The goal of this study was to improve English language proficiency of undergraduate second-language learners (SLLs) through the use of literacy-based assistive technology (AT). Both current literature and the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) model suggest that literacy-based AT, while traditionally designed to assist students with learning disabilities, can benefit learners studying in a second language. This study adapted the Times Series Concurrent Differential (TSCD) research methodology to test the efficacy of AT for second language learners. TSCD involves the collection of a series of participant performance measurements both with and without the aid of AT. The difference between the two sets of measurements represents the impact of the AT. Fifty-four participants (32 SLL, 22 non-SLL) enrolled in a cross-section of Cape Breton University's Shannon School of Business courses participated. The adapted TSCD model was applied through a series of structured reading exercises that alternated use of AT with traditional reading over a full academic term. The reading assignments were drawn from course material and accounted for a small percentage of the class mark. In non-intervention exercises, participants read and reviewed assignments directly from printed course material. In intervention exercises, participants read and reviewed digital copies of the required material with the aid of PDF Equalizer. A secure Moodle site facilitated digital material access, performance measurement, and data management. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) determined a significant effect (9%) of the use of screen-reading software on academic performance of SLLs and a positive but insignificant effect (3%) of the use of screen-reading assistive technology on academic performance of non-SLLs. In addition, more SLL participants reported that the use of screen-reading software improved their reading (84%), listening (75%), and writing (56%) skills as compared to their non-SLL counterparts (36%, 41%, and 27% respectively). The majority of SLLs also reported that the use of the screen-reader had a positive effect on their academic performance (84%), improved their study skills (84%), and increased their confidence (78%) in their English language skills.

Thesis advisor: Audrey Friedman / As increasing numbers of international students enroll at US universities, these institutions must consider how best to create inclusive campus environments that serve varied learning needs. While international student enrollment at schools of education remains low, some elite programs are drawing growing numbers, but there is a dearth of research regarding international students' transitions into this culturally-embedded field. These experiences warrant investigation so that faculty, administrators, and fellow students might better understand, accommodate, and empower the international students in their midst. The purpose of this dissertation is to describe how 7 female international students from China, South Korea, and India perceive their transition experiences in Master’s programs at an elite US graduate school of education. Three interviews were conducted with each woman, using questions based on Charmaz's (2006) life change protocol. Research sub-questions concerned: a) the decision to study in the US, b) the women’s personal characteristics and background experiences, c) challenges and changes, d) strategies, and e) forms of support. Grounded theory was paired with narrative methods to analyze and present findings, highlighting themes within and across participants’ transitions. Schlossberg’s transition model (Anderson et al., 2012) was used to interpret results, especially women's coping resources. Three main themes emerged: the complexity of self-determination, hard work and its limits, and marginalization and attempts to minimize it. Despite positive experiences, the women faced challenges. While most gained a sense of independence, some resented their new responsibilities and missed previous support networks. All women reported hard work as a key academic strategy, but their diligence was not always enough to transcend language and cultural barriers. Faced with segregation and/or marginalization in America, most women attempted to enrich their experience, surrounding themselves with caring people, volunteering, or seeking resources to achieve goals. The findings suggest that institutions of higher education should assess the social and academic needs of international Master's students and offer tailored support services that address language and cultural barriers inherent in their programs. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

This project is a multifaceted analysis of the Post Graduate Work Permit Program (PGWPP), a temporary work permit that allows international students to live and work in Canada following graduation. This dissertation explores a) the program’s development throughout the years, b) the lived experiences and the perceptions of the students who used the program for transitioning to permanent residency and, c) an art-based autoethnographic introspection about this transition. The research question focuses on how the PGWPP, which provides the government with economic projections regarding student migration, influences the social and economic integration of international students/graduates. This dissertation consists of three self-containing articles all of which employ mobilities paradigm to examine the following secondary questions and purposes: a)Article 1 is an archaeological review of the development of the program that assesses how well the program meets its objective to settle international graduates as successful future permanent residents, b)Article 2 investigates international graduates’ experiences and perspectives about their transition to permanent residency via the PGWPP, c) Article 3 investigates the impacts of migratory-related difficulties among international students on their trajectory as immigrants. Each article approaches the PGWPP from a different methodological angle to provide a comprehensive analysis of the program that ultimately considers the wellness of international students in their pathways to Canadian residency.

