College Students’ Perceptions of Learning from Foreign-Born Faculty in American Higher Education

Overview: This study aims to examine correlates of American college students’ perceptions toward foreign-born faculty using Nf474 students’ survey responses. Findings revealed that students’ race, disciplines, and parents’ nativity were consistently associated with their positive perceptions of foreign-born faculty. Potential impact of student and faculty diversity in higher education is discussed.Proposal text:

Background: Foreign-born faculty (FBF) comprise 24% of the workforce in U.S. universities (Marvasti, 2005), this number has increased four-fold between 2007 and the 2012-2013 academic year (Gahungu, 2011; Paris, 2019). Their inclusion in discourse about diversity in our classroom remains a priority. Few studies have spotlighted college students’ learning experiences from FBF despite their daily interactions. (Chang et al, 2014; Ewy et al., 2015; Yao et al., 2012). This study attempts to better understand how teaching and learning with diverse faculty is perceived in higher education. This paper aims to describe college students’ perceptions of FBF and examines correlates of students’ perception of the benefits of learning from these faculty.

Methods: College students (Nf474) enrolled at three public universities in the southeastern U.S. completed a cross-sectional online survey between September 2019 and March 2020. This IRB approved study invited students 18 years or older in human service professions (72.4%), but it also included students in STEM disciplines (27.6%). The dependent variable of this study was students’ perception of FBF including two sub-factors of 1) their preference in taking courses with FBF and 2) their perceived benefits of learning from FBF (Ewy et al., 2015; Yao et al., 2012). Cronbach alpha reliability was .833 and .751 of the sub-factors, respectively. Independent variables included students’ socio-demographic characteristics. We conducted descriptive and bivariate analyses.

Results: The average scores of students’ preference for taking courses with, and their perceived benefits of learning from FBF were 3.77(SD=0.960) and 3.53(SD=0.667), respectively. Test results of mean differences showed that students’ preference in taking courses with FBF differed by their race, parents’ nativity, and disciplines. Black students, students with both parents born in the U.S., and students in non-human services disciplines reported lower means in their preference for learning from FBF than their counterparts. Students’ perceived benefits of learning from FBF also differed by their race, parents’ nativity, the number of courses taken from FBF, student classification, and disciplines. Latinx/Hispanic students, students who took college courses with two or more FBF, junior and senior students, those in human services, and those with either or both parents born outside the U.S. reported higher scores of perceived benefits of learning from FBF than their counterparts.

Conclusion: Findings demonstrate distinct social characteristics and experiences of college students were correlated with their positive perception of learning from FBF. The findings imply that students with certain diversity characteristics may benefit from learning from FBF to possess more positive attitudes towards faculty diversity. Interestingly, students’ prior experience of taking courses with FBF was not associated with their preference for taking courses with FBF; instead, it was only associated with students’ perception of benefits of learning from the faculty. Our findings support the idea that the inclusion of FBF in American higher education classrooms transforms students’ perceptions and interactions with diversity. Future studies could examine how likely students’ perception of FBF garners their appreciation of diversity and inclusion.