US Students Research Articles

International student interns: how valued by host enterprises?

ABSTRACT A substantial literature already exists in international students’ study experience, but since relatively less exploration has occurred into their involvement in work-integrated learning it was considered desirable to further develop what is known about this area. Still less is known about how organisational hosts of international interns regard the purpose or outcomes of their placements. In the present study involving 16 US students interning in a diverse collection of New Zealand organisations, hosts had high expectations of what their international intern would provide by way of new ideas and specialist capability and they also concurred that interns did make a valuable contribution in these respects. In nearly all cases good competence in English was sought. Hosts also agreed that interns received actual professional workplace experience and had the opportunity to make independent decisions. The context within which an individual learns is often thought to be very influential in what is likely to be learned. Nevertheless, personnel from very dissimilar host organisations showed close agreement on what their interns learned and contributed.

Gender, LGB status, and attitudes toward traditional wedding practices

ABSTRACT Historically, traditional wedding customs reflected marital values and gender power dynamics. Though preference for egalitarian partnerships and marriages is growing, patriarchal and heteronormative wedding traditions remain popular. This study aims to understand the dissonance between marriage values and wedding traditions by comparing college students’ ideals and intended practices regarding traditional heterosexual wedding customs, such as the bride being given away by the father and taking the groom’s last name. Based on a survey of 291 college students in the southeastern U.S., we find that students, particularly straight women, generally have more egalitarian ideals than intended practices. LGB individuals have a weaker preference for wedding traditions as ideals and as intended practices. While those who think marriage should always be egalitarian are less likely to support certain traditions, they are no different from their less egalitarian counterparts in ideals or preferences about the proposal, suggesting this tradition may be particularly engrained in social expectations regarding weddings.

Feasibility of Administering an Electronic Version of the National Youth Tobacco Survey in a Classroom Setting.

IntroductionThe National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) has successfully monitored tobacco product use patterns and correlates since 1999 among US students in grades 6 through 12 using a scannable paper-and-pencil format. We conducted a study to determine the feasibility and potential benefits of administering an electronic version of the NYTS in school settings.MethodsThe pilot survey was administered by using 2 versions. Version 1 mimicked the scannable paper-and-pencil format with respect to design, formatting, and structure, but was administered on a tablet computer. Version 2 used an electronic survey design and formatting capabilities, which included programmed logic skips and tobacco product images. Chi-square and t tests were used to assess subgroup differences. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to determine if the odds of ever and current tobacco product use differed between the 2 versions.ResultsIn total, 2,769 students completed version 1 or version 2. Three-quarters of respondents reported a strong preference for using an electronic device to take the NYTS (74.7%). Compared with version 1, version 2 reduced the mean time to complete the survey by 15% (P < .01), reduced the number of questions students needed to answer by 30% (P < .01), and removed 1.9% of inconsistent survey responses. A significant difference was observed for ever e-cigarette use between versions 1 (22.2%) and 2 (29.5%; P < .0001). No significant differences in ever or current use were observed for other tobacco products.ConclusionAn electronic mode of administration is feasible and valid for conducting surveillance of tobacco product use among US youths.

Online Pro-Tobacco Marketing Exposure Is Associated With Dual Tobacco Product Use Among Underage US Students.

To understand the effect of pro-tobacco marketing on electronic cigarette and combustible cigarette dual use among US middle and high school students under 18 years of age. Data were derived from the 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey, an annual self-administered school-based cross-sectional survey. The survey was administered in public and private middle and high schools across the United States. The probability sample size was 15 238 middle and high school students with complete responses who were under 18 years of age during the study period. The study measured self-reported exposure to online combustible and electronic cigarette advertisements, dual use of combustible and electronic cigarettes during the past 30 days, exposure to the Real Cost antitobacco campaign advertisements, and other sociodemographic factors (eg, race/ethnicity, gender, and grade). Logistic regressions were used to measure pro-tobacco marketing exposure and dual use as a function of pro-tobacco marketing exposure. Descriptive analyses show that 59.0% of respondents were exposed to pro-tobacco online marketing, and 2.9% were dual users. Dual users (odds ratio [OR] = 1.73) and high school students (OR = 1.43) were more likely to report exposure to online pro-tobacco marketing. Findings indicate that a gap in electronic cigarette pro-tobacco marketing regulatory oversight may exist. Further policy action may be warranted to protect the public health of minors and other vulnerable populations who are most susceptible to pro-tobacco marketing.

