International Saudi Arabia Students’ Level of Preparedness

Identifying Factors and Maximizing Study Abroad Experience Using a Mixed-Methods Approach

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v10i4.839

Keywords:

academic literacy, Cross-cultural understanding, higher education, international students, Saudi students, socialization, study abroad

Abstract

Given that students’ level of preparedness for study abroad is malleable, this study aimed to assess Saudi students’ level of preparedness academically and socioculturally to enhance their overseas experiences and success in higher education. Using a mixed methods research design consisting of survey data, semistructured interviews, and case studies with undergraduate and graduate students in a predeparture Saudi context and those enrolled in U.S. programs, the study provides empirical data to understand students’ intent to study abroad, local institutions’ contributions to preparation, and challenges encountered. Findings across datasets corroborated that Saudi students are highly motivated, while articulating the need for substantive supports toward a better understanding of U.S. higher education, academic expectations, and sociocultural practices. Participants articulated the need for advanced English skills, especially academic literacies (academic writing and reading strategies) to cope with demanding workloads in graduate programs. The study discusses curricular implications for higher education in binational contexts.

Author Biographies

  • Janina Brutt-Griffler, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, USA

    JANINA BRUTT-GRIFFLER, PhD, is Professor in English Education and Vice Dean for International Education and Language Programs at The State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY). She also serves as Director of the Center for Comparative and Global Studies in Education. Professor Brutt-Griffler’s research interests include policy and evaluation in higher education, bilingual curricula and theory of language development, and sociolinguistics of English as a global language. She is the Editor of the International Journal of Applied Linguistics (Wiley-Blackwell). She has published award winning books (World English: A Study of its Development, English and Ethnicity, and Bilingualism and Language Pedagogy) as well as numerous peer-reviewed articles. She regularly teaches graduate seminars in sociolinguistics and policy, applied linguistics, research in English in higher education, and language learning theory

  • Mohammad Nurunnabi, Prince Sultan University, Saudi Arabia

    MOHAMMAD NURUNNABI, PhD, CMA, SFHEA, FRSA, FAIA (Acad), CMBE, is the Aide to the President on Research, Ranking and Internationalization, and Chair of the Department of Accounting at Prince Sultan University, Saudi Arabia. He is an Academic Visitor (Senior Member) of St Antony's College, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. His most recent book is The Role of the State and Accounting Transparency (Routledge: London and New York). He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of PSU Research Review: An International Journal, Emerald, and Senior Associate Editor of Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer (SCOPUS Indexed). He has published over 100 articles in international journals including ABDC Ranked, ERA Ranked, ABS Ranked and Scopus/ISI indexed. He is one of the founding leaders of the Global Education Policy Network (GEPN).

  • Sumi Kim, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, USA

    SUMI KIM, PhD, is a Research Fellow in the Center for Comparative and Global Studies in Education at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Dr. Kim’s research interests include bi/multilingual development, transnationalism and academic mobility, social equity through education and training, and digital literacy. Her current research focuses on language education reform for international K-12 students’ multiliteracy development through English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI). She has taught linguistics, applied linguistics, and second language acquisition for master’s students at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

References

Alvesson, M. (2003). Beyond neopositivists, romantics and localists: A reflexive approach to interviews in organizational research. Academy of Management Review, 28(1), 13–33.

Andrade, M. S. (2006). International students in English-speaking universities: Adjustment factors. Journal of Research in International Education, 5(2), 131–154.

Brutt-Griffler, J., & Kim, S. (2018a). Gender socialization: From L1 to L2 languacultures. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 28(1), 102–118.

Brutt-Griffler, J., & Kim, S. (2018b). In their own voices: Development of English as a gender-neutral language. English Today, 34(1), 12–19.

Chapdelaine, R. F., & Alexitch, L. R. (2004). Social skills difficulty: Model of culture shock for international graduate students. Journal of College Student Development, 45(2), 167–184.

Charmaz, K., & Belgrave, L. L. (2012). Qualitative interviewing and grounded theory analysis. In J. F. Gubrium, J. A. Holstein, A. B. Marvasti, & K. D. McKinney (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of interview research: The complexity of the craft (2nd ed., pp. 347–366). SAGE.

