US Students Research Articles

Predictors of Pro-Environmental Behavior: A Comparison of University Students in the United States and China

Understanding and managing University student’s environmental and sustainable behavior is critical to reducing global environmental problems and influencing pro-environmental behaviors. Survey data obtained from University students in different cities in the United States (n = 75) and Chinese Students in Jiangsu Province, China (n = 109) were investigated and analyzed to identify major predictors of pro-environmental behaviors using the Comprehensive Action Determination Model. The results confirmed multiple factors such as Social norms, Intention to Act, Information Need and Situational factors significantly influence and shape the nature of pro-environmental behavior in the US and sets of Social norms, Intention to act, Environmental awareness, Information need and Situational factor in China. These findings are in consonance with the tenets of theory of planned behavior, norm activation theory; though the loading and effects differ in their local environment. University students in US showed higher level of pro-environmental behavior despite their individualistic society compared to Chinese students in China. The findings confirms the complexity of human behavior through the robustness of the comprehensive action determination model by showing that using unitary construct to predict environmental behavior is context specific and using different combinations of predictor variables exert significant influences in different local environments.

Dramatic Enrollment Shifts Plague Petroleum Engineering Programs

The sharp oil price volatility during 2014–16 is now being felt by US undergraduate petroleum engineering (PE) programs, where enrollment is in steep decline after hitting record highs at the onset of the price downturn. The number of US students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in PE programs fell to 6,263 in fall 2017 from 8,712 in fall 2016 as attitudes toward the discipline continued to shift, according to data compiled by Lloyd Heinze, PE professor at Texas Tech University’s Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering. Enrollment in fall 2015 remained elevated at 11,069, slightly lower than a peak of 11,474 in fall 2014 when the oil price crash was under way—meaning it took 2 years before enrollment numbers began tracking oil prices. “Students are starting to realize the job market is very different from when they started out as freshmen,” said Heinze, who has followed PE enrollment trends for decades. A student who is slated to graduate with a BS in PE this spring, for example, likely enrolled in fall 2014 after West Texas Intermediate (WTI) prices had spent much of the year at more than $100/bbl. In their sophomore year, WTI cratered to $26/bbl before stabilizing in the $40-60/bbl range for their junior and senior years. With fewer students in the pipeline, fewer graduates are expected in the coming years, reversing an oversupply of those trying to enter the workforce. The number of undergraduate PE degrees granted is projected to plunge from more than 2,000 in each of 2015–16, 2016–17, and 2017–18 to around 1,220 in 2018–19 and 680 in 2019–20, Heinze’s data project. At 470 and 130, respectively, master’s degrees and PhDs granted are expected to remain somewhat elevated in 2017–18 compared with their averages during the previous decade. The steadier post-grad numbers may be supported in part by fewer available jobs. One Extreme to Another Heinze noted that Texas Tech’s PE department, like many PE departments across the country, is still reeling from the “tremendous overload” of students in recent years, a problem over which it had no control. “I can tell you that even if oil prices last year were $100/bbl, we were already on track to put out more students than $100/bbl can support.” Many public university PE programs are at the mercy of how many prospective students meet published admissions requirements. That is to say, programs cannot simply deny qualified students because those programs’ faculties, resources, and even lecture halls have become overextended. As a result, average undergraduate student-faculty ratios ballooned to about 46:1 in fall 2013.

Bayesian testing for independence of two categorical variables under two-stage cluster sampling with covariates

ABSTRACTWe consider Bayesian testing for independence of two categorical variables with covariates for a two-stage cluster sample. This is a difficult problem because we have a complex sample (i.e. cluster sample), not a simple random sample. Our approach is to convert the cluster sample with covariates into an equivalent simple random sample without covariates, which provides a surrogate of the original sample. Then, this surrogate sample is used to compute the Bayes factor to make an inference about independence. We apply our methodology to the data from the Trend in International Mathematics and Science Study [30] for fourth grade US students to assess the association between the mathematics and science scores represented as categorical variables. We show that if there is strong association between two categorical variables, there is no significant difference between the tests with and without the covariates. We also performed a simulation study to further understand the effect of covariates in various situations. We found that for borderline cases (moderate association between the two categorical variables), there are noticeable differences in the test with and without covariates.

Illness among US resident student travellers after return to the USA: a GeoSentinel analysis, 2007-17.

