Factors influencing the success of culturally and linguistically diverse students in engineering and information technology

• Autores: P.K.D.V. Yarlagadda, Jyoti Sharma, Pujitha Silva, Karen Woodman, Jegar Pitchforth, Kerrie Mengersen
• Localización: The International journal of engineering education, ISSN-e 0949-149X, Vol. 34, no. Extra 4, 2018, págs. 1384-1399
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • The perception of supervisors who supervise culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) higher Degree research students(HDR) in Engineering and IT was analysed to identify, operationalise and quantify factors which could influenceoutcomes related to successful completion of HDR studies. A large study was conducted from three AustralianUniversities (Queensland University of Technology, University of Western Australia, and Curtin University) to explorethe key factors using Bayesian Network (BN) analysis, a complex systems approach. The BN model was quantified usingcoded survey variables and was further compared to write-in responses from a survey of 228 students and 69 supervisors, toexplore the benefits of using mixed method analysis in the study of complex phenomena. Key findings indicate thatqualitative responses broadly supported the results of the BN analysis, withsupervisor experience,styleandtrainingidentified as key factors. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that ‘student prior experience’ showed the greatest positiveinfluence, whilst ‘student obligations’ and ‘student attributes’ had the most negative impact on ‘HDR student studycompletion’. Overall maintaining ‘student motivation’ was seen as the single most influential factor on ‘HDR student studycompletion’. ‘CALD student study completion’ can be largely improved through ‘supervisor’s involvement’ in helping todevelop communication and networking skills. Moreover, supervision activities developed through participation ofsupervisors in respective training programs, followed by improving ‘University Support’, made the biggest positive impacton ‘supervisor attributes’. These findings are useful for universities seeking to prioritise areas of funding, whilst alsoenhancing the performance of CALD students in these disciplines.