Cheng, L., Myles, J., & Curtis, A. (2004). Targeting language support for non-native English-speaking graduate students as a Canadian university. TESL Canada Journal, 21(2), 50–71.

Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed.). Pearson.

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. SAGE.

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE.

Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2011). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (2nd ed.). SAGE.

Denman, B. D., & Hilal, K. T. (2011). From barriers to bridges: An investigation on Saudi student mobility (2006-2009). International Review of Education, 57(3–4), 299–318.

Gardner, S. K. (2008). “What’s too much and what’s too little?”: The process of becoming an independent researcher in doctoral education. The Journal of Higher Education, 79(3), 326–350.

Gibbs, G. (2008). Analyzing qualitative data. SAGE.

Giroir, S. (2014). Narratives of participation, identity, and positionality: Two cases of Saudi learners of English in the United States. TESOL Quarterly, 48(1), 34–56.

Greene, J. C. (2007). Mixed methods in social inquiry. Jossey-Bass.

Hamamura, T., & Laird, P. G. (2014). The effect of perfectionism and acculturative stress on levels of depression experienced by East Asian international students. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 42, 205–217.

Institute of International Education. (2018). Open Doors 2018 report on international education exchange. Retrieved April 29, 2019, from https://www.iie.org/Research-and-Insights/Open-Doors

Joshi, P. L., Bremser, W. G., & Al-Ajmi, J. (2008). Perceptions of accounting professionals in the adoption and implementation of a single set of global accounting standards: Evidence from Bahrain. Advances in Accounting, 24(1), 41–48.

Jung, E., Hecht, M. L., & Wadsworth, B. C. (2007). The role of identity in international students’ psychological well-being in the United States: A model of depression level, identity gaps, discrimination, and acculturation. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 31, 605–624.

Kim, J. (2011). Aspiration for global cultural capital in the stratified realm of global higher education: Why do Korean students go to US graduate schools? British Journal of Sociology of Education, 32(1), 109–126.

Kim, S. (2006). Academic oral communication needs of East Asian international graduate students in non-science and non-engineering fields. English for Specific Purposes, 25(4), 479–489.

Kuo, Y-H. (2011). Language challenges faced by international graduate students in the United States. Journal of International Students, 1(2), 38–42.

Lam, J. M. S., Ariffin, A. A. M., & Ahmad, A. H. (2011). Edutourism: Exploring the push-pull factors in selecting a university. International Journal of Business and Society, 12(1), 63–78.

Lefdahl-Davis, E. M., & Perrone-McGovern, K. M. (2015). The cultural adjustment of Saudi women international students: A qualitative examination. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 46(3), 406–434.

Li, J. Q., Liu, X., Wei, T., & Lan, W. (2013). Acculturation, internet use, and psychological well-being among Chinese international students. Journal of International Students, 3(2), 155–166.

Li, M., & Bray, M. (2007). Cross-border flows of students for higher education: Push-pull factors and motivations of mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong and Macau. Higher Education, 53, 791–818.

Mazzarol, T., & Soutar, G. N. (2002). “Push-pull” factors influencing international student destination choice. The International Journal of Educational Management, 16(2), 82–90.

Mori, S. (2000). Addressing the mental health concerns of international students. Journal of Counseling and Development, 78, 137–144.

Morita, N. (2004). Negotiating participation and identity in second language academic communities. TESOL Quarterly, 38(4), 573–603.

Morse, J. M. (2000). Determining sample size. Qualitative Health Research, 10(1), 3–5.

Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (4th ed.). SAGE.

Perna, L. W. (2006). Studying college access and choice: A proposed conceptual model. In J. C. Smart (Ed.), Higher education: Handbook of theory and research, Vol. XXI (pp. 99–157). Springer.

Perna, L. W., Orosz, K., Jumakulov, Z., Kishkentayeva, M., & Ashirbekov, A. (2015). Understanding the programmatic and contextual forces that influence participation in a government-sponsored international student-mobility program. Higher Education, 69(2), 173–188.

Perna, L. W., & Thomas, S. L. (2008). Theoretical perspectives on student success: Understanding the contributions of the disciplines. ASHE Higher Education Report (Vol. 34, No. 1). Jossey-Bass.

Poyrazli, S., & Grahame, K. M. (2007). Barriers to adjustment: Needs of international students within a semi-urban campus community. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 34(1), 28–45.

