Running head: Chapter 3 1

Chapter 3

Gopa Patnaik

San Diego State University

Research & Writing

ED836C

Dr. Luke Wood

November 29, 2012

CHAPTER 3 2

Methodology

This chapter is concerned with the research paradigm and methodology employed in this

study which examines the lived experiences of Iraqi refugee students in postsecondary education.

This chapter includes a description of the research site, how participants were selected, collection

of data and analysis procedures and the researcher’s observations. To provide context to the

collection and analytic procedures used in this study the purpose statement and research

questions are restated in this chapter.

Purpose Statement and Research Questions

The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of Iraqi refugee students in the

community college system. More specifically, this research will investigate the process by which

Iraqi refugee students adapt to new educational institutions as well as a new homeland, hereafter

referred to as dual adaptation. The goal of this study is to enhance understanding of the barriers

and support mechanisms that affect Iraqi refugee students’ college adaptation process. It is the

intent of the researcher that study findings will be used by campus administrators to implement

strategies, programs, and policies which enhance the success of Iraqi refugee students. Bearing

this in mind, the primary questions guiding this study are:

1. What are the transition experiences of current Iraqi refugee students in the community

college system?

2. What specific problems if any do these students face?

3. What factors contribute to their success in college?

This researcher seeks to understand these lived experiences of Iraqi refugee students in post-

secondary education through the lenses of a research paradigm and theoretical framework which

is explained in the following section.

CHAPTER 3 3

Research Paradigm

A research paradigm is a theory or system of belief that guides the conceptualization and

operation of research. Paradigms encompass three areas of considerations: ontology (What is

reality), epistemology (How do you know something?) and methodology (How do you go about

finding out?). These constructs allow researchers to develop a universal view of how individuals

understand themselves in relation to this knowledge and the methodological means utilized to

create new knowledge.

Ontology is a set of beliefs regarding the nature of reality. Some of the main questions

about ontology are what exactly exists and which categories they can be found in? What are the

meanings of being and their various modes of being? Ontology in qualitative research examines

questions such as who is known rather than how it is known. The researcher reflects what

identity of the known subject is being assumed, what concepts are being approached through and

what theories govern these concepts and to which paradigm those concepts belong to. It is simply

not about establishing theory limits but consideration of an individual’s unlimited nature

(Vasilachis de Gialdino, 2009).

Reality as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary is “something that is neither

derivative nor dependent but exists necessarily”. For something to be real its existence must be

confirmed by some means of direct or indirect interaction, measurement, and observation.

Different fields of discipline such as Physics, Philosophy, and Sociology, shape their own

theories of reality. The social construction of reality in the social sciences states that individuals

and groups interacting in a social system over a time period create concepts of each other’s

actions which ultimately translate into reciprocal roles played by the actors in relation to each

other. These roles when offered to other members of society to participate, the reciprocal

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interactions become institutionalized. This institutionalized process creates meaning in society.

Knowledge and people’s belief of what reality is becomes part of the institutional fabric of

society. Reality is then believed to be socially constructed (Berger & Luckmann, 1966).

A realist sees reality as a law of nature waiting to be discovered, the critical realist for

example views the world as structured, differentiated and changing (Roy, 1978). Critical realists

believe that one’s own position as a human being influences what is being measured, and the

relativist supposes that knowledge is a social reality and comes to light by means of individual

interpretation.

Reed (2001) noted that critical realists are involved with identifying causally effective

mechanisms. These mechanisms are lasting and are concerned more with explanation instead of

prediction. Critical realist discriminate between a reality independent of what one thinks

(intransitive dimension) and one’s thinking of it (the transitive dimension). Social reality consists

of social constructs that exist independently of the diverse ways in which they can be broadly

constructed and understood by social scientists and other social actors situated in a varied range

of socio-historical situations (Reed 2001).

Critical theory holds that reality is constructed over time when society, politics, economy,

gender, ethnicity shape structures that are perceived as normal. Individuals are connected to their

environment which influences their knowledge of reality. For example language constructs

reality of a person.

Epistemology is a set of beliefs about knowing. It is concerned with what is knowledge

and how do people know whether they have knowledge, and what provides a justification of that

knowledge, are some of the principal questions (BonJour, 2002). Our beliefs about knowledge,

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establishes our beliefs about learning. It is our perceived relationship with the knowledge we are

discovering, and if we are part of the knowledge or external to it. One’s perceptions will

structure the interaction with what they are researching and is dependent on their ontological

view.

