US Students Research Articles

Comparing Critical Thinking Dispositions of Students Enrolled In a College Level Global Seminar Course

In recent years, the discussion concerning critical thinking and problem solving among college graduates and new industry hires has increased dramatically. A plethora of research has discovered that college graduates entering the workforce are lacking in their ability to problem solve and think critically. These attributes have been called some of the most necessary for an individuals’ success in the 21st century. The purpose of this study was to identify the variance in critical thinking disposition of students (undergraduate and graduate) enrolled in an International course (Global Seminar) using the UF-EMI Critical Thinking Disposition Assessment. Students representing the US, Italy, and Austria participated in this study (N=43). Results indicate that the entire population fell within the typical ranges for UF-EMI scores for all three constructs (Engagement, Cognitive Maturity, and Innovativeness) but would be classified as weak overall. There was however a slight difference in mean scores when comparing the US and European students. American students scored higher than the Italian students for all three constructs and higher than the Austrian students for the Engagement and Innovativeness constructs. These results warrant further research to determine how course content, teaching methodologies, and experiential learning opportunities impact college students’ critical thinking dispositions.

The reliance on recognition and majority vote heuristics over privacy concerns when selecting smartphone apps among German and US consumers

ABSTRACTThe smartphone app market is a prime example of a digital market where consumers are tasked with selecting one option among a plethora of alternatives, at times indistinguishable from one another. Building upon findings on information processing and decision-making, we postulate that consumers follow simple (rather than complex) heuristic rules to navigate the app market. In particular, we focus on two such strategies: the recognition heuristic and the majority vote heuristic. App privacy information was also considered as a potentially salient cue in the decision-making process, given the personal data stored on smartphones. Results of a mixed-method design (behavioral analysis and think-aloud protocols) study with German (N = 18) and US (N = 25) students find a dominance of the recognition heuristic. Decisions are further supported by majority vote heuristics. Privacy information is largely disregarded, particularly by US participants. Implications for app market design and engagement are discussed.

Racialized classroom practices in a diverse Amsterdam primary school: the silencing, disparagement, and discipline of students of color

In both Europe and the US, racial and ethnic minority students experience discrimination at the hands of teachers that negatively impacts academic achievement. In the US, scholars have documented how a predominantly white teaching force racializes students of color through discipline and low expectations, which impact educational attainment. But in Europe, the denial of race’s existence hinders research regarding structural explanations for minority educational inequality and often explains low educational attainment as a function of cultural differences. Examining classroom practices in a diverse Amsterdam primary school, this article documents racializing mechanisms that found minority students disproportionately disparaged, disciplined, and silenced. In addition, many were students under-recommended to higher level secondary school tracks. These findings reveal that Dutch schools are not racially meritocratic institutions and are relevant for scholars in the Netherlands and all other nations with educational institutions dominated by colorblind ideologies, white norms, and large immigrant populations.

International Medical Graduate Training in Urology: Are We Missing an Opportunity?

To examine trends in international medical graduate (IMG) representation within urology and compare these trends to those of other specialties. Urology match data were obtained from the American Urological Association from 1987 to 2015. IMG representation among residencies was extracted from reports on Graduate Medical Education published in Journal of the American Medical Association from 1978 to 2013. We analyzed trends in the number of IMG urology applicants, match rates in urology for IMGs vs US medical graduates, and the annual percentage of IMGs among all urology residents vs residents of other specialties. Between 1987 and 2015, 6790 applicants matched into urology. The number of positions offered increased by 24% (224 to 295) between 1987 and 2015. However, the number of IMG urology applicants did not increase accordingly (r = -0.55, P = .78). Match rates for US students and IMGs ranged from 68% to 91% and 6% to 33%, respectively. From 1978 to 2013, the proportion of IMGs across all specialties remained relatively stable (25% to 27%), whereas the proportion of IMGs in urology decreased substantially (27% to 5%). The proportion of IMGs in urology training has dramatically decreased over time and remains lower than most other specialties. IMGs are critical to urology as they can assist in meeting workforce demands, contribute diversity to the workplace, and help to propel the field forward through urologic research. Further efforts should be directed toward understanding the unique needs of IMG residents and helping them to navigate the challenges of practicing in a foreign country.

