Experience of the 1st Semester Students of AIUB

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Experience of the 1st Semester Students of AIUB

A report submitted to Ms. Sabrina Rahman, department of English, AIUB

Prepared and Submitted by:

Group: Optimistic
(Section: T)

Sanzana Sayeed
Md. Monirul Khan
S.M. Sabbir Imam
Lutfun Nahar Pinak
Nazmul Sakib

Course Teacher
Ms. Sabrina Rahman
Department of English

Date of Submission
08 December 2012

American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB)

08 December 2012

Ms. Sabrina Rahman
Course Instructor, Department of English
Faculty of AIUB

Subject: Submission of report.

Dear Madam,
We take the pleasure to submit our report titled ‘Experience of The 1st Semester Students of AIUB.’ The report gave us the opportunity to know what kind of situations students of AIUB faced in the 1st semester.

Every student starts their university life with lots of dreams. This is the most important turn for a student in his or her life. In the beginning they face lots of different situations which they have not faced before as each of them came from a different background. The study was based on the students of AIUB. This report studies the good or bad experiences of the 1st semester students in AIUB. This report would also help us to know whether AIUB succeeded or failed to fulfill the expectations of the students.

Finally, we are truly grateful to you for giving us this pleasant opportunity to do this report.

Sincerely yours

Sanzana Sayeed MD. Monirul Khan Lutfun Naher Pinak 12-20351-1 12-20179-1 12-20320-1

S.M. Sabbir Imam MD. Nazmul Sakib 12-20595-1 12-20403-1

Preface

University life is the most important turning point in a Student’s life. In a completely new situation, a new environment, students might face some difficulties to cope up. In a private university like AIUB which is one of the best private universities in Bangladesh, it is very natural that students might face some difficulties to accept the new culture as many of them comes from different parts of Bangladesh. This report would help us to see the actual picture. This report is the study of the good or bad experiences of the 1st semester students in AIUB. This report would also help us to know whether AIUB succeeded or failed to fulfill the expectations of the students.

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, we would like to thank to our course instructor Ms. Sabrina Rahman for her valuable guidance and advice. She inspired us greatly to work in this term paper. Her willingness to motivate us contributed tremendously to our work.

Besides, we would like to thank the respondents who helped us by giving their answers to the questionnaire. We are very thankful to them as they gave their precious time to us. Their cooperation really helped us to analyze and finalize this report.

Not to forget, the group members whose participation and co-ordination helped us to complete this report.

Lastly, we offer our regards and blessings to all of those who supported us in any respect during the completion of the study.

Table of Contents

Title Page.............................................................................................................................ii
Forwarding Letter...............................................................................................................iii
Preface................................................................................................................................iv
Acknowledgement..............................................................................................................v
Table of Content.................................................................................................................vi
List of Illustration..............................................................................................................vii
Abstract............................................................................................................................viii

1. Introduction 1. Background........................................................................................................1 2. Purpose...............................................................................................................2 3. Scope..................................................................................................................2 4. Research Methodology......................................................................................2 5. Limitations.........................................................................................................3 6. Organization of the report..................................................................................3
2. Findings and Analysis....................................................................................................4
3. Conclusion...................................................................................................................11
4. Recommendation.........................................................................................................12

Appendix.............................................................................................................................ix
Bibliography......................................................................................................................xi

List of Illustration

Table 1.................................................................................................................................5
Table 2.................................................................................................................................6
Table 3.................................................................................................................................7
Table 4.................................................................................................................................9
Table 5...............................................................................................................................10

Graph 1.................................................................................................................................5
Graph 2.................................................................................................................................6
Graph 3.................................................................................................................................7
Graph 4.................................................................................................................................9
Graph 5...............................................................................................................................10

Abstract

The university life is full of excitements. Though because of the new environment students feel a little uncomfortable. But through the research we have received positive review from the maximum students. Naturally they faced some different situations in the 1st semester which they have never faced before. Still they managed to cope up in no time. The research has given us an idea about how the students felt about the teachers and the system of the university. Sometimes the students of private university leave the university after 1st semester if they are not happy with the teachers or the system. But in our research we did not even find anyone who thought about leaving AIUB because of these two reasons. This very important for every university to understand what their students want & what is good for their students. The study shows us that AIUB just managed to fulfill the expectations of the students.

Chapter: 1

1. Background

First day at the university was always an exited feeling for all the students. For some students it was quite a bit of challenge as they were going to be the part of something new and they had to adjust with the new condition. Some students were tensed.

There were many types of students coming from different regions of Bangladesh. So for each and every student it was challenging to cope with the cultural differences of different regions’ students. They were a bit of tensed as well.

The other things which affected were the curiosity about how the environment was going to be and how the teachers were going to behave. The students also wanted to know about the systems of the university. It took them almost the half of the 1st semester to adjust with the environment of the university and to make friends.