Methodology involves how researchers seek knowledge and carry out their research. It is

a more strategic approach, rather than the use of techniques and data analysis (Wainwright,

1997). Disciplines are generally guided by particular paradigms. The epistemology I will be

adhering to is the Social Constructivist world view. Social constructivism refers to meanings

formed through interactions with others and through historical and cultural norms that occur in

individual’s lives (Creswell, 2009). The Social Constructivist paradigm is based on the

assumption that individuals seek to understand the world they live in and work. They acquire

subjective meanings of their involvements which are derived from social contexts (e.g., spaces,

interactions, processes, approaches, systems). The diverse and numerous meanings are then

viewed by the researcher. The goal of the researcher is to depend mostly on the participant’s

views of the situation under study for example what has the participant personally experienced in

the adjustment process to a new environment and a new system of education. The questions are

generally broad, allowing the participant to construct meanings and encourage dialogue and

involvement with other people. By developing open-ended questions the researcher will be able

to gather insight into the participant’s life situations in and out of college and enable the

researcher to gain a deeper understanding of a social and cultural phenomenon. These subjective

meanings are influenced by social and cultural norms and historical factors. For example social

and cultural norms include constructs such as family, religion, language, art, life settings, etc.

and historical factors include political changes, wars, migration etc.

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The importance of culture and context in understanding occurrences in society and

constructing meaning out of these experiences form the basis of Social Constructivism (Derry,

1999; McMahon, 1997). Many contemporary theories are based on this perspective such as the

developmental theories of Vygotsky and Burner, and Bandura’s social cognitive theory (Shunk,

2000). This paradigm allows the researcher to focus on the specific contexts in which people

operate and observe how their interpretation are influenced by participant’s personal, cultural

and historical experiences. The researcher’s intent is to seek meanings and inductively develop a

theory or pattern of meaning.

The specific assumptions inherent in social constructivism is based on reality, knowledge

and learning. The construction of reality is through human activity. The properties of the world

are invented together by the members of a society (Kukla, 2000). Social constructivists believe

reality does not exist prior to its social invention and cannot be discovered. Knowledge is

considered to be a human byproduct which is constructed through social and cultural means

(Ernest, 1999; Gredler, 1997; Prawat & Floden, 1994). Meanings are fashioned by individuals as

they interact with each other along with the environment they live in. As such, learning is viewed

as a social process and meaningful learning takes place through an individual’s engagement in

social activities (McMahon, 1997).

Social meanings are created by intersubjectivity among individuals when

communications and interactions involve ideas of the world. Intersubjectivity refers to the

multiplicity of possible relations between people’s perceptions (Gillespie & Cornish, 2010). An

individual’s ideas of the world are based upon a social basis, social patterns and linguistic rules

and usage (Ernest, 1999). Social meanings and knowledge are constructed through

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intersubjectivity among individuals. These constructs evolve through the process of negotiations

within communicating groups. Personal meanings are formed by way of these experiences and

are influenced by the intersubjectivity of the community to which the people belong (Gredler,

1997; Prawat & Floden, 1994). Intersubjectivity offers the basis for communication and aids in

understanding of newly acquired information and activities among group members (Rogoff,

1990; Vygotsky, 1987). Knowledge is derived from collaborations between people, their

environment, and their placement within cultures (McMahon, 1997; Shunk, 2000). Acquisition

of knowledge is based on intersubjectivity formed by the historical and cultural factors of the

community. This makes it easier for members to comprehend new information and activities

occurring in the community (McMahon, 1997; Shunk, 2000). The next section leads into the

theoretical framework that will be utilized by the researcher. Theoretical frame works provide

the skeleton of the research and brings the researcher’s perspective into the study.

