Department: Cross-Cultural, International Education ![[clear]](close-x.png "Remove this limiter")
24 matches in the database.
These are records: 1 - 24.
1.
Adeyeri, Oluwadamilare S.
Intrinsic Motivation and Human Agency of Faculty Engaged In Service-Learning: A Qualitative Interpretive Study of a U.S. Mid-western Public University.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2012, Bowling Green State University
► This qualitative interpretative study explored the factors that contribute to the intrinsic…
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▼ This qualitative interpretative study explored the factors that contribute to the intrinsic motivation of faculty engaged in service-learning and how they promote such learning at a mid-western public university. Intrinsic motivation, which focuses on the internal and psychological satisfactions individuals derive from an activity, is important for faculty engaged in service-learning. Such motivation, however, can be catalyzed by conditions that allow its expression. Human agency, a core concept of social cognitive theory, is the theoretical framework for the study, which posits that as an agent of change, one exerts influence over one’s environment. Seven faculty members who were members of the university’s Service-Learning Faculty Learning Community and had taught a service-learning course participated in this study. Findings of the study revealed that educational discontent; relationship, collaboration, and communal support; goodness; and gratification and advancement contribute to the intrinsic motivation of these faculty members. Participants promote service-learning through direct personal agency, proxy agency, and collective agency, and these faculty members who teach service-learning courses are theorized as change agents. This study adds to the literature on faculty motivation for service-learning, informs educational stakeholders on service-learning promotion, and opens up pathways for more research. Service-learning is a credit-bearing pedagogy, which incorporates community service projects that are effectively connected to the curriculum and where students reflect on such activities for a deeper understanding of the academic content and to develop enhanced personal and professional skills. Despite its acclaimed benefits, this pedagogy is currently not fully accepted as a core part of higher education. As a teaching and learning method, faculty adoption and promotion is essential to the acceptance of service-learning because of faculty members’ role in course development, curriculum coordination, and higher education administration.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kubow, Patricia K.
Subjects: Curricula; Curriculum Development; Education; Educational Evaluation; Educational Leadership; Educational Psychology; Educational Sociology; Educational Theory; Education Philosophy; Education Policy; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Pedagogy; Teachi
Keywords: Education; Service-Learning; Faculty; Intrinsic Motivation; Human Agency; U.S. Mid-western Public University
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2.
Bartimole, Jennifer M.
Finding a Niche: Exploring Ethnic Identity Among Migrant Adolescents in Northwest Ohio.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2011, Bowling Green State University
► This ethnographic case study explored ethnic identity development among migrant adolescents in…
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▼ This ethnographic case study explored ethnic identity development among migrant adolescents in Northwest Ohio. Fourteen migrant adolescents of Mexican heritage who were enrolled in a summer migrant education program in Northwest Ohio participated in this study. The study found that a strong identification with their Mexican heritage was important for many of the adolescents, and the relationship between language and the adolescents’ ethnic identity. Adolescence is an important time for both general identity development (Erikson, 1968; Marcia, 1980) and ethnic identity development (Phinney, 2006; Rotheram & Phinney, 1987). Several factors may affect ethnic identity development, such as the difficulties of maintaining cultural practices while migrating (Henning-Stout, 1996), possessing physical characteristics that are different from the majority culture (Phinney, 2008a; Spencer & Markstrom-Adams, 1990), and knowledge and use of the heritage language (Phinney & Ong, 2007). Furthermore, the role of the environment and the developmental niche of an adolescent influence the experiences he/she has within the environment. The physical settings, child-rearing practices and parental ethnotheories mutually mediate the experience within the larger culture (Super & Harkness, 1997).
Advisors/Committee Members: Booth, Margaret Zoller.
Subjects: Education; Educational Psychology; Hispanic Americans; Hispanic American Studies; Language; Multicultural Education
Keywords: ethnic identity; Mexican migrants; migrant workers; migrant adolescents; Hispanic; Latino; Ohio
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3.
Bi, Hui.
Chinese Graduate Students’ Attitudes toward Persons with Intellectual Disabilities: An Acculturation Approach.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2010, Bowling Green State University
► Attitudes towards persons with disabilities have been one of the foci in…
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▼ Attitudes towards persons with disabilities have been one of the foci in disabilities studies. However, the majority of studies have been conducted in western countries, and it is uncertain whether the findings of those studies can be generalized to non-western countries. This study focuses on a Chinese cultural context, attempting to provide insights into how different people of varying cultural backgrounds perceive disabilities. In order to determine the influence of living and studying in the U. S. on Chinese graduate students’ attitudes toward persons with intellectual disabilities, an empirical investigation was conducted through an attitude survey of two groups of graduate students: Chinese graduate students at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in the U. S. and Chinese graduate students at Shandong University (SDU) in the mainland of China. The present study concludes that there was no significant difference in attitudes toward persons with intellectual disabilities between BGSU and SDU participants. This may be attributed to the low rate of Chinese international graduates’ acculturation, and the increasingly favorable attitudes of Chinese graduates in China along with some positive Chinese legislative policies concerning people with disabilities. This thesis provides foundation for further research on Chinese Americans' attitudes toward disabilities and contributes to rehabilitation literature in a cultural context.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kubow, Patricia.
