scholarly journals Why Choose Taiwan for Tertiary Education? The Case of Malaysian Students in Chinese Independent Schools

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-108
Author(s):  
Poh Chua Siah ◽  
Chee Seng Tan ◽  
Swee Mee Tan ◽  
Kar Loke Lim ◽  
Wei Him Lew
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Independent Schools ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Demographic Factors ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Pull Factors ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Data Coding ◽  
Malaysian Students

Before Malaysian government liberalising its private tertiary education in the 1996 Education Act, Taiwan was one of the popular choices for students from Chinese Independent Schools (CIS) to further their tertiary education. However, the number of CIS students choosing Taiwan as the destination of their tertiary education keeps hiking up substantially despite more choices of higher education provided locally after the liberalisation. In light of this, this study aims to explore factors affecting country choice of Malaysian students from CIS in the meantime while they were to further their tertiary education. A mixed-method design was employed to investigate factors shaping this peculiar phenomenon. The researchers identified eight push-pull factors from the data coding of a focus group discussion in the first phase of the study. Based on the results, a questionnaire was crafted in the second phase of the study. Then, by engaging a purposive sampling, 869 Senior Three CIS students were recruited from several CIS in different states of Malaysia to participate in the survey at the second phase of the study. The findings revealed the importance of demographic factors administering CIS students in choosing Taiwan as a popular destination of pursuing tertiary education. In addition, the use of Chinese language as the medium of instruction in teaching and financial consideration were the pull factors contributing to the interpretation of the choice made by this group of participants. Furthermore, students’ perspective of choosing future career path and their concern of family also determine their choice of higher education. Overall, the study highlighted the importance to include demographic factors in the push-pull model. It further provides factual information for the stakeholders or policy makers to incorporate more effective strategies in recruiting CIS students.

scholarly journals Factors affecting relative efficiency of higher education institutions of economic orientation

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-67
Author(s):  
Andrea Arbula Blecich
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Relative Efficiency ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Design Guideline ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Third Phase ◽  
Proposed Model

This paper investigates the factors that influence the relative efficiency of higher education institutions of economic orientation. The empirical analysis is carried out on 31 higher educational institutions of economic orientation in Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, in three phases. In the first phase, relative efficiency of observed institutions is evaluated for three main areas of their activities: teaching, research and international activity. In the second phase, higher education institutions are clustered based on relative efficiency results of each individual area of their activity. In the last, third phase, key association factors of a particular cluster are determined using univariate binary logistic regression and odds for transition to a more favourable cluster are defined. The results indicate that odds for positioning in the more efficient cluster are higher in public institutions than in private ones, in institutions with more published professional papers, in those with higher expenditures per faculty, the larger number of enrolled students per faculty, as well as in those with more visiting researchers. The proposed model can serve as a design guideline for education policies and as a moderation guideline for national authorities.

scholarly journals Experiential learning with virtual reality: animal handling training

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Florence Mei Kuen Tang ◽  
Ray Mau Fung Lee ◽  
Roy Hok Lai Szeto ◽  
Justin Chak Ting Cheung ◽  
Olivia Miu Yung Ngan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Conceptual Knowledge ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Biomedical Science ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Animal Handling

AbstractTraining in handling laboratory animals is fundamentally imperative to the responsible use of animals in research. Animal welfare topic is underdeveloped in the tertiary education, where instruction is majorly delivered in the format of lecture and group discussion only. Students with limited exposure to the laboratory were inattentive to animal welfare and uncertain how ethics intertwine with science. This paper describes a multi-disciplinary experience in developing and implementing virtual reality (VR) simulation to enhance contextual learning of using animal models in research with digital technology in biomedical science teaching at higher education. The in-house developed courseware consists of student-centred stimulations designed with game elements implemented at the tutorial session. At the first game level, the setting situates at in the preparation room that requires learners to apply the laboratory safety knowledge to wear personal protective equipment. At the second game level, the environment situates at the restricted experimental room to perform hands-on injections on mice. If the learner fails to pick up appropriate safety equipment at the first level, the learner is prohibited from entering the next level. During the simulation, the learner’s interaction is also displayed to the monitor that supports parallel teaching to the larger class. At the debriefing, 3Rs principles were reinforced as a sample framework for performing humane animal research. We illustrate how the hybrid uses of VR technology with gamification, together with didactic pedagogy, offers promise in enforcing working knowledge into better task performance, specifically research skills training. Our experience and students’ feedback show using immersive VR for educational purposes to encourage the learner applying conceptual knowledge in the simulated laboratory setting. Further application of VR in science for vocational training or higher education is feasible to engage students or stakeholders from various disciplines.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Students’ Understanding of the Quality of Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina Degtjarjova ◽  
◽  
Inga Lapiņa
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Correlation Analysis ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Rank Correlation ◽  
Educational Content ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Quality Of Higher Education ◽  
Study Process