Theoretical Framework

Pierre Bourdieu’s notion of habitus and forms of capital serve as the theoretical

framework for this research. Bourdieu’s concept of habitus refers to class-based ideas of one’s

place in the world. Individuals belonging to the oppressed class, often internalize their

inferiority. According to Bourdieu (1977), schools add to the reproduction of existing power

relations in society by favoring the dominant class of students. Bourdieu and Passeron (1990)

conclude that schools commit symbolic violence to underserved student populations by

esteeming the culture and values of the dominant class. Most refugees in higher education are

English as Second Language (ESL) students who often face additional challenges compared to

their native English speaking students. These challenges are often attributed to the lack of

CHAPTER 3 8

linguistic capital which is necessary for achieving educational success. For educational

institutions to be able to impose symbolic violence to underserved students it is necessary that

students accept perceptions of inferiority as valid. “Symbolic violence" is a term first coined by

Pierre Bourdieu, a French sociologist, anthropologist, and philosopher. Symbolic violence

involves a misrecognition of actions. Individuals and groups are regularly marginalized and

dominated in society. In cases where this violence is symbolic, the subjugated individuals see

their domination as natural. By viewing different social constructions as natural, the dominated

agents participate in their own subjugation. Symbolic violence is perpetrated by both the

dominator and dominated subconsciously through the use of classification systems, gift giving,

and participation within society (Symbolic violence, 2012).For instance most refugee students

are ESL students and internalize this violence by acknowledging the importance of English

competence in U.S. higher education.

Bourdieu’s concept of habitus provides understanding of the processes of social change

and analysis of power in development. “Habitus” refers to “socialized norms” that shape thinking

and behavior. It is a social process that creates lasting and transferrable patterns from one context

to the other but also transfer to specific contexts over time. Habitus is not permanent and can

change under unanticipated circumstances spanning extended historical time periods (Navarro,

2006). Habitus is constructed by interplay of free will and structures over a time period, shaped

by past events and structures and influenced by current practices and structures (Bourdieu 1984).

Habitus is transmitted within the home and is a set of attitudes and values and determines the

actions of the members of the class. Higher education is valued positively by the dominant class

which results in upper class students persisting successfully in the education system while

working class students are more apt to drop out of the education system.

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Refugee students in their dual adaptation process are influenced by the concept of habitus

as they come in greater contact with the culture of their new homeland and its educational

institutions. It is in this adaptation process that their habitus changes as they socialize to the

norms of their new environment which influences their thinking and behavior patterns.

Educational institutions are considered to be the field for social change and can influence their

social identity. Since habitus can be altered and reshaped the social identity of refugee students

in post-secondary education may become influenced in the process of interaction with

individuals from main stream culture.

The second important concept of Bourdieu is “capital”. Bourdieu there are three forms of

capital which are economic, social, and cultural, or symbolic capital. (Bourdieu, 1986).

Bourdieu’s concept of symbolic capital represents prestige, honor , attention which are

perceived as sources of power. Cultural capital and social capital can be transferred into

economic capital and institutionalized through the education system. As noted by Bourdieu

(1986) cultural capital is connected to economic capital which refers to money and property,

symbolic capital refers to status and legitimacy, and social capital relates to networks and

connections.

Cultural capital can be further categorized into three types, which are the embodied state,

the objectified state, and the institutionalized state. The embodied state involves the work one

does for oneself. This entails personal cost and time investment. This form of capital cannot be

transmitted instantaneously and the social conditions of this transmission are more latent than

economic capital. This embodied state is often referred as symbolic capital because often times it

is not viewed as capital (Bourdieu, 2001). Cultural competence in education institutions involve

navigating through the college system and utilization of campus resources.

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The objectified state is a type of capital that is transferable by legal ownership for

instance ownership of a physical painting and other cultural products. cording to Bourdieu

people view social order as “cultural products” which include education systems, language,

judgments, values, and daily life undertakings and ways of classification leading to unconscious

acceptance of social differences and hierarchies while creating one’s sense of the world.

The final type of cultural capital is the institutionalized state such as academic

qualifications. Academic qualification enables one to achieve a certificate of cultural

competence. An individual’s social capital is the total of their potential resources that are

connected to a lasting network of institutionalized relationships of mutual connections and

recognition. One’s association with this group backs each of its members with collectively

owned capital. The volume of the social capital held by a person is relevant to the size of the

network of connections that can be accessed effectively. It is important for refugee students to

acquire cultural capital through education so that they gain the ability to adapt and acquire skills

to work with people in their new environment.

According to Bourdieu these various forms of capital are transferable across generations.

Educational success includes a whole range of cultural behavior and influences non-academic

aspects as well such as accent, clothing and life styles in general. Those who have ownership of

cultural capital also have ownership of economic capital. Bourdieu notes that social capital is the

aggregate of resources actual or virtual that belong to an individual or group who possess a

strong network of institutionalized relationships that consist of mutual acquaintances and

recognitions (Bourdieu & Wacquant, 1992).

