Australian Postgraduate Students Research Articles

ChatGPT and its impact on research supervision: Insights from Australian postgraduate research students

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve, its impact on academic environments, especially in postgraduate research supervision, becomes increasingly significant. This study explored the impact of ChatGPT, an advanced AI conversational model, on five dimensions of research supervision: functional, enculturation, critical thinking, emancipation and relationship development. Using a qualitative approach, we examined the practices and perspectives of 20 postgraduate research students with at least 4 months’ experience of using ChatGPT in research activities in Australia. The study revealed several areas of impact, including accelerated research progress, enhanced research quality, improved scholarly development and professional skills, enhanced critical thinking, increased student confidence and autonomy, and a deeper supervisory relationship. The findings suggest a shift in the roles and responsibilities of supervisors and students: the former provides strategic direction and high-level guidance, while the latter transits from apprentices to autonomous researchers due to the independence fostered by ChatGPT. This shift suggests an evolving model of postgraduate research supervision, with educational technology acting as epistemic tools to enhance the supervisory process. The study also considers the ethical implications of AI-enabled support. Implications for practice or policy: Postgraduate students can be facilitated by ChatGPT in self-directed research for enhanced independence and autonomy. Supervisors can deploy supervisory meetings for high-level guidance and personalized feedback in an AI-enhanced supervision model. Postgraduate programmes can leverage generative AI tools for an AI-enhanced research supervision model. Universities need to develop AI literacy curricula and protocols to guide students towards responsible use of generative AI tools while addressing potential challenges.

Knowledge and perceptions of Australian postgraduate veterinary students prior to formal education of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is widely perceived as a threat to human and animal health and a significant One Health issue with extensive and complex factors contributing to its occurrence and spread. Previous studies have surveyed human and animal health professionals to determine their perceptions regarding AMR and antimicrobial use (AMU). There are limited studies exploring the understanding of veterinary students despite their critical role as future antimicrobial prescribers. A cross-sectional survey was administered to an entire cohort of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Year 2 (DVM2) students (n = 136) to investigate their knowledge and perceptions regarding AMR and AMU prior to formal education on this issue. Ninety students (66.2% of the cohort) completed the survey. There was overwhelming agreement regarding the immediacy of the problem, with 84.4% of students indicating that ‘We must take action on AMR’. Despite more than 94.4% of students correctly defining AMR, specific knowledge regarding AMR impact, contributory causes to AMR and strategies to solve the challenge of AMR was variable. Most students perceived livestock producers to have a significant role in the perpetuation of AMR due to AMU for prophylaxis (71.1% substantial/moderate contribution) and treatment (56.7% substantial/moderate contribution). Over a third of respondents (37.8%) were unsure if AMR could spread from animals to humans. Respondents perceived that various groups (dentists, doctors, veterinarians, professional organisations) are all important in ameliorating the issue of AMR. The implementation of restrictive measures to reduce veterinary prescription of antimicrobials was viewed as less important than strategies involving education, hygiene, surveillance, and guideline development/availability. To encourage the development of good antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) practices, professional veterinary education needs to foster an understanding of the scientific, behavioural and social issues that contribute to AMR and inappropriate AMU, as well as prescribers' personal contribution to AMR perpetuation and amelioration.

Gender Differences in the Use of Social Media: Australian Postgraduate Students’ Evidence

This study investigates the differences between male and female usage of social media in Australia. The sample consists of ten postgraduate students at the Queensland University of Technology who use social media platforms, including six males and four females.Nine themes and 41 codes are identified. This study analyses five major themes, namely, personal life, professional life, sharing, leaders or followers, and competition. Six participants consider themselves as either leaders or followers in their social media usage, making this theme the most acknowledged theme. However, three participants use social media for their personal lives, and social media challenge three participants. Therefore, personal life and competition are the least important cause of social media usage. This study contributes by shedding some light on social media usage among postgraduate students. It helps universities to choose among different social media platforms for their educational purposes for their postgraduate students.

How much training do Australian postgraduate psychology students receive in sleep, sleep disorders and chronobiology?

How much training do Australian postgraduate psychology students receive in sleep, sleep disorders and chronobiology?