Chinese Dream, Cool Japan, and the Korean Wave: “Gangnam Style” and the Soft Power of East Asian Countries among Young Adults in the US Heartland

The present study examined the “soft” appeal of three East Asian countries rated by young adult Americans in their plain words, specifically young Americans’ impressions of East Asia in link to salient East Asian pop cultural products and brands (e.g., Gangnam Style [in Korean: 강남스타일] rocked the world in 2012). Two hundred and fourteen US students completed the survey in spring 2013. The respondents all in all had a difficulty in telling one East Asian country’s product from the others’. Of the countries scrutinized in the present study, a majority of young Americans held neutral attitudes toward China and Japan but negative attitudes toward South Korea. A sizable number of young Americans knew a few Japanese-turned-global, pop cultural brands but mistakenly believed they were Made in China, although they could not recognize Chinese product names and brands. Among single pop cultural products, Gangnam Style was most salient in young Americans’ memory. Finally, pop culture-induced soft power appeals were somewhat linked to the amount of knowledge the respondents believed they had about a certain country as well as the degree of their liking of the country. Still, the present study indicated that a country’s soft power is not entirely independent of her hard power. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Characteristics of US Students That Pursued a STEM Major and Factors That Predicted Their Persistence in Degree Completion

Low participation and completion rates in the science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) careers are a world-wide concern. This study tracked American college students over a 5-year period and identifies factors that lead to choosing a STEM major and in turn successfully earning a STEM degree. Characteristics of female and minority students who participated in the STEM pipeline during 2008-2013 were compared with their counterparts. Results show significant gender and racial differences in entering, completing, and persistence in the STEM pipeline. Female and minority students, except for Asian American students, were less likely than male or White students to declare a STEM major. Similarly, among those who completed a STEM major, a smaller percentage of female and minority students completed their degree in 5 years than their counterparts. White male students, high school GPA, college GPA, and first year college credit hours earned significantly predicted persistence in completion of a STEM major, whereas first time college students, transfer students, and students took remediation courses were less likely to persist. Implications for counseling interventions are discussed.

Boundaries between online and offline realms: how social grooming affects students in the USA and Germany

ABSTRACTResearch examining the impact of social media use on the well-being of digital natives has resulted in a myriad of opposing outcomes indicating both positive and negative effects. Focusing on positive effects only, this study examines whether there is a boundary between online and offline realms in cohorts of student digital natives and what differences exist between German and US populations. Using data collected in 2013 and 2014 we find that social grooming activities in social networking sites (SNS) significantly increase positive emotional outcomes and indirectly increase subjective well-being. We also conclude that there is a significant impact of online social grooming activities on offline social activities. But this impact is significantly moderated by cultural aspects: only within the subsample of US students is this effect of spreading social capital from online to face-to-face interaction significant. This striking result can be attributed to the stronger separation of communication activities between online and offline life among German students. Further, these differences can be explained by differences in underlying usage motives, which do also differ between US and German students.

How Do Low Achieving Students in an Urban High School Learn with Information?: An Exploratory Study

This study investigates how high school students with low academic achievement seek and use information. Participants were seven US students in an American Literature and Composition course of the 11th grade Remedial Education Program who completed a class project that required comprehensive information seeking and use. Data were collected through comprehensive observation and individual interviews with each student, the teacher, and two library media specialists. Additionally, we gathered and analyzed the instructions the teacher and the two library media specialists provided and all documents each student produced to complete the class project. The process of data analysis was supported by QSR NVivo. The findings of the study implied that students experienced cognitive and affective challenges for their information seeking and use required for the tasks and suggested that technological and individual conferencing would motivate the students to continue their information seeking and use. We then conclude the study with some important implications that can be used as a basis for designing information literacy instructions for students with low academic achievement.

Business school grading on both sides of the Atlantic

This study examines factors that influence academic performance in introductory finance and economics classes in Spain and compares results to those of similar classes in the United States. Unlike in the US, the better-performing students in Spain attend the earliest morning classes, and inadequate sleep does not always significantly associate with lower grades. The Spanish students closer to graduation outperform their less-experienced peers, but the US students delaying taking the introductory class until closer to graduation do not typically do better, or worse. The number of work hours per week outside the university negatively associates with academic performance for students in both the US and Spain. The students attending more classes in the US do better, though insignificant results along these lines are observed in Spain. The findings are relevant because they help to address student and university needs.