Subjects: Education
Keywords: Chinese graduate students; acculturation; attitudes; persons with intellectual disabilities
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4.
Buetikofer, Eric J.
Bending Bamboo: Moral Education in a Non-Traditional Setting in Vietnam.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2009, Bowling Green State University
► Vietnam is a country rich with culture and tradition. This thesis examines…
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▼ Vietnam is a country rich with culture and tradition. This thesis examines the cultural practice of teaching morality in a non-traditional school in Vietnam. This qualitative case study took place in a non-traditional school located in central Vietnam that caters to street children. Findings from the participant interviews are discussed through the use of vignettes. The vignette themes include morality, citizenship, philosophical association, gender and one's ability to be moral, bending bamboo and morality, morality and role playing, street children and moral education, learning and importance of language, learning English as a Second Language in the school, and debates and learning good citizenship. Each vignette is discussed using information from participant interviews and Western and Eastern moral education practices. Research for this paper has been completed utilizing educational and psychological theoretical literature concerning moral education and moral philosophy in conjunction with empirical studies conducted in Vietnam.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kubow, Patricia.
Subjects: Education
Keywords: Vietnam; Moral; Education; Moral Education; Street Children; non-traditional school; Central Vietnam; Qualitative
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5.
Burley, Meghan E.
Education for All?: Girls' Access and Retention in Guatemalan Primary Schools.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2009, Bowling Green State University
► The Guatemalan Ministry of Education reports that 95% of the primary school…
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▼ The Guatemalan Ministry of Education reports that 95% of the primary school age population attends school (Ministerio de Educación Guatemala [MINEDUC], 2008a). Working to meet the Education for All goal of all children attending primary school by 2015 (MINEDUC, 2007; UNESCO, 2007) it appears the country is on the right track. However, this high primary school enrollment is deceiving. Within the primary school, girls have many barriers to receiving a complete primary school education.This thesis looks at the effect of urban and rural location on girls’ primary school enrollment, the differences in girls’ initial and final enrollments in primary school, and the comparison between girls and boys’ primary school enrollments, in order to determine the extent to which Guatemala will meet the international Education for All goal of all children, boys and girls, to attend and complete primary school by the year 2015. Data for this thesis are from the Guatemala Ministry of Education, and were used in single, independent, and related samples t-tests to calculate significance in population means. Data were selected from 1996 and 2007 in order to see how girls’ education access has changed over time. The analysis results show that location of schools, retention, and gender are all significant issues in the primary education of girls. Girls in rural areas are less likely to attend school than girls in urban areas. There are fewer girls that attend primary school than boys, and when girls do have initial access to school, there is not a guarantee that they will complete their education. Thus, Guatemala is not making adequate progress to have all girls attend primary school by 2015 in order to meet Education for All goals.
Advisors/Committee Members: Collet, Dr. Bruce.
Subjects: Education
Keywords: Education for All (EFA), Girls’ education, Guatemala, Latin America
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6.
Collins-Warfield, Amy E.
“Ubuntu” – Philosophy and Practice: An Examination of Xhosa Teachers’ Psychological Sense of Community in Langa, South Africa.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2008, Bowling Green State University
► A recent South African study estimated that nationwide, 20,000 teachers in primary…
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▼ A recent South African study estimated that nationwide, 20,000 teachers in primary and secondary schools leave the profession each year (Samodien, 2008). It is important to ascertain what factors contribute to teacher job satisfaction, in order to promote quality education in South African schools (Mwamwenda, 1995; Steyn and van Wyk, 1999) and end the teacher retention crisis. Psychological sense of community (PSOC) might contribute to job satisfaction for teachers in under-resourced schools in South Africa. Before the effects of PSOC on job satisfaction can be studied, teacher communities must first be studied to verify that PSOC exists in the South African context. Building on the literature about PSOC, teacher community, and urban Black South African schools, this thesis examines Xhosa teachers PSOC in Langa, South Africa, in the context of the indigenous African philosophy of ubuntu. Applying qualitative methodology in the form of interviews and observations, this study explains how two male and three female teachers at Sandile Primary School (a pseudonym) conceptualize their community, as well as how they incorporate ubuntu philosophy into their work lives. Utilizing McMillan and Chavis’s (1986) theory of PSOC as a framework for analysis, this study examines the ways in which the participants construct and sustain their teacher community. This study concludes that a strong PSOC does exist among the teachers at Sandile. Additionally, the 5 participants feel very strongly about the relevance of ubuntu philosophy to their roles as educators, as they practice it in their everyday work lives. This thesis provides a foundation for future studies on the potential effects of PSOC on job satisfaction.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kubow, Dr. Patricia.