The number of US students studying abroad more than tripled during the past 20 years. As study abroad programmes' destinations diversify, students increasingly travel to resource-limited countries, placing them at risk for infectious diseases. Data describing infections acquired by US students while travelling internationally are limited. We describe illnesses among students who returned from international travel and suggest how to prevent illness among these travellers. GeoSentinel is a global surveillance network of travel and tropical medicine providers that monitors travel-related morbidity. This study included the records of US resident student international travellers, 17-24 years old, who returned to the USA, had a confirmed travel-related illness at one of 15 US GeoSentinel sites during 2007-17 and had a documented exposure region. Records were analysed to describe demographic and travel characteristics and diagnoses. The study included 432 students. The median age was 21 years; 69% were female. More than 70% had a pre-travel consultation with a healthcare provider. The most common exposure region was sub-Saharan Africa (112; 26%). Students were most commonly exposed in India (44; 11%), Ecuador (28; 7%), Ghana (25; 6%) and China (24; 6%). The median duration of travel abroad was 40 days (range: 1-469) and presented to a GeoSentinel site a median of 8 days (range: 0-181) after travel; 98% were outpatients. Of 581 confirmed diagnoses, the most common diagnosis category was gastrointestinal (45%). Acute diarrhoea was the most common gastrointestinal diagnosis (113 of 261; 43%). Thirty-one (7%) students had vector-borne diseases [14 (41%) malaria and 11 (32%) dengue]. Three had vaccine-preventable diseases (two typhoid; one hepatitis A); two had acute human immunodeficiency virus infection. Students experienced travel-related infections, despite the majority having a pre-travel consultation. US students should receive pre-travel advice, vaccinations and chemoprophylaxis to prevent gastrointestinal, vector-borne, sexually transmitted and vaccine-preventable infections.

A Collaboration to Teach US MPH Students about Cuba's Health Care System.

In 2011, the US Department of the Treasury changed its regulations to allow US students to participate in short-term education programs in Cuba. Beginning in 2012, and each year thereafter, Cuba's National School of Public Health and the Colorado School of Public Health have jointly taught a class on the Cuban public health system. The program goals are to provide US students with an opportunity to learn about the Cuban national health system's focus on 1) prevention and primary health care services; 2) financial and geographic access to services and health equity; 3) continuum of care across the home, family doctor-and-nurse offices, polyclinics and hospitals; 4) data collection at all levels to understand health risks, including outbreaks, and to guide resource allocation; 5) assessing patients' health and risks using a comprehensive definition of health; 6) multisectoral collaborations between the Ministry of Public Health and other Cuban agencies and organizations to address population health risks; 7) disaster preparedness, response and recovery; and 8) provision of international health assistance. The class incorporates information about health systems in Latin American and other Caribbean countries to provide context for understanding the Cuban health system. The course includes: 1) seminars, online readings and discussions before travel to Cuba; 2) seminars at Cuba's National School of Public Health, visits to Cuban national health institutions at all levels, from community-based family doctor-and-nurse offices and multispecialty clinics (polyclinics) to internationally recognized national health institutions, and guided visits and activities about Cuban culture and history during their 12 days in Cuba; and 3) followup course work upon return to the USA in which students integrate what they learned into their final class reports and presentations. During time spent planning, implementing and revising the program, both institutions have learned from each other about global health teaching methodologies and have laid a foundation for future teaching and research collaborations. To date, 49 individuals have participated in the program. KEYWORDS Medical education, public health system, collaboration, Cuba, USA.

Cross-Cultural Collaborative Inquiry: A Collective Case Study with Students from China and the US

As our world becomes more connected, globalized education becomes increasingly important. Drawing from educational cosmopolitanism and disciplinary inquiry, this collective case study focused on Chinese and US students’ demonstrations of the four capacities of Wahlström’s (2014) educational cosmopolitanism, i.e., hospitality, self-reflexivity, intercultural dialogue, and transactions of perspectives, throughout the phases of a cross-cultural collaborative inquiry project referred to as Project-Based Inquiry (PBI) Global. Data sources included (a) semi-structured student focus groups (post-PBI Global), (b) our observations and interactions with students throughout the process, (c) the students’ posts and uploads in their shared writing space, Quip, and (d) the students’ PBI Global products. Results shed light on how cross-cultural collaborative disciplinary inquiry fosters students’ demonstration and development of educational cosmopolitan capacities.

Undergraduate physics labs don't improve US students' exam scores.

Undergraduate physics labs don't improve US students' exam scores.

