Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2017, EDU Teaching and Learning

The number of international students who pursue higher education in Western countries, such as the US, increases yearly. Asian international students are a significant proportion of international students from different countries. Numerous researchers have identified various challenges encountered by this group of international students, including difficulties in adjusting to new linguistic and academic environments (Scheyvens, Wild,& Overton, 2003; Yeh & Inose, 2003), struggling to learn Western styles of academic writing (Silva, 1992), inadequately participating in class discussions (Currie, 2007; Liu, 2000; Morita, 2004), being isolated from faculty and peers (Le & Gardner, 2010; Trice, 2003), and lacking the knowledge of local culture (Scheyvens et al., 2003). Some researchers also discovered that the use of technology could assist international students in developing their L2 competence (Bakar & Ismail, 2009; Kessler, Bikowski, & Boggs, 2012), increasing their participation in course-related discussions (Kamhi-Stein, 2000; Kim, 2011), and making connections with people from the identical ethnic group (Cao & Zhang, 2012; Fan, 2008; Kim, 2010; Kim et al., 2009) and from the target culture (Fan, 2008; Hodis & Hodis, 2012; Kim, 2010; Kim et al, 2009) in a foreign country. Nevertheless, a few studies (e.g., Hughes, 2013) have investigated the influence of technology use on international students' discipline-specific learning. This present study, therefore, examined the role of technology during Asian international doctoral students' acculturation to their particular academic disciplines. Vygotsky's (1978) sociocultural theory, Lave and Wenger's (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998) communities of practice, and Casanave, Li, and other scholars' academic acculturation (Casanave, 2002; Casanave & Li, 2008) were adopted to design this research, collect and analyze data, and interpret findings. Participants were three Chinese-speaking international students who (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Keiko Samimy (Advisor); Alan Hirvela (Committee Member); Francis Troyan (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Technology; English As A Second Language

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2023, Higher Education (Education)

Despite growing efforts to address the challenges international graduate students face while studying at US Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs), there is a dearth of research on the factors that influence their persistence (Curtis et al., 2013; Jackson et al., 2019; Khoshlessan & Das, 2019; Luo et al., 2019; Mitchell et al., 2017; Okusolubo, 2018; Wang et al., 2018; Zhang, 2016). Part of the problem is that international students are studied as a homogeneous group. Understanding the diversity that exists within the international students population is vital to IHSs to best serve and support them. This study employed Tinto's (1993) theory of persistence and Whitney and Cooperrider's (2011) model of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to examine the transitional experiences and persistence of African international graduate students at 4-year US research universities. The study utilized a phenomenological research design to understand how participants' experienced transitioning and persistence. The study consisted of 13 African students in their second year of their graduate program. Data was collected through in-depth virtual interviews with the participants. Data analysis involved a combination of interpretative interactions with the transcript and keeping reflection notes throughout the study. Findings revealed that perceived discrimination, lack of cultural diversity, financial constraints, and linguistic challenges negatively affected participants' experience. However, the study also identified that faculty mentorship, motivation and commitment, resilience, peer network, financial support, and spirituality influenced participants' persistence. The findings are consistent with the literature and have implications for university faculty, student affairs professionals, and policymakers to better support the transition and persistence of African international graduate students.

Committee: Laura Harrison (Committee Chair); Lijing Yang (Committee Member); Emmanuel Jean-Francois (Committee Member); Peter Mather (Committee Member) Subjects: Academic Guidance Counseling; African Studies; Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Minority and Ethnic Groups; School Counseling

Doctor of Education (EdD), Ohio University, 2020, Educational Administration (Education)

