Chinese Postgraduates Research Articles

Theory - Practice integration for Chinese Postgraduates in Pathophysiology: Innovative Teaching Strategies

Background: Pathophysiology plays a pivotal role in medical education by bridging basic sciences and clinical medicine. However, traditional teaching approaches in China often lack integration between theory and clinical practice, hampering postgraduates' understanding of disease mechanisms and diagnostic abilities. This study explores innovative strategies to effectively integrate theory and practice, enhancing Chinese medical postgraduates' learning.Methodology: A comprehensive literature review analyzed the current educational landscape and identified innovative teaching strategies aligning theoretical concepts with clinical applications. The implementation methods and potential to foster autonomous and innovative learning were examined.Results: Several student-centred strategies were identified, including problem-based learning (PBL), case-based learning (CBL), flipped classrooms, and integrated teaching models. These approaches emphasize active learning, critical thinking, and applying theoretical knowledge to clinical scenarios. Adopting these strategies can improve postgraduates' learning efficiency, problem-solving abilities, and clinical reasoning skills while promoting self-directed learning and innovative thinking.Conclusion: Integrating theory and practice through innovative teaching strategies is crucial to enhance the quality of pathophysiology postgraduate education in China. Educators should implement student-centred approaches like PBL, CBL, flipped classrooms, and integrated models to stimulate autonomous learning and cultivate innovation. Providing opportunities for active learning and clinical application can significantly improve postgraduates' learning outcomes and preparedness for future practice. Further research evaluating the long-term impact on postgraduate performance and patient care is warranted.

Between Ideals and Realities: Investigating Perspectives of Chinese Postgraduate Researchers with Experience and Expertise in Higher Education Internationalization

Between Ideals and Realities: Investigating Perspectives of Chinese Postgraduate Researchers with Experience and Expertise in Higher Education Internationalization

Positioning gender in time-travel: time-travel TV dramas as dialogic resources for constructing and re-imagining identity among Mainland Chinese postgraduates in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Time-travel television dramas have recently gained tremendous popularity worldwide. Defying stereotypes of romance TV dramas as women’s genres, time-travel romance TV drama genres seem to have attracted young men and women of different walks of life. Informed by positioning theory and Bakhtin’s heteroglossic dialogism, this study investigates a group of bilingual Mainland Chinese, heterosexual postgraduate students’ consumption of a Chinese time-travel TV drama, Scarlet Heart. It is found that well-educated Mainland Chinese women and men are still confronted with dilemmas of gender role boundaries and pressure to subscribe to traditional gender values. However, the time-travel TV drama has enabled the interviewees to negotiate new gender relations when they assign different positions to the female protagonist and themselves in the discussion. It is therefore proposed that time-travel TV dramas can be appropriated as dialogic resources for ideological becoming and critical literacy activities for facilitating construction of alternative subject positions and identities.

Academic Adaptation of Chinese Postgraduate Students in Malaysia

In recent years, there has been a notable rise in the number of Chinese applicants seeking admission to Malaysian tertiary education institutions, particularly for postgraduate programmes. This trend can be attributed to the favourable policies implemented by the Malaysian government. For Chinese students themselves, the prior task of studying abroad is to achieve their educational goals, which is challenging for them to study in an unfamiliar educational context. This study aims to explore Chinese postgraduate students’ academic adaptation to Malaysian research-oriented universities that provide qualified postgraduate programmes. Using qualitative methods, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 Chinese postgraduate students studying in five Malaysian public universities. Thematic analysis was adopted to analyse the data collected. The study’s findings unveiled the various factors affecting Chinese postgraduate students’ academic adaptation throughout their postgraduate tenure, encompassing language ability, supervisor-supervisee relationship, pedagogic differences, academic support and emotional support. In addition, the study also highlighted the strategies that Chinese postgraduate students employed to embrace these challenges. The implications of the findings are expected to help Chinese postgraduate students develop effective strategies and programs to facilitate their academic adaptation in Malaysia. Further to this, these findings can offer recommendations to higher education institutions on how to collaborate effectively with Chinese students. Keywords: Academic adaptation, Chinese postgraduate students, Malaysian universities, challenges, strategies.

A cross-sectional mental-health survey of Chinese postgraduate students majoring in stomatology post COVID-19 restrictions.

