International Students' Academic and Sociocultural Adjustment to College: A Mixed-Method Exploration of Current Perceptions and Future Possibilities

• In Event: 61.071 - Sheraton Roundtable Session 10 - Grand Centre
  In Roundtable Session: 61.071-4 - Global Perspectives on Educational Outcomes

Abstract

This mixed-method study examines the academic and social integration of international freshman students and the impact of First-Year Seminar (FYS) courses on their student success. The study employs Berry’s Acculturation Model (1974, 1980, 1997), examining the acculturation strategies that international students develop during their First-Year of undergraduate study. The results demonstrate that international students rate the impact of FYS courses lower when compared to their domestic counterparts on all learning outcomes except one powerful finding: Career Exploration. Furthermore, international student narratives illustrate that separation was the most prevalent acculturation strategy adopted by the group with marginalization resulting in the lowest frequency. The results demonstrate that the FYS is a significant intervention in the First-Year success of international students.

Authors

• Masha Krsmanovic, University of Southern Mississippi

• Jamil D. Johnson, Ph.D., University of Central Florida