Distance learning for International Students?

Graduate Students

• I would like to find studies done on graduate students in general including distance learning students, more specifically on Master's Degree students, and even more specifically, on Master's Degree Distance Learning students. I want to know what their thoughts are about the stressors of being in graduate school - not just school stressors but stressors in relationship to all of their life.

• Answer:

  Hello, strodes-ga! I have found some informtion pertaining to your question that proves quite interesting. As per your request, I limited the research to graduate students. Though I was able to find a few articles relating to Distance Learning and Graduate Students, narrowing the search to a specific group of students limited the articles available online. For an excellent overview of the personalities, characteristics and stresses of today's graduate students, read the following article: "Understanding Graduate Students: Their Values, Beliefs, and Motivations," by George Barna. Barna Research Group. Grad Resources (2/2000) http://www.gradresources.org/articles/student_profile.shtml ************************************************************************ Some excerpts from the article follow: Anxieties and Concerns: "Grad school is a time of high anxiety for most participants. In fact, compared with measures of anxiety across different occupational groups, we found that grad students are more anxiety-ridden than most segments we have tested." "The most crippling anxiety affecting grad students was the struggle to achieve balance in life. While there is gratification earned from academic achievement, grad students fear being transformed into academic machines, devoid of any real life outside the classroom or library. In conjunction with this fear was concern for their personal health. Many grad students indicated that stresses and pressures of grad school were taking an emotional toll on them." Anxieties and Challenges 70% balance outside of school 59% personal health 55% dealing with stress/burnout 52% not being successful in career 46% financial pressures 40% relationships with peers 40% choosing wrong career path 34% relationships with opposite sex 30% relationships with professors 29% failing others' expectations 28% growing in relationship w/ God 17% feeling like an outsider Coping with Pressure and Stress: "How do grad students handle the weight of pressure they encounter? They turn inward. Independent and self-reliant, they turn to the one person in whom they have ample trust and confidence: themselves. Nine out of ten grad students claimed that they "frequently" rely upon themselves for growth and stability." ======================================================================== The following excerpt from the ERIC Digest provides a good overview on Graduate Students and stress: "Student Stress: Effects and Solutions." ERIC Digest 85-1.Whitman, Neal A.; And Others Association for the Study of Higher Education.; ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education, Washington, D.C. 1985 http://www.eriche.org/digests/ED284514.html ************************************************************************ WHAT IS STRESSFUL FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS? "The accelerated growth in undergraduate programs has also been felt in graduate schools, resulting in an oversupply of Ph.D.s. Consequently, graduate students, facing poor employment opportunities when they finish their doctoral programs, feel stress associated with the uncertainty of their career choice and future prospects." "Often, graduate students perceive that faculty exert great power over their lives and feel that they live in a state of substantial powerlessness (Altbach 1970). Another source of stress is the difficulty of achieving social intimacy. It is difficult to find a mate or maintain a relationship with an existing one. Graduate students tend to lack the time and/or the opportunity to develop interpersonal relationships (Hartshorn 1976). Specific tasks that produce stress in graduate students are preliminary exams and the doctoral dissertation. Fear of academic failure related to these tasks is a definite stressor (Kjerulff and Wiggins 1976; Kolko 1980). Solutions for alleviating distress include improved orientation for new graduate students, more flexibility in core requirements, and expanding the role of faculty advisors." ======================================================================== Pressures surrounding graduate students and the stress associated with the Graduate Student/Supervisor relationship are highlighted in the following commentary about an article that appeared in the journal Nature concerning the suicide of a third-year Harvard graduate student: "GRADUATE STUDENT STRESS: A PROPOSAL IN THE WAKE OF A TRAGEDY." http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/usl/ase/GradStress.html ************************************************************* "In August of 1998, a 5th year graduate student in the Department of Chemistry at Harvard University (US) wrote a note castigating the department for the power professors have over the lives of graduate students and then committed suicide by ingesting cyanide. The student, Jason Altom, was the 3rd Harvard graduate student to commit suicide since 1997, and the event prompted much discussion, many recriminations, and the formation of committees at Harvard and at other universities, in both chemistry departments and other departments. Altom was working on the synthesis of a complex molecule under the supervision of organic chemist Elias J. Corey, winner of the 1990 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. In his suicide note, Altom elaborated on the pressures affecting graduate students: the pressure to succeed and the pressure of an intense relationship with a single supervisor." (Refer to the rest of the article for commentary) ======================================================================== Isolation, Finances, Caregiving and Decisions about Priorities are highlighted in the following data about Graduate Students at Simon Fraser University, Canada. "Social Support." Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies. Simon Fraser University http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/final-report-ss.htm ************************************************************************ "Therefore, 22% of graduate students live alone, facing possible problems of loneliness/social isolation; another nearly 40% live in households of more than 3 members, a large proportion having dependents and the consequent financial challenges. A not insignificant proportion of students has a partner and/or dependents living elsewhere, and possibly faces the twin problems of social isolation and financial burden." "A high proportion of SFU graduate students are caring for others. Approximately 28% report that they are caring for children; 10% are caring for aging parents; and 2% are caring for a sick or disabled spouse. No gender differences appear in these data." "The most frequent priority conflict is between family and work - in particular, the decision to place studies over family. Approximately 40% of men and 45% of women state that they have to make such decisions very often. The decision is difficult, especially for women, of whom 58.2% indicate they find this very stressful. Decisions to place family over studies occur less frequently and are less stressful for both men and women. Work-study conflicts are less common than the priority decision to place studies over family. However, the decision to place work over studies occurs more often for women, and is much more stressful for women than for men." (Refer to chart in article) "....about one-quarter of graduate students lack adequate (i.e., barely adequate or not at all adequate) emotional and financial support, if it is needed. This one-quarter (no significant gender difference) is an at risk group should financial or emotional stresses be experienced." ======================================================================== Stress from physical problems and drug and alcohol use prevail among Caucasian Graduate students as compared to Asian students: From "Gender and Race." http://kenstange.com/psycsiteannex/StudentStress/discrim.htm ************************************************************ "Leong and Mallinckrodt (1990) did a study "to examine possible cross-cultural variations in stress among Asian graduate students in comparison to Caucasian graduate students." The subjects completed a questionnaire comprised of the Proxy Measure of Health Status (Kisch, Kovner, Harris, & Kilne, 1969) self-report checklist, the Bell Global Psychopathology Scale (Schwab, Bell, Warheit, & Schwab, 1979), and the Life Event Questionnaire that was adapted from the Life Experiences Survey developed by Sarason, Johnson, and Siegel (1978). The subjects were two hundred and seventy-two graduate students who lived in the University of Maryland graduate housing complex. It was found that "Caucasian students reported a higher number of total life events (M=6.58; SD=4.40) than that reported by Asian students (M=4.81; SD=5.89; t=2.47, p<.05)." (Leong & Mallinckrodt, 1990). A related difference was found in that "Caucasian students also reported significantly more chronic physical symptoms (M=1.45; SD=1.47) than did the Asian students (M=0.87; SD=1.47; t=2.74, p<.05)." (Leong & Mallinckrodt, 1990). Caucasian students also reported having greater concerns about drug and alcohol use problems than Asian students. On the other hand, Asian students experienced more problems on the Memory Difficulties and Hallucination subscales and reported more trouble with paranoia than Caucasians. (maybe you can decipher the rest of this abstract!!!!!!!) ======================================================================== The Happy times of Graduate Student life as experienced by one student are highlighted in the following article: "TIMES OF OUR LIVES: Daily life as a science graduate student," by Amy Boonsiriseth. http://www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/gsj/times.pdf. ************************************************************************ "Some students, like myself, are "traditional" graduate students. By that, I mean that they are single, in their early to mid-twenties, enter graduate school immediately after finishing their college education, are financially independent, and living on their own." "Being single in graduate school means that one bears no other responsibilities other than to care for oneself, and that translates to having a lot of flexibility in one's schedule........Being a graduate student allows me to utilize this flexibility to the maximum. While there are time constraints as a graduate student, our time is more flexible than it would be if we were working a 9 to ­5 job." "Graduate students have the luxury of going to a bar or dance club more often than undergraduate students since the days of cramming for finals, midterms, and term papers are long over." "Being financially independent is one of the first rites of entering