Kent State Chinese Student Scholar Association and Other Organizations - Essay Example

Kent CSSA and Other Organizations Despise the fact that Kent offers numerous opportunities for students to be involved and enjoy the campus life, most international students find it hard to get involved in the student organizations in the University (Fingar and Reed 102). With a specific focus on Chinese Students, this paper aims to explore the relationships between Chinese Student Scholar Association (CSSA) with other organizations and how these relationships can be improved to better the University Life of Chinese Students in Kent University. CSSA is one of the leading student associations in the World, having operations in over 40 World Class Universities and several hundreds other Universities and colleges (Stevenson et al 4). It offers Chinese Students in overseas Colleges and Universities opportunities to enjoy their campus life by providing sufficient academic and entertainment resources (Donovan 80). The association also links the students from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong to other cultures, with a mandate to spread the Chinese culture. There have been numerous activities and events organized and run by the CSSA. These events, such as the Mid Autumn Festival and the Chinese New Year Festivals have helped bring together Students of a Chinese origin together to celebrate their culture. With a membership of approximately 300 students in Kent State University, CSSA achieves its goals by cooperating with the University’s main Student Government as well as the Administration. However, in spite their efforts to sustain Chinese Culture and enable the students to live a “Home far from Home” lifestyle, most Chinese students continue to live outside the peripherals of University Life (Stevenson et al 4). They find it very hard to get involved in Campus life. This has been caused by one of the several factors discussed below. Firstly, the objectives of CSSA, to help Chinese Students experience a Chinese life in the diaspora cause a conflict of culture. Culture, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, is the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. The dictionary goes on to identify several cultures such as the popular culture, guilt culture, and Café culture (Fingar and Reed 102). Among these, University Culture could be mentioned. It is hence probable that the attempt to sustain the Chinese Culture in a dynamic and hype environment has been a difficult challenge, since the University culture is superior (Donovan 80). This has in turn led to the Chinese secluding themselves from the larger University population and maintaining ties only amongst themselves, rarely engaging in any relationship with other students. Secondly, CSSA has very few associations with other groups, whether in the business world or even in a cultural level. The main activities in the association include the Mid Autumn Festival, held either in September or early October, and the Chinese New Year Festival, held in varying dates in January and February. In attendance during these two festivals are usually the Chinese Students and Scholars (Donovan 80). With the lack of foreign performers, exhibitors or guests, the festivals do little to promote the contact between Chinese and other students (Stevenson et al 4). Methodology This project will use research tools such as questionnaires, observation and statistical analysis with the aim of realizing the objectives of the project. In this project, the researcher will consider using both positivist (quantitative) and interpretivist (qualitative) paradigms. This project is qualitative (Fingar and Reed 102). A qualitative research is a type of research that yields descriptive material based on observation, spoken or written word. It is important to note that elements of experience and interpretation in context-specific situations such as in the case of Kent State University are characteristic of qualitative research. The inquiry is exploratory, descriptive and qualitative in nature. It was exploratory because it sought to explore the perceptions and views of students in the Kent State University towards scholarships, initiatives taken by their parents to help they face the challenges they face on their daily lives (Costley, Elliott & Gibbs 2010). The research is a six-phase longitudinal study of primary data from Kent State University. It consists of: 1. Design of a suitable key skills checklist to be agreed with the Kent State University before the starting of the project 2. The self-rating by each course participant against this checklist immediately at the end of the project 3. A repeat of the exercise about three months later 4. An analysis of the findings and production of a ‘value-added’ graph to show improvements 5. Triangulation of findings by means of telephone or face-to-face semi-structured interviews with lecturers supporting the scholarship based on the graphs and the original project objectives In philosophical terms, this research therefore has elements of positivism (such as computer analysis of data and a structured approach which could be replicated) (Chapman and Shaw 2000). However, there are probably more phenomenology elements. Similarly on the deductive-inductive front, there is a mix of the two. The research begins from a deductive stance. Based on the Kent State University case study, the research will demonstrate quantifiable improvements three months or so after conducting the project (Gibbs et al. 2010). The project assumes that all concerned will find the evaluation well worthwhile leading to a recommendation of the wider use of this project to help children with autism over the challenges they face. However the findings may be different. In that case, the project will need to draw different conclusions from the evidence inductively. The objectives will be completed through collating research using both primary and secondary methods. Primary data will be gathered using in-depth interviews (Chapman and Shaw 2000). The interviews will be conducted through interviewing both teachers who support autistic children and from the children with need for scholarship in Kent State University. This method has been chosen because “unstructured interviews are informal, and can be used to explore in-depth a general area”. There will be no “pre-determined list of questions” to work from, however, the interviewer will have set out a clear plan of the topics she wishes to cover before the interview takes place (Costley, Elliott & Gibbs 2010). The study will form a discursive and evaluative nature using qualitative research to explore and support arguments, rather than presenting quantitative data as the main focus of the study. The case study method has been chosen as the main focus for the study as the author has first hand knowledge and understanding of Kent State University and intends to draw conclusions that will enable the development of ways helping students in need of scholarship. Research Questions 1. What are the specific challenges faced by students in Kent State University? 