The role of social networks and intense friendships in study abroad students’ L2 use and speaking development

Abstract This article examines the connections among self-reported social network development, L2 use, and self-perceived speaking proficiency development in a group of Belgian ERASMUS students (n = 59) who studied abroad in different European countries (Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the UK). The results suggest a number of differences between the participants in this study and the US cohorts who have been traditionally the focus of previous SA research. For example, the Belgian students report high levels of proficiency in the target language before going abroad and high levels of target language use while abroad. Furthermore, a number of social network variables point to differences between the ERASMUS students in the present study and the US students featuring in previous research. Nevertheless, the results also reveal some similarities, especially with regard to the social network variables ‘size’ and ‘intensity of friendship’ which were predictors of language gains for the group of students under analysis in this study and, consequently, corroborated findings of previous studies conducted with US cohorts.

I’ve got an idea! Exploring the antecedents of suggestion sharing in consumer services

PurposeCustomer suggestions offer valuable insights to companies, and suggestion sharing is a form of engagement that strengthens customers’ relationships with firms. Yet research to date has neglected to explicitly study the antecedents of direct-to-firm consumer suggestion sharing or to adequately characterize the behavior. This paper aims to address this deficiency.Design/methodology/approachThe research draws on two surveys using three different elicitation techniques – critical incident, direct reporting and scenario response. Inductive content analysis of consumer responses is used to derive exploratory insights regarding the range of factors that motivate and inhibit consumer suggestion sharing, with an emphasis on consumer service-related contexts.FindingsPotential self, other and firm benefits motivate suggestion sharing, whereas a host of factors, including the effort involved, a lack of perceived firm efficacy and unpleasant sharing contexts inhibit it. The findings reveal a rich portrait of antecedents that illustrates how direct-to-firm suggestion-sharing behavior combines elements of customer citizenship behavior, customer complaint behavior and online community idea sharing.Research limitations/implicationsThe research relies upon reporting by US students and consumers.Practical implicationsService firms hoping to avail themselves of customers’ desire to contribute to their and their customers’ betterment must understand and manage the tripartite nature of consumer suggestion sharing evinced by the antecedents revealed.Originality/valueTo the best of the author’s knowledge, this research offers the first description of the range of factors that motivate and inhibit direct-to-firm consumer suggestion sharing. As such, it provides a theoretical foundation upon which future consumer suggestion-sharing research can build.

Understanding Myanmar and the Way Forward for Legal Education: From Rote Learning to Community Engagement Through Clinical Legal Education

The aim of this article is to use a community needs assessment to teach law students knowledge, skills and values while identifying the areas of greatest need for access to justice services in the community. To begin, the international team of US and Myanmar law faculty and students researched literature on the country of Myanmar and various issues facing Myanmar’s citizens and its legal education system. We also had a team from Missouri Western State University on the ground in Myanmar working with the international non-governmental organization (NGO) BABSEACLE (formerly, Bridges Across Borders South East Asia Clinical Legal Education) to work with faculty and students at the Department of Law, Taunggyi. The team conducted a community needs assessment (CNA) on legal needs in Taunggyi, Myanmar, to better understand community teaching needs. BABSEACLE provides law schools with the tools and opportunities to expand clinical legal education (CLE). The team in Myanmar from Missouri Western State University consisted of Professor David Tushaus and two undergraduate students, Britane Hubbard and Kaylee Sharp, who had the opportunity to teach CLE in English to law students at Taunggyi University. Professor Tushaus served as an international clinician in residence (ICIR). BABSEACLE, operating in Myanmar since 2013, has successfully used ICIRs to introduce and strengthen CLE, by embedding experienced law professors and practitioners at local universities to serve as mentors to neophyte clinical faculty.5

Assessing knowledge of genomic concepts among Canadian nursing students and faculty.

Objectives Contemporary nurses require genomic literacy to engage in genomics-informed health care. Little is known about the genomic literacy of undergraduate nursing students and faculty in many countries. Concept inventories can be used to assess levels of knowledge and inform curriculum development. Methods The 31-item Genomic Nursing Concept Inventory (GNCI) was administered to undergraduate nursing students (n=207) and faculty (n=13) in a school of nursing with two sites in western Canada. Results Scores on the GNCI were low and comparable to those of US students and faculty. Six student characteristics were associated with total score on the GNCI. Conclusions Both students and faculty need to increase their knowledge of genomics. Mandates from national nursing organizations and international collaboration are needed to develop and implement foundational genomics content for undergraduate curricula to enable graduates to engage in genomics-informed health care.

