6 VISIÓN GENERAL

Saudi Arabian students in the RIT/HTM program are primarily attracted to the US by the value of the US degree or by the mandate of their employers. Because of its easy admission process, these students have preferred RIT over other US universities. But once in the program, the students find themselves at a disadvantage due to their poor English skills. This has a negative effect on the students’ ability to absorb and benefit from the curriculum. Improving the English level of the students could improve RIT’s delivery of the HTM program to the Saudi students. RIT could do this by

making the in-house English preparation program more thorough, by raising the entrance bar, and requiring language exams, or RIT could institute a combination of these methods.

In addition, the study revealed a significant population of PhD-hopeful students that expressed the need for a research track that goes largely unmet. By providing such a research track is a second way in which RIT could better meet the needs of the Saudi graduate student population. Furthermore, almost all of the students expressed a desire for more practical operations classes and/or work experience. This constitutes a third area.

The Saudi students enjoyed and appreciated the benefits of the US teaching methods. However, a major area was the conflict between the level of independence desired by the Saudi students and that expected in the RIT graduate program. This suggests that while the pedagogical techniques currently in use by the RIT faculty do successfully meet the needs of the Saudi population, perhaps something more is needed. This something more could be an attempt to reduce the level of independence required in the program by offering the students more guidance, as requested by many participants. Or, the opposite approach would be to attempt to prepare the Saudi

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Appendix 1

Invitation Letter

Dear Current Saudi Arabian Graduate Students,

I am a Master student in the Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) program at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). I am writing today to invite you to participate in my master’s thesis concerning the experiences of the current graduate Saudi students in HTM program at RIT. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of the graduate students from Saudi Arabia studying hospitality and tourism in the United States and RIT in specific.

I kindly ask that you take part in an interview that would last approximately 30-60 minutes. I have gone through all the requirements of RIT’s institutional review board so that all appropriate research methods will maintain privacy of the findings. You are not required to take part in this study and all findings will be shown to

respondents for review and approval prior to inclusion in my study. No mention of respondents by name will be used without prior written approval.

If you agree to take part in this study please sign the attached informed consent document and return it to my mail folder on the 4th _{floor of building 1 by April 6,} 2015. Please select one of the following times to schedule the interview:

Tuesday, April 7, 2015 Wednesday, April 8, 2015 Thursday, April 9, 2015 Friday, April 10, 2015 Saturday, April 11, 2015 Sunday, April 12, 2015

Thank you very much for your time and consideration. Should you have further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] email or 2024689718 by phone.

I am looking forward to working with you.

Sincerely, Saleh Aljubaili

Appendix 2

Informed Consent Document

THESIS TITLE: Graduate student profile of Saudi Arabian students enrolled in the

Hospitality and Tourism Management Program at RIT

INTRODUCTION

You are invited to join a research study to look at the experiences of the current Saudi Arabian graduate students in the Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) at RIT. This study will explore your reason for choosing RIT and to study hospitality and tourism in the United States. It will also seek to understand your experiences both in and outside the classroom regarding learning and living in the United States.

WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE STUDY?

If you decide to participate you will be asked to share your educational experience in the U.S. and RIT in specific. Also, we are seeking to understand your reasons for choosing to study in HTM graduate program at RIT, as well as knowing your

thoughts about the courses offered, and the teaching methods used in the classroom. If you choose to participate in this study it will require a private interview on the campus at RIT. These time periods will be scheduled for 1 hour with interviews expecting to take 25-40 minutes. Your conversation will be recorded and transcribed for data analysis purposes only. You then will be given a typed transcript for review and approval within 30 days after the interview.

The investigators may stop the study or take you out of the study at any time they judge it is in your best interest. They may also remove you from the study for various other reasons. They can do this without your consent.

DISCOMFORT AND RISKS

You can stop participating at any time. If you stop you will not lose any benefits. There are no risks in participating in this research.

BENEFITS TO TAKING PART IN THE STUDY?

International Hospitality and Service Management in their effort to continually improve their program. Specifically you will help provide a unique understanding of the needs and experiences of Saudi Arabian students. This may help improve the future experiences of other foreign students studying in the US.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Your participation in this research is confidential. The data/recordings will be secured in locked container in a private location. In the event of a publication or presentation resulting from the research, no personally identifiable information will be shared. In addition, participants will be assigned with a code to refer to the

audiotapes. No one but I and my advisor will have access to the data/recordings. The recordings will be destroyed upon verification of the transcriptions.

YOUR RIGHTS AS A RESEARCH PARTICIPANT?

Participation in this study is voluntary. You can stop at any time. You do not have to answer any questions you do not want to answer. Refusal to take part in or withdraw from this study will involve no penalty or loss of benefits you would receive

otherwise.

CONTACTS FOR QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS?

Please contact Saleh Aljubaili at (202) 468-9718, email at [email protected] or Mr. Rick Lagiewski at (585) 475-2820, email at [email protected] with questions or concerns about this research. You can also call this number if you have any

problems, unexpected physical or psychological discomforts, or think that something unusual or unexpected is happening.

Contact Heather Foti, Associate Director of the HSRO at (585) 475-7673 or [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns about your rights as a research participant.

Consent of Subject (or Legally Authorized Representative)

Appendix 3

Interview Questions

1) Profile questions

1. Time, Place, Date of interview: 2. Pseudonym or name:

1. Where are you from in Saudi Arabia? 2. What was your undergrad major?

3. What school in Saudi Arabia did you attend?

4. Is this your first visit to the U.S.? If not, where were you before and for how long?

5. Are you taking a project, thesis, or comprehensive exam as your exit strategy? Why?

6. Did you take English classes in Saudi Arabia or the US? If yes, how long?

2) Exploring reasons for choosing to study at RIT

1. Why did you choose to enroll in a Master’s in Hospitality and Tourism Management?

2. How did you choose your major?

o Were you primarily looking for a degree that prepares you to continue onto a doctoral program or one that prepares you to work in industry? Explain.

3) Exploring reasons for choosing to study in the United States

1. What was your primary reason for choosing to study in the United States?

2. Would you describe your experience studying in Rochester as being mostly positive or negative? Explain.

4) Assessing learning and educational experience

1. What has been the major difference between studying in the US vs studying in Saudi Arabia?

o Do you find these differences are mostly positive or negative? 2. Has your English ability impacted your ability to learn or achieve

course expectations? Explain.

3. How would you describe your interactions and experiences with non- Saudi graduate students?

4. Have the subjects and topics of the courses in the hospitality and tourism program met your expectations? Explain.

5. Are there topics or skills you would like to see added to the hospitality and tourism management program?

6. How would you describe your overall experience taking courses in the hospitality and tourism management program?

5) Social and cultural interactions with faculty

1. How would you describe your relationship with your teachers? 2. Do you feel comfortable discussing with your professors your

academic needs or goals? Explain.

3. How has taking classes with other Saudi students influenced your learning experience? Explain.

Appendix 4

List of Initial 65 Codes from Open Coding

1. Job opportunities in tourism in S.A.

2. Employment contract for an academic job in S.A. requires US degree

3. Need for hospitality training programs in S.A.

4. Hospitality related to undergraduate major

5. People with US degrees are more employable in S.A.

6. Desire for own business

7. RIT low bar for admissions

8. Came to RIT on friend’s recommendation

9. RIT provided supplementary language training

10. RIT did not require TOEFL, IELTS, or any language test (but to graduate from

In document EVALUACIÓN DEL CICLO DE VIDA DE LOS PRODUCTOS ENERGÉTICOS: (página 169-174)