, 1994) Four prominent themes emerged from the student findings, corroborated with faculty findings and document review: 1) pull factors which influence study destination choices, 2) transitioning from home country to host country: acculturation and adjustment, 3) c

Author: Uju Nkwocha Afulezi
Publisher: University Press of America
ISBN: 9780761818519
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 342

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A Bibliography of Doctoral Dissertations and Some Masters Degree Theses at American, Canadian, Australian, and European Universities, 1945-1999 - Volume I.

Author:
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Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 1032

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Author:
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Category : Dissertation abstracts
Languages : en
Pages : 784

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Author: Moumita Mukherjee
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : College attendance
Languages : en
Pages :

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International students are increasingly choosing community colleges as a pathway to pursue their postsecondary education and eventually transfer to a four-year institution (Anayah & Kuk, 2015; Hagedorn & Zhang, 2013; Zhang, Sun & Hagedorn, 2013). Suprisingly, there is little research about international students’ background characteristics, educational pathways, and enrollment outcomes. Utilizing Adelman’s (1999; 2006) academic momentum framework and longitudinal transcript data, this study examined the academic momentum and enrollment outcomes of international students enrolled at a large urban public community college system in Texas. Three research questions guided this study: 1) What are the background characteristics and programs of study of international students attending a large, urban community college system in Texas; how do these compare to those of domestic students? 2) What factors increase the likelihood of program completion and/or four-year transfer among international students, compared to domestic students? 3) After matching students with similar characteristics, to what extent, if any, are there differences in academic momentum, academic performance and enrollment outcomes between international and domestic students? The sample included a cohort of first time in college (FTIC) full-time international (n=324) and domestic (n=2,757) students who enrolled at UCC in Fall 2007. The results for the first research question indicated significant proportional differences in the chosen programs of study across the two groups. First year academic momentum had significant impact on the final enrollment outcomes for both international and domestic students. In their first academic year, international students, on average, earned a higher number of total credits and had higher cumulative GPA than domestic students. Results from the second research question indicated that the total number of credits earned in the first academic year increased the likelihood of program completion (i.e. earning an associate degree or certificate at UCC and/or four-year transfer) for international students. The last research question utilized propensity score matching (PSM) techniques with 1:1 nearest neighbor matching estimator to match international and domestic students on observed covariates. Results indicated that after reducing bias through PSM, international students were more likely to outperform domestic students on key measures of academic momentum. Given the national initiatives to increase community college completion rates (American Association of Community Colleges [AACC], 2016) and new state performance-based funding policies that reward the colleges based on student enrollment outcomes (McKinney & Hagedorn, 2015), understanding success rates among international students is important. Recommendations based on the study findings suggested that a guided pathway approach holds the potential to help both international and domestic students succeed in their academic endeavors (Community College Research Center, 2015). A well-developed program plan that guides course selection, coupled with effective academic advising can prevent students from taking courses that do not count towards their degree (Zhang, 2016).

Author: Akbar Zarghouni
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Academic achievement
Languages : en
Pages : 192

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The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of international students attending a predominantly black urban university and a predominantly white urban university toward the adjustment problems that they experience in their universities. Also, the study was designed to determine the significant differences between the academic success of international students attending a predominantly black urban university and of those attending a predominantly white urban university. The population consisted of 3,079 international students enrolled at Texas Southern University and The University of Houston during the summer session of 1986. A sample size of 621 students was randomly selected from the population of international students. From the problems stated, eight null hypotheses were stated and tested. To analyze the data, the researcher utilized the t-test to determine whether there was a significant difference between the mean academic success (GPA) of international students attending a predominantly black urban university and of those attending a predominantly white urban university. The.05 level of significance was preestablished as a criterion of statistical significance. The findings of study were: There was no significant difference between the academic success of international students attending Texas Southern University and of those attending the University of Houston as affected by sex or age. However, there was a significant difference between the academic success of graduate subjects attending Texas Southern and of those attending The University of Houston with regard to their academic status. Five recommendations were made for future studies: Future studies should be conducted on similar groups of students to obtain future evidence of the effects of various variables on academic success (GPA). Further studies should be conducted to ascertain the influence of the academic environment on the academic success of international students. Future studies should be conducted in rural institutions of higher learning with fairly large enrollment of international students. There should be continuing studies regarding international students' adjustment problems and the most effective ways for university authorities to deal with them. Further studies should be conducted to deal with the problems of international students in making friends and socially interacting with members of their University.

Author: Megan Siczek
Publisher: University of Michigan Press
ISBN: 0472037129
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 225

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The book explores the journey of 10 international students to better understand their experiences at a U.S. educational institution and how they constructed and revealed these experiences in this particular socio-academic space. The study features a series of three interviews during the semester that the participants were enrolled in a mainstream first-year writing course; their stories not only capture their experiences but reveal inspiring stories that “give voice” to students outside the dominant cultural and linguistic community. This study raises questions about how to support international students: In what ways can it inform our practices and policies relative to the internationalization of education and the development of global perspectives and competencies? What does it reveal that could impact daily instruction of L2 writing, particularly when it comes to international students’ need to meet the expectations of “university-level writing” in U.S. institutions of higher education? On an individual level, what can we learn from these students and about ourselves as a result of our interactions?

Author: John R. Jenkins
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Culture shock
Languages : en
Pages : 205

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The influx of international students studying at United States colleges and universities during the past five decades has presented many challenges related to accommodating the needs of these “special” students. In the early 1950s, fewer than 40,000 international students were enrolled within the higher education system of the U.S.; today that number has grown to more than 490,000 students. The problems confronted by these students are both numerous and complex. University personnel often address these problems by developing specific programs designed to meet the needs of the international students at their university. However, the perceptions of these problems by international students, faculty, and staff differ in important ways. To explore these problems in more detail, this study first collected data from 215 international students and 44 university personnel at one liberal arts university and a doctoral comprehensive university in the United States, both religiously affiliated, through the use of a well-established survey instrument. The responses from these two groups were then compared and analyzed through the use of paired sample t-tests in 11 possible areas of concern, ranging from health services to financial aid. After their responses were compared and analyzed, multiple regression analysis was then used to examine the extent to which the variation in their responses could be explained by a number of demographic factors. The findings of the study revealed that the university personnel on both campuses significantly overstated the problems of international students, although both groups considered the problems to be relatively minor. Since it was thought that the students would consider their problems more serious than the university personnel, this suggests that the two universities are responding appropriately to a large majority of the problems faced by international students on their campuses. When the student responses were examined in detail, country of origin time at the university, and the particular university attended proved to be significant factors in explaining the variance in the student responses, while gender, marital status, and major field of study did not.