The great decline in adolescent cigarette smoking since 2000: consequences for drug use among US adolescents

ObjectiveAdolescent cigarette smoking declined steadily and substantially from 2000 to 2018. This paper considers the potential consequences of this ‘great decline’ for the prevalence of other drug use among adolescents.MethodsData...

High school students’ feelings: Discoveries from a large national survey and an experience sampling study

We investigated students' feelings at high school in a nation-wide survey of 21,678 US students (study 1), and in a four-week study using experience sampling methodology (ESM) with 472 students across 5 high schools (study 2). Both studies combined mixed methods, including open-ended questions and rating scales (e.g., PANAS). In study 1, seventy-five percent of the feelings students reported in their responses to open-ended questions were negative. The three most frequently mentioned feelings were tired, stressed, and bored. Similar findings emerged with rated items, The prevalence of negative feelings was largely similar across demographic groups. Study 2 largely corroborated the findings from study 1. Although the retrospective measures showed similar results to study 1, the in-the-moment measures also showed frequent positive feelings. We discuss the findings in light of the ‘sleep deprivation epidemic’, the achievement motivation literature, and implications for the validity of state- and trait measures of academic emotions.

US Physicians Trained in Cuba Battle COVID-19 at Home:A Personal Account from the New York City Epicenter.

Speaking remotely with US graduates of Havana's Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM), I found them at work on hospital floors, in ICUs and health centers across the United States, putting their professional and personal commitment to the test against COVID-19. Nowhere was that more evident than in New York City, the disease's epicenter, where one grad told me virtually every hospital has at least one MD from the Cuban school, which has provided free 6-year medical training for some 30,000 doctors since the school's founding in 1999. The student body comes primarily from low- and middle-income countries worldwide, but Cuba also provided 200 US students with scholarships. One of them is Dr Joaquín Morante (ELAM Class of 2012), who did his medical residency in internal medicine, followed by fellowships in pulmonary disease and critical care medicine. Triple-licensed in internal medicine, pulmonary and critical care medicine, he is now an attending physician on staff at Jacobi Medical Center in The Bronx, one of New York City's public hospitals, and considered a 'hot spot' due to its COVID-19 caseload. I spoke with him during a break at home in mid-April.Dr Joaquín Morante, ELAM Class of 2012: Pulmonologist, critical care attending physician at Jacobi Medical Center, New York City.

In Memoriam: Larissa Bonfante (1931–2019)

Previous articleNext article FreeIn Memoriam: Larissa Bonfante (1931–2019)PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMoreAtque in perpetuum, soror, ave atque valeWith sadness we share the news of the passing of our colleague Larissa Bonfante, professor emerita of classics at New York University, who served on the advisory board of Source for almost thirty years. Larissa was born in Naples; her father, a professor of linguistics, was compelled to leave Italy because of his antifascist views. She grew up in Princeton and received her PhD at Columbia, studying with the art historian and archaeologist Otto Brendel. In 1993 Larissa organized a special issue of Source focusing on nudity in classical art as a Festschrift in honor of Brendel. Her many publications reflect a wide range of interests, from the history of costume to the barbarian cultures of ancient Europe, but she is best known for her research on the Etruscan civilization, whose language was considered stubbornly indecipherable until she began to work on it. Larissa’s 1983 book The Etruscan Language: An Introduction, coauthored with her father, is still in print and remains the standard manual on this subject. A pioneer of Etruscan studies in the United States, she helped create the Sezione Americana of the venerable Istituto di Studi Etruschi ed Italici in Florence, and was a founder and editor of the Etruscan News. Now in its twenty-first year, this publication keeps US scholars and students informed of new finds, books, events, and conferences, as well as lighter features like Archaeocat, photos of the ubiquitous felines who inhabit ancient ruins in Italy. Remembered by her students as a wonderful instructor and mentor, Larissa received numerous honors, including the Gold Medal of the Archaeological Institute of America, election to the American Philosophical Society, and a Great Teacher Award from New York University. Previous articleNext article DetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Source Volume 39, Number 2Winter 2020 Sponsored by the Bard Graduate Center, New York Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/706363 © 2020 by Bard Graduate Center. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Age of tobacco use initiation and association with current use and nicotine dependence among US middle and high school students, 2014–2016

IntroductionTobacco use mostly begins in adolescence and young adulthood. Earlier age of initiation of cigarette smoking is associated with greater nicotine dependence and sustained tobacco use. However, data are limited...

