scholarly journals Saudi International Students’ Perceptions of Their Transition to the UK and the Impact of Social Media

Author(s):  
Anas Alsuhaibani ◽  
Andrew Cox ◽  
Frank Hopfgartner ◽  
Xin Zhao
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eman S. Alharbi ◽  
Andrew P. Smith

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of being away from home on the well-being of international and domestic UK university students as a function of demographic factors, course load, support, personality, healthy lifestyle, and their employment of pre-planning and being at university strategies. A total of 510 students (n = 391 international and 117 British) completed an on-line survey to record demographic details and measure their well-being, quality of university life, and their being away from home strategies. The findings showed that International students reported greater quality of university life and used more pre-departure strategies; the female students reported a significantly more negative well-being and higher course demand than their male peers. A regression analysis showed that positive well-being was predicted by a positive personality, a healthy lifestyle, control and support for academic work, quality of university life and employing well-being strategies (using technology without over-reliance on it and the ability to unwind from study). Negative well-being, on the other hand, was predicted by a less positive personality and a less healthy lifestyle, a higher course demand, less control and support for academic work and less quality of university life. Moreover, the regression analysis showed that international students who employed more pre-departure strategies showed less negative well-being.


2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 572-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Thurnell-Read ◽  
Lorraine Brown ◽  
Philip Long

While the increased scale and importance of international students to the UK Higher Education sector is now well established, little is known about the ways in which students from non-UK countries experience and interact with the heavy drinking culture that predominates on and near many British universities. Drawing on qualitative interviews, this article analyses the perceptions, attitudes, and experiences of British drinking cultures held by international students studying on postgraduate courses at a UK university. Students report prior awareness of alcohol consumption being important to British culture and recount both positive and negative experiences of witnessing and, for many, participating in drinking alcohol. Students make ready comparisons with the drinking habits and attitudes of their own culture. Further still, many made a distinction between the public house, or ‘pub’, as a welcoming and friendly social space, and bars and nightclubs, where a far greater risk of exposure to violence and harassment was perceived. The article provides theoretical insights to support future and more wide-ranging research into mobile drinking cultures and also suggests practical implications to inform stakeholders with interests in the welfare of international students in the UK in relation to the provision of effective and proactive policies which address the impact of British drinking cultures on international student integration and well-being.


European View ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-219
Author(s):  
Juha-Pekka Nurvala ◽  
Amelia Buckell

This article argues that media regulations on correcting incorrect articles are in dire need of reform due to technological and behavioural changes. By using case studies from the UK, the authors demonstrate the huge difference between the number of people who were reached by the original article before the Independent Press Standards Organisation (the regulator in the UK) ruled it incorrect and the number reached by the correction or corrected article. The authors argue that media regulations must be reformed to ensure that corrections reach the same people as the original incorrect article to avoid misinformation impacting peoples’ decision-making, and that reforms must include social media platforms and search engines.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1011
Author(s):  
Ebenezer Larnyo ◽  
Baozhen Dai ◽  
Jonathan Aseye Nutakor ◽  
Sabina Ampon-Wireko ◽  
Ruth Appiah ◽  
...  

Social media has become a valuable tool in providing an opportunity to stay in touch with one’s social networks, providing reassurance and practical advice to individuals to pre-empt panic and rumors in COVID-19. However, the implications of social media use on the everyday emotion (anxiety and depression) of users especially, international students, are not well understood. Thus, this study sought to examine the impact of social media use on the everyday emotion of international students in China during COVID-19. Using a structured online questionnaire based on modified questions from the generalized anxiety disorder 7 (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) and social media use instruments, data were collected from 480 participants. Of the total responses received, 474 were further analyzed employing the Partial Least Squares Path Modelling (PLS-PM). This study showed a significant positive relationship between social media use and everyday emotion (B = 0.34, 95% CI (0.26, 0.44)). Additionally, self-rated anxiety and depression associated with social media use among international students were generally mild (n = 249, 52.50% and n = 350, 73.80%, respectively). Moderating effects revealed that age and sex do not significantly moderate the relationship between social media use and everyday emotion in COVID-19. Given the nature of social media among international students, who are also prone to suffering from anxiety and depression associated with social media use, the positive effect of social media use and everyday emotion, especially in COVID-19, has important implications for international students’ education stakeholders. Thus, gaining a deeper understanding of this relationship could enable them to harness social media and use it as a valuable tool to overcome the social distancing constraints in COVID-19.