But some students were different. They found it easier to understand the culture of the university and to cope with the environment may be because they belonged to this kind of environment before. But this number is very few. We’ll learn about this later on in our findings and analysis section.

The first semester experience of the university was always good after the adjustment part was done as they could remain in the same section with the same students but as day’s progressed things got harder because from the next semester they had to separate from their friends with whom they spent the first semester of their university life. According to most of them this is the most pathetic system of the university.

2. Purpose

This report has some primary objectives as well as some secondary objectives.

The primary objective is:

• To know the first semester experience of the students.

The secondary objectives are:

• To know the first day experience in the university of the students. • To know about their view towards the teachers’ behavior. • To know about their view towards the systems of the university. • To know about the extent to which their expectations were fulfilled. • To know whether they are contented with their beginning of the university life or not.

3. Scope

This survey covers the students of different arenas. We have surveyed on –

➢ Students from different regions of Bangladesh, ➢ Students of different ages. ➢ Students from different semesters. ➢ Both the male and female students.

Though our survey was limited to 40 students, we think we’ve got enough scope to make it look efficient as we have mixed up the perspective of different students of different regions.

4. Research Methodologies

The research collected data through surveys and also performed a small scale experiment. The survey selected 40 students throughout the university. The survey is a mixture of closed-ended and open ended questions on 1st semester experiences, its good memories and other similar aspects concerning the first semester. The survey data collection method was selected because it was most appropriate to collect quantitative data. Additionally, it allowed the research to collect data quickly which was important as the time was limited.

5. Limitations

This report contains some limitations. Such as-

• The lack of time caused the research to compromise precision. • The study may not be applicable for all the students of AIUB. • Lack of experiences in the researcher’s part may impact negatively the construction of the questionnaire and other aspects of the research.

6. Organization of the report

Chapter: 1- Discusses about the aspects we are going to mention in the report as well as the scope and objectives of this report.

Chapter: 2- Discusses the findings and analysis of the report through some graphs, tables and data.

Chapter: 3 - Provides the summary of the findings.

Chapter: 4 - Contains the recommendations.

Chapter: 2

2.0 Findings and analysis

This report shows that the majority of the students were contented with what they experienced in the first semester from the first day. Majority of them –

• were tensed at the first day of their university life. • thought the environment was good. • said that they got good educational facilities. • liked the teachers. • Didn’t think of leaving AIUB after the first semester.

We’ll discuss and show the data according to the majority of the students and we’ll also discuss about the students who gave negative answers regarding the university and will try to find out the reasons behind their thought.

Table: 1

| | | |
|Tensed |Yes |No |
| | | |
|Number of students (40) |33 |7 |

Graph: 1 [pic]
From table1 we can see that among 40 students 33 were tensed and the rest of them were not tensed at the first day of their university life. From the graph 1 we can clearly see the difference in the ratio of the students who were tensed and who were not.

The reasons for which the majority of the students were tensed are:

➢ Many of them came from other districts. ➢ Change in environment. ➢ New place and unknown people. ➢ Curiosity about the teachers and the system.

Table: 2

| Environment | Number of students |
| Good | 25 |
| Ok | 10 |
| Bad | 5 |

Graph: 2

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From table 2 we can see that among 40 students 25 said that the environment was good, 10 said that the environment was ok and the rest of the students said that the environment was bad. From graph 2 we can easily see the contrast.

The reasons behind these 5 students saying that the environment was bad are-

➢ Multiple campuses at different roads. ➢ No elevator for students except campus 7. ➢ Sometimes water licks from the A.Cs. ➢ The rules are very strict.

Table: 3

| | |
|Educational facilities |Number of students |
| | |
|Very good |15 |
| | |
|Good |25 |
| | |
|Bad |0 |

Graph: 3

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From table 3 we can easily see that 15 students among 40 said that the educational facilities were very good and 25 students said that the educational facilities were good but no one said that the facilities were bad. From graph 3 we can easily see the differences.

The reasons for which most of the students said that the facilities were good are-

➢ Teachers uploaded the notes and they could easily access to those staying at home. ➢ They could know about their result without coming to the university. ➢ They could know about any notice from the website’s notice board. ➢ There are enough seats for the students. ➢ Class rooms are big and specious. ➢ Even the last bencher can see what the teachers are saying due to the projector and large screen. ➢ They could evaluate the teachers which is the most important part according to most of them.

These are the facilities which they liked most. Though these facilities are available in almost all the private universities, the students coming from rural areas or outside of Dhaka found these very interesting and useful.

Table: 4

| | | |
|Liked the teachers |Yes |No |
| | | |
|Number of students |37 |3 |

Graph: 4

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From table 4 we can easily see that among 40 students 37 liked the teachers and 3 students didn’t like the teachers. From graph 4 we can easily see the differences.