Inaccuracies in survey reporting of alcohol consumption

BackgroundAlcohol consumption estimates in public health predominantly rely on self-reported survey data which is likely to underestimate consumption volume. Surveys tend to ask specifically about standard drinks and provide a definition or guide in an effort to gather accurate estimates. This study aimed to investigate whether the inclusion of the term standard drinks with pictorial guide is associated with an adjustment in self-reported alcohol volume.MethodsA web-based survey was administered with AUDIT-C questions repeated at the beginning and end of the survey with and without the standard drink term and guide. The order in which respondents were presented with the different question types was randomised. Two cohorts of university/college students in NSW Australia (n = 122) and the US Pacific Northwest (n = 285) completed the survey online.ResultsAustralian students did not adjust their responses to questions with and without the standard drink term and pictorial guide. The US students were more likely to adjust their responses based on the detail of the question asked. Those US students who drank more frequently and in greater volume were less likely to adjust/apply a conversion to their consumption.ConclusionsThis study supports previous findings of the inaccuracy of alcohol consumption volume in surveys, but also demonstrates that an assumption of underestimation cannot be applied to all individual reports of consumption. Using additional questions to better understand drink types and serving sizes is a potential approach to enable accurate calculation of underestimation in survey data.

How US students’ geo-cultural knowledge and intercultural receptiveness is impacted through contact with international teachers

To understand how K-12 students in the USA are impacted by their interactions with international teachers (ie teachers visiting the USA from other countries), this study asked ‘ Does contact with an international teacher correlate with increased geo-cultural knowledge and/or receptiveness to non-USA countries, peoples and/or cultures?’. To address this question, the study drew on pre- and post-contact data from 1,082 students who had interactions with international teachers who were in the USA for a six-week educational program. Analysis of the data indicated that the students’ geo-cultural knowledge increased after having contact with an international teacher. Students were more likely to be able to identify the visiting teacher’s country as being real (as opposed to fictional), its geographic location ( vis-a-vis continent identification), and its dominant language and religion. Findings also showed that contact with international teachers correlated with increased receptiveness towards and interest in non-USA countries/peoples/culture among elementary and middle school students, but not so much among high school students. This study suggests programs supported by international teachers in schools can be effective at helping US youth gain needed intercultural competencies and, in the process, can promote global well-being.

Advisor Selection, Advisor-Advisee Relationship, and Perceived Stress among Korean and US Doctoral Students

In recent decades a prolific amount of research has been conducted into the topic of students’ relationships with supervising professors as key to doctoral experiences and success. Across different education systems, positive relationships between doctoral students and their advisors have been strongly associated with socialization into their departments and disciplines, as well as overall satisfaction with doctoral programs. While faculty-student relationship has been widely studied as one of the most important factors affecting student satisfaction and attrition, little is known about how the choice of advisor and how advisor-student relationships are related to stress. Data was collected by administrating a survey of students enrolled in doctoral programs from a public, research-intensive university in the Midwest of the United States and a public, research-oriented institution in South Korea. The findings indicate that US students were generally more positive about the advisor-advisee relationship than Korean students and both Korean and US doctoral students’ concerns were largely related to post-graduation options.

US students interning in New Zealand: how they are challenged; what they learn

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore US students’ experience in for-credit, unpaid internships overseas with particular reference to their personal development, how they mobilised their knowledge across contexts, their learning as acquisition and as participation, and what they contributed. Students were thought likely to encounter three forms of cultural differences: national, workplace and academic.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 17 students in communication, marketing or related fields from the USA were placed in four-week internships in Wellington, New Zealand. Outcomes for them were assessed first, via weekly discussions in which they described what they had encountered that week, second, via the presentations they gave at the end of the course to internship hosts and university staff on the subject of what they had found challenging and what they had learned and contributed, and third, through assessment of students’ formal written assignments to discover what they said they had learned and what they had contributed.FindingsStudents were surprised at how proactive their internship hosts expected them to be and at how little overt direction they received. While they valued their opportunity to make a contribution to their workplace, they found this challenging. Students gave instances of their learning both as individuals and in groups. No mention was made of academic cultural differences being an issue, but they often described the demanding nature of the national and workplace cultural differences that they encountered.Research limitations/implicationsThe study reports on only one cohort of students in one year, so a longitudinal study of further cohorts might provide different findings.Originality/valueInsights are provided into how students saw themselves as changing from their involvement. Students described the challenges they faced, how they reacted to those challenges and their most important forms of learning.