The psychological status of Chinese postgraduate students majoring in stomatology after the COVID-19 restrictions still remains unclear. The objective of this study is to evaluate the mental status through a cross-sectional survey and gather related theoretical evidence for psychological intervention on postgraduate students majoring in stomatology. An online survey was administered, and subjective well-being, anxiety, stress and depression symptoms were assessed using the 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5), item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), respectively, wherein suicidal ideation and sleep-related problems were measured with PHQ-9 and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). A total of 208 participants who completed one questionnaire were considered as valid. It was found that female respondents generally exhibited significantly higher levels of PSS-10, PHQ-9, and GAD-7 scores and shorter physical activity hours than male students. Students from rural areas demonstrated significantly higher levels of PHQ-9, suicidal ideation, and less portion of good or fair family economic support. Additionally, individuals from only-child families reported increased levels of activity hours (1.78 ± 2.07, p = 0.045) and a higher portion (55.10%, p = 0.007) of having clear future plan as compared with multiple-child families. The risk factors for anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 score) were higher scores of PSS-10 (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.09-1.22), PHQ-9 (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.22-1.49), and ISI-7 (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.06-1.23), while owning a clear graduation plan was the protective factor (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.31-0.98). Moreover, the risk factors for depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) included PSS-10 (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.04-1.16), GAD-7 (OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.25-1.52), suicidal ideation (OR = 5.66, 95% CI = 3.37-9.51), and ISI-7 (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.09-1.25). Approximately 98.08% of Chinese postgraduates studying stomatology reported experiencing at least moderate stress after the COVID-19 restrictions. Within the limitations of this study, senior students were more inclined to stress, while anxiety symptoms were related to severer levels of stress, depression, and insomnia. Depressive symptoms were associated with higher levels of stress, anxiety, insomnia, suicidal ideation, and lower levels of self-reported well-being. Thus, psychological interventions for postgraduates should be timely and appropriately implemented by strengthening well-being, reasonably planning for the future, and good physique, thereby mitigating the psychological issues after COVID-19 restrictions.

The Dilemma of Chinese Postgraduate Employment: First-Degree Discrimination

In recent years, with the expansion of graduate enrollment and the increase in the number of graduate students, competition for employment among graduates has intensified. Consequently, a novel form of discrimination has emerged in the job market, significantly impinging on equal employment opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students alike. This article elucidates the emergence of this discrimination by employing a labor market discrimination model framework. Then the article introduces the prevailing methodologies for examining the existence and impact of discrimination in economics, makes comparations of representative literature data to demonstrate its violation of the equal employment rights of postgraduate students from diverse undergraduate backgrounds, resulting in substantial disparities in their employment rates and starting salaries. Furthermore, this article proposes solutions from three perspectives: enhance legislative construction, establish more scientific recruitment criteria and government measures. However, further research is required to examine the specific impact of this discrimination due to limited data samples.

Performance of ChatGPT on the Chinese Postgraduate Examination for Clinical Medicine: Survey Study.

ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) based on large-scale language models, has sparked interest in the field of health care. Nonetheless, the capabilities of AI in text comprehension and generation are constrained by the quality and volume of available training data for a specific language, and the performance of AI across different languages requires further investigation. While AI harbors substantial potential in medicine, it is imperative to tackle challenges such as the formulation of clinical care standards; facilitating cultural transitions in medical education and practice; and managing ethical issues including data privacy, consent, and bias. The study aimed to evaluate ChatGPT's performance in processing Chinese Postgraduate Examination for Clinical Medicine questions, assess its clinical reasoning ability, investigate potential limitations with the Chinese language, and explore its potential as a valuable tool for medical professionals in the Chinese context. A data set of Chinese Postgraduate Examination for Clinical Medicine questions was used to assess the effectiveness of ChatGPT's (version 3.5) medical knowledge in the Chinese language, which has a data set of 165 medical questions that were divided into three categories: (1) common questions (n=90) assessing basic medical knowledge, (2) case analysis questions (n=45) focusing on clinical decision-making through patient case evaluations, and (3) multichoice questions (n=30) requiring the selection of multiple correct answers. First of all, we assessed whether ChatGPT could meet the stringent cutoff score defined by the government agency, which requires a performance within the top 20% of candidates. Additionally, in our evaluation of ChatGPT's performance on both original and encoded medical questions, 3 primary indicators were used: accuracy, concordance (which validates the answer), and the frequency of insights. Our evaluation revealed that ChatGPT scored 153.5 out of 300 for original questions in Chinese, which signifies the minimum score set to ensure that at least 20% more candidates pass than the enrollment quota. However, ChatGPT had low accuracy in answering open-ended medical questions, with only 31.5% total accuracy. The accuracy for common questions, multichoice questions, and case analysis questions was 42%, 37%, and 17%, respectively. ChatGPT achieved a 90% concordance across all questions. Among correct responses, the concordance was 100%, significantly exceeding that of incorrect responses (n=57, 50%; P<.001). ChatGPT provided innovative insights for 80% (n=132) of all questions, with an average of 2.95 insights per accurate response. Although ChatGPT surpassed the passing threshold for the Chinese Postgraduate Examination for Clinical Medicine, its performance in answering open-ended medical questions was suboptimal. Nonetheless, ChatGPT exhibited high internal concordance and the ability to generate multiple insights in the Chinese language. Future research should investigate the language-based discrepancies in ChatGPT's performance within the health care context.