2. Are there any inclusion or exclusion policies for students in Kent State University? 3. What kind of support do students get in Kent State University? 4. What are the parent’s views on alternative scholarships? Data Collection Methods The researcher will employ questionnaires in aiding face-to-face interviews which is a reliable method of collecting data. It is a reliable way of collecting information because the researcher is in a position to evaluate the different worlds of participants and the societies they live in. the purpose of the interview enhances the understanding of the interviewee’s position on the subject matter in their own words. The above mentioned advantages of the face-to-face interviews as a way of collecting data complements the overall aim of this project, which is to explore challenges faced by Kent State University. Secondary information will be gathered using a variety of texts. These will largely consist of academic, professional and trade periodicals, and a selection of books. Data Processing (Analysis and Interpretation) Data recorded from the field interview in this project would be transcribed. To further protect the confidentially of the participants in this project, all transcripts will be coded in a way that no participants name will appear after the completion of the project. The researcher will use content analysis as the primary form of data analysis. Validity evaluates whether the data collected is accurate enough to show a clear reflection of true occurrences in the study a point emphasized by Costley, Elliott & Gibbs (2010). Gibbs and colleagues not that the research tools will have to rely on the information from the children with autism and teachers of support the children in the mainstream schools in London. Professional guidance will be sort in the development of research instrument and will be pretested so that any needed improvement would be made. This is necessary to ensure that they yielded the required information. Reliability refers extend to which a test gives consistent results. In order to ensure reliability, standardized empirical test in the instrument were clearly constructed. Ethical Considerations Ethics are the moral codes which are followed in a research. These codes are binding and need to be followed irrespective of any circumstance which may surround the research since they give us a remembrance of the researcher’s responsibility towards the people being researched (Chapman and Shaw 2000). The following ethical considerations would be strictly adhered to when carrying out the study: Consent and information forms: Anyone who would participate in this research will be given and be requested printed consent form that would be attached as an appendix after the research. The consent form would clearly illustrate the aims and nature of the study and how important the study is (Costley, Elliott & Gibbs 2010). Participants in the study would do as voluntarily as will be clearly indicated in the consent form. The consent form will also seek to address information regarding any concerns about privacy, anonymity and confidentiality of the participants. Handling of Data: The researcher has no intention of indentifying any data record or analysis sheet despite the fact that the researcher will be able to access the names of the participants. All record sheets would be destroyed after the completion of the study. This will ensure that the privacy of the participants is not compromised in any way (Chapman and Shaw 2000). All interview transcripts would be code in a way that the participants’ name does not appear. To assure total confidentially of the participants, there is no indentifying information that would ever be published in the subsequent publications of the study results. Feedback to participants: The researcher intends to offer the main findings of the study to participants who provided their valid addresses. Potential Risks: Researchers should also avoid inflicting any harm to the informants. This will be based on the degree of risk involved as well as the magnitude of the consequences which may flow from the research. It is also an ethical consideration for the researcher to act to the best interests of the informants. This should be observed when formulating questions to the participants to avoid stress and anxiety to the participants. This project will not pose any risk of harm or humiliation to participants, to teachers or to the society at large. However, the researcher will employ a precautionary measure by ensuring that all participants get the necessary information in case they need assistance after completion of the project interviews as advocated by Chapman and Shaw (2000). Such information would include psychological counseling and containment services. CONCLUSION Benefits If the problem can be solved, over 1,000 Chinese students will live an American life in America, rather than a Chinese life in America. Chinese students can truly enjoy the campus life. For the whole campus, it will help build a diverse international environment for the KSU students. The campus will more beautiful than ever. Timeline The planning for this project will be completed by September 30. The research will be done by October 10th. A rough draft will be completed by November 1st; a second draft will be prepared for group discussion by November 15th. The final draft, with any suggested revisions, will be completed by the end of the semester for submission to the Professor. Works Cited Chapman, C., & Shaw, A. Pragmatics in practice: A group approach. Unpublished paper, Lanarkshire Health Care Trust, 2000, pg. 54 Costley, C., Elliott, G. & Gibbs, P. Doing Work Based Research: Approaches to Enquiry for Insider- Researchers, London, Sage, 2010, pg. 67 Diane, Martinez, Tanya, Peterson, Carrie, Wells, Carrie, Hannigan, and Carolyn Stevenson, Kaplan Technical Writing: A Resource for Technical Writers at All Levels, Kaplan Publishing, 2008, pg. 4 Donovan, C. Assisting Students and Scholars from the Peoples Republic of China: A Handbook for Community Groups. New York: National Academies, 2009, pg. 78-82 Fingar, T. and Reed, L. Survey summary, students and scholars from the Peoples Republic of China in the United States, Sage, 2010, pg. 102 Read More