Sleep psychology training improves sleep knowledge in Australian postgraduate psychology students: A pilot study

Sleep psychology training improves sleep knowledge in Australian postgraduate psychology students: A pilot study

The essential ingredients of research supervision: A discrete-choice experiment.

The quality of the relationship between academic research supervisors and their students has been recognized as the most important determinant of successful and timely postgraduate degree completion. Many functions have been deemed important in facilitating this alliance. However, due to resource constraints and personal capabilities, supervisors must prioritize certain functions over others. It is, therefore, important to know the relative value of supervisory functions. The current study employed choice-based conjoint methodology to investigate the importance of different supervisory functions to Australian postgraduate students. These methods are notable for overcoming many of the drawbacks associated with conventional survey methods. Participants included 570 postgraduate students who completed 10 choice tasks comprising 16 attributes, each 3 levels, using a partial profile design. Preferences were ascertained using importance and utility scores. Latent class analysis was used to probe the presence of distinct sample segments whereas randomized first choice simulations were carried out to estimate the sample’s endorsement of hypothetical supervisors. Results revealed three key findings: (a) students valued academic integrity, constructive feedback, open communication, and bonding as the most preferred supervisory attributes; (b) student preferences were similar regardless of background differences and the sample was best classified as a single group; and (c) students preferred supervisors who fostered caring/supportive relationships over those who focused more strictly on instrumental functions. These results suggest that supervisors and training programs should focus on the interpersonal aspects of supervision and supporting the psychosocial needs of students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)

Simulated learning for generic communication competency development: a case study of Australian post-graduate pharmacy students

ABSTRACTAuthentic workplace experience is becoming increasingly challenging to provide for students. Simulation represents an effective pedagogical strategy for communication competency development in preparation for, or in lieu of clinical placements/practicums. The case study represents an innovative approach to simulating aspects of a pharmacy practice when insufficient placements were available. Prior to undertaking a three-week placement, a cohort of Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) students (N = 95) completed two four-hour simulated learning modules (SLMs). Each of the six SLMs addressed interpersonally challenging, commonly experienced pharmacy practice scenarios generated by pharmacists/pharmacy educators. Scenarios, underpinned by the Excellence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership (EXCELL) model, included schemas called Social Interaction Maps (SIMs), and involved interacting with trained actors. EXCELL is an evidence-based, professional development resource centred on learning generic social competencies including participating in a team, refusing a request and giving feedback. Evaluations comprised students’ survey responses collected before, during and after SLM workshops and pharmacy placements, and reflections from workshop facilitators. Students reported significant improvements in their overall communication competencies post-workshops and post-placement. Facilitators rated SLMs as a useful strategy to improve students’ communication competence and workplace readiness. Future curriculum development could benefit from including discipline-specific, interpersonally challenging SLMs using SIMs and actors (where possible) to simulate workplace interactions.

Negotiation and Impoliteness Strategies in Saudi and Australian Postgraduate Students’ Emails

Although negotiation via email takes place every day between students and their supervisors/lecturers, the processes underlying these negotiations have been largely neglected in research to date. Further, there is a need to investigate the linguistic email communication problems that Saudis encounter when they study abroad. This study aims to identify the dominant features of email communication of twenty Saudi and Australian post-graduate students with their lecturers. The research sought to understand the following: to what extent negotiation moves differ from one group to another; if there is a significant difference between the two raters when rating native speakers (NS) versus non-native speakers (NNS); whether there is a significant relationship between students scores and total number of words used in negotiation moves; the most important moves that might have affected the raters decisions when giving the highest scores versus the lowest scores; and whether there is difference between total scores of NS and NNS. Whereas the qualitative analysis employed (im)politeness as the theoretical framework, the quantitative analysis focused on the moves used by students in terms of context, proposal, justification, options, and requests. It was found that NS and NNS had similar likelihoods of gaining higher grades when using more details. When both NS and NNS failed to employ a focus-on-context move, they were likely to fail in their negotiations. International students need to be encouraged to give more detailed explanations to improve their negotiation techniques. Pedagogical implications include greater insights into the appropriate use of email negotiation strategies between students and their lecturers.