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Bourdieu explains economic capital as a principle of domination in capitalist society.

Economic capital is related to cultural capital which enhances the wealth of a particular class and

relates to command over economic resources such as cash assets.

Social capital refers to resources based on group membership, relationships, networks of

influence and support. Bourdieu’s theory on different forms of capital focuses on how structures

and institutions play a part in producing inequality. Educational institutions also play a role in

reproducing inequality by favoring the dominant class. According to Bourdieu the education

systems in industrialized countries often function in ways that legitimize class inequalities. In

order to attain post-secondary education individuals need to possess the cultural capital of higher

class habitus. Refugee students lack all forms of capital such as social, cultural, and economic

capital and are subject to class inequalities in educational attainments. Bourdieu states that

educational credentials promote inequalities as higher class individuals are seen to have the right

to their place in the social structure (Sullivan, 2002). Educational credentials provide the means

through which wealth and power are transmitted.

Refugee students lack linguistic capital and social competency in their dual adaptation

process. These are major barriers on their path to higher education.

A third important concept of Bourdieu is the idea of ‘fields’ which represent various

social and institutional grounds wherein people express and produce their dispositions and

compete for the different forms of capital (Gaventa, 2003). A field comprises a network,

structure or sets of relationships which could be intellectual, religious, educational, cultural, etc.

(Navarro, 2006). People experience power based on which field they are in at a given moment.

The final important concept of Bourdieu is that of ‘doxa’ which combines both orthodox

and heterodox norms and beliefs. These comprise of unstated and taken for granted assumptions

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that base how we make distinctions. Doxa occurs when we cling to relations of order as they

structure the real world and the thought world inseparably and is accepted as self-evident.

Bordieu’s theories encompass an extensive body of sociological research. This spans a wide

range of social issues which he accepts as a method which is a part of social change.

Immigrant and refugee students who achieve academic success and make their way to

flagship universities continue to face challenges that native speakers do not experience due to

their linguistic challenges. They try to conquer their linguistic challenges by studying harder and

putting in a lot of extra effort but found dealing with nonlinguistic barriers was much more

difficult. These nonlinguistic challenges are institutional constraints that apply to ESL students’

lack of finances, and their unconscious acceptance of their social differences that leads them to

self-eliminate themselves as full members of the university.

Refugees when moved to new countries are subject to symbolic violence and lack not

only material assets but are deprived of social, cultural and linguistic capital. This is often

experienced in their dual adaptation process in which they adjust to their new homeland and

make their way into post-secondary education

Methodological Overview

Qualitative research deals with complex interpretations of the human experience and their

relationship with social and cultural systems. It is highly interpretive in nature and is concerned

with understanding of a natural world. As stated by (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994), qualitative

research focuses on multimethod means that are interpretive and naturalistic. The multimethod

means combine multiple ways, empirical tools, perceptions and observations in a single study

which then can be used as a strategy that adds to the depth and breadth of other studies. Creswell

(1998) noted qualitative research is a process of inquiry that seeks to understand a social and

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human problem based on well-defined methodological traditions of inquiry. The research is

conducted in a natural setting and draws a holistic picture by analyzing words and views of

participants. Gall, Borg, & Gall, (1996) defined qualitative research as the inquiry that is

established in the supposition that humans create social reality by constructing their own

meanings and interpretations which tend to be impermanent and circumstantial. Dickson-Swift et

al (2007) noted that qualitative research attempts to retrieve the human story and it will be

necessary to remember the human side of the work. Creswell (1998) categorizes five traditions

of qualitative research: phenomenology (exploring the life of an individual), grounded theory

(developing a theory grounded in data from the field), ethnography (describing and interpreting a

cultural and social group), and case study (developing an in-depth analysis of a single case or

multiple cases). This researcher seeks to study the essence of experiences of refugee students in

their dual adaptation process and will utilize a qualitative methodology based on

phenomenology.