Delinking from Monolingual Norms: A Case Study of Chinese Postgraduate Students’ Translanguaging Practices in English Academic Writing

Delinking from Monolingual Norms: A Case Study of Chinese Postgraduate Students’ Translanguaging Practices in English Academic Writing

SELF-INVESTIGATION INTO REPERCUSSIONS OF PERFECTIONIST BEHAVIOR ON ACADEMIC ANXIETY AND FLEXIBILITY AMONGST CHINESE POSTGRADUATES

&lt;p&gt;Within the sphere of educational psychology, the impact of perfectionism on academic anxiety and flexibility has been closely examined, especially in the context of Chinese postgraduates. The current study analyzed these phenomena within a cohort of 218 postgraduates from a private international Chinese college in Thailand, reflecting an amalgam of Eastern academic culture and postgraduate educational expectations. Results indicated a notable degree of academic anxiety (X=3.70, SD=.75), alongside moderate levels of flexibility (X=2.94, SD=.84) and perfectionist behavior (X=3.23, SD=1.01). Disaggregating data by educational level, Masters students presented with moderate anxiety (X=3.38, SD=.87), low flexibility (X=2.53, SD=.74), and low perfectionism (X=2.74, SD=.66), whereas Ph.D. students exhibited significantly higher anxiety and perfectionism (X=4.51 and X=4.48, SD=.84 respectively), yet demonstrated greater flexibility (X=3.99, SD=.71). Gender and profession proved to be insubstantial factors in influencing these constructs. Contrastingly, educational level was a potent differentiator, with significant disparities evident. The interrelations highlighted a negative correlation between academic anxiety and flexibility (r=-.121), but a positive correlation between academic anxiety and perfectionist tendencies (r=.424). Flexibility and perfectionist behavior were also positively correlated (r=.153). To mitigate the adverse impacts of perfectionism, the study advocates for cognitive-behavioral interventions to reshape perfectionist thought patterns and bolster adaptive coping strategies. It encourages cultivating an educational ethos that emphasizes learning and psychological welfare over impeccable achievement and suggests normalizing mental health discourse within academic environments to alleviate the stigma surrounding perfectionism and anxiety.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/soc/0044/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Ensuring Sustainable Academic Development of L2 Postgraduate Students and MA Programs: Challenges and Support in Thesis Writing for L2 Chinese Postgraduate Students

This study, based on Activity Theory, investigated the challenges and support for L2 Chinese postgraduate students in their master’s degree (MA) thesis writing. The five participants, currently PhD candidates in applied linguistics, shared their experiences of MA thesis writing. The data include multiple drafts of theses and semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis reveals that these participants went through four kinds of challenges: (1) selecting the research topic and theoretical basis; (2) meeting the high requirements of MA theses, using new research tools, and overcoming linguistic barriers; (3) writing the literature review; and (4) writing the discussion. The findings reveal the challenges were caused by four levels of inner contradictions in activity systems. The main support was provided by their supervisors, whose tailored help was more effective than the related courses they took. More sources of support came from their fellow students, the assessment panels of the research proposal, and the thesis defense. The analysis illustrated how these participants managed to receive support by interacting with the academic community. This study is expected to shed light on postgraduate education in general and the sustainable development of individual students and MA programs. Its implications may not only benefit Chinese L2 postgraduate students and their supervisors but also those in similar EFL contexts.

