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Full-Text Articles in Education

Chen, C. Y. & Razek, N. A. (2016). Acculturation And Sense Of Belonging-Engagement Patterns For Indian Graduate Students In The United States.Pdf, Chin Yi Chen, Nasser A. Razek Feb 2016

Chen, C. Y. & Razek, N. A. (2016). Acculturation And Sense Of Belonging-Engagement Patterns For Indian Graduate Students In The United States.Pdf, Chin Yi Chen, Nasser A. Razek

Nasser A Razek

Graduate international students often experience cultural, academic, and social changes while transitioning to U.S. educational environments. How can college administrators better support and engage them for increased personal and professional success? Findings from this qualitative study on graduate students from India revealed key themes driving the engagement patterns of international students while navigating acculturation stressors and transition barriers. Data also showed the significance of how adjustment factors affect the nature of
graduate international student engagement. Filling voids in relevant literature, acculturative factors that emerged in the study- including: linguistic, academic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and financial challenges- showed how cultural differences influenced …


Mass Media Created Stereotypes: Influence On Student Learning, Nasser Razek, Ghada M. Awad Jan 2015

Mass Media Created Stereotypes: Influence On Student Learning, Nasser Razek, Ghada M. Awad

Nasser A Razek

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the case of Saudi students at Riversdale State University (a pseudonym) with regard to the influence of the stereotype threat (McGlone & Aronson, 2007) created by TV and newspaper coverage when presenting images of Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, or the Muslim world. The study also aims at revealing the effects that the perception of the aforementioned stereotype can have on the academic success, social integration, and persistence of Saudi students. The research follows the qualitative approach to reveal the human aspects of the case and the degree of intensity that …


Missions And Practices Of Student Learning Assessment: An International Comparative Study, Nasser Razek, Ghada M. Awad Jan 2015

Missions And Practices Of Student Learning Assessment: An International Comparative Study, Nasser Razek, Ghada M. Awad

Nasser A Razek

Classroom assessment of student learning is part and parcel of the educational processes that both faculty and administrators use to guide their practices, ensure program effectiveness, and use as checkpoints for student achievement (Palomba & Panta, 1999). Mission statements and articulated policies often mention varied and continuous assessment techniques of student learning. However, how much they are reflected on the educational practices varies due to different factors like government mandates, requirements of accreditation, social factors, market forces, and accountability to stake holders which can all be credited for the degree of adherence to assessment best practices (Burke, 2005). This qualitative …


Impact Of Self-Efficacy On Saudi Students’ College Performance, Nasser Razek, Sandra C. Coyner Jan 2015

Impact Of Self-Efficacy On Saudi Students’ College Performance, Nasser Razek, Sandra C. Coyner

Nasser A Razek

With the increasing numbers of Saudi students marching into American colleges, the academic achievement and social integration of this student group is essential for the ultimate goal of their matriculation with their intended college degrees. Building upon the self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1986) as a construct of student academic achievement, the article reports a qualitative study about the case of Saudi students at Riverside State University. After initial site observations and document reviews were conducted, primary data were collected from open ended interviews with students, administrators, and professors at RSU. The findings revealed that various aspects of self-efficacy are either agents …


Volunteer Work And Socializing Activities: Impact On Campus Internationalization, Nasser Razek, Ghada M. Awad Jan 2015

Volunteer Work And Socializing Activities: Impact On Campus Internationalization, Nasser Razek, Ghada M. Awad

Nasser A Razek

The social and cultural adjustment challenges facing international students have always attracted the attention of university and college administrators (Pinheiro, 2001; Reedstrom, 2005; Zhao, Kuh &, Carini, 2005). As colleges try to make up for the loss in international recruitment in the post 9/11 phase, various volunteer efforts are encouraged to welcome, orient, and integrate international students into the American life and society (Wit, 2002). While serving their original purpose of asserting the friendliness and the welcoming gestures of host institutions to international students, these volunteer efforts aim indirectly to increase international enrollment and campus internationalization. Recognizing the possible potentials …


Behind The Veil: Cultural Challenges And Opportunities For A New International Student Group, Nasser Razek, Sandra C. Coyner Jan 2015

Behind The Veil: Cultural Challenges And Opportunities For A New International Student Group, Nasser Razek, Sandra C. Coyner

Nasser A Razek

The number of Saudi students studying in the United States quintupled from 3,035 students in 2005 to 15,810 students in 2010 due to a fully funded Saudi government scholarship (Open Doors, 2010). As students originating in a cultural background differing from the prevailing principles of their higher education institutions, Saudi students face several challenges. The cultural challenges are one of the most frequently apparent among these challenges (Constantine, Okazaki, & Utsey, 2004; Miller, 2002). Building upon the relationship between the cultural beliefs and student academic achievement, this study aimed at examining the cultural aspects of the increased presence of Saudi …


Academic Integrity: A Saudi Student Perspective, Nasser Razek Jan 2015

Academic Integrity: A Saudi Student Perspective, Nasser Razek

Nasser A Razek

Practices of academic dishonesty are prevalent on college campuses (Chen, 2009; O’Rourke, Barnes, Deaton, Fulks, Ryan, & Rettinger, 2010; Simkin, 2010). The pressure to excel, peer perception, and the lack of faculty enforcement are among several factors that lead students to cheat. Building on an initial multi campus 673 participant-survey results, circumstances of academic integrity among Saudi students at a Midwestern university are examined through in depth interviews. Findings revealed prevalence of academic misconduct behaviors among study participants. Academic misconduct behaviors ranged from simple utilization of cheating on tests to utilizing internet paper mills. Findings also showed a gap between …


Inclusive And Catholic: Challenging The Myth With Reality, Nasser A. Razek Dec 2014

Inclusive And Catholic: Challenging The Myth With Reality, Nasser A. Razek

Nasser A Razek

This qualitative study explored the multifaceted issue of cultural and religious challenges for an international Muslim group at a Catholic research institution. Measures employed by university community to assert the friendliness of campus to students from other religions and student perceptions of the effectiveness of these measures are surveyed to reveal the inclusion of students from several religious affiliations, especially Muslim
students. The study was based on several data collection methods including, surveys, content analysis of religious prayers performed at university functions, and in depth interviews with Muslim students. However, this report is mainly focused on the interview findings. Data …