scholarly journals International experiences and the development of intercultural sensitivity among university students

2022 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-117
Author(s):  
Rosa M. Rodríguez-Izquierdo
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Intercultural Sensitivity ◽  
First Year ◽  
Intercultural Development ◽  
Global Citizens ◽  
Predictive Variables ◽  
Intercultural Interactions ◽  
Predictive Design ◽  
Intercultural Experiences

International cultural immersion experiences are deemed one of the most effective ways to prepare multicultural and global citizens. The purpose of the study was to determine: (1) first-year and final-year university students’ levels of Intercultural Sensitivity (henceforth IS); (2) if there was a relationship between IS and experiences of intercultural contact; and (3) the variables that might predict the development of IS. A longitudinal method and a correlational-predictive design was used. The sample comprised 1645 (52.5% women and 47.5% men) undergraduate students from 8 public universities and one private university in Andalusia (Spain) with a mean age of 23.29 (SD = 4.99). The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) was used to measure IS, and the Intercultural Experiences Inventory (IEI) was administered to explore students' intercultural experiences. Findings highlighted that there is little change in the IDI scores among first-year and final-year students, and most students were found to be in the intermediate stages of intercultural development (the minimization stage according to Bennett’s model, characterized by the widespread belief that everyone is quite similar). The lack of development found in the students’ IS could have something to do with the lack of opportunity to reflect and think about cultural differences. Positive correlations were found between IS and mobility experiences and intercultural friendships, and negative correlations were found with the number of intercultural interactions and language knowledge. Having mobility experiences, being female, and having friends from other cultures were predictive variables of IS. Finally, the educational implications are discussed.

scholarly journals INSIGHTS ON TEACHING CHESS TO UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
William Bart
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
First Year ◽  
State University ◽  
Correct Usage ◽  
Undergraduate University Students ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Computer Based

The purpose of this study was to explore how undergraduate university students react to chess instruction. Certain patterns emerged from 10 offerings of a Freshman Seminar entitled “Beginners’ Chess and 21st Century Thinking Skills”. The course enrolled only first-year and second-year undergraduate students at a large public state university in the USA. The students tended to have little or no knowledge of chess prior to the course. The course made extensive use of chess-related websites available on the Internet such as chess.com, lichess.org, and chessgames.com. The instruction involved the projection of a chess-related website projected onto a large classroom screen with the use of an instructor’s computer connected to a projector that projected the computer-based image onto the screen. The course had 10-20 students in each annual offering of the course that lasted 15 weeks. The student evaluations of the course were very positive, indicating that the students enjoyed the course very much. The course involved instruction in chess on topics such as tactics and basic checkmates along with instruction on the cognitive psychological foundations of chess on topics such as problem solving and critical thinking. The primary task in the course was that each student had to prepare a critical evaluation of two of their own chess games that included correct usage of proper algebraic notation for the chess moves. The chess activity that the students enjoyed the most was group competition.

scholarly journals The Role of Senior University Students’ Career Adaptability in Predicting Their Subjective Well-Being

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oğuzhan Kırdök ◽  
Ayten Bölükbaşı
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
University Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Career Adaptability ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Satisfaction Scale ◽  
Predictive Variables ◽  
Senior Students

The aim of this study is to examine whether career adaptability and career adaptability subscales of senior undergraduates could predict subjective well-being.  The research was a descriptive correlational study which was conducted on 310 senior students (173 women, 137 men) in a state-funded university on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey and participants participated in this study voluntarily. Participants ranged in age between 20 and 28 years. Career Adaptability Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule were used as data collection tools in this study. Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation Analysis, Simple Regression Analysis, and finally Multiple Regression Analysis were performed to examine the effect of the total score of career adaptability and subscale scores of careers adaptability of senior undergraduate students on subjective well-being. All analyses were conducted using the SPSS version 20.0. The findings of the research showed that career adaptability predicts the subjective well-being of university senior students. Control as a subscale of career adaptability was found to be the strongest predictive variable for subjective well-being among senior university students. Concern and confidence as subscales of career adaptability were found to be other predictive variables of subjective well-being in this study. However, curiosity as a subscale was not found to be a predictor of subjective well-being. These findings are discussed through career construction theory.

scholarly journals Building Intercultural Competence Through Intercultural Competency Certification Of Undergraduate Students

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22
Author(s):  
Maria G. Fabregas Janeiro ◽  
Ricardo Lopez Fabre ◽  
Jose Pablo Nuno de la Parra
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Initial Level ◽  
Intercultural Sensitivity ◽  
Developmental Model ◽  
Intercultural Development ◽  
Intercultural Development Inventory ◽  
Comprehensive Plan ◽  
Intercultural Competency ◽  
Travel Abroad

