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    Students' lived experiences of a unit on international capabilities in the learning languages classroom : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education, Institute of Education, Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2017) Hunt, Hilary
    "In 2014, the New Zealand Ministry of Education presented a Summary Report of the research conducted by the NZCER on the potential measurement of a New Zealand student’s International Capabilities in their two final years of secondary schooling. As with most educational reform proposals (Alghamdi, 2014; Claxton, Chambers, Powell & Lucas, 2013), the need for an International Capabilities Framework, was justified from a national economic standpoint, with the argument that it would enhance New Zealand’s productivity on a global scale. The concept of International Capabilities is not new to educational reform, however, consensus on a concrete definition of what constitutes this term is wide and varied, using abstract terms that are hard to quantify and measure in the classroom (Hunter, 2006; Lambert, 1996; Reimers, 2013; Swiss Consulting Group, 2002; Shields; 2012). These definitions are often constructed by policy makers with an economic objective, and while the aim of the educational reform is described as facilitating a positive outcome for the student in terms of academic and personal development, the student experience of these reforms is often sorely lacking (Sands, Lydia, Laura & Alison, 2007). As long as student perspectives are left out of educational reforms, these efforts will be “based on an incomplete picture of life in classrooms and schools, as well as how that life could be improved” (Cook-Sather, 2002, p.3). In the context of the International Capabilities Framework (NZCER, 2014) in New Zealand, whilst student, teacher and business focus groups were consulted initially on how an internationally capable student could present themselves, there has not been an opportunity for students to experience the Framework, with its concrete criteria based around the New Zealand Curriculum’s Key Competencies of Thinking; Language Symbol & Text; Managing Self; Relating to Others; Participating and Contributing, and to give their feedback on this experience. As student voice has not been collected, it is impossible for policy makers to know if in fact the educational reform they are proposing is effective and relevant. Likewise, without student voice on the experiences of International Capabilities in the classroom, teachers can neither gain a complete picture of the needs of the students nor the strategies that best support student learning and eventual academic success (Alghamdi, 2014). The purpose of this thesis is to examine students’ lived experiences of a unit on international capabilities in a Learning Languages classroom in NZ. The study aimed to gather the lived experience of a group of Year 12 and 13 students who were learning French. The choice of the Learning Languages curriculum as the area in which to collect student voice is appropriate, as the literature acknowledges that learning a second or foreign language is one of the most effective ways for students to develop cross-cultural communicative competence and an awareness of other cultures and worldviews (Fantini, 2001; NZCER, 2014; The Royal Society of New Zealand, 2013). Having experienced the International Capabilities Framework in the process of a unit of work in the French classroom, the students were able to act as “expert witnesses” (Alghamdi, 2014) in identifying effective instructional practices to help teachers adapt their practice and context to the Framework. Likewise, the collection of student voice will help bridge the gaps in the reform proposed, with particular reference to the debate on how students should be measured for their International Capabilities in the future"--Introduction
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    Cross-cultural educational adjustment : a substantive theory based on the experiences of a group of mainland Chinese postgraduate business students : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2009) Thompson, Robert James
    This project explored a basic social process experienced by ten Mainland Chinese postgraduate business students: cross-cultural educational adjustment. Over a two-year period, three interviews were held with each student in order to elicit his or her experience of this adaptation process. In addition, toward the end of this period an attestation group with the same student profile was recruited to review the emergent findings. A qualitative approach termed grounded theory was used for the methodology. Emphasis was placed on: hearing the students' voices; being open to students' experiences; developing a deep understanding of the adaptation process; and determining its theoretical conceptualisation. The initial interview was an inductive enquiry that isolated many aspects of the students' journey; the second interview deductively bent back on the initial data to saturate categories and determine how they were linked; the third interview further saturated categories, if needed, and sought a core category that underpinned the students' adjustment. In determining a theoretical conceptualisation of this process, a model was developed. This was shared with the original participants and the attestation group to assess their perspective of it. The model depicts that the homogeneity of the students' background produced an externally bounded and culturally harmonised learner identity. When they entered the New Zealand tertiary environment this identity was fractured. However, the resilient nature of the learner identity, the adoption of learning strategies, and the drawing on prime motivators meant a complete fracturing of the identity was prevented. Yet, as a consequence, the learner identity also absorbed new, more internalised elements. Overall, the core concept of a better future impelled students through all aspects of their journey. The major contributions of this study are that it presents an integrated understanding of cross-cultural educational adjustment and a conceptual picture of that process. The findings of this study, while limited in generalisability, suggest that students would benefit from: pre-departure culture and English language preparation; focused orientation programmes; and study skill support based on the strategies they are likely to employ and build the skills required in the new setting.