This research aimed at understanding the reading practices of two groups of
international postgraduate students across three semesters. The research was
underpinned by a conceptual framework incorporating metacognitive concepts with
framing theory. The methodology involved individual interviews using academic text
and pair think-alouds followed by retrospective interviews using general-interest
texts. The interviews and pair think-alouds took place at an Australian university with
Thai and IndianBangladeshi postgraduate students and at university campuses in
Thailand and India.
The data selected from the interviews and pair think-alouds revealed significant
changes in reading practices between first and third semester at an Australian
university and the participants' awareness of these changes. The participants'
reflections also provided some explanation for the differences in their cognitive and
metacognitive strategy use.
The research study was important because, at the postgraduate level, students are
faced with complex text interpretation processes. International students, in addition,
have to make a significant cultural/study shift; not only do they have to become accustomed to the reading of academic texts using discipline-specific patterns but
often have to adjust to different conventions used by authors from cultural
backgrounds other than their own. Little is known, in particular, about Thai and
Indianmangladeshi postgraduate students' reading experiences in their own countries
or how their reading practices change during study at an Australian university.
The research findings suggest a dynamic, multi-dimensional, developmental
framework for conceptualising international postgraduate students' reading practices
in first semester at an Australian university, and the changes in reading practices and
the educational and socio-cultural influences on these changes by third semester; the
findings, in addition, can inform the debate on literacy levels in the cross-cultural
academic environment and can contribute to discussions on such pedagogical issues
as reforming of curricular structure, the internationalisation of curricula and the
development of more culturally sensitive supervisory frameworks.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/221839 |
| Date | January 2002 |
| Creators | joysi@iprimus.com.au, Joyce Bell |
| Publisher | Murdoch University |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://www.murdoch.edu.au/goto/CopyrightNotice, Copyright Joyce Bell |
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