Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemCultural barriers for Chinese women studying in Australian universities( 1998)This is a qualitative study examining cultural barriers experienced by Chinese women students in Australian universities. It is found, by reviewing the literature, that no specific research has been done to explore the relationships between problems of Chinese women students in Australia and values embodied in their culture. Consequently, the present study is open to new findings, and does not proceed on a basis of a hypothesis. To collect data, four focus groups of Chinese women students were interviewed. The focus questions concentrated on Chinese women's roles, attitudes towards education, English language problems, initial adjustment, family relationships and friendships, and problems relating to ethnic and gender background. The responses from the focus groups were summarised, and cultural barriers for Chinese women students studying in Australia were identified. The discussion points raised in the above interviews led to the discovery of significant issues, such as the conflict between Chinese women's traditional and modem roles, their low English fluency and unaccustomed teaching and learning styles, the difficulty of friendships with local students, and inattention of Australian universities to the needs of Chinese females. It is concluded that Chinese women need to be made more aware of the cultural barriers facing them, and be prepared to alter their approach to learning in order to facilitate a more successful academic life in Australia. More importantly, Australian tertiary institutions need to accommodate the cultural differences in an educational context, and to be ready to provide more efficient support to minority student groups.
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ItemAttitudinal differences of gifted students to school, work, teachers, parents and friends: Chinese and Australian perspectives( 1998)This study investigated the views, perceptions and attitudes of gifted Chinese and Australian students towards school, teachers, parents, work and friends. The sample consisted of 275 secondary school students in Hong Kong and Melbourne, Australia. The ages of the students ranged from 10 to 18, and there were over twice as many girls as boys. Literature reviewed for the study focused on relevant aspects of gifted education as related both to Chinese and Australian students. The study used survey methodology with a questionnaire requiring responses based on a five-point Likert scale. The results of the survey indicated that there were differences in attitude between Chinese and Australian gifted students in relation to friends, school, academic school work, teachers and behaviour at school. Chinese students did not generally feel as positive about school or as confident about their academic performance as their Australian peers. They were not as negative about their teachers, although they felt their teachers gave them too many tests and not enough advice. Chinese students also felt their parents expected more of them than did parents of the Australian sample. The findings of the study suggest that there are a number of significant differences in attitude which affect the performance of Chinese gifted students in Australian schools. The study offers therefore some support for the need for greater awareness of the social and academic needs of international students. Recommendations are also made for an extension of the role of international student coordinators, together with greater provision for professional development for both their E.S.L. and mainstream teachers.