Exposure to Advertisements and Electronic Cigarette Use Among US Middle and High School Students.

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use among US students increased significantly during 2011 to 2014. We examined the association between e-cigarette advertisement exposure and current e-cigarette use among US middle school and high school students. Data came from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey (n = 22 007), a survey of students in grades 6 through 12. The association between current e-cigarette use and exposure to e-cigarette advertisements via 4 sources (Internet, newspapers/magazines, retail stores, and TV/movies) was assessed. Three advertising exposure categories were assessed: never/rarely, sometimes, and most of the time/always. Separate logistic regression models were used to measure the association, adjusting for gender, race/ethnicity, grade, and other tobacco use. Compared with students who reported exposure to e-cigarette advertisements never/rarely, the odds of current e-cigarette use were significantly (P < .05) greater among those reporting exposure sometimes and most of the time/always, respectively, as follows: Internet (adjusted odds ratio: middle school, 1.44 and 2.91; high school, 1.49, and 2.02); newspapers/magazines (middle school, 0.93 [not significant] and 1.87; high school, 1.26 and 1.71); retail stores (middle school, 1.78 and 2.34; high school, 1.37, and 1.91); and TV/movies (middle school, 1.25 [not significant] and 1.80; high school, 1.24 and 1.54). E-cigarette advertisement exposure is associated with current e-cigarette use among students; greater exposure is associated with higher odds of use. Given that youth use of tobacco in any form is unsafe, comprehensive tobacco prevention and control strategies, including efforts to reduce youth exposure to advertising, are critical to prevent all forms of tobacco use among youth.

Surveying Turkish high school and university students’ attitudes and approaches to physics problem solving

Student attitudes and approaches to problem solving can impact how well they learn physics. Prior research in the US using a validated Attitude and Approaches to Problem Solving (AAPS) survey suggests that there are major differences between students in introductory physics and astronomy courses and physics experts in terms of their attitudes and approaches to physics problem solving. Here we discuss the validation, administration and analysis of data for the Turkish version of the AAPS survey for high school and university students in Turkey. After the validation and administration of the Turkish version of the survey, the analysis of the data was conducted by grouping the data by grade level, school type, and gender. While there are no statistically significant differences between the averages of various groups on the survey, overall, the university students in Turkey were more expert-like than vocational high school students. On an item by item basis, there are statistically differences between the averages of the groups on many items. For example, on average, the university students demonstrated less expert-like attitudes about the role of equations and formulas in problem solving, in solving difficult problems, and in knowing when the solution is not correct, whereas they displayed more expert-like attitudes and approaches on items related to meta-cognition in physics problem solving. A principal component analysis on the data yields item clusters into which the student responses on various survey items can be grouped. A comparison of the responses of the Turkish and American university students enrolled in algebra-based introductory physics courses shows that on more than half of the items, the responses of these two groups were statistically significantly different with the US students on average responding to the items in more expert-like manner.

Assessing general education learning outcomes at Qatar University

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of a new general education program at Qatar University (QU) in achieving English writing and critical thinking outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) test was used as direct assessment tool to identify the extent to which QU students are making progress with respect to general education outcomes, and how well QU students perform compared to US students on general education outcomes that are measured by the CAAP test. Findings – Findings show evidence that students make progress in English and critical thinking during their QU educational careers. However, QU students lag well behind their US counterparts in writing skills, but they performed relatively better in critical thinking and essay writing. Research limitations/implications – The sample of students tested was limited to students who met certain criteria. Therefore, the sample was neither representative nor random and does not reflect the performance of the entire student body. English is a second language for most QU students, and cultural differences as well as students’ high school preparation and quality of faculty at QU add to the complexity of the study. Practical implications – Research finding may have implication on the general education program curriculum plan, assessment process, assessment plan and tools. It may also trigger comprehensive review of courses addressing writing and critical thinking skills. Moreover, the findings will have impact on institutional total approach and support to retain and enhance some of the cornerstone skills that general education program promise to achieve. The pilot study, results and findings can have implications on similar GCC general educations programs that focus on English writing and critical thinking skills. Originality/value – This original pilot study indicates a need for improvement of internal assessment processes and reconsideration of general education program courses contributing to skills examined. It also provides evidence on students’ performance on two important generic skills, both are important for QU and its stakeholders. The study’s findings are of broad interest to assess the efficacy of internal assessment at international institutions using an internationally available standardized test.