Effectiveness of social media with or without wearable devices to improve physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior: A randomized controlled trial of Chinese postgraduates

The present study was aimed to verify whether an integrating of wearable activity tracker device and a social media intervention strategy would be better than a standalone social media intervention for improving physical activity (PA) and reducing sedentary time for Chinese postgraduate population. A total of 42 full-time postgraduate students participated in this study, which were randomized to receive a 4-week social media intervention through WeChat either with (Wearable Device group) or without (control group) a wearable activity tracker device. Energy expenditure, step counts, moderate to vigorous physical activity time (MVPA) and sedentary time were assessed before and after the intervention. Besides, anthropometric parameters of body weight, body mass index, body fat rate, waist-to-hip ratio, as well as self-reported quality of life were also evaluated. It was found that both energy expenditure and step counts were significantly increased, while sedentary time was significantly reduced during the post-intervention test compared to the baseline test for Wearable Device group. No significant difference of PA was found for the control group. The results demonstrated that the integrating of wearable activity tracker device and a social media intervention was effective in promoting PA, while a standalone social media intervention may have no effect on the influence of PA for Chinese postgraduates.

The mediating roles of coping styles and academic burnout in the relationship between stressors and depressive symptoms among Chinese postgraduates.

Since few studies have incorporated factors like stressors, coping styles, and academic burnout into the same model to analyze their impacts on depressive symptoms, this research attempts to establish an optimal structural model to explore the direct and indirect effects of these factors on depressive symptoms. A total of 266 postgraduates completed questionnaires regarding coping styles, academic burnout, stressors, and depressive symptoms. The path analysis was applied for investigating the roles of coping styles and academic burnout in mediating the relationship between stressors and depressive symptoms. The total and direct effects of stressors on depressive symptoms were 0.53 and 0.31, respectively. The proportion of the direct effect of stressors on depressive symptoms to its total effect amounted to 58.50%. The indirect effects of academic burnout, positive coping style, and negative coping style on the association between stressors and depressive symptoms were 0.11, 0.04, and 0.03, taking up 20.75%, 7.55%, and 5.66% of the total effect, respectively. The serial indirect effect of positive coping style and academic burnout was 0.02, accounting for 3.77% of the total effect, while that of negative coping style and academic burnout was 0.02, taking up 3.77% of the total effect. Coping styles and academic burnout chain jointly mediate the relationship between stressors and depressive symptoms among postgraduates. Thus, encouraging postgraduates to tackle stress positively may reduce the likelihood of the development of academic burnout and further reduce depressive symptoms.

MIXED-METHOD ANALYSIS OF PREDISPOSING FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THESIS-WRITING BURNOUT AMONGST CHINESE POSTGRADUATES

This mixed-method analysis investigates thesis-writing burnout among 117 Chinese postgraduates, probing the patterns, magnitude, and influencing factors. A measurable burnout trend emerges across thesis-writing stages - Thesis-Writing Proposal (TTP), Thesis-Writing 3-Chapter (TW3C), and Thesis-Writing 5-Chapter (TW5C) - peaking (X=4.41) during TW3C, reflecting heightened exhaustion and cynicism. Notably, burnout varies with demographic attributes, specifically gender and marital status. Concurrently, exhaustion and cynicism levels fluctuate with thesis-writing progression, while professional efficacy gradually escalates. Participants convey a shift from profound exhaustion and cynicism in TTP and TW3C stages to resilience, manageable fatigue, and self-assuredness during TW5C. Predisposing factors encompass uncertainty, anxiety, and advisory attributes, spanning styles, diligence, and personality traits. These aspects, especially autocratic and laissez-faire approaches, exacerbate stress and impact motivation and research methods. These findings underscore the multifaceted nature of academic burnout during thesis-writing among Chinese postgraduates, necessitating stage-specific interventions. Such tailored strategies facilitate burnout prevention, promote thesis completion, and yield profound implications for Chinese conventional postgraduate education. The research also establishes the vital role of advisors in modulating stress levels, underscoring the need for proactive support measures and fostering a conducive academic environment. This study augments understanding of academic burnout, offering valuable insights to counteract its detrimental effects and bolster postgraduate students' academic journey.&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/soc/0056/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Subjective Well-Being and Trait Gratitude Among Chinese University Postgraduates

The purpose of the present study was to explore whether trait gratitude correlates with subjective well-being (SWB) among Chinese university postgraduates as well as gender and only-child differences in the mean scores on measures of SWB and gratitude. A sample of 50 Chinese postgraduates participated in the research including the measurements of trait gratitude and subjective well-being. The findings indicate that gratitude was not associated with all items of SWB. However, the results find that gratitude was significantly and negatively correlated to negative affect, besides, satisfaction with life was positively correlated to the lack of deprivation and the gratitude to society. And the level of gratitude could be different in terms of gender and only child. The results indicate that female and not only-child reported higher levels of gratitude in comparison with male and only-child postgraduates respectively.