PRESIDENTIAL SYMPOSIUM: EDUCATION NETWORKS: STRENGTHENING GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS THROUGH CONNECTIVITY

The AGHE Presidential Symposium, related to the theme of the annual scientific meeting, underscores the importance of networks, collaborations and partnerships in advancing education in gerontology and geriatrics. AGHE has been at the forefront of many innovative programs since it was founded in 1974, contributing to the growth of the field and the recognition of education as one pillar of the field of gerontology and geriatrics, along with research, policy and practice. This symposium highlights three ongoing initiatives that promote connections and collaborations. The first paper discusses the Age-Friendly University (AFU) network which is made of institutions around the globe who have committed themselves to becoming more age-friendly in their programs and policies. AGHE endorses the AFU principles and invites its members and affiliates to call upon their institutions become part of this pioneering initiative. The AFU initiative is one of several international activities that AGHE, global leaders in education on aging, has engaged in. The second paper describes international networking activities such as collaborations with international organizations including the World Health Organization and connecting international and US students. In the third paper, initiatives to connect disciplines and professions through competency-based education and curricula are discussed. For instance, the Gerontology Competencies for Undergraduate and Graduate Education and the Program of Merit promote competency-based gerontology education across disciplines and professions.

E-Cigarette Use Among Youth in the United States, 2019

The prevalence of e-cigarette use among US youth increased from 2011 to 2018. Continued monitoring of the prevalence of e-cigarette and other tobacco product use among youth is important to inform public health policy, planning, and regulatory efforts. To estimate the prevalence of e-cigarette use among US high school and middle school students in 2019 including frequency of use, brands used, and use of flavored products. Cross-sectional analyses of a school-based nationally representative sample of 19 018 US students in grades 6 to 12 participating in the 2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey. The survey was conducted from February 15, 2019, to May 24, 2019. Self-reported current (past 30-day) e-cigarette use estimates among high school and middle school students; frequent use (≥20 days in the past 30 days) and usual e-cigarette brand among current e-cigarette users; and use of flavored e-cigarettes and flavor types among current exclusive e-cigarette users (no use of other tobacco products) by school level and usual brand. Prevalence estimates were weighted to account for the complex sampling design. The survey included 10 097 high school students (mean [SD] age, 16.1 [3.0] years; 47.5% female) and 8837 middle school students (mean [SD] age, 12.7 [2.8] years; 48.7% female). The response rate was 66.3%. An estimated 27.5% (95% CI, 25.3%-29.7%) of high school students and 10.5% (95% CI, 9.4%-11.8%) of middle school students reported current e-cigarette use. Among current e-cigarette users, an estimated 34.2% (95% CI, 31.2%-37.3%) of high school students and 18.0% (95% CI, 15.2%-21.2%) of middle school students reported frequent use, and an estimated 63.6% (95% CI, 59.3%-67.8%) of high school students and 65.4% (95% CI, 60.6%-69.9%) of middle school students reported exclusive use of e-cigarettes. Among current e-cigarette users, an estimated 59.1% (95% CI, 54.8%-63.2%) of high school students and 54.1% (95% CI, 49.1%-59.0%) of middle school students reported JUUL as their usual e-cigarette brand in the past 30 days; among current e-cigarette users, 13.8% (95% CI, 12.0%-15.9%) of high school students and 16.8% (95% CI, 13.6%-20.7%) of middle school students reported not having a usual e-cigarette brand. Among current exclusive e-cigarette users, an estimated 72.2% (95% CI, 69.1%-75.1%) of high school students and 59.2% (95% CI, 54.8%-63.4%) of middle school students used flavored e-cigarettes, with fruit, menthol or mint, and candy, desserts, or other sweets being the most commonly reported flavors. In 2019, the prevalence of self-reported e-cigarette use was high among high school and middle school students, with many current e-cigarette users reporting frequent use and most of the exclusive e-cigarette users reporting use of flavored e-cigarettes.

Undergraduate time-use: a comparison of US, Chinese, and Russian students at highly selective universities

ABSTRACTPatterns of students’ time-use can provide important insights into student learning and development in higher education. Previous empirical studies conducted in developed countries do not allow us to generalize findings on time-use patterns for students from countries with different national systems. This paper aims to identify national differences in undergraduate patterns of time-use and their links with the individual characteristics of students. The sample (N = 166,919) was derived from highly selective universities from three countries: the USA, China, and Russia. Significant differences in undergraduate time-use patterns in three countries were observed. In addition, significant interaction effects between national variables and individual characteristics were found. The results allow us to conclude that there are national differences in the power and direction of links between time-use patterns and individual characteristics.