Negotiations of cultural identities by Indian women engineering students in US engineering programmes

The paper analyses the identities of Indian women engineers in the gendered organizational context of US engineering programmes. Participant narratives discuss the ways in which women are subjected to identity struggles in India due to gendered patrifocal norms that impose structural, societal, and familial pressures on women. Subsequently, when these women enter US engineering programmes, they encounter a highly masculine organizational and cultural space. Participants discuss identity dislocations, transformations, and assimilation as they seek to meld into the existing structures and find a career trajectory. I draw upon liminality theory to explore the cultural transitions, identity restructuring, and negotiations of Indian women engineers, navigating the intersections of competing and intersecting cultural norms of gender and engineering in India and the US, work, and family. The findings indicate the layers of gendered ideology that constitute engineering education in India and the US, the societal pressures of marriage and family rooted in patrifocal Indian norms, the barriers to finding an engineering job, the resources within the structures that support women, and the identification of patriarchy as the enactment of agency and as a site for change.

Validation of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised across US and Portuguese college students

The present study aimed to evaluate the invariance of the factor structure of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire Revised (DMQ-R) between Portuguese and US university students. Following tests of factor model invariance we further evaluated cross-cultural differences in (1) mean levels of the four motives, and (2) the association of the four motives with weekly drinking, peak drinking, and binge drinking among college students from the United States and Portugal. Participants were 983 undergraduate students (67% female) from the US (N=515) and Portugal (N=468). Participants completed a confidential online (US) or paper and pencil (Portugal) survey. Results of a CFA demonstrated that the four-factor model of the DMQ-R was invariant with respect to factor loadings, factor variances, and factor covariances across the two countries. Mean differences in ratings of drinking motives were found, with US students ranking all motives higher than Portuguese students. However, rank order of motives (social>enhancement>coping>conformity) were equivalent across countries. Support for convergent validity was demonstrated by significant associations between drinking motives and alcohol consumption for men and women of both samples. Results support the factorial invariance and convergent validity of the DMQ-R across US and Portuguese college students, making it a trustworthy means of assessing college students' drinking motives, and a useful instrument for clinical and research purposes, both within and across cultures.

Perceptions of US and Australian Medical Students and Instructors About Clinical Professional Attire: LAPEL Study.

White coats have long been the professional uniform of physicians. However, when physicians opt to remove the white coat, their clothing underneath is brought to the forefront and can influence how they are perceived by their patients. To explore the perceptions of medical students and their instructors about appropriate clinical professional attire. An anonymous, voluntary 55-question survey was electronically distributed to medical students and their instructors at 2 US and 2 Australian medical schools. The survey incorporated 30 images of sample attire, 9 demographic questions, and 16 questions regarding culture and context of clothing and accessories. In total, 411 students and 73 instructors participated in this study. The data revealed that white coats and neckties are nearly absent in Australian clinical attire. Overall, students were significantly more supportive of full facial coverage due to religious or cultural values compared with instructors (P<.001), and US medical students were significantly more supportive than Australian students (P<.001). All cohorts preferred dress code policies that directed students to avoid but not prohibit the use of perfume or cologne. Nose rings were controversial with significantly more support for use from medical students than instructors (pooled cohorts, P=.002). Medical students in both the United States and Australia indicated that they were most influenced by observing the attire of physicians at work (155 [38%]), compared with courses in medical ethics (19 [5%]), school policy (16 [4%]), or hospital policy (9 [2%]). Although regional dress code practices are different in the United States compared with Australia, medical students were overall most influenced by their instructors' attire in clinical settings.

