Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
First Advisor
Charles Crowell
Abstract
This study looks at the support services needs of Walden University students pursuing a distance education Ph.D. degree while residing overseas. The purpose of the study was to expand upon currently existing data about this population and begin to create a multi-faceted profile of Walden overseas students and their needs that could be used to inform and guide the development of overseas student support services.
The study uses a qualitative data collection technique applied across different student cohort groups to investigate the overseas student support services needs. A three-part e-mail survey comprised of open-ended questions was used to generate detailed personal descriptions of the positive and negative experiences of students and solutions they have devised to meet the challenges of living overseas. The paper then looks to the literature of the field to interpret the results and make recommendations for ways for Walden University to strengthen its network of institutional student support services.
The recommendations put forward in this paper are directed specifically at Walden overseas students; however, the domestic student population would also be served by their implementation. Domestic student needs overlap significantly with those of overseas students as they are all at a distance from the institution, its faculty, fellow students, and library. The findings of this study, while specific to the context of Walden University, also have significance for other distance education institutions of higher education.
Disciplines
International and Comparative Education
Recommended Citation
Smith, Stephanie J., "Identifying the Needs of Walden University Distance Education Students Residing Overseas to Guide the Development of Student Support Services" (1997). Capstone Collection. 1053.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/capstones/1053