The present study investigates the biosociodemographic characteristics, subjective well-being and some indicators of anxiety, stress and depression of Colombian students in Brazil. 173 graduate students participated (48.6% male, 51.4% female, ages M=30,34 DP=5.13, master = 47.39%, doctorate= 47.39% and post-doctorate= 5.22%) which were recruited by social networks, curriculum platforms and some institutions and programs which promote research. Data collection was conducted through an online survey that included a Biosociodemographic questionnaire, the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Short Form Scale- (DASS-21) Satisfaction with life Scale (SWLS) and of Positive and Negative Affection scale (PANAS). Results presented normal levels of anxiety, stress, depression, positive and negative affect, were found, and in most cases, high life satisfaction. The Student's t and Chi Square tests showed no statistically significant differences for the above variables between masters and doctoral students. These findings provide an initial insight regarding the situation of Colombian students, which can be useful for future support in their academic processes linking to Brazilian universities. / El presente estudio investigó las características biosociodemográficas, el bienestar subjetivo y algunos indicadores de ansiedad, estrés y depresión de estudiantes colombianos en Brasil. Participaron 173 estudiantes de posgrado (48.6 % hombres, 51.4% mujeres, distribuidos en nivel de maestría= 43.39%, doctorado=43.39% y pos doctorado= 5.20%) los cuales fueron reclutados por medio de las redes sociales, plataformas de currículos y algunas instituciones y programas de fomento a la investigación. La colecta de datos fue realizada por medio de una encuesta en línea que incluyó un Cuestionario Biosociodemográfico, la Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale- Short Form (DASS-21), la Escala de Satisfacción con la vida (SWLS) y la Escala de Afecto Positivo y Negativo (PANAS). Se encontraron índices normales de ansiedad, stress, depresión, afectos positivos, afectos negativos, y en la mayoría de los casos alta satisfacción con la vida. Las pruebas t de Student y Chi Cuadrado no mostraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas para las anteriores variables entre los estudiantes de maestría y doctorado. Estos hallazgos ofrecen una visión inicial con respecto a la situación de los estudiantes colombianos, que puede ser útil para futuros acompañamiento en sus procesos de vinculación académica a las universidades brasileras.

International students experience stress and adaptation difficulties as they study in a new culture. This study examined how cultural distance, acculturative stress, and social support interacted to influence positive and negative emotional responses among international students in the northern part of Cyprus. Acculturation models and the stress-buffering hypothesis served as theoretical frameworks. The 2 research questions involved understanding whether international students experienced more negative emotional responses compared to students from the home culture and whether social support moderated acculturative stress and reactions to being in the northern part of Cyprus. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine differences in emotional reactions between home and international students while 2 hierarchical multiple regressions examined the moderation hypotheses. ANOVA results indicated that Turkish-Cypriots had more positive emotional responses than international students. Results did not support social support as a moderator for either international students' acculturative stress or their emotional reactions. However, results suggested that unmet expectations, less financial satisfaction, and less social support predicted acculturative stress, while being in a relationship, having higher Turkish proficiency, having unmet expectations, and experiencing higher acculturative stress predicted more negative emotional reactions. These results may help universities design programs to support the psychological adaptation of international students, which could ultimately facilitate student retention.

<p>The aim of this Master’s thesis is to investigate Umeå University Library’s provision for its visiting international students. Questions addressed include: whether this library considers its international students to have specific needs which are different from those of domestic students; what kind of provision is offered to international students; and whether and what kind of affective barriers international students experience in this academic library.</p><p>For this case study two semi-structured interview questionnaires were designed, one for librarians and the other for international students. Three contact librarians and five international students were interviewed. The students differ as to nationality, gender, and level of education. They are non-native English speakers and have stayed in Sweden longer than six months.</p><p>The theoretical framework for this study is partially based on Budd’s library instruction model and partially on Bostick‘s five dimensions of library anxiety: barriers with staff, affective barriers, comfort with the library, knowledge of the library, and mechanical barriers.</p><p>The empirical findings are that apart from a library introduction and a library tour the library does not provide any special services for international students. The library appears to work on a one-size-fits-all assumption, sprinkled with a feel-free-to-ask-me attitude, rather than offering course-integrated library instruction sessions. At best, international students might get one timely library instruction opportunity. At worst, they use the library only for studying in it rather than for information searching. The study confirms the findings from the literature that the international students experience library anxiety. In order to overcome this anxiety, this thesis proposes that library instruction sessions are introduced into all international programmes and courses; that a liaison librarian should be appointed; and that a library website tailored to the needs of international students should be designed.</p>

The aim of this study was to explore communication between supervisors and international students in the context of master’s supervision meetings. Nine meetings between three lecturers and seven students were audio recorded and analysed using Conversation Analysis. The focus of the study is the supervisors’ use of Yeah?, Okay? and Right? after students’ minimal responses and silence, usually following supervisors’ informing and advising turns. The use of these tags in this position is distinctive, and throws some light on the practice of supervision and on the ways students and supervisors orient to their roles. The tags can be seen to function to underline the supervisors’ actions of informing or advising, to mark transitions in the supervisors’ talk, to express doubt about the students’ understanding or agreement, and to invite students to speak. The sequences of which these tags are a part highlight both the asymmetrical relationship between supervisors and students and the negotiation of understanding and agreement that is a central issue in this setting, particularly when supervisors and students do not share the same linguistic or cultural background. I conclude by outlining some implications for supervisors’ practice, and also some specific suggestions which might be considered by teachers of English for academic purposes.