adulthood......But almost all graduate expenses are supported by students themselves through research and/or teaching stipends or fellowships and grants. This sense of financial independence in many people's lives is a sense of achievement. Although the salary of a graduate student is only half of what a full time working person earns, it is enough to live comfortably and to remove ourselves financially from our parents. On occasion we can even dine out at a nice restaurant, go to the movies, and even take small trips. Having a steady income allows us to have the freedom to enjoy our lives with our friends and possibly a significant other." "Finally, many graduate students have moved out of the tiny dorms or campus housing and may no longer have roommates. Many, like myself, share a spacious apartment with one other person, each of us having our own room. Others have even opted to have a place to themselves. It is a time sandwiched between the dorms and family homes. It's a time beyond bunk beds and sharing a room with someone you don't get along with. It is the first time in my life that I can decorate my apartment according to my taste and have enough financial resources to purchase that cheap halogen lamp if I choose to." ======================================================================== Financial Pressures for Graduate Students: "Financial Pressure for Grad Students," by Dr. Teresa Sullivan & Nick Repak. Grad Resources (1/12/2000) http://www.gradresources.org/articles/Financial%20Pressures%20for%20Graduate%20Students.shtml ************************************************************************ Excerpts follow: "Many gifted students fail to accomplish their dreams because the reality of tuition, housing and living expenses keep them from completing their degree. There are some clear reasons for the financial struggles and some solutions to the problem. Some Emotional & Cultural Issues: "Denial and poor assessment can be a common trap for many of these idealistic scholars. Most graduate students have experienced success academically since high school and throughout their undergraduate program, and they assume that grad school is a calling for them. But esteem issues become entwined with financial pressures for some. In interviews with Ph.D. students at MIT, one student shared with me, "I was the top in my undergrad chemistry department, but now I am just one star among many." They may feel that they need to succeed to keep up with personal and family expectations, regardless of the cost. They take out personal loans, charge moving and living expenses to credit cards and then wonder how to make rent payments each month. Other graduate students have a sense of entitlement that causes them to spend without considering consequences. Certain students feel that graduate school is like a job where they are "earning their degree" and should be drawing a paycheck for their labor. In one case study, a graduate student continued to "pay herself a salary" with funds from government loans until she had accumulated $160K in federally-insured debt. Yet, she was still taking classes and had not even reached candidacy yet." "Some graduate students try to blame others for their situation, and a spouse may become the target for the blame. Divorce and bankruptcy are positively correlated, because money problems are often closely related to marital problems. Others blame their parents or the university. Graduate students may blame an advisor for failing to secure funding for the project for which a student is doing research. Many want to justify their habits by saying, "I can't handle a job or Teaching Assistant position and excel in my academic program, so I need a Research Grant or Fellowship to study without the distraction of working." The result is lingering of debt that goes unpaid." "Sometimes, people use finances to compare their status with other classmates or siblings. Graduate students may compare their situations with those of undergraduate classmates who took jobs immediately after graduation and now have a comfortable lifestyle. In academic fields where there are tight job markets, graduate students may never be assured of an income as high as they would like. The results of such comparisons and resulting envy can produce anger and resentment directed at others. Yet, we know that wealth and poverty are relative and not absolute. Many students count themselves fortunate to struggle from paycheck to paycheck because they are blessed with the opportunity to pursue research and study in a field that energizes them." ======================================================================== Burnout, Emotional Fatigue and Feelings of Inadequate Accomplishment: "Emotional Fatigue: Coping With Academic Pressure," by Nick Repak. Grad Resources. http://www.gradresources.org/articles/emotional_fatigue.shtml ************************************************* Excerpts follow: "Many [graduate students] are told, "We value teaching, and you will teach (though you may receive little or no training as you become a TA), but if you excel at teaching we may reward you with a special grant that allows you not to teach." Also, "The demands will be so great that you will need a unique support system to help you through your academic quest," but the environment will allow little time to establish relationships, and the department may be so competitive that it hinders relationships from forming. Again, "You might want to take advantage of your advisor as a mentor, and they will enjoy that also," however, their research demands force them to commit their time