Differences in Emotional Experience and Coping with Human Cadaver Dissection Between a Sample of US and Lebanese Medical Students: A Pilot Study

This study compares two groups of first year medical students, one from the USA and another from Lebanon, regarding their emotional reaction and coping strategies to dissection. Students from both cohorts reported mostly positive emotions associated with dissection, such as finding the activity “stimulating” and “challenging.” Adverse emotions such as “scary” or “nauseating” were not strongly felt; yet many reported the experience nonetheless was “emotional.” Among differences in coping strategies, US students were more likely to seek emotional support and use self-distraction. In brief, cultural context may affect the emotional experience and coping strategies related to cadaveric dissection.

US and Chinese perceptions of simulated US courtesy

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to identify similarities and differences in US and Chinese subjects’ emotional responses to and perceptions of courtesy of simulated English-language communication prompts. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through a web-based stimulus administered on US and Chinese students. Subject responses to eye contact and smile images and a set of verbal expressions were measured on ratings of emotion and courtesy. Findings – Smiling with direct eye contact and warmed-up verbal expressions were found to elicit a higher level of emotional response and were perceived as viable server politeness cues. US and Chinese participants had similar responses to facial and verbal prompts. Originality/value – This paper contributes to understanding about service employee cues, such as courtesy, that can influence service quality in a cross-cultural tourism setting.

Prevalence and Determinants of Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Middle and High School Students.

Secondhand smoke (SHS) causes disease and death among nonsmokers. Private settings are major sources of exposure for children. We assessed prevalence and determinants of self-reported SHS exposure in homes and vehicles, as well as school, work, and indoor/outdoor public areas, among US students in grades 6 through 12. Data were from the 2013 National Youth Tobacco Survey (n = 18 406). Self-reported SHS exposure within the past 7 days was assessed overall and by extent of smoke-free home and vehicle rules among never users of 10 tobacco product types. Descriptive statistics were used to compare estimates, and adjusted prevalence ratios were calculated to assess determinants of SHS exposure. Among never tobacco users, 48.0% reported SHS exposure in 1 or more locations, including 15.5% in the home, 14.7% in a vehicle, 16.8% at school, 27.1% at work, and 35.2% in an indoor/outdoor public area. Home exposure was 8.5%, 55.3%, and 79.4% among never tobacco users with complete, partial, or no smoke-free home rules, respectively (P < .05). Vehicle exposure was 7.1%, 44.8%, and 70.2% among never tobacco users with complete, partial, or no smoke-free vehicle rules, respectively (P < .05). Factors associated with higher prevalence ratio of SHS exposure included current tobacco use, truant behavior, and having tobacco using household members/friends Approximately half of US students in grades 6 through 12 reported exposure to SHS in 2013. Smoke-free home and vehicle rules, coupled with intensified implementation and enforcement of comprehensive smoke-free laws, could help protect youth from this preventable health hazard.

Critical pedagogy, internationalisation, and a third space: cultural tensions revealed in students’ discourse

ABSTRACTSet within the context of a global pursuit towards the internationalisation of higher education, this paper critically examines student discourse in a globally connected classroom between learners in the USA and Singapore. It makes salient some of the cultural assumptions and tensions that undergird students’ discourse in collaborative international exchanges. We argue that technological innovation can enhance campus internationalisation efforts by providing opportunities for groups of students to intersect and interact across cultures. Such opportunities for social connection can bring about a transformative third space wherein domestic students and their international peers can engage in meaningful and productive dialogic exchanges. However, as this analysis suggests, the mere opportunity for connection will not necessarily manifest outcomes consistent with ideals of internationalisation and may instead result in superficial exchanges and reified stereotypes. Specifically, findings from this study demonstrate several tensions in US students’ discourse, revealing ways in which they simultaneously reject and represent American identity, challenge and reify national stereotypes, and pursue open-mindedness while maintaining ‘strong convictions'. Finally, as a practical application of findings, we suggest training students to self-reflect through critical examination of their own and others’ discourse as a means for pushing beyond the superficial towards genuine cultural learning.

A scenario-based exploratory study of cognitive moral development in information ethics

This study uses scenarios-based approach to investigate cultural impact on the student moral development in the context of information ethics. Kohlberg's cognitive moral development CMD model is used to assess student perception differences between US students and their counterparts from three Chinese samples Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The study found significant differences in the perceptions not only between US and Chinese students, but also among the three Chinese samples. The study posits three propositions based on the findings. The study has both educational and business implications.