Publication Date

1975

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Walker, Albert, 1920-

Degree Name

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Legacy Department

Department of Journalism

LCSH

Asian students--United States

Abstract

International students are found in most of the private and public colleges and universities in the United States. They come from most of the literate nations of the world. The purpose of this study was to examine the socio-academic adjustment problems of Southeast Asian students on the Northern Illinois University campus with a view to making recommendations for the improvement of their adjustment processes. In order to accomplish this goal, a questionnaire survey instrument was designed and distributed to one-half of the population by selecting every odd numbered name from among the students from Southeast Asia at Northern Illinois University. In all, 53 questionnaires were mailed and 35 were completed and returned. The data obtained from the questionnaire were analyzed in terms of frequency distribution and percentages. The result of the study showed that the majority of the respondents came from middle class families. A majority of the students were encouraged by their families to study in the United States, while government authorities and/or families supported about half of the students. Similarly, friends at home and abroad encouraged a majority of them to embark on an educational sojourn to the United States because they saw education as a way of moving from one level of socio-economic status to another. In the area of academic adjustment, little more than half indicated that they had no language adjustment problems. Most of these came from areas or countries (such as Hong Kong, Pakistan, etc.) where English is the second language. In the realm of socio-cultural adjustment, half the respondents indicated that they had no difficulties in socializing with United States students (males and/or females). Those who expressed difficulty in adjustment had been in the United States for less than one academic year. It can be stated that the longer the Asian students remained in the Northern Illinois University environment, the more accustomed they became. The majority of the respondents indicated that they would like to return home after the completion of their studies, while one-third of the respondents wished to remain behind. In the final analysis, the problem of social and academic adjustment of the Asian students is not as acute as some have seen it. Truly, the Asian students encountered difficulties in socio-academic adjustment. These problems will diminish with time. The study recommended the following salient points: 1. That the United States universities supply more information about their institutions and their communities to the prospective students. 2. That the academic staff work hand in hand with the international students' advisor by reporting periodically to the latter the areas in which a particular student needs to be assisted or helped. 3. Finally, that social scientists be interested in conducting research studies that would lend themselves to solving the problem of adjustment of international students.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.

Extent

viii, 84 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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