Student persistence, which is student's progress towards graduation through achieving or meeting educational goals, is widely studied. The focus of a majority of the studies on student persistence is on students at the K-12 and undergraduate levels. Furthermore, while persistence of graduate student population was studied, such studies focused on domestic student, and not international students. International graduate students are important for educational institutions. The pedagogical and financial impact of international graduate students on educational institutions is significant, yet their retention and persistence is understudied. The current study was an attempt to enhance our understanding surrounding student retention and persistence. Research on student retention and persistence is greatly influenced by the works of Vincent Tinto, one of the earliest researchers to incorporate sociological research into their work on student persistence and, who in the early 1970s, developed what is probably the very first predictive model of student persistence. Tinto's (1993) model of student persistence, known as Tinto's Institutional Departure Model (TIDM), suggests that a student's integration into the academic and social fabric of the educational institution (i.e., academic integration and social integration) predicts their persistence. Subsequent research, across different student populations and at different levels of education, has shown that academic integration and social integration play an important role in determining persistence of students, validating the core finding of Tinto's model. Student persistence decisions are complex and are influenced by a variety of factors. For example, finance plays an important role in not only access to education but also influences academic integration and social integration. This was highlighted by the works of Pascarella and Terenzini (2005), and Cabrera and colleagues (Cabrera, Nora, & Castaneda, 1992; Nora, Cabrera, Hage (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Emmanuel Jean-Francois (Advisor) Subjects: Education; Education Finance; Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2007, Teaching and Learning

East Asian international graduate students (EAGS) report frustration and isolation while interacting with university instructors and American classmates. Not much attention has been paid to matriculated ESL students beyond the language classroom in spite of the growing expectation of all students for verbal classroom participation in content classrooms in U.S. higher education. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of EAGS's academic oral communication needs and verbal participation in U.S. graduate courses. The two-phase design approach is applied by surveying 139 EAGS and interviewing 15 EAGS at a large Midwestern research university. The survey findings revealed that EAGS believe that raising questions and participating in whole-class discussions are the two most frequently expected oral tasks in graduate courses. EAGS were most concerned about leading class discussions and participating in whole-class discussions. EAGS considered listening comprehension and participation in whole-class discussions to be the most important skills for academic success, and pronunciation and note-taking, the least important. Most EAGS in the two group interviews shared similar views with their university instructors and American classmates, associating active class participation with verbal participation. At the same time, some EAGS argued that remaining silent, but attentively listening is another way to actively engage in class. Some wanted to remain legitimately silent through peripheral participation, especially at the early stages of their academic life in the U.S. EAGS in both the survey and group interviews reported the importance for all parties–content-area university instructors, domestic students, and international students–to be aware of linguistic and cultural diversity of EAGS and to share the communication burden in order to promote EAGS's verbal classroom participation in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms. Several important issues an (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Samimy Keiko (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2007, Counselor Education (Education)

Data indicate that the number of international students at U.S. institutions of higher learning has been rising. From 2002 to 2007 India has sent more students to U.S. colleges ad universities than any other country. Previous researchers have found many of the problems of international students unique and perhaps more pressing than those faced by other student populations, yet this pattern is not reflected in their use of counseling facilities (e.g. Pederson, 1991). Counseling center records at one mid-western university indicate that international graduate students use counseling center services proportionally less than any other group of students. This study is an inquiry into the experiences of Asian Indian graduate students, the largest segment of the international graduate student population at this mid-western university. Through this study, I attempted to understand how these students make sense of their experiences at the university, what problems they perceive themselves to have, and how they go about resolving those problems they deem significant. I employed a qualitative methodology in pursuing this study and I used an interpretive/constructivist paradigm to conceptualize my work. In-depth interview data were analyzed for recurrent themes and patterns. Four primary themes emerged: transitional issues, sources of support, counseling and mental health, and cultural beliefs and practices. The identified themes were shared with some participants during a second round of interviews to glean feedback and validate the findings. Participants in the study typically faced challenges with a pragmatic approach. They reported a preference for using previously established support networks, such as family and friends (even newly made friends) rather than formal counseling. Typically, they were unaware of counseling services and reported being unlikely to use services for other than pragmatic issues e.g. help with adjusting to a new educational system. In addition, it wa (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Thomas Davis (Advisor) Subjects:

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2024, Cross-Cultural, International Education

This research study explores the lived experience of nine international graduate student mothers (IGSMs) in the United States. This phenomenological study investigates the identity development of the nine international graduate student mothers (IGSMs) from six countries with diverse academic and cultural backgrounds as they navigate the dual roles of motherhood and educational pursuits. Through in-depth interviews, this research delves into the challenges and strategies IGSMs employ to balance their responsibilities, shedding light on the unique intersection of cultural, academic, and maternal identities. This study utilizes Bronfenbrenner's bioecological system theory to examine the multifaceted influences on their experiences, including personal, social, and institutional factors. The findings reveal that these mothers navigate complex interactions within their immediate and broader environments, leading to a continuous redefinition of their identities. Key themes include the balance between motherhood and academics, resources available to assist IGSMs, and the significance of the spouse's role, education, and cultural influence on IGSMs in identity development. The study underscores the importance of tailored support systems in graduate education to enhance the well-being, academic success, challenges, and resilience of IGSMs. The study provides implications for policymakers and educational institutions to foster more inclusive and supportive environments that could build a sense of belonging toward the host country's culture.