The Intercultural Competency Certificate (CCI in Spanish) designed for the Universidad Popular Automa del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP University) is a theory based comprehensive plan to develop undergraduate students intercultural competence. This Certificate is based in the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) developed by Milton Bennett (1993) and will be assessed by the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) v.3 developed by Bennett & Hammer (Hammer, 2009; Hammer, Bennett, & Wiseman, 2003). The main purpose of the Intercultural Competency Certificate is to develop students intercultural competence at least to the acceptance level of the DMIS continuum. To achieve this goal, the students will have to develop of necessary knowledge, skill and attitudes (Deardorff, 2006). This Certificate proposes to develop attitudes, knowledge and skills through certain activities as learning a new language, take international classes, reflect about intercultural differences, interact with people from other cultures, travel abroad and receive coaching by a professional who will guide them through tailor-make experiences according to the initial level of intercultural competence, measured by the IDI v.3 at the beginning of the Certification.

Sex Differences in Mathematics Performance among African University Students

2002 ◽  
Vol 90 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1101-1104
Author(s):  
Tuntufye S. Mwamwenda
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
University Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Mathematics Performance ◽  
First Year ◽  
Mathematics Course

This research yielded sex differences for first-year undergraduate students (30 men, 43 women) in a mathematics course. Women scored lower than men, as is consistent with other research.

Riding on a roller coaster: personal reflections of teaching a subject on leadership and intrapersonal development

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet T.Y. Leung
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
General Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
University Education ◽  
First Year ◽  
Roller Coaster ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Personal Reflections ◽  
First Year University ◽  
Academic Year

AbstractA university subject on leadership and intrapersonal development was delivered during the academic year of 2012–2013 to the first-year university students. The teacher taught four classes of a total of 268 undergraduate students coming from four different disciplines. The teacher shares her experience in teaching the subject with reference to the stages of forming, storming, norming and performing that the students had gone through. Personal reflections on teaching the subject as well as perceived benefits to the students are also highlighted. The teacher deeply reflects on the essence of university education in the cultivation of the leadership and intrapersonal attributes of the students. In facing the growing trend of “McDonaldization” and commercialization of university education, a general education subject that emphasizes the intrapersonal and interpersonal qualities of the students, and fosters the holistic development of the students is essential in university education.

scholarly journals EXPLORING FIRST YEAR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ STATISTICAL LITERACY: A CASE ON DESCRIBING AND VISUALIZING DATA

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-448
Author(s):  
Ezra Putranda Setiawan ◽  
Heru Sukoco
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Data Visualization ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
First Year ◽  
Statistical Literacy ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Data Improvement ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year University

Statistical literacy, which is the ability to use statistics in daily life, is an essential skill for facing society 5.0. This study aims to explore first-year university students’ ability to properly use simple descriptive statistics and data visualization. Qualitative data were collected using a set of questions from 39 undergraduate students. Many students were able to calculate various descriptive statistics, but some of them were still unable to determine suitable statistics to describe the data clearly. Related to data visualization, many students failed to provide a meaningful chart that effectively shows the difference between two groups of data. Students with higher statistical literacy tend to use comparison or variability reasoning to determine the usage of descriptive statistics, and use data-based reason in visualizing the data. Improvement in statistical teaching – both in the university and the secondary school – is needed so that the students can use descriptive statistics and data visualization correctly.

scholarly journals First Year University Students Self-Reported Health Outcomes Over an Academic Semester

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-29
Author(s):  
P.K Doyle-Baker ◽  
K.M. Verge ◽  
L. McClelland ◽  
T. Fung
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Work Load ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
College And University ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

The transition to university can be a stressful time in a student’s life. Recent evidence demonstrates declining mental and physical health in college and university students compared to the general public. A prospective cohort study investigating mental and physical wellness over the course of a semester in a sample of first-year undergraduate students (N=74; 65%F) from nine faculties was completed at a large university in Canada. Sixty-eight (92%) students with a mean (SD, ±) age 18.2 ± 1.1 yrs., weight 67.9 ± 15.5 kg, height, 168.5 ± 11.6 cm and waist circumference 81.3 ± 9.8 cm completed the SF-36V2 quality of life questionnaire at the beginning and end of the semester in Fall 2014. A decrease in vitality (p=0.003), social functioning (p=0.004), emotional state (p=0.014), and mental health (p=0.019) outcomes as measured by the SF-36v2 occurred during the semester. In addition, aggregate mental health significantly declined from the beginning to the end of the semester (p <0.001), while physical health did not change (p=0.242). The importance of promoting and increasing awareness of campus wide mental health strategies should be considered a priority for first year undergrad students. Particularly, because students in their first year may take longer than one semester to adjust to the increased work load and although difficult to speculate it is possible that both mental and physical health would decline over the next (second) semester. Future research should aim for longer study duration.