Functional Analysis of Marked and Unmarked Theme in Demonstrating a Critical Argument Written by Iraqi and Australian Postgraduate Students

Theme, as a point of departure plays a crucial role not merely in the organization of the academic messages but also in the functions of the clause, such as the notions of authorial voice and critical thinking. Halliday (2004) defined theme as an element that serves as the point of departure, identified by its position in the clause. This means the use of the main idea and/or author in the subject position stem of any clause is very important in presenting the elements of critical thinking and self-voice. This raises an important question of how postgraduate students as academic writers deal with the function of Marked and Unmarked themes as a point of departure in demonstrating a critical argument. This study, therefore, attempts to see how the functions of the Marked and Unmarked themes in demonstrating a critical argument are tackled by the academic assignment writers. Applying Halliday’s (2004) model of thematic organization, this paper investigated a corpus of four academic assignments from four Masters Students (two Iraqi non-native and two Australian native writers of English). The results showed that Australians were more visible in displaying the elements of critical thinking and self-voice as a dual competence for their writing, while these elements was invisible in the Iraqi writers as they gave their loyalty to their textbooks and course materials. This findings will provide not only Iraqi postgraduate students with a better understanding of problems in order to help them improve their authorial voice and critical thinking in demonstrating a critical argument, but will also for Iraqi EFL instructors at the Iraqi universities on what exactly needs to be made explicit within the framing and language of the academic assignments.

Investigating Individual Voice in Thematic Development in Academic Assignments Written by Iraqi and Australian Postgraduate Students

The notion of individual voice is an important aspect of functional grammar in student’s academic writing, as taking a stance is one of the most important requirements of academic assignments at Australian universities. Jalilifar (2009), for instance, demarcated thematic development as an element which plays a crucial role in the message function of language. This raises an important question as to how postgraduate students as academic writers deal with the function of thematic development in terms of individual voice in demonstrating a critical argument. Unfortunately, few studies have focused on this aspect in relation to Iraqi postgraduate students in the Australian context of writing. To this end, four academic assignments were selected and analysed to uncover the similarities and differences in the function of the thematic development, and to determine whether and how students of different cultures stamp their individual voice on the text through the thematic development elements of their academic arguments. Using Eggin’s (2004) model of thematic development, this paper concerns a corpus of four academic assignments from four Masters Students (two Iraqi and two Australian students). The data analysis revealed marked differences in these four academic assignments regarding the functions of thematic development as a starting point for their academic argument. The findings showed that the Iraqi postgraduate students struggled both in expressing their individual voice through the function of thematic development, and in supporting their claims with evidence from what they had read. The study presents a critique of Kaplan’s claims (1966) that the zig-zag pattern is a characteristic of Arab students’ writing, in contrast to the linearity of English writers. Instead it found that the Iraqi non-native writers of English were writing their assignments by copying and writing what they read from their texts and one reason for this was that the element of individual voice has not been emphasized in the Iraqi education system.

Investigating the Manifestation of Textual Themes in Argumentative English Assignments Written by Iraqi and Australian Postgraduate Students

This study investigated the manifestation of Textual Themes in argumentative English assignments written by Iraqi and Australian postgraduate students. Textual structure is a core component of argumentation in academic writing. How the themes in a text are organized as a message component constructs voice and authority. An important question is how novice writers and in particular international students are able to handle these textual devices when they write their English academic assignments. To this end, four academic assignments were selected and analysed to uncover the similarities and differences in textual features, and how students of different cultures stamp their authorial voice on the text through the element of theme and rheme in their academic arguments. The data were analysed based on Halliday’s (2004) model of thematic organization. The findings showed that the failure to use theme appropriately in constructing a voice and authority in academic writing may have disadvantaged the non-native writers. The paper argues that this has occurred because critical thinking requires a clear self-voice in forming an academic argument. This has not been explicitly emphasized in the writers’ Iraqi curriculum for writing. In contrast, these elements are more explicitly emphasized in the Australian writing curriculum.

