1. Understanding Arab students’ challenges, strategy use and future vision while writing their Masters dissertations at a UK University: a qualitative inquiry
Dr. Anas Hajar
Post-doctoral research fellow
Faculty of Education/ Canterbury Christ Church University
July, 08, 2016

2. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2016.1199555
Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 24, June 2016
DOI:

3. Theoretical consideration Research Question Methodology Key findings
Outline
Rationale and Objectives of the Study
Theoretical consideration
Research Question
Methodology
Key findings
Implications

4. Rationale and Objectives
A lack of research on Arab students’ study abroad experiences (e.g. Alhazmi and Nyland 2013; Hamdan 2007)
Challenges faced by Arab university learners and their strategy use when writing dissertations in English
A sociocultural perspective on language learning and learning strategy

5. Theoretical consideration
International students are surface or rote learners, and are likely to be unable to learn independently (Dong, 1997).
The influence of the academic conventions and cultures of international students’ country of origin ( Devos, 2003; Johns and Swales, 2002).

6. These stereotypical perceptions have been ‘asserted rather than demonstrated’ (Clark and Grieve, 2006, p. 63).
The importance of mediating role of situated contextual realities (Paltridge, 2014).
a growing number of in-depth qualitative studies, in order to uncover the ‘situated experiences’ of international students in new cultural settings (Kinginger 2013).

7. Research Question
What influences the participants’ strategic language learning efforts and their vision of the future while writing their MA dissertation?

8. Data Collection and Analysis
Seven Arab participants
Ways of recording interviews
recorded on tape - Verbatim transcription - translation verified by a second translator

9. Key Findings
Choosing the research topic:
“The sector of healthcare in Iraq was in need of effective project management…my ideas appealed to my supervisor. He gave me some suggestions to narrow down my specific zone of interest. So I decided to focus on the role of stakeholders in managing healthcare projects.” (Yasmine, April 26, 2014)
“I came to two meetings with my supervisor without having a clear idea of what I wanted to discover. I wrote my research proposal hastily for I thought it’s the duty of my supervisor to find a research topic to me…I directly accepted the idea suggested by my supervisor”. (Hiba, May 12, 2014)

10. Issues with supervision:
“My supervisor was more reactive than proactive. He didn’t use to reply to my s, especially when he was in India to participate in a conference…He was too occupied with his administrative commitments. This made me a bit distressed because I needed his help in the methodology section of my dissertation…in one of our meetings, I was shocked when he said to us that his main task was only to give us general advice”. (Hadi, July 27, 2014)

11. Compulsory strategies A short-term goal
“My supervisor was compassionate towards my worries about my family in Syria due to the civil war taking place there…my supervisor supplied me with a reading list for my research. He responded quickly to my s with questions. I used the questionnaire developed by my supervisor in one of his writings… my aim is to get my master’s degree in order not to disappoint my family”. (Hiba, June 15, 2014)
Compulsory strategies
A short-term goal

12. “My supervisor used to respond to my emails and commented on my drafts
“My supervisor used to respond to my s and commented on my drafts. But she often gave me the choice to do whatever I wanted.... I felt I grew not only as a student, but more importantly as a researcher. There were no weekly deadlines from my supervisor and no regular discussion with classmates. So I gave myself deadlines and sticking to them…I drew a mindmap for each chapter that summed up the main points. This enabled me to review my ideas quickly…My project can benefit many companies in Saudi Arabia.” (Sultan, July 04, 2014)
Individual and national interest
‘National interest’ represents ‘attitudes towards national socio-economic development, national integrity and the projection of a positive group/national image in the international arena’ (Islam, Lamb and Chambers 2013: 4).
Use more voluntary strategies i.e. Internalised within the self

13. Peer Influence
“I’m studying in the library with two Arab colleagues. We encourage each other and exchange some good strategies mentioned by our supervisors. For example, I followed the advice of looking for articles that presented a systematic review of the previous studies related to my research topic…however, I’m no longer in contact with the other classmates”. (Tariq, July 24, 2014)
“Excluding my supervisor, the most influential individual for me was an Arab colleague…He kept asking me about my academic progress…I wish I had more opportunities to communicate with other classmates”. (Hadi, July 05, 2014)

14. Use of Technologies
“Although the university library in Emirates had access to digital resources, no teacher told us about these facilities and thus I didn’t make use of them…In the UK, Computer and Internet technologies greatly facilitated my efforts to produce my dissertation…I downloaded the relevant articles on my laptop and used Mendeley to arrange them and take notes on the same PDF…I supported the soft copy reading because paper is bad for the environment”. (Rabab, August 14, 2014)

15. Implications
Organising training sessions for teachers of English in the Arab world by experts to enhance their perceptions of the importance of technology for learning and teaching English

16. Implications