Title: Improving supervision of cross-cultural postgraduate university students

Authors: Kenneth David Strang

Addresses: APPC IM Research, Long Island, NY 11725, USA; University of Technology, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia

Abstract: The internet has led to an increasing number of international students enrolling for postgraduate degrees. The literature confirms that there have been problems such as attrition, motivation, supervision and others. Professors struggle to appease international student learning styles, while simultaneously international students strain to understand their supervisor|s approach. This study reviewed the literature to create a model for assessing and improving international postgraduate student online supervision. A survey was designed and then issued to a large international student sample to better understand their supervision expectations. The model was validated (questionnaire factor analysis included) and regressed on student satisfaction, resulting in a statistically significant finding. Interesting student feedback and participant-observer reflection were integrated to make sense of the quantitative data.

Keywords: international students; academic supervision; culture; learning styles; universities; higher education; postgraduate degrees; professors; online supervision; internet; world wide web; online learning; e-learning; electronic learning; questionnaire factor analysis; student satisfaction; student feedback; participant-observer reflection; cross-cultural factors; change.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLC.2010.032711

International Journal of Learning and Change, 2010 Vol.4 No.2, pp.181 - 202

Published online: 15 Apr 2010 *

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