Investigating the Manifestation of Textual Themes in Argumentative English Assignments Written by Iraqi and Australian Postgraduate Students

This study investigated the manifestation of Textual Themes in argumentative English assignments written by Iraqi and Australian postgraduate students. Textual structure is a core component of argumentation in academic writing. How the themes in a text are organized as a message component constructs voice and authority. An important question is how novice writers and in particular international students are able to handle these textual devices when they write their English academic assignments. To this end, four academic assignments were selected and analysed to uncover the similarities and differences in textual features, and how students of different cultures stamp their authorial voice on the text through the element of theme and rheme in their academic arguments. The data were analysed based on Halliday’s (2004) model of thematic organization. The findings showed that the failure to use theme appropriately in constructing a voice and authority in academic writing may have disadvantaged the non-native writers. The paper argues that this has occurred because critical thinking requires a clear self-voice in forming an academic argument. This has not been explicitly emphasized in the writers’ Iraqi curriculum for writing. In contrast, these elements are more explicitly emphasized in the Australian writing curriculum.

Retaining female postgraduates in academia: the role of gender and prospective parenthood

Women remain under-represented in almost all academic levels at universities internationally, and previous evidence has suggested that women move out of the university system in increasing numbers as they progress from postgraduate study to an academic career. The current study aimed to explore the role of gender in the reports of study experiences and future career plans of Australian postgraduate research students (n = 249). Questionnaire data indicated women were significantly less likely than men to rate an academic career as appealing. In particular, female postgraduate students without dependent children were least likely to want to pursue an academic career. On the basis of qualitative analysis, we attribute this finding, at least in part, to a perceived incompatibility between motherhood and an academic career and discuss the implications for gender equity in higher education.

‘Taking your mob with you’: giving voice to the experiences of Indigenous Australian postgraduate students

Indigenous Australian postgraduate students experience different barriers from those encountered by non-Indigenous students. In the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate study, Indigenous students are more likely to come from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, have lower personal incomes and lack family and other networks supportive of engagement with tertiary, and especially postgraduate, study. While there is a growing literature on Indigenous participation in higher education, with the exception of a few notable examples, there is little known about the effectiveness of support mechanisms and issues for Indigenous students undertaking postgraduate study. Drawing on interviews with current and past Indigenous postgraduate students at The University of Queensland, this paper problematises the postgraduate experience for Indigenous Australian students, identifying common themes in their accounts. It also discusses one of the outcomes of the project along with planned future developments that aim to provide better support for Indigenous Australian postgraduate students at The University of Queensland. By knowing and acting upon the kinds of mechanisms that can assist Indigenous postgraduate students, the disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous student participation in postgraduate study can begin to be addressed.

Western places, academic spaces and Indigenous faces: supervising Indigenous Australian postgraduate students

Supervision is arguably one of the most important support mechanisms provided to higher degree research students. Research into the role of supervision is emerging, with many scholars arguing the importance of establishing a connection between the supervisor and the student. However, problems can emerge when this relationship is overlaid with cultural differences and the supervisor has little knowledge of the student's cultural positioning. This paper will draw on findings of a doctoral research inquiry to explore the supervision provided to Indigenous Australian postgraduate students. Recommendations for change will be offered in the course of the discussion.

Build it and They Will Come: Building the Capacity of Indigenous Units in Universities to Provide Better Support for Indigenous Australian Postgraduate Students

Abstract Indigenous participation rates in higher education are significantly lower than the rates reported for non-Indigenous people in Australia – with the greatest disparity evident in the area of postgraduate studies. This problem needs to be addressed by providing culturally appropriate support mechanisms to Indigenous postgraduate students. This article draws on the findings of a doctoral thesis in which the support provided to Indigenous postgraduate students in Australia was investigated (Trudgett, 2008). Several issues and problems emerged from the data surrounding the support, or lack thereof, provided to this cohort by the Indigenous Units or centres in universities today. Nine recommendations for consideration and implementation by the Indigenous Units within Australian universities are provided. These recommendations have the potential to reduce this disparity by helping to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous participation and, most importantly, completion rates in postgraduate studies.

Australian postgraduate research students still prefer to ‘stay at home’: reasons and implications

Work in 1997 on Australian research postgraduate student mobility indicated that most students chose to remain at their current institution to undertake a research degree rather than move elsewhere, and that they were unlikely to seek widely for information. The present study aimed to determine, 7 years later, if there had been changes in student mobility or the way in which students sought information. The results show that student mobility is virtually the same with only 12 per cent of respondents indicating they were planning to accept a scholarship to undertake a research masters or doctorate at a different university in a different State following completion of their previous degree; 18 per cent were moving to a different university but in the same State, and 61 per cent were remaining at the same university. As with the previous study, it was clear that students preferred to seek advice on future study from their existing supervisor or their departmental colleagues, and that accessing information via the Internet and print media was undertaken relatively rarely. These results are discussed within the context of the higher degree by research (HDR) environment in Australia, the likely benefits of student mobility, and possible strategies for emulating the benefits of mobility with these ‘stay at home’ students.

