Picture This: A Photovoice Study Of International Students’ Food Experience in Canada

2014 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Amos ◽  
Daphne Lordly
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
University Students ◽  
Identity Formation ◽  
International Student ◽  
Culture Shock ◽  
Traditional Foods ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Canadian Universities ◽  
Food Experience ◽  
International University

Purpose: International student enrolment in Canadian universities is increasing. As international university students acculturate, they experience a culture shock in which food plays a major role. International university students’ Canadian food experiences therefore were explored. Methods: A Photovoice methodology was used with 15 international undergraduate and graduate university students, who were recruited to take pictures of their food experiences. They also participated in two focus group discussions that included an analysis of their photos. Results: Seven themes related to the significance of food in acculturation were revealed: the paradox of Canadian convenience, the equation of traditional foods with health, traditional food quality and accessibility, support networks, food consumption for comfort, ethnic restaurants, and the exploration of non-traditional foods. Maintaining cultural identity with traditional foods was an overarching theme related to acculturation. Conclusions: International students acculturating to Canada have emotional and physical needs, which can be met through food. Opportunities exist to improve their acculturation experiences. Canadian universities can incorporate food acculturation strategies into campus events and menus. Nutrition professionals on campus can facilitate a positive food environment and nurture culture identity formation.

Comparison of Health Status of International and American University Students: Implications for Health Education

1989 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Adeyanju ◽  
Ray Tricker ◽  
Rita Spencer
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Status ◽  
International Students ◽  
Locus Of Control ◽  
University Students ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
International Student ◽  
Health Locus Of Control ◽  
Student Health ◽  
American University

The study examined the differences between a sample of 311 international and 251 American university students relative to their self-perceived health status, health attitudes, behaviors, and locus of control using the International Student Health Inventory (ISHI). More specifically, the study compared demographics, current health history, health care obtained by students within the university milieu, health locus of control, wellness attitudes and behaviors. The study addressed the rationale for student health care professionals to improve health services for the international students. Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results indicated that sociocultural (external) and self-perceived (internal) stressors may influence both groups' health status and care. American students experienced more common minor stress-related illnesses/ailments than international students. Both groups indicated they functioned more from an internal health locus of control. Healthiest and poorest wellness attitudes were reported by the international male and American male students respectively. No observed differences were noticed on the groups' wellness behaviors.

scholarly journals The Main Problem Areas of International University Students: A Qualitative Analysis on Azerbaijan Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 705-716
Author(s):  
Rüya Ehtiyar ◽  
Özlem Güzel ◽  
Hijran Rzazade
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Student Mobility ◽  
Exchange Programs ◽  
Language Problems ◽  
Education Market ◽  
International University ◽  
Phenomenological Research Design ◽  
Student Exchange Programs ◽  
Depth Interviews

The international student mobility, aiming to create and sustain international integration has been an essential part of the education market in the 21st century. However, while such international student exchange programs contribute to the students and the cities hosting them, they bring along some problems. The aim of this study is to identify the main problem areas that international university students are likely to encounter. By applying the qualitative research method, the phenomenological research design was used in the study since it aims to reveal the problems of students based on their individual experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with the Azerbaijani students studying at Akdeniz University selected as the research sample, which were then descriptively analyzed. The main problems were identified as “economic problems, inability to understand the local language, problems with accommodation, feeling cheated and intimidated, being inexperienced, lack of knowledge about the formal procedures, cultural diversity, lack of support, and exclusion”. The problems regarding finance and accommodation emerged as the most frequently mentioned problems. The main strategies to overcome these problems are also discussed.

International Students At-Risk

2020 ◽  
pp. 238-251
Author(s):  
John Cuzzocrea
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
At Risk ◽  
International Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Culture Shock ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Students At Risk ◽  
International Student Recruitment ◽  
General School ◽  
Mental Well Being

International student recruitment has grown in schools across Canada and has extended into the elementary and secondary school panels. These students have specific needs and challenges, which put them at greater risk in comparison to the general school population. International students, especially at first, may struggle with risk factors such as culture shock, homesickness, loneliness, and depression. It is important to understand these challenges to ensure the mental well-being of these students.

scholarly journals Psychological Distress in International University Students: An Australian Study

2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigar Gohar Khawaja ◽  
Jenny Dempsey
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
International Students ◽  
University Students ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Intervention Programs ◽  
Common Symptom ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Australian Study ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
International University

AbstractAustralia is a much sought-after destination of study for many thousands of international university students. However, tertiary study brings with it many challenges that may potentially precipitate psychological distress in international students. Psychological distress may be experienced in various ways. The aim of this study was to investigate the manner in which psychological distress is manifested in international students and the factors that contribute to their psychological distress. The participants consisted of 86 international students enrolled at a Queensland university who completed a battery of 9 self-report questionnaires. Results showed that obsessive–compulsiveness reflected by worry, ruminations and perfectionist tendencies was the most common symptom of psychological distress in international students. Dysfunctional coping was the only factor contributing to psychological distress. These findings have important implications for the international students with reference to the assessment of their mental health issues and the designing of suitable intervention programs.