An Examination of the “Freshman-15” in Germany

Abstract. The “Freshman-15” refers to an expected average weight gain of 15 pounds during the first year at college in US students. Although an overall weight gain during this period can be observed, most studies found that students gain less than 15 pounds on average. Studies in countries other than the US, however, are scarce. In the current study, 120 female freshmen at a German university were tested at the start of the first semester and again at the start of the second semester (after approximately 6 months). Body mass index (BMI) did not differ between measurements, but participants had 0.2% more body fat at the second measurement. Participants with higher BMI at the first measurement lost weight and participants with higher weight suppression (i.e., the difference between an individual’s highest previous weight and current weight) at the first measurement gained weight. Participants who reported to exercise regularly at the first measurement gained weight, but this effect was driven by those who reduced their amount of physical exercise during the first semester. Dietary habits and eating styles at the first measurement were not associated with weight change. To conclude, no evidence was found for an overall weight gain during the first semester in female, German students. Furthermore, weight change was exclusively predicted by BMI, weight suppression, and regular exercise, while eating behaviors were unrelated to weight change. Thus, it appears that variables influencing energy expenditure are more robust predictors of future weight gain than variables influencing energy intake in female freshmen.

For US Students, L2 Reading Comprehension is Hard Because L2 Listening Comprehension is Hard, Too

The Simple View of Reading (SVR) model posits that reading is the product of word decoding and language comprehension and that oral language (listening) comprehension is the best predictor of reading comprehension once word-decoding skill has been established. The SVR model also proposes that there are good readers and three types of poor readers—dyslexic, hyperlexic, and garden variety. In this study, a random sample of US high school monolingual English speakers completing first-, second-, and third-year Spanish courses were administered standardized measures of Spanish word decoding, reading, listening comprehension, and vocabulary and then classified according to SVR reader types. Findings showed that regardless of reader type, most students exhibited good word decoding but poor reading and listening comprehension skills even when compared to young native Spanish speakers. There were strong and significant correlations between Spanish reading comprehension, Spanish listening comprehension, and Spanish vocabulary. Path analyses showed that listening comprehension was the strongest predictor of reading comprehension but vocabulary contributed independent variance to Spanish reading ability. Findings indicate that Spanish reading comprehension is hard for US learners primarily because their Spanish oral language comprehension skills are very weak.

Pursuing Graduate Study: Factors Underlying Undergraduate Engineering Students' Decisions

AbstractBackgroundEnrollment of US students in engineering graduate programs is declining, the proportion of underrepresented groups being even lower at the graduate level than it is at undergraduate levels.PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore engineering undergraduate student perceptions about graduate study, how these perceptions impact their decisions to pursue graduate study, and whether or how these differ by sex and race/ethnicity.Design/MethodWe administered a survey about graduate study to 1082 undergraduate engineering students from four US institutions. Student characteristics included sex, race/ethnicity, and year in college. Exploratory Factor Analysis identified factors related to Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT). We created multinomial logistic regression models to predict intention to pursue a master's or PhD degree.ResultsIdentified factors were Self‐efficacy, Outcome expectations, Supports, Barriers, and Choice actions. Model fit statistics indicate a strong model. Only Choice actions was not significant. Few sex and race/ethnicity differences held once factors were added to the models. Hispanic students were more than twice as likely to indicate they were planning on enrolling in a master's program relative to no graduate school.ConclusionsSelf‐efficacy most strongly influenced graduate school intention. For every one‐unit increase in students' self‐efficacy, they were over 8 times more likely to plan to enroll in a master's program and 13 times more likely to enroll in a PhD program, relative to not attending graduate school. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

A US Student Reflects on Her Cuban Medical Education.

At first I was skeptical about the opportunity for international candidates to study medicine for free in Cuba… Now, four years into my medical studies I believe living and studying in Cuba has shaped who I am and given me a host of applicable lessons of personal and academic growth. I am convinced that no other school would have offered me the support system, challenges and wisdom this experience entails. ELAM not only represents the place where I am getting my medical education; it is a place where I have found a family, become bilingual and made extraordinary memories.

CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON OF STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT

Higher education around the world is undergoing serious transformations influenced by technological, social and economic processes. Universities are striving to keep their competitive positions on the market of educational services. Today many countries are involved in the global education ranking race. On the way to leadership some countries are guided by experience of more successful racers, adopting their «best» practices. Logically, all countries seek for prosperity and make efforts not to remain on the periphery. However, such factor as culture or national mentality can interfere with transformational processes in education. The study is aimed at conducting a comparative analysis of academic engagement of bachelor students enrolled at Russian, Chinese, Japanese, British and US universities and establishing the role of culture in the existing differences in the educational systems of these countries. The sample includes 26,648 students studied at the selected universities in 2016-2017 academic year and agreed to participate in the international project ‘Student experience in the research university’. The index of academic engagement in class was generated with the Factor Analysis. The results of the oneway analysis of variance (ANOVA) show the significant difference between the level of students’ academic engagement of Russian, US, UK, Chinese and Japanese universities. According to the results, students in China are the least engaged among students of other countries because they are not required to demonstrate active participation. Russian and US students are described as the most engaged in comparison to students of other countries. The findings of the study confirm the importance of taking into account existing cultural aspects in developing academic strategies, communication with international students in class, and conducting comparative research.

The American gaze east

Abstract The 21st century has seen an emphasis in US media and policy documents on increasing the numbers of US students studying abroad and also the amount of US students studying ‘critical’ languages. This paper examines the intersection of these discourses, or the experiences of critical language learners abroad. We analyze this intersection by using critical discourse analysis to examine US media and policy documents and data from students studying Arabic in Egypt and Mandarin in China. This analysis reveals considerable discrepancies between rhetoric and experience in terms of language and intercultural learning. We argue that a critical examination of current discourses of study abroad (SA) reveals that they in fact recreate the colonial map, mask global inequalities, and create a new global elite. We conclude that language and intercultural learning abroad will remain a source of tension until SA students and programs critically engage with these discourses.

Food choices and service evaluation under time constraints: the school lunch environment

Purpose Few states or local school districts mandate a minimum time for lunch. With increasing pressure on schools to maximize instructional time, many US students have witnessed continued reductions in the time allotted to lunch periods and, thus, less time to choose from an increasing number of food options. This study aims to investigate middle and high school students’ preferences regarding the time available for school lunches and whether the amount of time would affect their food choice preferences. Design/methodology/approach This study investigated students’ self-reported lunchtime constraints and food choice preferences through a paper-and-pencil survey. The categorical and ratio responses were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression. Findings Students responded that they rarely had enough time to eat school lunch and that the lunch line waiting time strongly or very strongly influenced their food choices. For the students for whom time available for lunch and time in the lunch line influenced what they ate, they were more likely to prefer limited food choices in several categories of the school lunch menu. Practical implications Foodservice professionals who wish to actively promote better nutrition might consider practical ways to reduce the foodservice wait time for students. While making healthier default options (e.g. a fruit or fresh vegetable side) could increase service convenience, time required for students to make informed meal choices should not be compromised. Originality/value Because lunch line waiting time is related to students’ food choices, schools need to review the number and types of food choices offered in terms of whether they encourage students to make more healthful choices. This study offers a unique perspective on the relationship between time and individual food choices in the school lunch environment and how this relationship affects the quality of children’s diets and their eating behaviors.

Prevalence and Attitudes Regarding Marijuana Use Among Adolescents Over the Past Decade.

Adolescent marijuana prevalence has not increased since 2005 despite a substantial decrease in the percentage of adolescents who believe marijuana use leads to great risk of harm. This finding calls into question the long-standing, inverse connection between marijuana prevalence and perceived risk of use, a connection central to many arguments opposing marijuana legalization. We tested 2 hypotheses for why marijuana prevalence did not increase after 2005: (1) decreases in adolescent use of cigarettes and alcohol reduced risk for marijuana use and counteracted the expected risk in marijuana prevalence, and/or (2) perceived risk of harm now plays a smaller role in marijuana use. Data came from the annual, nationally-representative Monitoring the Future study from 1991 to 2016, in which 1 100 000 US students in eighth, 10th, and 12th grade were surveyed. The entire sample was stratified into 3 mutually exclusive and exhaustive groups on the basis of cigarette and alcohol use. Within each of the 3 groups, marijuana prevalence increased from 2005 to 2016. Paradoxically, when the 3 groups were combined into 1 analysis pool, overall marijuana prevalence did not increase. The seeming paradox results from a decline in the percentage of adolescents who used cigarettes; as this group grew smaller, so too did its disproportionately large contribution to overall marijuana prevalence. Perceived risk of harm from marijuana remained a strong indicator of use throughout 2005 to 2016. Perceived risk of marijuana remains tightly associated with use, and adolescent marijuana prevalence today would be at or near record highs if cigarette use had not declined since 2005, according to study projections.

