EXPLORING CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR EXPERIENCE IN AN INTENSIVE ENGLISH PROGRAM AT A US MIDWESTERN UNIVERSITY

Authors

Yishi Long, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

Spring 4-16-2013

Citation

Long, Y.S. (2013). EXPLORING CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR EXPERIENCE IN AN INTENSIVE ENGLISH PROGRAM AT A US MIDWESTERN UNIVERSITY. MA Thesis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Comments

A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Arts, Major: Educational Administration, Under the Supervision of Professor Miles T. Bryant. Lincoln, Nebraska: May, 2013

Copyright (c) 2013 Yishi Long

Abstract

This phenomenological study described Chinese students’ learning experiences in an Intensive English Program at a U.S. public university. Its main purpose was to investigate whether Chinese students think this program help them transition to American academic and social environment more smoothly.

The researcher adopted purposive sampling because there were selection criteria: (a) Chinese Intensive English students, (b) not in the Partnership Degree Programs, (c) 19 years of age or older, and (d) enrolled in 2013 spring academic semester at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The sample was 10 students, five males and five females, from Basic Level to Advanced Level.

The researcher conducted face-to-face interviews to gather data. Interview questions consisted of open ended, multiple and probing questions. Few closed questions were used. The data were analyzed and organized into themes. Demographic data and findings were showed in tables and figures.

Findings revealed that the majority of the participants were satisfied with the program because they observed their great progress with listening and speaking after they took classes, however, the level they satisfaction depended on how long they had to study in the program. The students reported lower level of satisfaction when they studied longer in the program. One major recommendation of the study was that language instruction should be more integrated with academic course content in the Intensive English Program. This qualitative study also recommended topics for future research based on the ideas the researcher gathered from the interviews.

Advisor: Miles T. Bryant