Exploring the adjustment of international university students in relation to dietary practices

2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (12) ◽  
pp. 2947-2974 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Pilar Martínez-Ruiz ◽  
Christian Tirelli ◽  
Alicia Izquierdo-Yusta ◽  
Ricardo Gómez-Ladrón-De-Guevara
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
University Students ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Adjustment Process ◽  
Dietary Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Host Culture ◽  
Second Stage ◽  
External Influences ◽  
International University

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influences of different variables on the dietary adjustment process of international university students. More specifically, the authors investigate how ethnocentrism, perceived risk, and external influences affect their adjustment processes by considering three different temporal stages and exploring adjustment in relation to dietary practices. Design/methodology/approach – After performing an in-depth review of the relevant literature, a structural equation analysis is conducted. This analysis relies on data from a sample of 139 international students enrolled in a Spanish university. Findings – The results reveal that ethnocentrism is significant only in the second stage of the adjustment process. The level of perceived risk decreases during the adjustment process but also depends on the features international students have in common with the host culture; in contrast, external influences are important in all stages. Research limitations/implications – International students should not be treated the same way during different stages of their adjustment. For example, during the first stage, the focus should be on minimizing their perceived risk and guaranteeing a safe environment in which they feel comfortable with buying. The role of the media and the training of salespeople should be highlighted in the second stage of adjustment. Practical implications – The dietary adjustment for this group of short-term migrants is different than other groups, which tend to return to their country of origin. In contrast, international university students try to assimilate the host culture and be part of it. Social implications – In the context of consumption, because international university students are influenced by all constructs detailed in this study, it is necessary to formulate a specific approach for each stage. Originality/value – This research evidences how there is a great opportunity for diverse operators (e.g. universities, food retail chains) to influence the consumption habits of international university students, because they are more receptive than other migrant groups.

scholarly journals International Students’ Unique Challenges – Why Understanding International Transitions to Higher Education Matters

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sidonie Ecochard ◽  
Julia Fotheringham
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Acculturative Stress ◽  
International Student ◽  
Culture Shock ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
Dropping Out ◽  
Disciplinary Culture ◽  
Student Body ◽  
Number Of Publications

International students represent a large and increasing share of the diversity encountered on British campuses, with 19% of the student body coming from another country to study in the United Kingdom. While the concept of transition in the context of Higher Education (HE) is better understood as a process of change and adaptation to the HE culture, international transitions –undertaken by international students – present additional and specific challenges. These involve multiple additional cultural adjustments, to the host nation culture, the international student culture and the subject disciplinary culture. The scale and number of these challenges may lead to mental health issues and to students dropping out. The growing number of international students and their importance as a significant economic driver to the HE sector have been reflected in the literature, with an increasing number of publications on the topic. Various models have been elaborated to describe the process of academic and socio-cultural adjustment experienced by international students, along with concepts of acculturative stress and culture shock used to refer to the sometimes extreme emotional turmoil created by such cultural dissonances. University staff and students have different but key roles and responsibilities in supporting and facilitating international students’ adjustment, improving retention and enabling international students to reach their academic and personal goals in spite of the challenges that confront them. This literature review presents the different stage-models of international students’ acculturation and defines key concepts for international transitions such as acculturative stress and culture shock, thereby allowing for a better understanding of the international students’ academic and social journey. It describes the challenges international students meet in their transition to UK HE institutions and introduces literature identifying ways of better supporting the specific needs of those students. It concludes with a discussion on the limitations of the current international transitions discourse.

scholarly journals The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer International Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-94
Author(s):  
Hoa Nguyen ◽  
Erika Grafsky ◽  
Jennifer Lambert-Shute
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Identity Formation ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
International Student ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
University Administrators ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
Research Gap ◽  
And Migration

There is a significant research gap in understanding the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) international students. The purpose of this systematic review is to explore what we currently know about LGBQ international students, by synthesizing peer-reviewed and gray literature that focused on this intersection of sexual and cultural diversity. A total of 10 records met the inclusion criteria and were examined. Out of these 10 records, 6 were empirical studies. Findings from this analysis highlighted the salience of: (a) identity formation and migration, (b) the double barrier of being an international student and LGBQ, and (c) multi- layered discrimination and heteronormativity. We then provide suggestions for future research and implications for mental health professionals, educators, and university administrators.

scholarly journals Promotional Tools Employed by Medical Insurance Companies to Attract International University Students

