The question is to be submitted in 24 hours. Quality work needed.

Running head: THE SCAVENGER HUNT 1

The Scavenger Hunt

EDU 508 - Educational Research Methods

Dr. Jewell Winn

October 25, 2015

Strayer University

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Research Topic: International students in the United States universities, social and cultural

difficulties, problems, behaviors, and their impact on the American universities' economy.

Article 1, Qualitative Research: International Students’ Adjustment Problems and

Behaviors. (Gebhard, J. G., 2012).

This article focuses on adjustment issues and problems, and adaptation experiences that

international students had while studied at universities in the United States, and the adjustment

behaviors they used when faced with these problems. Qualitative data was collected and

analyzed through on-going interviews with 85 international students, as well as through

observation field notes and student-written narratives about their adaptation experiences.

Researchers have provided an understanding of the kinds of problems international students have

while adapting to university life in America. The most discussed issues are problems with

academic language, and the lack of familiarity with American social rules.

To manage their problems, students made use of behaviors that can facilitate adapting to

the new culture or behaviors that can obstruct them from adapting. Facilitative behaviors include

coping strategies, use of supportive people and observation and imitation. Behaviors interpreted

as impeding adaptation include expecting others to adapt, complaining, and withdrawing.

a. Purpose of the research: International students face a variety of adaptation challenges while

studying in the American universities, and the goal of this qualitative study is to identify the

kinds of problems that international students faced. Also, is to discover the kinds of behaviors

they used when they faced with these problems.

b. Problem statement: When international students have limited English proficiency and lack

experience and familiarity with American interactive behaviors, some students find it difficult to

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establish a social network with Americans and adapting to American culture while staying in the

U.S., which may affect their academic goals. Gebhard, J. G. (2012).

c. Gaps in literature that studied the problem: International students' responsibility for

cultural adjustment, and universities' responsibility to build a positive helpful community or

environment to welcome all international students socially and academically.

d. Research questions and/or hypotheses: Research data were collected through on-going

interviews, written narratives and observations to generate description of the students' problems

and behaviors. Researcher approached each interview with general questions such as: What kind

of academic problems have you had? Tell me a story about your experience in the United States.

Then, descriptive questions such as: What do you do when you participate in in-class discussion

with Americans? and, What kinds of problems do you have with listening in the classroom?

e. Theory or conceptual framework: The theory was to understand what it means to be an

international student at an American university from the international students' perspective.

f. Findings of the research: There were three overlapping kinds of problems that the

international students in this study faced, including difficulties with academics, social

interaction, and handling emotions. . It also shows that these students use behaviors that seem to

help them meet their challenges such as coping and imitating behaviors.

Article 2, Quantitative research: Where We Are Now - The Presence and Importance of

International Students to Universities in the United States. (Hegarty, N. h., 2014).

This article focuses on the presence and the rise of the number of international students in

the U.S., and the importance and impact of foreign students to the universities and to the

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American economy. The article describes the foreign students enrollment in the U.S. universities

as a major industry of importance to the U.S. economy. The lack of funding to public universities

has increased their reliance on the revenue provided by international students and their necessity

as a vital revenue stream for universities.

Also, international students presence in the American universities brings an importance

of diversity and their presence is crucial to the existence of numerous academic programs. Their

presence is no longer in addition to the general student body but rather a vital component of it.

a. Purpose of the research: To emphasize the importance of the presence and growing

population of international students in the American universities as a source of revenue.

b. Problem statement: American universities are enrolling unprecedented number of foreign

students, cash-strapped public universities are driving the trend because of shrinking state

support, rising cost of higher education and students resistance to tuition increases.

c. Gaps in literature that studied the problem: Questions about other sources of revenue the

American universities may pursue other than increasing foreign students enrollment.

d. Research questions: This research based on measurable data collected through questionnaires

including questions about the presence and scale of international students such as the number of

enrolled students and their nationalities. The methods that the universities used to attract and

increase the numbers of foreign students, and promote retention. How the foreign students'

monetary strength become very sensitive to local economies as well as colleges.

e. Theory or conceptual framework: International students are becoming vital component

financially and academically to American universities.

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f. Findings of the research: The lack of funding to public universities has increased their

reliance on the revenue provided by international students. There are 1.1 million foreign students

in the U.S., according to (Open Doors, 2014) nearly 50% more than in 2010. Students from

China accounted for the largest share more than 330,000 or 29%. The University of Southern

California is on the top of the universities enrolling international students.

Article 3, Quantitative research: International Graduate Students’ Academic

Performance: What Are the Influencing Factors? (Ren, J. j., & Hagedorn, L. l., 2012).

This study examined factors associated with the international graduate students’

academic performance in the United States. It also examined policies, services and programs that

affect those students' unique needs.