Subjects: African history; Education; Educational psychology; Personal relationships; Psychology; Teaching
Keywords: Xhosa; teacher community; psychological sense of community; South Africa; Langa; ubuntu; PSOC; township; qualitative methodology
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7.
Dempsey, Alison.
Cross-cultural Interactions of Chinese Graduate Students at a Midsized U.S. University.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2012, Bowling Green State University
► This study explored the patterns of interactions and networks of interpersonal support…
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▼ This study explored the patterns of interactions and networks of interpersonal support of Chinese graduate students during their study abroad experience at a midsized university in the Midwest of the U.S. Eleven graduate students from the People’s Republic of China were interviewed to address three research questions including: 1) what are the goals of Chinese international students for their study abroad experience?, 2) what kinds of groups and networks do Chinese international students interact with at graduate school?, and 3) what barriers to interaction and participation do the students perceive in these environments? The findings show that the students had primarily academic and professional goals and their academic goal orientation shapes their daily lives and interaction with others in the U.S. The students interacted primarily with other students from China in academic and social settings. However, some of the students built relationships with Americans who were able to relate to them through intercultural understanding and utilize intercultural communication techniques. A better understanding of Chinese international students’ interaction with others and their new environment in the U.S. can enhance the ability of academic institutions in the U.S and American students, faculty and community members to help international students from China achieve their goals and facilitate their process of adaptation in the U.S.
Advisors/Committee Members: Frey, Christopher.
Subjects: Asian Studies; Education; Educational Psychology; Higher Education
Keywords: Chinese students; international students; acculturation, cross-cultural interaction; U.S. university
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8.
Ford, Sarah Marie.
Public Education and Alaska Natives: A Case Study of Educational Policy Implementation and Local Context.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2010, Bowling Green State University
► This research is a case study which looks at a school district…
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▼ This research is a case study which looks at a school district in rural Alaska that serves a predominantly Alaska Native population. The research addresses the question of how the district is navigating the implementation of federal and state educational policy and simultaneously adapting initiatives to the local reality and addressing the needs and wishes of Native village communities. To understand the policy implementation process in this specific context, the researcher coded and analyzed all documents provided to the school district's board of education for their meetings from the 2004 through 2009. This data contained both explicit and implicit information about the challenges and relationships that make up a framework within which district administrators, board members, and community members work. In addition, it informed how this framework influences the policy implementation process within the district. Though specific to the context of rural Alaska and education for Alaska Natives, this research explores the local-national dichotomy at play in policy implementation, especially concerning schooling in Native communities. By giving attention to the role of the school board in this process, it is providing insights into an area that is under researched.
Advisors/Committee Members: Collet, Bruce.
Subjects: Bilingual education; Education; Native Americans
Keywords: Native American; Alaska Native; education; school governance; bilingual education; Indigenous self-determination; educational policy
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9.
Hatch, Jared P.
Fitting in: Exploring the experiences of middle schools students’ transition into an elite international boarding school.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2011, Bowling Green State University
► This study investigates middle school students as they transitioned into an elite…
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▼ This study investigates middle school students as they transitioned into an elite international boarding school. A case study approach was used to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of the participants in the study. Twelve middle school students were selected for this study based upon their grade level, gender, familiarity with English, nationality, and number of siblings to represent a maximal variation with the school. All twelve participants participated in one individual and one focus group interview about their experiences in coming to the new school. The data was analyzed inductively and five themes emerged. This study explores the acculturation process into an elite international boarding school, the effects that language learning has on this process, how this process produces independent individuals, how students must overcome fears throughout the process, and the effects that siblings have on transitions. The data suggest that elite international boarding schools have much in common with the elite boarding schools found in the US, and more research should be conducted at other elite international schools to further investigate these relationships.
Advisors/Committee Members: Frey, Christopher J.
Subjects: Education; Educational Psychology; Educational Sociology
Keywords: transition; TCK; third culture; global nomads; boarding school; international school; middle school; ESL
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10.
Huang, Shanshan.