Committee: Margaret Zoller Booth Ph.D (Committee Chair); Chris Willis Ed.D (Committee Member); Christy Galleta Horner Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Education; Education

MA, Kent State University, 2021, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Geography

Emotional attachments with places can ease the process of socio-cultural adjustment in the host society. International students in the host society while trying to adjust with the new environment, build social and emotional connection with new places. This thesis identifies certain places which are special and meaningful to international graduate students in Northeast Ohio and examines how place attachment can ease the acculturative stress of international students in the host environment. Using a mixed method, I have interviewed international graduate students from three public universities in Northeast Ohio. Findings suggest that these participants have found social attachment with places, which created opportunities to interact with local people and also have helped them to understand host society's culture. Most of these meaningful places are on campus, which also depicts that graduate students mostly spend great amount of time on campus, as they are engaged with research, study and graduate assistantship. Additionally, findings from my study in congruence with previous literatures also support the notion that, university communities are more tolerant and friendly towards the diversity of international students, when compared to communities outside campus.

Committee: David H. Kaplan PhD (Advisor); Aimee Lou Ward PhD (Committee Member); Chris Post PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Geography

PHD, Kent State University, 2019, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

Imahori and Lanigan's (1989) intercultural relational model was used as the analytic framework for a better understanding of intercultural practice among international and American graduate students with their so-called culture other on a U.S. mid-sized college campus. Data were collected and analyzed in the two phases. In Phase I, the subjective views of intercultural practice on campus were collected from 12 research participants through semi-structured interviews. In Phase-II, Q methodology employed enabled 4 out of 12 participants to model their subjective views on the issues of intercultural interactions and relations on campus through operating three Q-sorts respectively. Each Q-sort was comprised of the 42 statements generated from the interview data in Phase I. These 42 statements were statistically grouped by factor analyses. By the end, there were three types of intercultural practice emerging: (a) relation-oriented; (b) knowledge-skill oriented; (c) seeking intercultural field for self-fulfillment. The research participants cut through the conventional conception of group identity bipolarized as “international” and “domestic” through unstable-othering for forging connection and developing relationships in an interchangeable interpersonal-intercultural manner. That promised them to move among different communities of practice and unnecessarily being the full membership of these communities. The current study made the theoretical contributions in the following perspectives: (a) intercultural adaptation as a one-way relation; (b) “small culture” among students defining their communities of intercultural practice. By the end, the constructive suggestions were put forward for HE institutions designing intercultural educational program for promoting intercultural interactions among students.

Committee: VILMA SEEBERG (Advisor); STEVEN BROWN (Committee Member); AMY DAMROW (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2015, Arts and Sciences: Communication

This thesis examines how international female graduate students in the US (specifically at the University of Cincinnati) experience health, and the processes through which they make meanings around health. A culture-centered approach was used to highlight the interactions between culture, structure, and agency regarding participants' health experiences. Semi-structured interviews with international female graduate students at University of Cincinnati (n=20) revealed not only participants' meanings and values related to health, but also uncovered the barriers to health they faced along with the strategies they utilized to navigate those health barriers. This was followed by a set of recommendations from the participants themselves on how to improve international female graduate student health at the university. This thesis offers insight on how university administrators and health practitioners might incorporate centering student/ patient culture. It also provides a set of health barriers and recommendations to keep in mind during the process of policy creation.