Mental health literacy: A cross-cultural study of American and Chinese bachelor of nursing students.

INTRODUCTION Nursing students in the United States and China have reported inadequate preparedness for practice in mental health nursing. It is important to investigate nursing students' mental health literacy levels for a better understanding of their practice readiness in mental health field upon completion of their education. Aim This study was aimed at developing an understanding of American and Chinese nursing students' mental health literacy regarding the effectiveness of specific interventions for managing depression and schizophrenia. Method The "Australian National Mental Health Literacy Survey" was completed by a group of 310 nursing students including 152 Americans and 158 Chinese between April 2016 and April 2017 to compare students' rated intervention options on two provided vignettes. Results The two student groups reached consensus on many intervention options. However, the Chinese students showed more preference to occasional alcohol consumption and specialized therapies and the US students held less skepticism towards traditional practices as treatment options for depression and schizophrenia. Discussion and implications for practice The findings support professional and psychosocial interventions in caring for patients with mental disorders. There is a significant need for specific education on safe alcohol consumption guidelines for Chinese nursing students and clinical practice guidelines for managing mental disorders for American nursing students.

Poverty and educational achievement in the US: A less-biased estimate using PISA 2012 data

ABSTRACTIn the current paper, we employ the most recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data to calculate a less-biased estimate of poverty on US achievement. The PISA was specifically chosen as it is an assessment removed from a specific curriculum and instead focuses on concepts that students should know in order to participate in a global economy. Using a propensity score matching approach, our findings suggest that US students in poverty have notable educational attainment deficiencies compared to a matched group of students who are not in poverty. In other words, when we select two students who have a great deal in common but for the fact that one comes from a poverty background, the student in poverty is expected to perform nearly 28 points, or about a quarter of a standard deviation lower, on the PISA assessment. In real terms, this puts math achievement for children not in poverty on-par with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average, while chi...

“Can I do well in mathematics reasoning?” Comparing US and Finnish students’ attitude and reasoning via TIMSS 2011

ABSTRACTThis study investigated differences between the US and Finland in terms of how students’ attitude is related to mathematical reasoning skills through the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011. Attitude towards mathematics was observed via 3 TIMSS contextual variables: liking mathematics, valuing mathematics, and confidence in mathematics. Scores for mathematical reasoning were collected from the TIMSS 2011 database. We used hierarchical linear modelling to construct multilevel models with interactions of the attitude variables. Findings showed that confidence in mathematics had the strongest positive relationships with mathematical reasoning in both countries. Finnish students generally reported stronger positive relationships between confidence in mathematics and reasoning than US students. Strong relationships between confidence and reasoning remained visible when examining valuing and liking mathematics. Findings provide important implications regarding the complex interactions between attitude towards mathematics and reasoning, critical for mathematics educators and policymakers to consider in an increasingly competitive international environment.

A contingent valuation study comparing citizen’s willingness-to-pay for climate change Mitigation in China and the United States

Being the world’s two largest greenhouse gas polluters and economies, both the United States and China must be involved to achieve meaningful global action to address climate change. To better understand public support for climate change mitigation policy in these countries, this study employs a double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation survey to estimate American and Chinese citizens’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) for climate change action. The results show that on average, US college students and adults have similar WTP values. Chinese adults’ WTP is about three-fifths of US adults’ WTP measured in US dollars, while Chinese students’ WTP is only three-fourths of US students’ WTP. Adjusting for the significant difference in per capita income, Chinese adult and student WTP is over two times larger than that of their US counterparts. In addition, political ideology for US respondents is found to have a significant influence on WTP even when controlling for other covariates, such as environmental concern and climate change belief.

Measuring Success in Education: The Role of Effort on the Test Itself

US students often rank poorly on standardized tests that estimate and compare educational achievements. We investigate whether this might reflect not only differences in ability but also differences in effort on the test. We experimentally offer students incentives to put forth effort in two US high schools and four Shanghai high schools. US students improve performance substantially in response to incentives, while Shanghai students—who are top performers on assessments—do not. These results raise the possibility that ranking countries based on low-stakes assessments may not reflect only differences in ability, but also motivation to perform well on the test. (JEL C93, I21, I26, O15, P36)