The Facilitative Role of A Community-based Non-profit Organization in First-year International Graduate Students’ Sociocultural Adjustment in A Midwestern University.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2010, Bowling Green State University
► This study depicted, explained, and explored the facilitative role of a community-based…
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▼ This study depicted, explained, and explored the facilitative role of a community-based non-profit organization, International Alliance, in first-year international graduate students’ sociocultural adjustment in a Midwestern university in the United States. Interviews were conducted with four first-year international graduate students selected out of 24 online survey respondents, the organization’s director, and two volunteers. Based on analysis derived from of social learning theory, international students’ social and network patterns, social capital theory, and the concept of community of practice, five categories were identified as crucial in facilitating sociocultural adjustment, and three factors were found to influence the five categories. The five categories were 1) “Hospitable Image”, 2) “Friendship Platform”, 3) “Accessible Help”, 4) “Group Fit Cultivation”, and 5) “Personalized Approach.” The three factors influencing the five categories were international Alliance’s mission statement, umbrella-structured operations, and volunteers’ cross-cultural training.
Advisors/Committee Members: Collet, Bruce.
Subjects: Education
Keywords: community-based non-profit organization; international graduate students; sociocultural adjustment
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11.
Issah, Mohammed.
Communication of Organizational Values to Staff through Non-Formal Educational Activities: The Case of Not-For-Profit Organizations.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2010, Bowling Green State University
► Various methods have been adopted in teaching organizational values to employees. The…
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▼ Various methods have been adopted in teaching organizational values to employees. The traditional methods commonly used include orientation, organization's documents, and postings on walls of offices (Klein and Weaver, 2000). This study examined the communication of organizational values through non-formal educational activities at a non-profit organization. A convenience sampling method was employed, and a total of 23 employees were surveyed. The study tested the hypothesis that employees of Foundation to Mankind (FTM) rate organization's values higher than non-organization's values. The study also examined the degree of importance employees ascribed to the FTM values. The non-formal educational activities examined were, Yearly Staff Orientation, Supervisors' Orientation, and Farmer Recognition Day Celebration organized by FTM. These activities made the staff more aware of the organizational values. The t-test revealed a statistically significant difference between FTM and non-FTM values. In addition, mean ranking of the employee ratings revealed FTM values ranked higher than non-FTM values. Staff mentioned consistently diversity, social justice, building relationships, helpfulness, and unity as the values emphasized by the non-formal educational activities they participated in.
Advisors/Committee Members: Collet, Bruce A.
Subjects: Communication; Education; Multicultural education; Organizational behavior
Keywords: Organizational values; not-for-profit organizations; universal human values; non-formal education; values
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12.
Kone, A'ame.
Becoming a Person: Consequences and Contradictions of Domestic Servitude in Mali.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2011, Bowling Green State University
► This ethnographic study explored the practice of domestic servitude and the type…
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▼ This ethnographic study explored the practice of domestic servitude and the type of relationships afforded to women and girls in this trade in an urban setting in Mali. The Mande belief system does not support the necessity of the domestic servant, yet many families now require the use of one or are in destitute situations and must place their own children into this type of work. While the traditional practices of child fostering and domestic servitude fulfill similar roles in Mali, the contradictions between the fostering system and the modern practice of domestic servitude have become intensified as the relationship between domestic servants and their employers attempt to adhere to traditional Mande beliefs. This study explored the relationship between the servant and her employer as they navigate evolving societal norms while still holding on to their Mande beliefs. This qualitative ethnographic study of 16 women in Mali, found that women who hire domestic servants and girls who are enrolled in school both benefit from this practice; yet, both were at risk of losing their personhood status as they shifted from their traditional female roles into independent selves. Domestic servants who were not enrolled in school had less to gain from this practice and were at an increased risk of losing their personhood. Domestic servants provided opportunities for the working woman to achieve autonomy, assisting the woman in maintaining her personhood status while simultaneously putting the domestic servant in danger of losing her status.
Advisors/Committee Members: Booth, Margaret.
Subjects: African Studies; Education; Womens Studies
Keywords: Mali; West Africa; domestic servants; Mande; women; social networks; informal education; adolescent girls; fostering; child work
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13.
Lamont, Sarah.