Guided by a phenomenological research design, the researcher plans to conduct a study

that will examine the lived experiences of refugee students. This calls for exploring and

understanding the meaning individuals give to social or human problems in and out of their

interactions with a human community (Creswell, 2009). According to Creswell,

phenomenological study consists of “Researchers search for essentials, invariant structure (or

essence) or the central underlying meaning of the experience and emphasize the intentionality of

consciousness where experiences contain both the outward appearance and inward consciousness

based on memory, image and meaning” (Creswell, 2009, p.52).

Phenomenological inquiry is deeply rooted in German philosophy and seeks to

understand the essence of lived experience. Researchers conducting phenomenological inquiry

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focus deeply on the meaning of a specific characteristic of experience, with the expectation that

through dialogue and reflection the very core essence of the experience will be derived.

Language is the principal agent through which meaning is both constructed and conveyed

(Holstein & Gubrium, 1994). This methodology is particularly suitable for my study as it seeks

to understand meanings and perspectives of participants comprising of Iraqi refugee students. It

is concerned with how the daily inter-subjective world is constructed (Schwandt, 2000).

Knowledge is derived from experiences of research participants and therefore cannot be

ascertained as absolute facts. The core of phenomenological inquiry is based on the essence of

individual experiences that are extracted while the researcher seeks to understand how a

phenomena is being experienced (Patton, 1990).

This research process involves developing questions, procedures, data collection, and

analyses that move from specific to general themes. This utilizes an inductive method which

includes making a general inference from specifics. The researcher’s focus will consist of

interpreting the meaning of the data collections and focus on individual meanings of refugee

students in higher education. The major form of data collection for eliciting the inner perspective

of refugee students will be by interviewing these students. Patton (1990) stated that the rationale

for interviewing is to find out what is the inner subjectivity of a person i.e. what are the

perception of lived reality of these individuals.

Research Site

This study will be conducted in East County Community College (ECCC) which is

located in San Diego East County. ECCC is the third largest community college district in

Southern California serving approximately 20,000 students. Students are diverse and 45.1% of

students are White, 24% Hispanic, 12% Asian/Pacific Islander, 7.7% Black, 11.2%,

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Approximately 55.6% are female and 43.5% are male (California Community Colleges Data

analysis Chancellor’s Office, 2012).

The vision of ECCC College is concerned with changing lives through education. The

mission of the college is to afford exceptional learning opportunities that prepare students to

meet the needs of the community and future demands of a complex, global economy. The ECCC

district fulfills its mission by providing excellent undergraduate education that result in providing

certificates, associate degrees, and transfer; outstanding career and technical education programs

that prepare students for workforce entry and advancement; Comprehensive student development

and support services that help students succeed in meeting their educational goals; Engaging

educational services that meet learners’ needs in basic skills, English language proficiency, and

lifelong learning; and Responsive social and economic development programs and community

partnerships (California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012).

Participant Selection

The participants of this study will be incoming Iraqi refugee students in their first year at

ECC College who immigrated to the US and have received no formal postsecondary education in

the US. To participate they must be: 18 years of age as required by the Institutional Review

Board at SDSU to protect youth who are considered minors. Since this researcher aims to study

the dual adaptation process of refugees in postsecondary education and their new environment, it

will be important to interview students who are new to the U.S. education system in order to

understand their unique experiences. ECCC is committed to providing leadership by promoting

learning opportunities that prepare students to meet the needs of a complicated democracy and a

global society. It is committed to providing an outstanding learning environment that empowers

diverse people to follow their hopes, dreams, and reach their full potential and evolve into

CHAPTER 3 16

enlightened leaders and effective citizens for local and global communities (California

Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012). Refugee students are also part of the ECCC

community and can benefit from the mission and goals of the campus.

Recruitment methods

Participants will be recruited from the Educational Opportunity Programs and Services

(EOPS) Department at ECCC. This is a feasible approach for contacting the students since most

of the refugee student population is part of this program. The Chair of the department will be

contacted to obtain permission for recruitment purposes and proper procedures followed

regarding confidentiality.

A diverse range of students will be recruited from differing age groups, gender, and

levels of education achieved prior to their arrival in the U.S. so that diverse perspectives maybe

derived. Students have to be currently enrolled at ECCC. The dual adaptation process of Iraqi

refugee students adapting to the community college and their adjustment process in their new

homeland will be examined which involves environmental, social, and cultural factors.

