Mode of Program Participation
Academic Scholarship
Participation Type
Poster
Session Title
“The lived experiences of international university students regarding the phenomenon of rural Appalachian (Southeast) Ohio”
Session Abstract or Summary
This study describes the lived experiences of international students attending a rural university in Appalachian Ohio. The research is based on the analysis of semi-structured interviews with 15 international students about their perceptions and understandings of rural Appalachia.
Extant research literature suggests that international students attending universities in the United States (US) can have pre-existing perceptions of US students that are mitigated by their lived experiences on campus (Minchew & Couvillion, 2003). We were interested in the possible transmission of regional stereotypes, such as stereotypes about rural Appalachia and rural Appalachian people, which often exist in a broader context (Billings, 1999, p. 4). Other work considering the use of stereotypes focus on personal and social impact (Billings, Norman and Ledford, 1999; Speer, 2002). Perpetuation of stereotypes in the media has also been studied to determine the impact on people of Appalachia (Cooke-Jackson & Hansen, 2008).
In this poster we will present the categorical themes that emerged from this work and offer recommendations for future research especially in the international student experiences in the rural Appalachian context (as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission).
Presentation #1 Title
“The lived experiences of international university students regarding the phenomenon of rural Appalachian (Southeast) Ohio”
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
This study describes the lived experiences of international students attending a rural university in Appalachian Ohio. The research is based on the analysis of semi-structured interviews with 15 international students about their perceptions and understandings of rural Appalachia.
Extant research literature suggests that international students attending universities in the United States (US) can have pre-existing perceptions of US students that are mitigated by their lived experiences on campus (Minchew & Couvillion, 2003). We were interested in the possible transmission of regional stereotypes, such as stereotypes about rural Appalachia and rural Appalachian people, which often exist in a broader context (Billings, 1999, p. 4). Other work considering the use of stereotypes focus on personal and social impact (Billings, Norman and Ledford, 1999; Speer, 2002). Perpetuation of stereotypes in the media has also been studied to determine the impact on people of Appalachia (Cooke-Jackson & Hansen, 2008).
In this poster we will present the categorical themes that emerged from this work and offer recommendations for future research especially in the international student experiences in the rural Appalachian context (as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission).
Sources:
Billings, D. B. (1999). Introduction. In Billings, D. B., Norman, G., & Ledford, K. (Eds.). Confronting Appalachian stereotypes: Back talk from an American region (p.p. 3-20). Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky.
Billings, D. B., Norman, G., & Ledford, K. (2001). Back talk from Appalachia: confronting stereotypes. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky.
Cooke-Jackson, A., & Hansen, E. K. (2008). Appalachian Culture and Reality TV: The Ethical Dilemma of Stereotyping Others. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 23(3), 183-200.
Minchew, S. S., & Couvillion, M. B. (2010). A comparison of American and international students' lifestyles and perceptions of the university experience. National Forum of Applied Educational Research Journal, 23(3), 1-8.
Speer, J. H. (2002). From stereotype to regional hype: Strategies for changing media portrayals of Appalachia. In P. J. Obermiller & M. E. Maloney (Eds), Appalachia: Social context past and present (4th ed.). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Michael Hess is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Studies at Ohio University a native of Highland County Virginia his research interests includes rural Appalachia and education, the intersections of social class and educational success, critical educational theory and democratic educational leadership. He has worked at both Berea College and Ohio University.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Charles L. Lowery is a former school principal and currently an Assistant Professor in Educational Studies at Ohio University where he teaches in the Educational Administration program. His research interests include educational leadership for social justice and democracy in Appalachia, perceptions and challenges of marginalized individuals in high-need educational settings, and emerging metaphors of school leadership for the 21st century.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3
Lisa Flowers-Clements is a Doctorial Candidate in the Higher Education program at Ohio University and the Coordinator of Transfer and Relocate Student Services in the University College. A former middle school teacher she has also worked at West Virginia University-Parkersburg.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #4
Sharon Casapulla is the an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine at Ohio University where she directs the Rural and Urban Scholars Pathways Program. She received her doctorate in education from Ohio University in 2012. Her research interests include adolescent health and resilience both at the individual and community level.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #5
Juan Guillermo Gomez Urrego holds a Masters of Arts in International Relations from Ohio University and a Bachelors degree in Sociology from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. A native of Quito, Ecuador he is currently a Masters Student in Critical Studies in Educational Foundations at Ohio University.
“The lived experiences of international university students regarding the phenomenon of rural Appalachian (Southeast) Ohio”
This study describes the lived experiences of international students attending a rural university in Appalachian Ohio. The research is based on the analysis of semi-structured interviews with 15 international students about their perceptions and understandings of rural Appalachia.
Extant research literature suggests that international students attending universities in the United States (US) can have pre-existing perceptions of US students that are mitigated by their lived experiences on campus (Minchew & Couvillion, 2003). We were interested in the possible transmission of regional stereotypes, such as stereotypes about rural Appalachia and rural Appalachian people, which often exist in a broader context (Billings, 1999, p. 4). Other work considering the use of stereotypes focus on personal and social impact (Billings, Norman and Ledford, 1999; Speer, 2002). Perpetuation of stereotypes in the media has also been studied to determine the impact on people of Appalachia (Cooke-Jackson & Hansen, 2008).
In this poster we will present the categorical themes that emerged from this work and offer recommendations for future research especially in the international student experiences in the rural Appalachian context (as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission).
Sources:
Billings, D. B. (1999). Introduction. In Billings, D. B., Norman, G., & Ledford, K. (Eds.). Confronting Appalachian stereotypes: Back talk from an American region (p.p. 3-20). Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky.
Billings, D. B., Norman, G., & Ledford, K. (2001). Back talk from Appalachia: confronting stereotypes. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky.
Cooke-Jackson, A., & Hansen, E. K. (2008). Appalachian Culture and Reality TV: The Ethical Dilemma of Stereotyping Others. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 23(3), 183-200.
Minchew, S. S., & Couvillion, M. B. (2010). A comparison of American and international students' lifestyles and perceptions of the university experience. National Forum of Applied Educational Research Journal, 23(3), 1-8.
Speer, J. H. (2002). From stereotype to regional hype: Strategies for changing media portrayals of Appalachia. In P. J. Obermiller & M. E. Maloney (Eds), Appalachia: Social context past and present (4th ed.). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing.