scholarly journals First Year University Students Self-Reported Health Outcomes Over an Academic Semester

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-29
Author(s):  
P.K. Doyle-Baker ◽  
K.M. Verge ◽  
L. McClelland ◽  
T. Fung
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Work Load ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
College And University ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

The transition to university can be a stressful time in a student’s life. Recent evidence demonstrates declining mental and physical health in college and university students compared to the general public. A prospective cohort study investigating mental and physical wellness over the course of a semester in a sample of first-year undergraduate students (N=74; 65%F) from nine faculties was completed at a large university in Canada. Sixty-eight (92%) students with a mean (SD, ±) age 18.2 ± 1.1 yrs., weight 67.9 ± 15.5 kg, height, 168.5 ± 11.6 cm and waist circumference 81.3 ± 9.8 cm completed the SF-36V2 quality of life questionnaire at the beginning and end of the semester in Fall 2014. A decrease in vitality (p=0.003), social functioning (p=0.004), emotional state (p=0.014), and mental health (p=0.019) outcomes as measured by the SF-36v2 occurred during the semester. In addition, aggregate mental health significantly declined from the beginning to the end of the semester (p <0.001), while physical health did not change (p=0.242). The importance of promoting and increasing awareness of campus wide mental health strategies should be considered a priority for first year undergrad students. Particularly, because students in their first year may take longer than one semester to adjust to the increased work load and although difficult to speculate it is possible that both mental and physical health would decline over the next (second) semester. Future research should aim for longer study duration.

scholarly journals Undergraduate Students’ Pro-Environmental Behavior in Daily Practice

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 09025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Widiaswati Dewi ◽  
Sawitri Dian R
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Environmental Behavior ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
First Year ◽  
State University ◽  
Environmental Behaviors ◽  
Sustainable Environment ◽  
Agent Of Change

Pro-environmental behavior is an individual action as a manifestation of one’s responsibility to create a sustainable environment. University students as one of the agent of change can adopt pro-environmental behaviors concept, even through simple things to do on daily activities such as ride a bicycle or walk for short distance, reuse the shopping bags, separate waste, learn about environmental issues etc. Many studies have examined pro-environmental behavior from various approaches. However, the study about university students’ pro-environmental behavior is lacking. The aim of this paper is to examine the undergraduate students’ pro-environmental behaviors level. We surveyed 364 first year undergraduate students from a state university in Semarang. The survey included six aspects of pro-environmental behavior in daily practice which include energy conservation, mobility and transportation, waste avoidance, recycling, consumerism, and vicarious behaviors toward conservation. Findings of this study showed the level of pro-environmental behavior of first year undergraduate students is medium. Recommendations for undergraduate students and future researchers are discussed.

scholarly journals Academic Schedule and Day-to-Day Variations in Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity of University Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 2810 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Q. Chim ◽  
Mirjam G. A. oude Egbrink ◽  
Pascal W. M. Van Gerven ◽  
Renate H. M. de Groot ◽  
Bjorn Winkens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
University Students ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Total Duration ◽  
First Year ◽  
Time In Bed ◽  
The Relationship

Students starting at university tend to adopt unhealthy behaviors. With students expected to sit during classes, their academic schedule may be responsible for their activity patterns. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between university students’ academic schedule and day-to-day variations in sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA). The activity of 317 first-year undergraduate students (mean age 19.6 ± 1.4 years, 69.4% female, 30.0% male, and 0.6% other) was measured with the activPAL3™ triaxial monitor for seven consecutive days. Each class hour was found to be associated with 9.0 additional minutes of SB (95% CI [4.9, 13.1]), 54 additional seconds of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA; 95% CI [12, 96]), and 12.2 min less time in bed (95% CI [−16.6, −7.8]). Active SB ratio (total duration of SB bouts < 30 min divided by total SB duration) decreased by 0.011 per hour of class scheduled for the students (95% CI [−0.016, −0.006]). Light PA (LPA) was not significantly associated with class duration. Students tend to cycle more on days with classes. Seated transportation was not significantly related to whether the students had classes or not. Overall, the academic schedule is associated with SB and PA in students.

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