To analyze the impact multicultural factors had on skills international graduate students at Ball State University's classrooms, two independent variables (professors' behavior and students' participation) and three dependent variables (language skills, cultural awareness, and group support) were utilized in this study.The primary goal of this thesis, an analysis of the impact that multicultural factors: language skills, cultural awareness, participation, group support, and professors' behavior had on international graduate students' participation in classrooms, revealed that:First, English language proficiency and language (speaking,reading, writing, and understanding) limited international graduate students' participation.Second, no relationship was found between the time international students lived in the United States and their cultural awareness hierarchy; but international students were aware of "other" cultural values and aspects beyond their own culture.Third, the level of group support provided to international students affected international graduate students' frequency of participation in classroom. Group support was provided basically by professors through encouragement and feedback.Fourth, although English proficiency limited international students participation, it was found that frequency participation ranked from "some times (30%)" and "always (30%) ", to "most of the time (33%)".Fifth, within 9 variables of professors' behavior, all of which were perceived as positive to some degree, forty-seven percent of (n=83) international graduate students reported that they perceived feedback as "always" positive.The second goal of this thesis, a comparison between students from developed and developing countries regarding their English language proficiency revealed that:Students from developing countries were 70 percent of the sample while students from developed countries made up 30%;Males were in a majority overall and more males than females were enrolled in master's programs. However, more females than males were enrolled in doctoral programs.Marital status did not affect English proficiency, but unmarried students showed higher levels of language- skills (speaking, reading, etc.) than married students.The third goal of this study, a description of how both family and friend relationships affected international graduate students' English proficiency revealed that both relationships limited international students' English proficiency. / Department of Educational Leadership
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/185154 |
| Date | January 1995 |
| Creators | Cutz, German |
| Contributors | Ball State University. Dept. of Educational Leadership., Murk, Peter J. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | viii, 126, [17] leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
| Coverage | n-us--- |
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