The reasons for which these 37 students liked the teachers are –

➢ Teachers are very friendly. ➢ Teachers teach with a lot of care. ➢ Teachers help the students to understand certain rules and regulations of the university. ➢ Teachers are very generous in terms of giving marks.

On the other hand the only reason for which 3 students didn’t like the teachers is the teachers were very rude to them. We guess that was completely their opinion, not the fact.

Table: 5

| | | |
|Thought of leaving AIUB after the first |Yes |NO |
|semester | | |
| | | |
|Number of students |0 |40 |

Graph: 5

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From table 4 we can easily understand that none of the students thought of leaving AIUB after the 1st semester which is perhaps a very good sign for the university.

The reasons behind their not thinking of changing university after the 1st semester are:

➢ They were accustomed with the irritating factors of the university. ➢ They created a strong bond with the friends. ➢ Because of friends the environment of the university seemed to them more interesting. ➢ They found the teachers very helpful. ➢ They started to love their university and respect the rules. ➢ Strange but fact that one of them not intended to change the university as he or she was in love with one of the senior students of AIUB.

Chapter: 3

3. Conclusion

Through our research we came to know about the feelings of the AIUB students regarding their first semester. We came to know about different aspects of their likings and disliking. We knew about a lot of things. Such as-

• The behavior of the teachers towards the students. • The reasons for which a student doesn’t like a teacher. • The reasons for which students like a teacher. • The students’ opinions about their university and their different aspects. • The facilities they enjoyed the most in the university. • The impact of rules and regulations on the students. • Different lacking of the university. • The technological advancement of the university. • The environmental condition of the university. • Opinion of the students about the educational system. • The things which made the students tensed at the first day of their university life.

According to most of the students the rules of the university are a bit strict. Like their will be “no id no entry” or “no permit no exam”. To some students these rules seem to be nothing more than exaggeration but the others think that these rules are necessary to maintain a good educational environment in the university.

Chapter: 4

4. Recommendations

Based on our analysis we’ve found that most of the students of the university are showing positivism towards the university. But there are still some recommendations we would like to approach to the university. Such as-

• University rules should be a little bit less strict. Some rules are very irritating to all the students. Like- If there is a strike in the city and for that reason the university remains close the very next day we come to know that a make up class has been arranged. These make up classes specially the classes on Saturdays are very irritating. So the authority should reconsider it. Because the holidays shouldn’t be replaced otherwise the students won’t find enough time for recreation and study.

• The second thing is that university authority should arrange more elevators for the students. Because if someone is ill but needs to attend a very important class it is very difficult for him to attend the classes climbing stairs till the 6th floor.

• The authority should give ten minutes break after each class as the students have to cover a decent distance to another campus in order to attend the classes.

• The guardians should be given the chance to speak their mind in an annual function as they are the ones spending money for the education of their children.

These recommendations are made according to the opinions of the students with whom we have discussed about their experiences of the first semester in the university. So the authority should these facts and take initiatives to fulfill the wishes of the students who admit themselves to the university with a lot of hope and expectations.

Appendix

Sample Questionnaire

1. Were you very tensed at the first day? a) yes b) no 2. If yes, then what were the reasons? a) The environment was new b) No familiar face c) Full English medium d) _______ 3. Did you get good friends? a) yes b) no 4. Teacher’s behavior was good? a) yes b) no 5. Environment was good? a) yes b) no 6. If no, then what problems did you face? a) _______ b) _______ c) _______ d) _______ 7. Did you get enough facilities? a) yes b) no 8. If no, then what problems you faced? a) _______ b) _______ c) _______ d) _______ 9. Teachers helped you to understand the course outline? a) yes b) no 10. Did you get yourself involved into any extra curriculum activities? a) yes b) no 11. If yes, then what kind of activities? a) AIUB Business Club b) AIUB Film Club c) AIUB Art and Performance Club d) AIUB Photography Club 12. Did you like the teachers? a) yes b) no 13. If yes, what quality of the teachers impressed you the most? a) _______ b) _______ c) _______ d) _______ 14. If no, what is the main reason? a) _______ b) _______ c) _______ d) _______ 15. Behavior of the senior was friendly? a) strongly agree b) agree c) moderately agree d) disagree e) strongly disagree 16. University rules seemed to be very strict for you? a) strongly agree b) agree c) moderately agree d) disagree e) strongly disagree 17. You liked the multiple campus system? a) Strongly agree b) agree c) moderately agree d) disagree e) strongly disagree 18. Did you felt your expectations came true after attending few classes? a) yes b) no 19. What grade will you give to the university? a) A+ b) A c) A- d) B+ e) B or less than B 20. Did you ever think about leaving AIUB after the 1st semester? a) yes b) no 21. If yes, then what is the main reason? a) _______ b) _______ c) _______ d) _______

Bibliography

MD. Minhaj Hossain, student of BBA department AIUB.