Global ETD Search

1	Exploring international students experiences of studying in UK universities : a narrative inquiry of Nigerian students Eze, Ogbonnia Eze January 2014 (has links) This thesis is a narrative inquiry of 10 international students from Nigeria studying in selected UK universities. The thesis draws from emerging discourse on international student’s overseas experiences and extends this knowledge by analysing these experiences from the framework of trauma, individuation, spiritual emergency and the African initiation process, in an attempt to gain an in depth knowledge of Nigerian students’ experiences of studying abroad in the current period. The previous understanding of international students’ experiences from culture shock framework does not account for how their difficult experiences affect their psychological, emotional, physical, social and spiritual wellbeing, so this thesis have reconceptualised these problems and explained them in more depth using the trauma framework and contributed to knowledge in this area. It is an exploratory qualitative study and data for the study was gathered through narrative interviewing. The narrative or story telling method applied in this study enabled the researcher to capture how the participants construct meaning to their lived experiences. The narrative inquiry is chosen because it gives voice to silenced group of people like the Nigerian students whose experiences are not heard. Narratives gathered were textually analysed to evidence the narrators’ unique individual experiences. Findings revealed that the participants had experiences that coincided with trauma experiences such as feeling of helplessness, disorganization, confusion, depression, sleeplessness and disorientation, lack of concentration and supressed emotion as they lived and studied in UK. The thesis concluded from the findings of the study that there is resemblance of trauma experiences in the participants’ stories. The study recommends that support was necessary when they are in UK, while adequate information should be provided before the students sojourn to the UK since most of their difficulties were as a result of failed expectations from their preconceptions about studying in the UK before they arrived. 378.1
2	Making sense of sudden personal transformation: a qualitative study on people’s beliefs about the facilitative factors and mechanisms of their abrupt and profound inner change. Ilivitsky, Susan 21 June 2011 (has links) Sudden personal transformation (SPT) was defined as a subjectively reported, positive, profound, and lasting personal change that follows a relatively brief and memorable inner experience. Although such change has been described in numerous biographies, works of fiction, and religious and scholarly texts, a consistent definition and systematic program of research is lacking in the psychological literature. Moreover, almost nothing is known about what causes such change from the subjective point of view of individuals who have experienced it first hand. This study used semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis to explore the common beliefs of three participants about the factors that facilitated and the mechanisms that caused their SPT. Findings reveal that all participants reported a life transition, feeling miserable, feeling exhausted, feeling unable to resolve adverse circumstances, reaching a breaking point, and support from others facilitated their individual SPT’s. All participants also indicated that a formalized activity or ceremony as well as a process outside of their conscious control (either a higher power or a deep inner wisdom) produced or caused their SPT’s. Implications for future research and counselling practice are discussed. / Graduate Epiphany Quantum Change Peak Experience Transformative Change Extra-therapeutic Insight Positive Change Transformative Experience Mechanisms of Change Rock Bottom Conversion Breaking Point William James Mystical Experience Turning Point Discontinuous Change Rebirth Born Again Spiritual Awakening Post-traumatic Growth Unencumbered Moment Spiritual Emergencies Transforming Moment Convictional Experience Instantaneous Conversion Enlightenment Alcoholics Anonymous Spontaneous Recovery Facilitative Factors Predisposing Factors Antecedents Conversion Experience Crystallization of Discontent Sudden Gains Chaos Theory Second-order Change Type 2 Change Non-treatment-related Nonlinear Change

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Exploring international students experiences of studying in UK universities : a narrative inquiry of Nigerian students

Making sense of sudden personal transformation: a qualitative study on people’s beliefs about the facilitative factors and mechanisms of their abrupt and profound inner change.