Deconstructing the Dichotomy: Muslim American University Students' Perceptions of Islam and Democracy.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2012, Bowling Green State University
► Much of the research on Islam and democracy has focused on the…
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▼ Much of the research on Islam and democracy has focused on the macro-level, and fails to detail a qualitative account of the experience of Muslim citizens of democracies (Cesari, 2004; Said, 1978; Said, 1981; Al-Azmeh, 1993; Esposito, 1995; Khan, 2006; Huntington, 1996; Adib-Moghaddem, 2008; Barber, 1996; Fukuyama, 1992). The neglect of the Muslim individual experience in the dominant discourse on Islam and democracy has stifled the voices of members of this marginalized population, thereby limiting their self-representation. This is especially true for Muslim Americans, who, in the aftermath of 9/11 and current surge of revolutions in North Africa and the Middle East, are either demonized or forgotten altogether, despite the significance of their every day navigation of both Islamic and democratic values and unique efforts toward identity construction. The purpose of this study was to address these gaps in the literature and, through the use of a phenomenological framework and Shi-xu��™s (2005) cultural approach to Critical Discourse Analysis, complicate the dominant discourse on Islam and democracy by providing insight into the lived experience of seven Muslim American university students as well as supplemental perspectives from their university professors and local Imams. The findings of this study encapsulate the lived experience of the seven Muslim American student participants. These participants, along with professors and local Imams, constructed an alternative discourse that positioned the Islamic and democratic values of equality, respect, freedom, and education as compatible, with the exception of some complications such as Eurocentrism and a heavy reliance on unbridled capitalism. The study concludes with suggestions for all participants to better their understanding and/or enactment of Islamic and democratic values, including attaining education, engaging in civic participation, and developing empathy.
Advisors/Committee Members: Collet, Bruce.
Subjects: American History; American Studies; Banking; Behavioral Sciences; Cognitive Psychology; Community College Education; Community Colleges; Continuing Education; Cultural Anthropology; Curriculum Development; Economic History; Economics; Economic Theory; Education; Educat
Keywords: Islam; democracy; phenomenology; critical discourse analysis; Muslim American; national identity; capitalism; participation; education; civic engagement; religious identity; clash of civilizations; Imams; professors; university students
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14.
Loibl, Medea.
Predominant Patterns of Parental Authority among Amish Communities.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2012, Bowling Green State University
► The focus of this ethnographic case study was to explore the social…
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▼ The focus of this ethnographic case study was to explore the social and cultural factors of informal education that influence Amish adults regarding their approach to parenting. Four Amish participants, living in the Holmes County Settlement located in Northeast Ohio, and two experts on Amish culture participated in individual open-ended semi-structured interviews. The qualitative analysis of this data employed Erik Erikson’s (1993) theory of eight stages of human development as a theoretical background for categorizing and understanding crucial life stages in Amish communities and assisted in understanding how patterns of parental authority develop. These patterns of parental authority were then analyzed within Diana Baumrind’s (1978; 1971) and Maccoby and Martin’s (1983) framework of parenting styles. The cultural concept of Ordnung was found to be central for the development of patterns of parental authority. The findings and analysis of life span development also revealed that the Amish communities studied exhibit only six out of the eight stages of human development presented by Erikson. Utilizing Baumrind’s and Maccoby and Martin’s framework in relation to the findings of this research lead to the conclusion that Amish parents in the community investigated represent a mixture of the authoritarian-autocratic and the authoritative-reciprocal patterns of parental discipline. In addition, the indifferent-uninvolved pattern of parental discipline was found the least suitable to describe the parent-child relationship of the Amish families studied. This thesis aimed to serve as a basis for further research in the field of Amish studies, since it connected cultural socialization processes with parenting styles, which represent an area that has hardly been studied yet. Moreover, this research has implications for policy makers when discussing public educational policies about the Amish, for educators and educational researchers who are interested in different approaches toward the role of schools and compulsory education, and for the general public who wants to learn more about differences in parenting styles due to differences in cultural background.
Advisors/Committee Members: Collet, Bruce.
Subjects: Cultural Anthropology; Education; Educational Psychology
Keywords: Amish; parenting styles; life span development; Amish schools
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15.
MacKenzie, Benjamin Roe.
Designing the Part: Drama and Cultural Identity Development Among Ghanaian Teenagers.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2011, Bowling Green State University
► As arts educators seek to defend their programs, and scholars explore human…
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▼ As arts educators seek to defend their programs, and scholars explore human development in a rapidly globalizing world this paper explores how involvement in the dramatic arts may influence the development of identity among a group of teenage students in the country of Ghana. The literature reviewed for this study includes analyses of native, colonial and postcolonial cultures in the country as well as the educational environment that surrounds the participants. Since contemporary Ghanaian culture melds tribal and colonial practices in both education and the arts, this literature helps illuminate the initial research findings. Observations of rehearsals and interviews with twenty students contributed to the data in this qualitative case study that seeks to explain ways that students construct identity within an extra-curricular theatre group in modern Ghana. Ultimately, the data suggest that a high school drama club may help students develop their cultural identities by offering a space for students to experience and affirm long-standing traditions, discuss diversity with fellow actors and audiences, and construct a new culture through diverse performances.
Advisors/Committee Members: Collet, Bruce.