Challenges, Causes and Solutions in the Process of Writing English Academic Papers for English Postgraduates

Writing academic papers in English is essential for English postgraduates. However, ESL/EFL learners face many challenges and difficulties in academic writing. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the challenges, causes, and solutions. This study interviews six English major Chinese postgraduates. And the interviews are recorded and then transcribed into data. It has been discovered that English postgraduates would face a variety of challenges including language and academic issues. It concludes that students, teachers, and the universities should work together to assist postgraduates in overcoming challenges and enhancing their academic writing.

MIXED-METHOD REPORT INTO CHINESE POSTGRADUATES’ PROCRASTINATION BEHAVIOR, ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT AND SELF-CONFIDENCE

In this mixed-method investigation, the researchers delved into the intricate dynamics underlying Chinese postgraduates' procrastination behavior, academic engagement, and self-confidence, unveiling a multifaceted interplay among these factors. Quantitative findings revealed an intermediate-high level of procrastination, particularly in relation to writing assignments, exam preparations, and weekly reading tasks, while attendance tasks and general school activities elicited lower procrastination levels. Further analysis elucidated a substantial negative correlation between procrastination behaviors and both academic engagement and self-confidence, indicating the pernicious influence of this pervasive phenomenon on students' academic experiences. Qualitative insights garnered through thematic analysis explicated the complex reasons behind procrastination, including being overwhelmed by intricate tasks, lack of genuine interest, competitive milieu, insecurities, distractions, cultural and familial pressures, and struggles with time management, prioritization, and perfectionism. Furthermore, inadequate mentorship and anxiety surrounding future career prospects emerged as significant contributors to procrastination. Evidently, this detrimental factor not only impeded postgraduates' academic immersion but also eroded their self-confidence, exacerbating the detrimental repercussions on their scholarly performance. Thus, the findings underscore the imperative for targeted interventions, encompassing mentorship, time management skills, and emotional support, to mitigate the deleterious effects of procrastination on Chinese postgraduates' academic engagement and self-confidence.&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/soc/0009/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Shaping personal worldviews when neo-liberalism meets Confucianism and patriotism: insights from Chinese postgraduate students

This study examines how Chinese postgraduate students’ personal worldviews are separately and collectively shaped by the interplay of neoliberalism, Confucianism and patriotism. The findings reveal that neoliberalism contributes to Chinese postgraduates’ enterprising self by shaping their subjectivity in pursuing personal goals, influencing their thinking with the market logics of efficiency, effectiveness and ­quantifiable outcomes, and leaving them with a predisposition toward deregulation. Confucianism prompts the postgraduates to self-strengthen at the individual level and guides them with interaction norms at the interpersonal level. Patriotism underpins the postgraduates’ psychological and emotional power based on strengthened memories of historical events and pride in national achievements, thereby generating a deep-seated collective identity. Counteracting and consolidating forces are identified based on the interplay of the three isms, resulting in the Chinese postgraduates’ partial individualization. The partial individualization reflected in today’s Chinese postgraduates features a consistent rather than divisible dual-self.

Understanding Chinese Postgraduates’ Silence in EFL Flipped Classroom

Understanding Chinese Postgraduates’ Silence in EFL Flipped Classroom

Mediating Effect of Lecture Emotion between Online Academic Lecture Quality and Cognitive Involvement-Focused on Chinese Postgraduate for Master’s Degree

Mediating Effect of Lecture Emotion between Online Academic Lecture Quality and Cognitive Involvement-Focused on Chinese Postgraduate for Master’s Degree

Research on the Mechanism of Training Innovation Ability for Chinese Postgraduates

Training postgraduate students’ innovation ability is an important task of graduate education. The article elaborates on the innovation ability of postgraduate students from three aspects: innovation awareness, innovative thinking and innovative skills. It deeply analyses the problems in the innovation training system of postgraduate students, such as insufficient innovation ability of postgraduates for themselves, insufficient guidance from postgraduate supervisors, incomplete talent training plans, and insufficient scientific research and practical abilities. Finally, a mechanism system for cultivating the innovation ability of Chinese graduate students is established from the aspects of creating a good institutional environment, highlighting the mechanism of postgraduates as the main part, improving the responsibility mechanism of postgraduate supervisors, improving the teaching mechanism of postgraduate education, constructing the evaluation mechanism of postgraduate education, and improving the innovation practice mechanism of postgraduates.