The aim of this Master’s thesis is to investigate Umeå University Library’s provision for its visiting international students. Questions addressed include: whether this library considers its international students to have specific needs which are different from those of domestic students; what kind of provision is offered to international students; and whether and what kind of affective barriers international students experience in this academic library. For this case study two semi-structured interview questionnaires were designed, one for librarians and the other for international students. Three contact librarians and five international students were interviewed. The students differ as to nationality, gender, and level of education. They are non-native English speakers and have stayed in Sweden longer than six months. The theoretical framework for this study is partially based on Budd’s library instruction model and partially on Bostick‘s five dimensions of library anxiety: barriers with staff, affective barriers, comfort with the library, knowledge of the library, and mechanical barriers. The empirical findings are that apart from a library introduction and a library tour the library does not provide any special services for international students. The library appears to work on a one-size-fits-all assumption, sprinkled with a feel-free-to-ask-me attitude, rather than offering course-integrated library instruction sessions. At best, international students might get one timely library instruction opportunity. At worst, they use the library only for studying in it rather than for information searching. The study confirms the findings from the literature that the international students experience library anxiety. In order to overcome this anxiety, this thesis proposes that library instruction sessions are introduced into all international programmes and courses; that a liaison librarian should be appointed; and that a library website tailored to the needs of international students should be designed.

As more students enter Canadian universities from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, supporting the development and transition of their academic writing skills through assignment and feedback design has become very important. Many of these students and their instructors identify academic writing as one of the students’ biggest problems in a Western university or college (Robertson, Line, Jones & Thomas, 2000; Yang, 1994; Zhu & Flaitz, 2005). Yet there is little support available for the instructors who work with these students (Dedrick & Watson, 2002). This study focuses on my interactions with three instructors in graduate programs that have a high proportion of international students who use English as an additional language (EAL). By weaving together action research and case study research, three themes became apparent: the instructors saw no clear distinction between the needs of EAL students and those who have English as a first language; the instructors were unclear about how to teach writing in their discipline; and, the instructors felt frustrated and overburdened by their workload. I also learned how I, as a researcher and an educational developer, can better interact with instructors to ensure support at the level of assignment and feedback design. The first lesson is when interacting with others it is necessary to identify the lens that represents one’s institutional and cultural lens. Because I did not adequately identify and interrogate my lens, I gave in to my colonial impulse to direct the study and the participants. The second lesson is the space in which we two instructors – the person from a given discipline and the person who is an educational developer – come together as a kind of “contact zone” (Pratt, 1998). I had hoped that the instructors and I would come together as a kind of Venn diagram, with our knowledge overlapping in a neutral and fruitful way, but I learned that the space where we come together is fraught and vulnerable for both the participants and the researcher. The third lesson is that relationships, which traditionally are not highly valued in our workplace in higher education, are extremely important in order to foster dialogue, continue conversations, and allow for the necessary revisiting and development of our work together. The main recommendation stemming from this study is workplace training for administrative staff who are in educational development positions. This study is important because there is little previous research in this area. As more Learning and Teaching Centres emerge at Canadian institutions, we must learn how to work effectively with instructors to affect curricular and assignment change. We must also question whether the kind of support a member of a Learning and Teaching Centre can provide is enough to affect this change, or whether other models, such as the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and faculty mentoring, are essential in the development of the understanding of how to better support the development of the academic writing skills of international EAL students.

This research explored the learning conceptions of a culturally diverse population of post-graduate health and life sciences students at a Scottish university; and investigated the relationship between their learning conceptions and academic achievement. There is a vast literature on conceptions of learning deriving from a variety of disciplines, although few studies have addressed the conceptions of experienced learners. A mixed methods approach was implemented, which is underpinned by a phenomenographic methodology. The participants comprised individuals from thirty-two nations, which were broken down into five cultural clusters. Quantitative data were gathered from 156 students, using the Conceptions of Learning Inventory (COLI) (Purdie & Hattie, 2002) and their predicted, and actual, academic performance at the end of their first semester. Three focus groups further explored students’ understanding, and experiences, of learning and assessment. There were some cultural differences in conceptions of learning identified in this study; generally, students from Central Africa scored most learning conceptions higher than students from other cultural clusters. There were no learning conceptions that predicted academic achievement with this group of post-graduate health and life sciences students, although there was a relationship between predicted academic performance and ‘personal development’ and ‘broadening horizons’. Possible explanations for these outcomes are presented. Contrary to previous research, predicted academic performance was not correlated with academic achievement. There were no cultural differences in academic achievement, but more students from Central Africa predicted that they would perform well than students from other cultural clusters. There is some support for learning conceptions sitting in a nested hierarchy, as found by previous research, but this study cannot confirm the exact order of these learning conceptions. In light of these findings, suggestions for future research are considered, with an emphasis on the relationship between learning context and conceptions of learning; and longitudinal research focusing on the development of learning conceptions. Implications of the outcomes from this study for university learning and teaching, as well as international and staff development policies, are presented.