Author(s):  
David Denver ◽  
Mark Garnett

This chapter sums up the preceding discussion and examines the radical changes in the nature of electoral competition in the UK since 1964. In particular, it assesses the impact on campaigning of social media and the Internet. It also discusses the impact of social change on voting behaviour over the years, as well as the transformation of political parties and the very different composition of the House of Commons. These various changes had occurred while UK-wide elections are still conducted under the Simple Plurality (‘first-past-the-post’) electoral system, although a variety of different systems have been adopted for virtually all other elections. Thus, by 2021, almost the only factor in UK elections which has remained constant since 1964 is the voting system. In other respects, the volatility which has become increasingly marked since the 1960s looks set to continue.


Author(s):  
Tore Bonsaksen ◽  
Mariyana Schoultz ◽  
Hilde Thygesen ◽  
Mary Ruffolo ◽  
Daicia Price ◽  
...  

COVID-19 has been a global healthcare concern impacting multiple aspects of individual and community wellness. As one moves forward with different methods to reduce the infection and mortality rates, it is critical to continue to study the impact that national and local “social distancing” policies have on the daily lives of individuals. The aim of this study was to examine loneliness in relation to risk assessment, measures taken against risks, concerns, and social media use, while adjusting for sociodemographic variables. The cross-sectional study collected data from 3474 individuals from the USA, the UK, Norway, and Australia. Loneliness was measured with the de Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale. Multiple linear regression was used in the analysis of associations between variables. The results showed that concerns about finances were more strongly associated with social loneliness, while concerns about the future was more strongly associated with emotional loneliness. Longer daily time spent on social media was associated with higher emotional loneliness. In conclusion, pandemic-related concerns seem to affect perceptions of loneliness. While social media can be used productively to maintain relationships, and thereby prevent loneliness, excessive use may be counterproductive.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lamiece Hassan ◽  
Goran Nenadic ◽  
Mary Patricia Tully

BACKGROUND Social media provides the potential to engage a wide audience about scientific research, including the public. However little empirical research exists to guide health scientists regarding what works and how to optimize impact. We examined the social media campaign #datasaveslives, which was established in 2014 to highlight positive examples of the use and reuse of health data in research. OBJECTIVE The study aimed to examine how the #datasaveslives hashtag was used on social media, how often and by whom; thus, the study aimed to provide insights into the impact of a major social media campaign in the UK health informatics research community and further afield. METHODS We analyzed all publicly available posts (tweets) between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2017 on the microblogging platform Twitter that included the hashtag #datasaveslives (n=13,895). Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative analyses, we determined the frequency and purpose of tweets. Social network analysis was used to analyze and visualize tweet sharing (‘retweet’) networks among hashtag users. RESULTS Overall, we found 4,175 original tweets and 9,720 retweets featuring #datasaveslives by 3,649 unique Twitter users. In total, 2,756 (66.0%) of original posts were retweeted at least once. Higher frequencies of tweets were observed during the weeks of prominent policy publications, popular conferences and public engagement events. Cluster analysis based on retweet relationships revealed an interconnected series of groups of #datasaveslives users in academia, health services and policy, and charities and patient networks. Thematic analysis of tweets showed that #datasaveslives was used for a broader range of purposes than indexing information, including event reporting, encouraging participation and action, and showing personal support for data sharing. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that a hashtag-based social media campaign was effective in encouraging a wide audience of stakeholders to disseminate positive examples of health research. Furthermore, the findings suggest the campaign supported community-building and bridging practices within and between the interdisciplinary sectors related to the field of health data science and encouraged individuals to demonstrate personal support for sharing health data. CLINICALTRIAL


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 241-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul Waheed Mughal

In 2009, the United Kingdom government introduced the Tier 4 (general) student visa policy for foreign students, out of European Economic Area and Switzerland, aged 16 or over. According to this policy, any institution recruiting international students must be a highly trusted sponsor - a status determined by the UK Border Agency. Further, right to work during study was totally denied for the non-EEA students of private colleges in 2011. This study explores the experiences of non-EEA students of private colleges in the wake of such changes. The research objectives were met through conducting individual interviews with 45 students from ten different countries studying at two private colleges in London. The results showed that the Tier 4 policy had negatively impacted the ambitions of studying in the UK at private colleges. About 97% of the interviewees said that they would not recommend private colleges to similar prospective students...


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