Committee: Shaunak Sastry Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Zhuo Ban Ph.D. (Committee Member); Heather Zoller Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication

Master of Education (MEd), Bowling Green State University, 2015, Business Education

The purpose of this study was to contribute a better understanding of the sense of belonging of international students in graduate-level business programs. The topic was important because, more than 800,000 international students are enrolled in business programs at institutions throughout the United States (Desilver, 2013). This number represents a growth of more than 40 percent over the last decade. The international students serve an important role in the social and academic development of their peers, both international and domestic. Over the past decade, the number of international students enrolled in institutions of higher education in the United States has increased and data reveals the enrollment numbers will continue to grow. Not all international students who aspire to successfully complete degree requirements at their respective universities are successful in doing so. As such, to increase the chances of international students' being successful in their respective university, education providers and scholars should clearly define and enhance academic support services (Altbach and Knight, 2007; Bolsmann and Miller, 2008). Developing a better understanding of the academic and social integration of international students may improve student retention and satisfaction with degree programs.

Committee: Frederick Polkinghorne (Advisor); Nancy Fordham (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

PHD, Kent State University, 2010, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

The number of international students on American campuses continues to increase. According to the Open Doors Report 2008, there were more than six hundred thousand international students studying on the tertiary level. Of this number, 48% were either enrolled in graduate or professional programs. The challenges faced by international graduate students have been documented in the social, cultural, linguistic and academic domain. Yet despite these challenges, international graduate students continue to finish their academic programs and graduate. In some academic areas the number of international graduate students enrolled and the number graduating with doctoral degrees has exceeded the number of American students in these same academic areas. What is it that contributes to the success of international graduate students in spite of empirical evidence that notes them facing a multiplicity of challenges? One possible explanation can be found in Sander's concept of Academic Behavioural Confidence which has been derived from Bandura's theory of self-efficacy. Academic behavioural Confidence is based on a students' ability to perform specific skills in a classroom setting. The purpose of this study was to identify the background characteristics and academic factors associated with Academic Behavioural Confidence in international students in Ohio's public institutions. Quantitative data were collected using a modified version of Sander and Sanders' Academic Behavioural Confidence Scale. Demographic data was also collected for this study. A total of 267 international graduate students responded to the survey. The results of the survey found one background characteristic and two academic factors associated with academic behavioral confidence. Complementary interviews were conducted with 16 of the 267 international graduate students who completed the survey. The results of the interview found two background characteristics and five academic factors associated with academ (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Mark Kretovics PhD (Advisor); Susan Iverson EdD (Committee Co-Chair); Kenneth Cushner EdD (Committee Member); Julie Gedeon PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2010, Cross-Cultural, International Education

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.

Committee: Bruce Collet PhD (Committee Chair); Christopher Frey PhD (Committee Member); Marc Simon PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2010, Cross-Cultural, International Education

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, a (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Christopher Frey PhD (Committee Chair); Michael Gillespie PhD (Committee Member); Hyeyoung Bang PhD (Committee Member); Jeffrey Grilliot PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2013, EDU Teaching and Learning

With the increase of international graduate students in English-speaking universities, second language writing professionals have called attention to neglected genres in the academic socialization literature. However, most of the studies have been skewed either toward the early or later stage of writing practices, for example, course assignments or theses/dissertations, and not addressed the academic genres of candidacy examinations and dissertation grant proposals. This qualitative dissertation addresses the gap in the literature. Throughout an academic year, I conducted retrospective interviews with 29 students and multiple text-based interviews with 10 case study students from China and Taiwan. Drawing upon Casanave's (2002) use of the writing games perspective for analysis, this dissertation presents two studies based on the multiple case study approach. The first study explores five students' writing experiences with candidacy examinations. Findings show that the genre of written candidacy examinations varies across disciplines. Among 17 disciplines examined, five examples existed: (1) literature reviews, (2) assigned questions, (3) a dissertation proposal, (4) a dissertation proposal and questions based on the proposal, and (5) a non-thesis proposal. Despite this stressful situation, the students were able to develop strategies and negotiate their roles to win the candidacy writing games. The second study compares the dissertation grant writing experiences of two doctoral students from two disciplines: biophysics and musicology. The analysis shows that grant writing was like playing writing games, where students had to follow a set of rules and interpret funding agencies' expectations within the complex genre systems. However, the students developed strategies to play the games through rereading guidelines, rewriting proposals, and networking with senior members of discourse communities. Moreover, the findings reveal that grant wri (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Keiko Samimy (Advisor); Jan Nespor (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Bilingual Education; Composition; Education; Higher Education