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 191
Author(s):  
Faith Rudairo Chibvura ◽  
Darry Penceliah
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
International Students ◽  
University Students ◽  
South African ◽  
Market Share ◽  
Medical Insurance ◽  
Insurance Companies ◽  
The South ◽  
Insurance Cover ◽  
International University

The South African Immigration Act 19 of 2004 requires that all international students have proof of medical insurance cover for the academic year of study. The medical insurance cover must be from a registered provider with the South African Council for Medical Schemes. Some medical insurance companies provide gifts to students to gain a larger market share within the educational institutions. Health insurance products are very crucial in the lives of university students and therefore the students must be familiar with medical product benefits and exclusions. It seems that many students lack relevant knowledge of health insurance products. Students seem to have a perception that medical insurance products cover all healthcare expenses. Dissatisfied customers may tarnish the image of the respective medical insurance company and result in customers seeking alternate products. The purpose of this paper is to determine the influence of promotional tools in creating awareness amongst international university students’ selection of medical insurance products. The study was descriptive and quantitative in nature. Four hundred international students studying at two state universities in Durban, South Africa completed a structured questionnaire. The results indicate that the respondents are very sensitive to price and the majority of them are influenced by advertising and word of mouth. The results of the study indicated that medical insurance companies should consider the quality of service and price as being very important factors when designing a promotional mix. Awareness creation is the backbone of sales growth and market share.

scholarly journals Academic Listening Skills of the International University Students in Turkey

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Mevlüt Elli̇alti ◽  
Zekerya Batur
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
International Students ◽  
University Students ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Academic Language ◽  
Academic Literacy ◽  
Academic Programs ◽  
Listening Skills ◽  
Listening Levels ◽  
International University

The number of international university students in Turkey is growing, thus more research is needed on teaching Turkish as an academic language and on academic literacy. This study aims to investigate (i) the international students’ views of the difficulties of the academic language skills, (ii) the efficacy level of the skills for their academic success, (iii) the academic listening and academic literacy status of the students, and (iv) the relationship between academic listening levels with some variables. In order to analyse the self-efficacy perceptions of the students, the data were collected by using the Turkish adaptation (Cronbach’s alpha value =0.943) of the Academic Listening Self-rating Questionnaire (ALSAQ), developed by Aryadoust and Goh (2017) and adopted by Ellialtı and Batur (2021). The questionnaire consists of 39 items that embody six factors. These factors are lecture structure, cognitive processing skills, linguistic components and prosody, relating input to other materials, memory and concentration, and note-taking. In the study, the participants were 221 international students studying at various academic programs in 33 state universities in Turkey. The data were analysed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program. The results of the study showed that (i) listening is an easy skill for students to develop, (ii) listening is important for the students’ academic success, (iii) out of 39 items, 13 aspects were not at a good level in academic listening, and (iv) academic listening levels of the international students were not significantly different in terms of their gender, study area, and the number of the known languages.

scholarly journals International students’ university preferences: how different are Malaysian and Chinese students?

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norazlyn Kamal Basha ◽  
Jillian C. Sweeney ◽  
Geoffrey N. Soutar
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
University Students ◽  
Chinese Students ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Delivery Mode ◽  
Content Type ◽  
University Level ◽  
International University ◽  
Malaysian Students ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine factors that influenced international university preference, looking at country of origin (COO), that is the COO of the course and program modes (PMs). This study specifically focusses on differences in perceptions across students from Malaysia and China. Design/methodology/approach – Conjoint analysis was used to examine the relative importances and part-worth scores of these attributes on international university preferences. Findings – PM and country of design (COD) had a major influence on Malaysian and Chinese students’ preferences for international universities. Online distance learning was the least preferred option, while offshore campuses were more acceptable to Malaysian students compared to Chinese students. Malaysian students preferred to study in the UK, while Chinese students favored Australia. Malaysian students were also found to be more cost sensitive compared to Chinese students, while the latter were more motivated by job prospects offered by an institution. Research limitations/implications – Limitations include the specific sample, pre-university students only from developed countries (Malaysia and China), which limits the generalizability to students from other countries. Practical implications – This study offers insights in the effect of COD and PM on students’ preferences for international universities, as well as other previously studied university-level attributes in a higher education setting. With a better understanding of factors affecting these preferences, higher educational institutions are better placed to implement a suitable marketing strategy to attract more international students. Originality/value – This study examines the impact COD, Delivery Mode (DM) and other university level attributes have on Malaysian and Chinese pre-university students ' preferences for international universities. COD and DM were found to be extremely important factors that dominated the students ' preferences. The study highlights the need to focus on different university attributes in different markets and to consider COD and DM issues in order to gain a larger market share of international students.

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