International graduate students often play important roles as teaching and research

assistants. In addition to teaching courses, they provide office hours to assist students in labs and

to assist students outside of class, and work with faculty researchers in funded projects. There are

multiple factors associated with students’ academic performance. These factors including;

English language proficiency, learning and study strategies, and academic preparation.

a. Purpose of the research: Identifying the factors associated with international graduate

students' academic performance and assist practitioners in higher education to better understand

and support this group of students.

b. Problem statement: International graduate students on American campuses have been

understudied. International graduate students make significant contribution to institutions'

revenue, diversity, research and teaching. However, existing campus services are designed

primarily for domestic students and may not appropriately serve international students.

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c. Gaps in literature that studied the problem: Questions have never been addressed in the

literature to compare differences in institutional type or educational type in the study.

d. Research questions and or hypotheses: This study used a researcher-developed survey and

questionnaire conducted online. The questionnaire survey questions format and flow was

designed to measure international graduate students academic performance and adjustment.

e. Theory or conceptual framework: The study conceptual framework includes three

constructs: demographics, academic inputs, and academic performance. The construct of

demographics includes age, gender, native region and native language. The construct of

academic inputs consists of undergraduate GPA, length of study time, teaching and learning

methods, and proportion of time studying alone.

f. Findings of the research: International graduate students' academic performance measured

by their cumulative GPA. Results indicate that at the master's level, factors such as gender, age,

length of study time, being from South Asia, and undergraduate GPA were significantly related

with international graduate students' academic performance. At the doctoral level, the results

analysis revealed that influencing factors including native language, Central and South Asia

descent, teaching methods, African descent, gender, learning methods and length of study time.

Article 4, Qualitative research: Coming to America: Assessing the Patterns of

Acculturation, Friendship Formation, and the Academic Experiences of International

Students at a U.S. College. (Leong, P. p., 2015).

This study compares international students’ experiences at an American university, and

the acculturation issues that they encountered. The students assessed their experiences at the

university, both positive and negative, and discussed their perceptions of American ways of

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doing things. Students with familiarity with the English language and knowledge of American

culture were more prepared to handle both academic and social expectations. While individual-

level factors (e.g., language fluency) affect the international students’ lived experiences, this

study argues that environmental factors (e.g., the culture and reception of the host society) may

be more important in shaping the experiences of international students.

a. Purpose of the research: The stress associated with acculturation issues that may affect

international students' overall satisfaction in the host country.

b. Problem statement: Culture adjustment is a complex process. All international students

experience disorientation when they arrive to the United States, whether in terms of language,

customs or food or new teaching and learning styles, and socializing with American classmates.

c. Gaps in literature that studied the problem: Lack of information about specific culture

differences that international students experience.

d. Research questions: The main research question of this study is: What factors facilitate or

impede the academic and social experience of international students at American universities,

and do they vary by country of origin?

e. Theory or conceptual framework: The conceptual framework focuses on adjustment issues

related to the college campus, the participants' region, social relationships in the U.S. and their

perceptions of American culture.

f. Findings of the research: Language barrier was the biggest challenge that the international

students faced, leading to inability to communicate as well as the inability to form friendships.

students from China face considerable more difficulties both academically and socially.

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2- Describe one to two aspects of each article that are relevant to the research topic.

Article 1: This article is relevant to my research topic because it focuses on the kinds of

adjustment problems that international students had while they studied at a university in the

United States, as well as the adjustment behaviors they used when faced with these problems.

Article 2: The aspect of this article that is relevant to my research topic is: The increased

representation of international students in U.S. universities has proven to have significant effects.

The international students contribute positively to the U.S economy, to individual state

economies, and to their university's economic health. The presence of international students also

has social consequences, contributing to the cultural diversity of nation, state, and local areas.

Article 3: This article relates to my research topic because international graduate students

are sizeable segment of the student body in the U.S. higher educational system. However, this

student population has not been completely understood by higher education administrators and

faculty and their diverse needs have not been met by existing services on campuses.

Article 4: This article aspect that is relevant to my research topic is: International students

on U.S. college campuses are a diverse population with unique concerns and needs. These

concerns and needs are mainly academic and social and are influenced by language ability,

cultural differences and pre-conceived expectations of students' life on U.S. campuses.

International students try to get social support from their American peers, but the relationship

between international students and their American peers rarely go beyond the most superficial

contact, and many international students quickly abandon the hope of establishing deep cross-

cultural friendships.

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References

Gebhard, J. G. (2012). International Students' Adjustment Problems and Behaviors. Journal Of

International Students, 2(2), 184-193

Hegarty, N. h. (2014). Where We Are Now - The Presence and Importance of International

Students to Universities in the United States. Journal Of International Students, 4(3),

223-235.

Leong, P. p. (2015). Coming to America: Assessing the Patterns of Acculturation, Friendship

Formation, and the Academic Experiences of International Students at a U.S.

College. Journal Of International Students, 5(4), 459-474.

Ren, J. j., & Hagedorn, L. l. (2012). International Graduate Students' Academic Performance:

What Are the Influencing Factors?. Journal Of International Students, 2(2), 135-143.

Open Doors Data (2012). Special reports: Economic impact of international students, Institute of

International Education.

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