Predictors of Interest in Working with Older Adults: A Survey of Postgraduate Trainee Psychologists

ABSTRACT Despite the growing number of older adults that implies an increasing need for psychological services, few psychologists choose to specialize in working with older clients. The present cross-sectional research examined predictors of student interest in working with older clients in an effort to understand factors that may influence future psychologists to work in this area. The targeted sample consisted of Australian postgraduate psychology students whose course coordinators responded to a request to participate in this national survey. Four hundred and thirty-one postgraduate trainee psychology students completed the survey that examined training, contact, and attitudinal variables. This represents a 45.3% response rate from surveys being distributed by course coordinators. Having undergone or intending to do a placement within an aged care setting was the most powerful predictor of interest, with confidence in working with the elderly, and positively anticipating old age being attitudinal factors related to increased interest. Amount or quality of contact with older adults and formal education through aging-related coursework failed to predict interest, based on hierarchical regression analysis. Implications for future training of psychologists highlight the importance of quality clinical experiences with older clients during training as opposed to pure coursework.

Australian Postgraduate Students' Perceptions, Preferences and Mobility

Postgraduate students' choice of university, and related mobility issues, have been of interest to Australian university researchers, supervisors and administrators for some time. However, with the release of the Commonwealth Government's 1999 Green Paper on research and research training, which proposes greater portability of research student funding, a sense of urgency regarding these issues has developed. This paper reports on students' choice of a particular university for postgraduate research and on what information they made those decisions. A survey was conducted in 1997 of 938 applicants for Postgraduate Research Scholarships to Flinders University, Macquarie University and the Universities of Western Australia, Adelaide and Melbourne. The survey sought to identify respondents' choices and possible movement to undertake research awards. Questions dealt with a wide range of issues with a particular focus on sources used to access information on higher degrees, preference(s) for where they wished to study, factors leading to their preferred choice, and influences on the decision to move or not move to another institution. Approximately 50% of respondents were younger than 25 years and only 27% were living with their parents. An Honour's degree was the most common prior qualification for students (73%), but only 61% were enrolling directly from their previous degree. Thirty-six per cent reported that they regularly read their main local paper for information related to postgraduate research opportunities and 39% of respondents did not regularly access any source of media for postgraduate information. Forty-two per cent of students did not explore any opportunities at other universities prior to making their decision about enrolment. Almost all students who were planning to enrol at the same university were remaining in the same department. Commensurate with this, 73% reported that their Honour's supervisor or academic staff in their original university were their major source of information on study destinations. These results provide baseline data, which can be used to approach the issue of postgraduate mobility more strategically.

A Discussion on the early days of ionospheric research and the theory of electric and magnetic waves in the ionosphere and magnetosphere - Early work in Australia, New Zealand and at the Halley Stewart Laboratory, London

Ionospheric research began in Australia in 1927 after the formation of the Radio Research Board. A. L. Green, by measuring polarization of downcoming waves travelling in the opposite direction to the Earth’s magnetic field confirmed that electrons were the effective particles. Builder, Pulley and Wood designed equipment for the automatic recording of critical frequencies. Martyn & Pulley found evidence for high temperatures at F region levels. Munro discovered travelling ionospheric disturbances. In New Zealand the earliest measurements were made by Munro in 1927—8. The New Zealand Radio Research Board later supported the measurement of critical frequencies, absorption and collisional frequency of Peddie, White, Banwell and Straker. Australian and New Zealand postgraduate students contributed to Appleton’s group at King’s College and at the Halley Stewart Laboratory, London. Builder introduced the pulse technique and took part in the Polar Year (1932-3) expedition to Tromso. Pulley designed the first manual ionogram equipment. Both returned to work in Sydney. White measured reflexion coefficients and collisional frequencies of electrons and later returned to Canterbury University, New Zealand. The early ionospheric researches sponsored by the Australian and New Zealand Research Boards had a profound influence by expanding university research and the training of many postgraduate students.