Students are the main stakeholders in the higher education area so their involvement is closely related to the quality of higher education. There are a lot of factors that affect the understanding of the quality of higher education. Factors are used for quality planning, assessment, assurance, control, improvement etc. The research question is: what factors affect students’ understanding of the quality of higher education? The research was conducted in two stages. During the first stage of the research, the concept of the quality of higher education was analysed by using literature review and focus group discussion. During the second stage, a questionnaire was developed and students of the Faculty of Engineering Economics and Management of Riga Technical University (RTU FEEM) were surveyed, the results of students’ survey were analysed by using Spearman rank correlation. The research shows that there are three groups of factors that affect students’ understanding of the quality of higher education: factors related to the study process (SP), support and resources (SR), and external factors and results (EFR). As a result of correlation analysis, SP factors have more internal correlations within the group, while SR and EFR factors more correlate with each other. The most significant factors that affect students’ understanding of the quality of higher education are the quality of educational content and professors’ competence. Some trends were observed: (1) factors with a small number of correlations have more internal correlations than intergroup correlations; (2) the more important is the factor, the greater is the number of relationships, and vice versa; (3) the more important is the factor, the closer are relationships, and vice versa. There is one exception recognised in the research: although the factor ‘Quality of educational content’, according to the students, is the most important factor, the correlation analysis shows that it has no statistically significant correlations with other factors.

scholarly journals Push and Pull Factors of International Higher Education: A Case Study of Pakistani Female Students Studying in Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dr Syed Faisal Hyder Shah ◽  
Musharaf A. Talpur ◽  
Dr Abdul Razaque Channa
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
International Higher Education ◽  
Muslim Country ◽  
Pull Factors ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Push And Pull Factors ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Constant Comparative Analysis ◽  
Push And Pull

This paper investigates and analyses various push and pull factors affecting Pakistani female doctoral students to pursue international higher education in Malaysia. The study implemented an open-ended interview approach to collect qualitative data and analysed it using a constant comparative analysis originally developed from Grounded Theory (GT) methodology. The study findings discovered affordability as a major push factor besides other relevant but not less important push factors, such as scholarship conditions to choose Malaysia as a country of destination because of its affordable tuition fees and living expenses. In contrast, this study also identified the principal pull factor that makes Malaysia as a preferred Muslim country for Pakistani women seeking higher education. Other general pull factors, including cultural diversity, lifestyle, security of women and freedom of women, were also found as significantly important as the remaining individual pull factors, such as personal comparison made between Pakistani and Malaysian higher education, students’ previous international experience and family bond. Based on these findings, some lessons are learned and discussed in the details for internationalizing our higher education system in Pakistan in the future.

Moving on the Chain: Push-Pull Factors Affecting the Migration of Laotian Workers to Udon Thani, Thailand

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-105
Author(s):  
Thanapauge Chamaratana ◽  
Thawatchai Sangseema
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Additional Data ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Pull Factors ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Content Analysis Method ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
Additional Data Collection ◽  
Study Unit ◽  
Participatory Observation

Abstract The tendency of migration of Lao workers to Thailand is likely to increase especially migration pattern is social network. The objective of this research was to study factors effecting the migration through social network of Lao workers in Udon Thani. Qualitative research method was applied in the study. Unit of analysis was group level. In-depth interview guideline was applied to collect data from 15 Laotian workers. The research site was Udon Thani, Thailand. Participatory observation and non-participatory observation were use for additional data collection. The ATLAS.ti programme was applied to categorize data, and data analysis was based on the content analysis method. The research results showed that the crucial push factors which contributed migration among Laotian workers included Udon Thani Unemployment in residency, and low revenue in residency and important pull factors include higher compensation, worker demand of establishments in Udon Thani province, Laotian employers' values in Udon Thani, and social network of Laotian workers in destination.