Subjects: Art Education
Keywords: Drama; Ghana; Cultural Identity; Youth Theatre; Globalization; Akwaaba; Pan-Africanism; Extra-Curricular Activities; West Africa; Africa
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16.
Major, Adia Y.
Social Constructionism, Parental Ethnotheories, and Sex Education: Exploring Values and Belief Systems in a Mexican/Mexican-American Population.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2009, Bowling Green State University
► The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of three…
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▼ The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of three cultural components on Mexican-American/Mexican identity. After an exhaustive review of literature relating to sociology, health, religion, and sexuality, three main themes emerged in terms of shaping the values and belief systems of Mexican-Americans/Mexicans. These themes are familism, parental ethnotheories, and religion. This study then explores how these themes may influence sexual education programs that target Mexican-American/Mexican adolescents. The central hypothesis is that sexual education programs that serve a Mexican-American adolescent population must address issues of familism, parental ethnotheories, and religion in order to be culturally relevant and effective. The current study employs a qualitative research methodology that is informed by a social constructionist conceptual framework and a grounded theory analysis of the accumulated data.
Advisors/Committee Members: Booth, Margaret.
Subjects: Cultural anthropology; Education; Families and family life; Health education; Hispanic Americans
Keywords: Mexican-American adolescents, parental ethnotheories, Mexican-American parents, social constructionism, sex education, sexual health education, prevention strategies
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17.
Nieto, Claudia P.
Cultural Competence and its Influence on the Teaching and Learning of International Students.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2008, Bowling Green State University
► The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which one's level of cultural competence impacts the teaching and learning process for both instructors and students at the university level. Specifically, this study examined whether there is a difference in the level of intercultural sensitivity between university instructors and ESL students, whether ESL instructors and non-ESL instructors vary in their levels of intercultural sensitivity, and the extent to which gender impacts cultural competence. Finally, an investigation was conducted to explore the relationships between the instructors' level of intercultural sensitivity and the challenges they face in instructing international students, in addition to the relationship between students' level of intercultural sensitivity and the challenges they face while pursuing a college degree in the United States. A mixed methodology, using Intercultural Sensitivity Scale (Chen and Starosta) found that instructors in this university reported a higher level of intercultural sensitivity than college students at the same institution; a significant difference between ESL instructors and non-ESL instructors in the area of interaction engagement was revealed; and, that females scored higher than males. Finally, while instructors revealed that culture and language were the challenges most faced in teaching international students, those same students did not reveal them to be significant challenges.
Advisors/Committee Members: Booth, Margaret.
Subjects: Adult education; Bilingual education; Education; Higher education; International relations; Teacher education
Keywords: Cultural Competence; Intercultural sensitivity; Cultural Awareness; Second Language Acquisition
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18.
Pacheco, Leslie.
Exploring the Education Experiences of Sudanese Refugee Women Living in the United States.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2011, Bowling Green State University
► This thesis is submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State…
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▼ This thesis is submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degrees of M.A. Cross-Cultural & International Education and M.Ed. in Curriculum & Teaching. Violent civil conflict in the African nation of Sudan created a humanitarian crisis which necessitated involvement and support from the international community, resulting in the resettlement of many Sudanese refuges to the United States. Much of the research on refugee populations has failed to take into account the gendered nature of the refugee experience. This is especially true of the Sudanese refugee population, in which the experiences of men have been well documented, earning them recognitions as the Lost Boys of Sudan; while their female counterparts have remained, for the most, part voiceless. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how Sudanese refugee women perceive and interpret their experiences in formal education programs and how these experiences influence the resettlement process. This study addresses gaps in the literature by providing insight into the lived experiences of nine Sudanese refugee women as they reflect on their education experiences. The findings of this study indicate that refugee women have unique needs during the resettlement process. In addition to the need to learn the language of the country of resettlement, find a job and adjust to social and cultural norms, the Sudanese refugee women in this study also expressed a strong need to establish relationships, gain economic independence, and find a sense of hope in the future. The findings of this study suggest that participating in formal education can assist Sudanese refugee women in the resettlement process by fulfilling many of these needs. Formal education provided the Sudanese refugee women in this study with language and occupational skills, in addition to, and most significantly, a sense of empowerment and the agency necessary for them to redefine their lives and advocate for social change.
Advisors/Committee Members: Booth, Margaret.
Subjects: Education; Womens Studies
Keywords: Phenomenology; Lived Experience; Sudanese Refugees; Refugee Women; Formal Education
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19.
Pippin, James D.