Ra, Y-A., & Trusty, J. (2017). Impact of social support and coping on acculturation and acculturative stress of East Asian international students. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 45(4), 276–291.

Rich, S., & Troudi, S. (2006). Hard times: Arab TESOL students’ experiences of racialization and othering in the United Kingdom. TESOL Quarterly, 40(3), 615–627.

Salisbury, M. H., Paulsen, M. B., & Pascarella, E. T. (2010). To see the world or stay at home: Applying an integrated student choice model to explore the gender gap in the intent to study abroad. Research in Higher Education, 51(7), 615–640.

Salisbury, M. H., Paulsen, M. B., & Pascarella, E. T. (2011). Why do all the study abroad students look alike? Applying an integrated student choice model to explore differences in the factors that influence white and minority students’ intent to study abroad. Research in Higher Education, 52(2), 123–150.

Salisbury, M. H., Umbach, P. D., Paulsen, M. B., & Pascarella, E. T. (2009). Going global: Understanding the choice process of the intent to study abroad. Research in Higher Education, 50(2), 119–143.

Salyers, V., Carston, C. S., Dean, Y., & London, C. (2015). Exploring the motivations, expectations, and experiences of students who study in global settings. Journal of International Students, 5(4), 368–382.

Sandekian, R. E., Weddington, M., Birnbaum, M., & Keen, J. K. (2015). A narrative inquiry into academic experiences of female Saudi graduate students at a comprehensive doctoral university. Journal of Studies in International Education, 19(4), 360–378.

Sasaki, M. (2011). Effects of varying lengths of study-abroad experiences on Japanese EFL students’ L2 writing ability and motivation: A longitudinal study. TESOL Quarterly, 45(1), 81–105.

Saudi Vision 2030. (2016). Vision 2030: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Retrieved February 5, 2020, from https://vision2030.gov.sa/en

Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. SAGE.

Taylor, C., & Albasri, W. (2014). The impact of Saudi Arabia King Abdullah’s Scholarship Program in the U.S. Open Journal of Social Science, 2(10), 109–118.

Thirolf, K. Q. (2014). Male college student perceptions of intercultural and study abroad programs, Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 51(3), 246–258.

Tummala-Narra, P., & Claudius, M. (2013). A qualitative examination of Muslim graduate international students’ experiences in the United States. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation, 2(2), 132–147.

Wilkins, S., & Huisman, J. (2011). International student destination choice: The influence of home campus experience on the decision to consider branch campuses. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 21(1), 61–83.

Woods, M., Paulus, T., Atkins, D. P., & Macklin, R. (2016). Advancing qualitative research using qualitative data analysis software (QDAS)? Reviewing potential versus practice in published studies using ATLAS.ti and NVivo, 1994–2013. Social Science Computer Review, 34(5) 597–617.

Yakaboski, T., Perez-Velez, K., & Almutairi, Y. (2017). Collectivists’ decision-making: Saudi Arabian graduate students’ study abroad choices. Journal of International Studies, 7(1), 94–112.

Yakaboski, T., Perez-Velez, K., & Almutairi, Y. (2018). Breaking the silence: Saudi graduate student experiences on a U.S. campus. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 11(2), 221–238.

Yan, K., & Berliner, D. C. (2011). Chinese international students in the United States: Demographic trends, motivations, acculturation features and adjustment challenges. Asia Pacific Education Review, 12(2), 173–184.

Yang, J-S., & Kim, T-Y. (2011). Sociocultural analysis of second language learner beliefs: A qualitative case study of two study-abroad ESL learners. System, 39, 325–334.

Yeh, C. J., & Inose, M. (2003). International students’ reported English fluency, social support satisfaction, and social connectedness as predictors of acculturative stress. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 16(1), 15–28.

Yin, R. K. (2011). Qualitative research from start to finish. Guilford.

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). SAGE.

Downloads

Published

2020-11-15

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 4 (2020): 10th Anniversary Series

Section

Research Articles (English)

Categories

License

Copyright (c) 2020 Journal of International Students

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

All published articles are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 Unported License.

How to Cite

International Saudi Arabia Students’ Level of Preparedness: Identifying Factors and Maximizing Study Abroad Experience Using a Mixed-Methods Approach. (2020). Journal of International Students, 10(4), 976-1004. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v10i4.839