Sampling techniques

Maximum variation sampling seeks representativeness by including wide range of

extremes. This sampling form is also sometimes referred as maximum diversity or maximum

heterogeneity sample which is a special kind of purposive sample. Purposeful sampling involves

the selection of cases which are rich in information for conducting in depth study. It is useful

when the sample size is very small and when no population information is available. This form

of sampling involves the purposeful picking of a wide range of variation on dimensions of

interest and covers unique or diverse variations that emerge in adaptation to different conditions.

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Common patterns that cut across variations are identified in this method of sampling (Patton,

1990). This researcher seeks to study the lived experiences of refugee students in higher

education and will need to interview Iraqi refugee students from different education levels, work

experience, previous levels of educations achieved and the like. Convenience sampling will be

used by recruiting ten refugee students for interviewing purposes from the Educational

Opportunity and Services Department (EOPS). Most of the refugee students are part of the EOPS

program. Permission will be sought by contacting the chair of the EOPS Department prior to

recruitment process.

Rapport

Rich and meaningful data from participants will be gathered directly from the interview

process. The researcher will establish trust and rapport with each refugee student by creating a

non-threatening environment. As a qualitative researcher it is vital to establish a rapport building

process from the very beginning so that participant disclosure maybe facilitated in a comfortable

manner.(Lee, 1993);Lee & Renzetti, (1993) state that in research interviews, the intensity and

frequency of self-disclosure may differ according to the sensitivity of topics(Acker, Barry, &

Essevald,(1991) state that qualitative research entails reciprocity between the researcher and the

participant as they share facets of their experiences with each other. Bearing this in mind this

researcher will share some personal adaptation processes that she underwent when she first

immigrated to this country. This researcher also attended post-secondary education in the U.S.

and underwent similar experiences in the process of acculturating to both a new home land and

different education systems. According to Daly (1992) this reciprocal sharing of experiences

contributes to the depth and quality of the data collected. The researcher will inform participants

that they may ask any questions before the interview began.

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Data Collection

Data collection will involve one to one interview and will be conducted in a room at the

Student Services Center. Each participant selected for the study will be asked to tell their

particular story based on previously prepared questionnaire. Permission will be obtained from

participants to audio record to preserve the conversation. Students will be assured that everything

will be confidential and their names will not be mentioned. The taped session will be transcribed

and the tape will be destroyed after completion of transcription. These students will need to

understand and learn the mission, the culture, the expectations, the skill levels, attitudes and

behaviors expected of them to be successful college students in the community college system.

Instructional faculty including ESL instructors, counseling faculty and basic skills math

instructors will be contacted as to their perceptions and experiences in serving the immigrant

students at ECCC.

The researcher will also contact ECCC Institutional Research Division regarding data

concerned with demographics of the students served.

Data Analysis

Data will be transcribed and then analyzed using a software called Saturate. The

transcription literally transforms spoken words into a printed copy by capturing the words of the

participant in a precise manner (Sandelowski, 1994)

The researcher will listen to the interview tapes several times to familiarize with the data each

time they listen.

Data analysis will start with open coding and emerging main themes will be grouped into

categories. Selective coding will be used to explore relationships between codes and will be

CHAPTER 3 19

compared to theory and existent literature. These codes will be further categorized to reflect

different aspects applicable to the research (Charmaz 2002). Analytic memos will be created

after data is analyzed to the point of saturation.

Positionality of the Researcher

The researcher’s interest in this study sprang from her experiences as a Counselor in a

California Community College. As a general counselor, she works with a diverse range of

students from different ethnic, socioeconomic and educational backgrounds and helps them

accomplish their educational goals which include personal counseling, basic skills, career and

transfer education planning. Many of the students are comprised of recent refugee immigrants

from the Middle East and needed help in planning their educational goals but in the process

many issues related to acculturation, adjustment and personal issues surfaced. These students

face tremendous barriers in their path to achieving educational goals. They lack language skills,

deal with issues related to war and migration; suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

and other mental health related issues. They arrive at a time of economic crisis in the state

California and resources are scarce both at the community college level and in the employment

sector. The researcher assumes that resources could still be utilized and strategized effectively to

enable this population to succeed in their educational pursuits and become productive and

contributing members of their new homeland. There has not been much research conducted

regarding the needs and obstacles faced by these recent refugee students in their pursuit of

acquiring education and acclimating to their new homeland. Therefore this researcher plans to

provide information that will provide insight into Iraqi refugee students experiences in higher

education.

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