Education on the Edge of Empire: Chinese Teachers' Perceptions of Development and Education in Xinjiang, China.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2009, Bowling Green State University
► Proponents of both capitalist and socialist ideologies have historically vied to define…
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▼ Proponents of both capitalist and socialist ideologies have historically vied to define and implement the development processes that best mitigate disparities between the “rich” and “poor”, both between and within countries (Payne, 2005). Acknowledging burgeoning rich-poor inequalities within its own borders, largely between the coastal and western regions and among the dominant Han Chinese and the country's ethnic minorities, China established the Western Development Strategy in 2001 to combat these disparities (Lai, 2002; Zhao Y., 2001). One of its key areas of concern is the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, an “underdeveloped” province in northwest China fraught with ethnic tensions between the Han and Turkic Uyghur populations. Schooling is an integral component of the strategy as China seeks to educate students in ways that quell these tensions and favor its development goals (Benson, 2004). However, to date there are no studies which explore the ways in which teachers, the primary purveyors of the state-generated curriculum, perceive and communicate their perceptions of development in the region. Utilizing qualitative methods of inquiry (including interviews, observations, and document analysis) and building upon literature concerning theories of development, education in China, the Western Development Strategy, and Han-Uyghur relations, this study explored four Han Chinese Xinjiang Senior School (a pseudonym) teachers' perceptions of the role of education in the Western Development Strategy. It concluded that teachers at the Xinjiang Senior School overwhelmingly support the strategy and its development goals. Additionally, the study supported previous studies which suggest that the strategy serves as a conduit for colonization and marginalization (Gladney, 1999).
Advisors/Committee Members: Frey, Christopher.
Subjects: Education; Educational sociology
Keywords: China; Xinjiang; Uyghur; Han Chinese; Development; Education; Qualitative Research; Globalization; Colonization
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20.
Sipes, Amanda.
Reconstructing Identity: Sociocultural and Psychological Factors Affecting U.S. College Students' Reentry Adjustment after Studying Abroad in Africa.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2012, Bowling Green State University
► This phenomenological study of six U.S. undergraduate students sought to capture the…
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▼ This phenomenological study of six U.S. undergraduate students sought to capture the psychological and sociocultural experiences of reentry adjustment upon return from studying abroad in Africa and its relationship with identity. Emphasis was also placed upon understanding the value of the African study abroad experience. This study analyzed the reentry experiences of the participants from one public, Midwestern university who had returned from studying abroad for two to six weeks in either Burkina-Faso or South Africa. Findings illustrated the unexpected difficulties participants faced as they adjusted back to U.S. culture upon return. Participants reported feeling isolated and misunderstood by their family and friends and guilty for their own material items. A critical view of the U.S. media and values of materialism and consumerism were also reported. Cultural, ethnic, and American identities were all modified as a result of the study abroad experience. Appreciation for the host cultures’ higher values for human relationships was also addressed. Thus, this study found that the participants experienced various degrees of personal growth and identity transformation while in Africa and it was the reentry process that made the participants aware of these newfound internal changes. As such, the reentry adjustment process illustrates the participants’ psychological and sociocultural reactions to their awareness of these changes and often sparks a sense of identity conflict as the individuals attempt to navigate their way between their identities adopted in the host culture and readjustment back into the home culture.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kubow, Patricia.
Subjects: African Studies; Multicultural Education; Multilingual Education; Psychology; Sub Saharan Africa Studies
Keywords: study abroad; reentry adjustment; Africa; college students; cultural identity; American identity; ethnic identity
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21.
Webb, Keelie Suzann.
Exploration Through Visual Art: Ego-Identity Development Among Hispanic American Adolescents.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2012, Bowling Green State University
► Community-based art practices connect the artist with the community, promoting an awakened…
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▼ Community-based art practices connect the artist with the community, promoting an awakened society of people, capable of creating aesthetically pleasing artwork as well as positive social change (Congdon, 2004). The purpose of this case study was to explore how the environment and identity-themed visual art projects influence the ego-identity development of Hispanic American adolescents. Nine adolescents (between 12-14 years old) who were enrolled in a community-based art program participated in this study. The findings of this study indicates that this community-based art program and identity-themed projects provided the Hispanic American youth in this study with artistic competencies, which lead to the ability to express their uniqueness and to develop coping mechanisms through art. Along with this, the Hispanic American youth in this study articulated an increase in self-esteem, due in large part to the afforded recognition felt within the community. In addition, a sense of affiliation and support, coming mostly from their peers and the staff and volunteers at the program, enriched the creative growth and provided the necessary encouragement for positive youth development.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bang, Hyeyong.
Subjects: Art Education; Educational Psychology; Hispanic Americans
Keywords: Community-Based Art; Hispanic American; Hispanic; Latino; Visual Art; Ego-Identity; Environment; Adolescents; Youth
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22.