Factors Affecting Financial Literacy of Vietnamese Adults: A Case Study for Hanoi and Nghe An

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tue Nguyen Dang
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Multiple Regression ◽  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Logistic Models ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Financial Behaviors ◽  
Financial Decisions ◽  
Literacy Level

This research examines the factors affecting the financial literacy of Vietnamese adults. Using a sample of 266 observations of adults in 2 big cities in Vietnam (Hanoi and Vinh in Nghe An Province), the author evaluates the literacy level of adults in these urban areas. The financial literacy of the interviewed people is low. The multiple regression results show that lower financial literacy levels associate with higher age and married status and higher financial literacy levels associate with higher education, more family members, the person making financial decisions and the person attending a useful financial course. This research also explores the association between financial literacy and financial behaviors of individuals employing logistic models. It is found that higher financial literacy associates with less probability of overspending and higher probability of saving money and careful spending. Higher financial literacy is also found to associate with higher probability of opening a savings account and making various investments. 

AN INDUCTIVELY DERIVED RESEARCH FRAMEWORK FOR STUDENT SATISFACTION IN ODL: THE HIGHER EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-57
Author(s):  
Marry Mdakane ◽  
Christo J. Els ◽  
A. Seugnet Blignaut
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Specific Aspect ◽  
Written Narratives ◽  
Research Framework ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Language Groups ◽  
Education Environment

Student satisfaction, as a key psychological-affective outcome of tertiary education, is a direct measure of the success of Open Distance Learning (ODL). It is therefore vital for ODL Higher Education Institutions to assess and improve student satisfaction constantly. Existing theories on student satisfaction are mostly derived from deductive research, i.e. from research that considers the existing body of knowledge, followed by an investigation of a specific aspect or component, in order to reach a specific conclusion. We, however, maintain the inductive stance that a research framework for student satisfaction in ODL should be derived from students themselves. Accordingly, we purposively collected qualitative data from N=34 South African postgraduate ODL students, representative of various cultural language groups, with regard to student satisfaction. Supported by Atlas.ti, we composed an integrated dataset comprised of students’ responses to two focus-group interviews, as well as students’ written narratives in response to qualitative questions. Through meticulous qualitative data-analysis, we detected data categories, sub-categories, patterns and regularities in the integrated dataset. Theories and findings from the existing corpus of knowledge pertaining to student satisfaction in ODL illuminated our qualitative findings. This paper reports on the knowledge we gained from our participants pertaining to their student satisfaction with the Higher Education (HE) environment, the first of three main research components of an inductively derived research framework for student satisfaction in ODL.

Internet-based Online Higher Education in Nepal Amidst COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashis Acharya ◽  
Nabaraj Poudyal ◽  
Ganesh Lamichhane ◽  
Babita Aryal ◽  
Bibek Raj Bhattarai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Human Life ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
Traditional Concept ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Online Higher Education ◽  
Alternative Means ◽  
The Government

The COVID-19 global pandemic has affected all aspects of human life, with education, not an exception. In an attempt to stop the SARS-CoV-2 spreading like wildfire, the Government of Nepal has implemented nationwide lockdowns since March 24, 2020, that have enforced schools and universities to shut down. As a consequence, more than four hundred thousand students of various levels in higher education institutions (HEIs) are in a dilemma about restoring the situation. Several HEIs, nationwide, have leaped forward from the traditional concept of learning—limited within the boundary of the classroom—to choosing digital platforms as an alternative means of teaching because of the pandemic. For this research, the descriptive and inferential analysis was carried out to investigate the effects and challenges of learning via digital platforms during this pandemic. Data were collected from students and faculty at various levels of higher education and analyzed statistically with different factors using t-test and ANOVA, and variables were found to be approximately normally distributed. The study revealed that 70% of the respondents had access to the Internet, but 36% of the Internet accessed did not continue online classes due to unexpected disturbance in Internet and electrical connectivity. Likewise, 65% of students did not feel comfortable with online classes, and among attendees of online classes, 78% of students want to meet the instructor for a better understanding of course matters. According to the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model, three factors, such as institutional policy, internet access, and poverty, are found to be significant factors affecting the online higher education systems in Nepal. On the brighter side, this outbreak has brought ample opportunities to reform the conventional teaching-learning paradigm in Nepal.

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