Nilson Da Silva # 4

Nilson Da Silva

FNED 547

Memo#4: Research questions

09/27/2015

Overarching question

What effective factors allow bilingual undergraduate students at Rhode Island College to thrive in their academic life despite their language development processes?

Sub-questions:

1. What affective mechanisms are used by empowered bilingual undergraduate students at RIC to achieve personal and academic goals?

Data source #1 Journal

Data source #2 Survey

Data source #3 Student interviews

2. How have empowered, bilingual undergraduate students proactively engaged with their supportive community in the college environment?

Data source #1 Student interviews

Data source #2 Student`s log

Data source #3 Survey

3. Are bilingual undergraduate students empowered through personal means, through community engagement at the school, or through a combination of both?

Data source #1 Survey

Data source # 2 Rating scale /Rubric on student`s empowerment

Data source #3 Student interviews

Topic Audience- Reception

In recent times bilingual students have gained a multicultural learning perspective in the college environment through active participation in their learning and their day-to-day living. These growth mindset students have been identified as empowered people who promote social changes in their families, schools and communities. Students with this profile also present common characteristics that allow them to reach their individual potential and be connected with the world.  My focus group is described as Empowered Undergraduate Bilingual Students who can be identified as agents in their family, school and communities. These students think and act critically about the importance of education as a means to promote personal and academic achievement in order to provoke social change. This study focuses on bilingual undergraduate students at Rhode Island College, self–identified as speakers whose first language is not English, or speak languages other than English at home.