Yang, Lihong.
Speech Act of Request: A Comparative Study of Chinese and American Graduate Students at an American University.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2009, Bowling Green State University
► With globalization of the world economy and cultural communication, more and more…
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▼ With globalization of the world economy and cultural communication, more and more Chinese students have entered American universities to pursue academic success in higher education. However, coming from a country where English is spoken as a foreign language, Chinese students may encounter difficulties in adjusting to the new social and academic environment in the U.S. The purpose of the present study was to investigate one pragmatic competence of Chinese graduate students in English communication settings'how they apply English request strategies in various social and cultural contexts. Request, according to Byon (2004), is "a directive that embodies an effort on the part of the speaker to get the hearer to do something" (p. 1674). Making requests in a foreign language is face threatening because it requires considerable cultural and linguistic expertise on the part of the speaker. Inappropriate request strategies can easily cause breakdowns in cross-cultural communication. Building upon a mixed-methods research design, the researcher conducted a comparative study of English requests between Chinese and American graduate students at one mid-western American university. The instrument used to collect data was a modified Discourse Completion Test (DCT)a questionnaire composed of 14 request eliciting situations, and follow-up interviews. Study findings revealed that significant differences exist between Chinese and American graduate students in directness and imposition of the request, and social distance in some social situations. No significant differences were discovered in relation to relative power of the hearer. Social distance, imposition of the request, and relative power were all positively correlated with each other.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kubow, Patricia.
Subjects: Education
Keywords: Speech act of request; Chinese; American; gradaute students
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23.
Zhou, Yuchun.
Understanding of International Graduate Students' Academic Adaptation to a U.S. Graduate School.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2010, Bowling Green State University
► This study explored how academic relationships, acculturation strategies, and graduate experiences influence…
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▼ This study explored how academic relationships, acculturation strategies, and graduate experiences influence international graduate students’ academic adjustment to U.S. graduate life in a large Midwestern university in the United States. To understand international graduate students’ academic experiences, ten international graduate students from different countries were interviewed about their academic experiences and three research questions were examined, including: a) what are international graduate students concerned about in their academic lives; b) how do the themes and subthemes influence their adaptation to a U.S. graduate school; and c) what are the major and the minor subthemes related to their academic adaptation?Qualitative methodology was employed, including purposeful participant selection, observations, interviews, data coding, and data triangulation. In addition, mixed data analyses were used in this study to enlarge the effect sizes of the qualitative findings. The findings show that international graduate students’ learning behaviors and attitudes are heavily influenced by the interactions with professors and fellow students, prejudice from school services, and family concerns. Unlike international undergraduate students, international graduate students are also affected by research concerns and graduate assistant work in U.S. graduate schools. Such working experiences have brought international graduate assistants both opportunities and difficulties in their transition to U.S. graduate education. Despite their similarities in circumstance, these students’ adjustment processes may vary due to their language proficiency, cultural knowledge, learning attitudes, and the utilization of school services. The above findings of this study will not only help international graduate become aware of their academic needs and expectations, but also help U.S. institutions understand their international graduate students’ academic adjustment processes, needs, and dissatisfaction. Moreover, giving the increasing trend of international education in the world, this study may also contribute to the scholarly inquiry of international students’ cross-cultural acculturation in the larger society.
Advisors/Committee Members: Frey, Christopher.
Subjects: Education
Keywords: international graduate students, academic, adaptation, U.S. graduate school
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24.
Zychowicz, Mary S.
Cultural Discontinuities: Insights into Latino Educational Values in a Latino Community in the U.S.
Degree: MA, Cross-Cultural, International Education, 2009, Bowling Green State University
► This mixed method study was conducted with formal and nonformal educators and…
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▼ This mixed method study was conducted with formal and nonformal educators and Latino families in Northwest Ohio to discern the educational, social and health needs that are specific to the Latino migrant community in Northwest Ohio. This study examined the perceptions of educational, health and socio-economic factors held by non-formal and formal educators who work with the Latino migrant community. Additionally, the Mexican educational system, the American educational and Latino cultural educational theories are contrasted. Results from this study show that formal and nonformal educators may not have similar perceptions regarding the needs of the Latino migrant community or Latino migrant students who attend public schools. Further, dissimilar cultural variances exist between Latino families in the U.S. and American educators which may hinder Latino student educational performance. Moreover, lack of access to information commonly assessed by the dominant culture in the U.S, including schools and health care may further deter the academic career of Latino students in American schools.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kubow, Patricia.
Subjects: Comparative literature; Education; Hispanic Americans
Keywords: Latinos; Hispanics; Education; Latino Migrants; Latino Immigrants
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