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    Cultural perceptions of learning situations : overseas students in their first year of teacher education in New Zealand : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Second Language Teaching at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1996) Haworth, Penelope Anne
    This study investigates the perceptions of four overseas student teachers, based on teaching practice observations in their first year of teacher education in a New Zealand College of Education. Data was collected by means of questionnaires, interviews, a semantic differential scale and a stimulated recall procedure. Perceptions of New Zealand learning situations were examined at three points during the year, as the subjects participated in teaching practices. Results from the study relate to the nature, focus, orientation and shifts in the students' perceptions of the target culture. It was found that perceptions were variably focussed on three broad zones of perception, notably teacher/learner roles, the nature of learning and the contextual features of the target learning culture. A number of perception indicators were generated from the data. These included positive perception indicators such as clear conceptualization, strategy formulation, surface assimilation, positive uptake and avoidance of closure, and negative perception indicators relating to partial conceptualization, self doubts, rejection and closure, overlaying, and the lack of effective models. The major outcomes of this study point to the influence of prior beliefs and expectations on perceptions of the target learning culture, as well as the developmental nature of perceptions. In addition, findings reveal the importance of perceptions in the process of acculturation. The study concludes with a number of suggestions for the development of more effective programmes for overseas student teachers.
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    Aid, education and adventure: Thai women’s participation in a development scholarship scheme.
    (Institute of Development Studies, Massey University, 2012) Wild, Kirsty; Scheyvens, Regina
    Development scholarships – endowments that provide individuals from so-called ‘developing’ nations with opportunities to undertake tertiary training abroad – are an historically important, yet increasingly contested, form of educational aid. However, meaningful debates about the value of this type of aid are limited by a lack of research about the impact that it has. The experience of female development scholars is a particularly neglected area of research. This article provides a qualitative exploration of the experiences of twelve Thai women who have completed a postgraduate degree through a scholarship scheme funded by the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID). This research highlights a number of benefits associated with these schemes, including greater emotional autonomy, increased cross-cultural knowledge, new professional networks, new work skills, and improved English-language competency. Negative outcomes identified include career disruption, new unwanted work responsibilities, and dissatisfaction with aspects of life in their country of origin.
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    Culture cross : foreign students intercultural interactions on a New Zealand university campus : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Social Anthropology at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2010) Bragg, Alaric Bernard Marshall
    This MA Thesis examines foreign students on-campus intercultural interactions at a New Zealand university – namely, the Massey University Turitea campus in Palmerston North. Prior research has shown that many foreign students in New Zealand universities have tended to spend their on-campus activities with other international students, usually from their own countries, rather than New Zealand ones, while other foreign students are largely interested in and open to intercultural interaction with New Zealanders when on campus. The purpose of my research was to examine and assess the nature, degree and reasons that foreign students engage in intercultural interactions when on-campus, and determine what my findings indicated towards the greater international student community in New Zealand. One of two methods that I used during my fieldwork consisted of interviewing seven research participants, who I contacted through personal friendships and Massey University clubs and organizations associated with foreign students, about their on-campus intercultural interactions. The second method was a level of participant observation, in which I participated in and observed my research participants during their academic and social university activities to assess their on-campus intercultural interactions. Major findings include the significant role of social and sports organizations in helping foreign students establish intercultural interactions, which are also promoted for many foreign students new to Massey via orientation programs, and the importance of campus accommodation facilitating foreign students intercultural interactions. Major conclusions include the need for more emphasis on internationalization at the Massey campus and the necessity of increased opportunities for intercultural interaction in and out of class.
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    Success stories : experiences of non-English speaking background students in an English-medium tertiary programme : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2010) Taylor, Gayleen Evelyn
    Increasing numbers of non-English speaking background (NESB) students are enrolling in English-medium education programmes. The fact that these students are generally successful in their studies is seldom mentioned in academic literature. It is hoped that information from this study will fill a gap in recent literature on this topic. This study investigates and celebrates the experiences of four NESB students who have successfully graduated from an English-medium programme which delivers the Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education). The key question investigated is – what enabled these students to achieve in an education setting so different from their home language, culture and philosophy? Factors such as motivation and support structures were also investigated. Within a qualitative approach, narratives were used to record and retell participants’ stories. A credit approach was also employed. This fits in with sociocultural theory, which values a student’s contribution to the learning experience. Contextual features also had a role to play in participants’ success, so links to ecological theoretical perspectives are made. The influence of motivation in success, as acknowledged in social cognitive theory, is also discussed. Participants were clear about the role of motivation in their academic success. Intrinsic motivation was found to be particularly important; being influenced by a range of factors. The factors identified included the funds of knowledge participants brought to their study, their development of self-efficacy, a sense of agency and self-regulatory practices. It is proposed that these factors have fundamental relationships with each other by influencing achievement and mastery in the other factors. Support systems were found to play a crucial role in participants’ success. These support systems were found to be the family, the institution, colleagues and classmates. Governmental agencies also were accessed to provide financial support. Recommendations and implications from the study affirm the importance of professional development for teachers of NESB students. In particular, understanding topics relating to funds of knowledge, self-efficacy, agency and self-directed learning were noted as relevant for teachers of NESB students.
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    Continuous speech recognition : an analysis of its effect on listening comprehension, listening strategies and notetaking : a thesis presented in part fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate in Education, Massey University
    (Massey University, 2006) McIvor, Tom
    This thesis presents an investigation into the effect of Liberated Learning Technology (LLP) on academic listening comprehension, notetaking and listening strategies in an English as a foreign language context (L2). Two studies are reported: an exploratory study and subsequent main study. The exploratory study was undertaken to determine L2 and native speaker (L1) students' perceptions on the effectiveness of the technology on academic listening and notetaking. The main study took a more focused approach and as a result, extended the exploratory study that was done in an authentic lecture context in order to gather data to measure listening comprehension and notetaking quality. The participants in the main study comprised six L2 students: five of whom intended to go to university. The methodology was a multimethod one: data was gathered from notetaking samples, protocol analysis, email responses and a questionnaire. Results indicated that continuous speech recognition (CSR) has the potential to support the listening comprehension and notetaking abilities of L2 students as well as facilitate metacognitive listening strategy use and enhance affective factors in academic listening. However, it is important to note that as CSR is an innovative technology, it first needs to meet a number of challenges before its full potential can be realized. Consequently, recommendations for future research and potential innovative uses for the technology are discussed. This thesis contributes to L2 academic listening and notetaking measurement in two areas: 1. the measurement of LLP-supported notetaking; and, 2. the measurement of LLP-supported academic listening comprehension.