Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemTransitioning from a Chinese education to an Australia education: a study of foundation studies program students from China( 2015)This study was motivated by the growth of the Australian international education sector, increasing numbers of mainland Chinese students studying in Australian universities, and a lack of research relating to the Foundation Studies Programs (FSP) in which some Chinese students enrolled. In seeking to contribute to this gap in the FSP literature, this study investigated how a cohort of ex-FSP students from mainland China reflected on their transition through various stages of their education. Specifically, the main research question guiding this study asked, 'To what extent do Chinese students' higher education experiences align with their expectations as they transition from secondary schooling in China through to university in Australia?'. To address this question a mixed-methods design was utilised. This consisted of surveys being administered to Chinese and non-Chinese nationals within one FSP at entry and exit from the course, and subsequent semi-structured interviews with a cohort of these Chinese students who were now studying at university. Interview data comprised the bulk of this study's analysis, and revealed that Chinese students' expectations and experiences of education did not remain fixed as they transitioned between schooling contexts in China and Australia. The most salient feature of their transition experiences was the increased importance they placed on the social dimension seen to enhance their educational experiences. That is, where once these students viewed their entry into the FSP and gaining Australian higher education qualifications instrumentally, they later adjusted this view to include also the importance of developing and maintaining social relationships within educational contexts. This study's findings highlight the importance of social relationships across various schooling contexts, and challenge the assumption that FSPs ease international students' social transition into university.
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ItemThe influence of Chinese sociocultural values about education on the educational outcomes of Chinese students in Australia( 1996)This is a study into how Chinese sociocultural values attached to education have influenced the academic performance of Chinese students. The scope of this investigation is resident students of Australia whose parents have migrated to Australia. These students are largely educated in Australia. In the literature review reference is made to studies of Chinese cultural values including works by M. Bond, G. Hofstede, F. Hsu, D.T. Nakanishi and H.W. Stevenson. The methodology employed is appropriate to Chinese collective culture of small group bilingual interviews of parents whose children are 'excellent students. A proforma is used to collect profiles of the participating parents so that significant information about these participants can be taken into consideration when various factors are speculated and surmised. The study has focussed on a group of Chinese parents who are largely bicultural / bilingual, well educated and motivated to promote their children's opportunities to survive Australia where they lack social contact or capital. Underpinning and threading through this wish to see progress for their children is the undying cultural values attached to being, an educated person within the Chinese concept of "self".
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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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ItemNo common view: Chinese students and Australian graphic design education( 2007)Graphic design relies on the use of visual elements to communicate and transfer messages to a predetermined audience. The effective implementation of graphic design solutions is consequently highly dependent on the societal and cultural influences that have shaped our understanding of the world. International students and local teachers often do not share this knowledge and as a result outcomes produced by international students in post-secondary graphic design education programs often do not meet teacher expectations. This research project used a qualitative approach; it employed the field methods of interview and visual analysis to gather data. The study followed three Chinese international students and their Australian teachers through the realisation of individual design projects. The cases were selected from three different post-secondary settings, using three course specific projects. This allowed for variation in actual situations to be observed, thus increasing project scope and depth. Chinese students were selected because they form the largest minority of international student in each of the environments. All participants in each case were interviewed at three stages: after the brief presentation, after the first critique and at project completion. The project aimed to track the processes of teacher and student alike, observing mismatch in expectations, processes and decision-making. The data collected provided the opportunity to identify points of choice and variation between study pairs, as they occurred. This data then allowed analysis of the complex, multilayered differences that influenced misalignment in practical outcomes. To achieve this, interview data was analysed to extract, review and align processes to final design outcomes. The visual data, in the form of the project design solution, revealed how the misalignment was manifest in the student's work. These two data sources provided insight into attitudes and beliefs of both teacher and student. The research has revealed variation in teacher and student visual meaning and design processes from the outset of the project. This variation is manifested in the final design outcome and visually reveals how meaning and aesthetic values are shaped by socio-cultural knowledge. The study shows that the misunderstanding between teacher and student is not a simple linguistic matter, but stems from differences in underlying assumptions. The need for open and transparent discussion of these assumptions in the highly subjective domain of graphic design is evident.
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ItemFrom EAP to university: a case study of Chinese students in Melbourne( 2006)Using qualitative research methods, this thesis examines the experiences of four international students from Mainland China during their transition from language study to tertiary study in Melbourne in 2005. The study explores, through the narratives of students, language teachers and university tutors, the challenges of providing tertiary , level education to students whose cultural and educational background is significantly different to that in Australia. The research is set within the context of the declining government funding to Australian universities and their consequent reliance on full fee paying international students. The student participants in the study attended a private language centre which provides English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses through its English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) programs, followed by enrolment in the business faculty of a large university. The issues that were identified are analysed following a narrative approach. The study found that the students were not receiving a positive educational experience and identified some of the difficulties they had in adapting to the demands of the Australian higher education system. These included the impact of the differences in teaching and learning approaches, level of English language skills, lack of prior education in the discipline, segregation, isolation and lack of support. The significant issues raised by the university tutors' included international students' inadequate language skills, mismatch of expectations, plagiarism, entry requirements, the changing face of the university, and lack of support. � The study concludes with the implications of international students not receiving a positive Australian educational experience and some recommendations for strengthening the Australian higher education system.
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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.