and energy in the direction of research and publishing and may force you to do the same. You might desire coherence in your life, and that would assist you in your personal wholeness and integration of your studies, but again, there is no time for such things. Facing these academic "catches" may require some critical reflection on your personal lifestyle and environment to avoid emotional fatigue." "The problem of burnout, with its accompanying emotional exhaustion and feeling of low personal accomplishment, has prompted much study as it relates to management and business. However, the academic community, which seems to accept fatigue as part of student life, is just beginning to seriously take notice." "An undergraduate study done by Neumann, Neumann and Reichel, professors at Boston and Ben Gurion Universities, is the only research that has attempted to define the problem on the college campus. The authors conclude: "College students may in fact experience the burnout phenomenon due to learning conditions that demand excessively high levels of effort and do not provide supportive mechanisms that would facilitate effective coping.{1} "The Neumann study found emotional exhaustion and lack of felt accomplishment as ingredients of the burnout process. The conclusion: Emotional fatigue greatly influences student performance and affects personal commitment. On the other hand, the degree to which the student experiences emotional exhaustion is dependent on his individual flexibility, involvement, and student-faculty contact." Another research study by the Barna Research Group came up with these conclusions: "....graduate students do feel a great amount of pressure. Fifty-five percent of the students surveyed considered dealing with stress and burnout a major challenge. In addition, 70 percent of the grads responding to a broad list of "anxiety producers" declared that their major concern was the achievement of the elusive "balanced life," i.e. finding ample time for family, self, and others and feeling that their life is under control. "The majority of graduate students also expressed a desire to deepen personal involvement in their field of study. For instance, 51 percent indicated interest in attending a panel discussion comparing ethical issues in their field of study. One third desired a deeper relationship with a faculty member." (Read entire article for more, in-depth information!) ======================================================================== Distance Learning and the Graduate Student - Lack of support, limited coping mechanisms for stress, and feelings of alienation from the college community. "Online learning: a booming trend: More student support needed to meet adult learners' needs, says U of C researcher." University of Calgary (7/17/2002) http://www.fp.ucalgary.ca/unicomm/news/July_02/wiesenberg.htm ***************************************************** Excerpts follow: "A University of Calgary professor has discovered many of today’s educational institutions lack the student support systems that online learners require to succeed. "Dr. Faye Wiesenberg’s study, which won the 2002 Journal Award from the Canadian Association for University Continuing Education in June, describes how a small group of graduate students coped with the stresses of online learning over a period of three to five years. For the most part, online adult learners had a lower-than-expected level of family and community support, possessed a limited set of coping mechanisms for stress, and persistently felt like marginal members of the academic community." “The typical 18 to 24-year-old young adult student is leading an increasingly busy school and work life; at the same time, mature adult learners are returning to school to pursue continuing professional development,” says Wiesenberg (right). “Many of these students face the demands of holding multiple roles as parents and working professionals, with some having had had little recent experience adding the role of student to already busy lives. This means that a larger proportion of students in our post-secondary systems may benefit from easier access to student services online.” Graduate distance learning and lack of management skills: "Selecting A Distance Education School," by Brent Muirhead D.Min., Ph.D. USDLA Journal (April 2002) http://www.usdla.org/html/journal/APR02_Issue/article05.html ************************************************************************ "Unfortunately, some students fail to take the time to explore the nature of distance education and either have difficulty completing their doctoral programs or drop out of school. For instance, students are given the freedom to make numerous educational decisions, such as selecting dissertation advisors, and the wide range of choices becomes a major problem for them. Their prior educational experiences did not prepare them for learner-centered educational settings because most contemporary graduate schools have program guidelines that restrict students in their capacity to personalize their course work. Then, when they enter graduate distance schools they become academically paralyzed because they do not have the mind sets and learning experiences to create and manage their own educational programs." ======================================================================= I hope these references prove helpful. If I can provide further clarification, or any of the links do not work, please don't hesitate to ask! umiat-ga Google Search Strategy "graduate students" AND stress +Stress AND "graduate students" AND "distance learning"