Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Dissertation

Keywords

Counseling in higher education--Middle West; Students, Foreign--Services for--Middle West;

Abstract

In the last five decades, higher education in the United States has faced a large influx of international students (Institute of International Education, 2004). However, a review of selected literature showed a paucity of research on faculty advising graduate international students. The literature pointed out that not all institutions were prepared to work with the international student population (Adrian-Taylor, Noels, & Tischler, 2007; Khabiri, 1985; Seeger, 1993) and that further investigation was needed in the area of faculty advising related to international students (Adrian-Taylor, et al.; Trice, 2003). Therefore, this study focused on the following research question: How do selected doctoral international students and faculty advisors in the College of Education in a Midwestern university live and perceive their advising experience?

An examination of the literature about international students in the United States higher education revealed a multitude of needs which could impact the life of international students on campus (Fatima, 2001; Parr, Bradley & Bingi, 1992; Sandhu & Asrabadi, 1991). Although these needs could be broadly classified as socio-cultural and academic, they were closely intertwined. As the literature showed, language (Pedersen, 1991; Yeh, 2004), culture shock (Leong & Chou, 1996; Lin, 1998), and development of support networks and help sources (Anaya & Cole, 2001; Ladd & Ruby, 1999) were considered problematic aspects which might interfere with the international students' adaptation, interaction with others, and potential learning in a new environment.

The qualitative multiple case-study methodology used in this study contributed to engaging the participants in discussions of their advising experiences in order to elicit themes and meanings significant to them and to enable the researcher to hear their voices through unfolding stories of their advising experiences. Shaped by their own personal values and knowledge, participant perspectives on their advising experiences revealed the following major themes: guiding/being guided, subjective experiences and expectations, growing and adapting, and unfolding of the personal. Through an in-depth investigation of particular case studies of both faculty advisors and doctoral international advisees, the results of the present study contribute to the literature on advising international students by providing insights into how advisors engage with international students and insights into student and faculty perspectives on effective advising.

Year of Submission

2008

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

First Advisor

Deborah Tidwell, Co-Chair

Second Advisor

Christine Canning-Peterson, Co-Chair

Date Original

8-2008

Object Description

1 PDF file (vi, 145 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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