Postgraduate University Students Research Articles

The sinking ship repair corporation: uncovering the untold tale

Learning outcomes At the end of the session, learners are expected to be able to evaluate the detrimental impact of stress on blue-collar workers’ well-being in Attainer Engineering Sdn Bhd; develop effective strategies to improve stressful conditions experienced by blue-collar workers in Attainer Engineering Sdn Bhd; analyse and select appropriate approaches that can help maintain the motivation levels of blue-collar workers in Attainer Engineering Sdn Bhd; analyse the impact of Attainer Engineering Sdn Bhd’s extensive investment in training new blue-collar workers, alongside the subsequent high turnover rate, on the decline in sales and profit; identify the critical changes that the managing director should have implemented to prioritize employee retention among blue-collar workers at Attainer Engineering Sdn Bhd; discuss the strategic implementation of mechanization, specifically in the context of automating repetitive processes, as an innovative solution to address the challenges faced by the ship repair and maintenance service industry heavily reliant on blue-collar workers in emerging markets; cultivate thoughtful debates on ways to keep blue-collar workers in the shipping repair and maintenance industry, as well as active learner participation and group interaction; develop learners’ analytical and critical thinking skills by guiding them through the analysis of a real-world case study in the shipping repair and maintenance industry, concentrating on the difficulties and potential solutions for blue-collar worker retention; and equip learners with practical knowledge and insights on implementing effective human resources strategies for retaining blue-collar workers in the shipping repair and maintenance industry, emphasizing the conversion of theoretical concepts into workable solutions. Case overview/synopsis This teaching case study centres on Attainer Engineering Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian conglomerate that bestows ship repair and maintenance services. Regrettably, the corporation has been subjected to a decrease in profitability and productivity owing to its high turnover rate of blue-collar workers. The ship repair and maintenance service industry is accountable for delivering comprehensive repair and maintenance services to ships, including their engines, hulls, machinery and other related components. The fundamental aim of this case study is to ascertain the rudimentary factors that contribute to this issue and foster effective strategies to enhance the motivation and retention rate of blue-collar workers in the ship repair and maintenance service corporation, using appropriate management theories, models and concepts. The case study brings to light the importance of discovering the most suitable approaches to retain blue-collar workers in the corporation to improve its profitability and productivity in a highly competitive market. This teaching case study will be beneficial for students and practitioners who want to grasp the disputes associated with retaining blue-collar workers in the ship repair and maintenance service industry and learn how to apply management theories, models and concepts to address these disputes effectively. Complexity academic level This case discussion would be highly suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate university students who are pursuing their studies in management or related fields and are eager to delve into the nuances of the ship repair and maintenance service industry. Furthermore, trainers from both private and public agencies who are keen on gaining a deeper understanding of the issues pertaining to retaining blue-collar workers in this particular industry and devising result-oriented strategies to tackle these concerns would also find this case discussion immensely helpful. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 6: Human resource management.

A Developed Framework for Studying Cyberethical Behaviour in North Central Nigeria

ICT advancements have enabled more online activities, resulting in several cyberethical behaviours. Literature documents prevalence of plagiarism, and online fraud, among other misbehaviours. While behaviour has been explained by several theories, as scholarship and research advances, frameworks are modified to include more constructs. The researchers modified Fishbein and Ajzen (2011)'s Reasoned Action Approach to study female postgraduate students' perspectives toward cyberethical behaviour in North Central Nigerian universities. The study focused on four variables, which were adequately captured by the model: perception, awareness, and attitude. An adapted questionnaire collected quantitative data. This study used multistage sampling. A sample size of 989 north central Nigerian female university postgraduate students were selected from a population of 9,000. The majority of respondents reported not using copyrighted materials without permission (X = 3.48, N = 834, SD = 0.68) and using student emails for academic purposes (X = 3.36, N = 834, SD = 0.673). Perception and attitude toward cyberethical behaviour were positively correlated (r =0.17; P < 0.05). Perception, awareness, and attitude toward cyberethical behaviour correlated (R2 =0.22). Perception and awareness significantly affected cyberethical behaviour (R2 = 0.09). We recommend that university administrators implement intentional cyberethics policies and curricula to promote ethical internet use.

Chinese EAP Teachers’ Identity Development: A Comparative Analysis of Teacher Metaphors From Students and Teachers

The study investigates the metaphorical images of English teachers formulated by English for Academic Purpose (EAP) teachers and postgraduate students in a Chinese Sci-tech University. Student Participants ( n = 171) and teacher participants ( n = 51) completed questionnaires including the metaphor-eliciting prompts to express their perceptions of English teachers. The results revealed a similar three-level categorization (information, disposition, and status) of teachers’ features from the two groups, as well as similarities and discrepancies in the perceptions of certain conceptual teacher metaphors. Based on the comparison, implications for EAP teaching and EAP teachers’ identity development in China are discussed.

Leveraging social media in digital scholarship: Perspective from developing country students.

Albeit the increasing relevance of digital scholarship in contemporary educational settings, the onset of global pandemics like COVID-19 has necessitated the need for academic institutions to rely on social media for digital scholarship. Digital native students are leveraging on social media for digital scholarship to enhance communication and information dissemination. However, a study from higher institution in a developing country is missing from the global discussion on leveraging social media for digital scholarship. This study seeks to examine students' knowledge level in the use of social media for digital scholarship and the challenges associated with the use The study adopted stratified and non-probability voluntary response sampling methods because of the flexibility of these techniques. Data was collected from both undergraduate and postgraduate students of University of Cape Coast in Ghana. Students possess more than the average knowledge in social media for digital scholarship activities. However, students use of social media was for video presentations, online class, information sharing, publication of articles, search for academic related information, building proficiency in the search for information and making connections with individuals. Additionally, the conventional notion still holds that social media as a digital scholarship is susceptible to poor internet connection, jamming of digital systems and lack of adequate information on how to use digital scholarly platforms. The information literacy department of higher institutions are recommended to revise the content of their curriculum and incorporate mechanisms to leverage social media for digital scholarship to efficient disseminate scholarly outputs.

Perception of Students on Agriculture as an Occupation- A Reference to Pondicherry University Postgraduate Students

This research article investigates the perception of postgraduate students at Pondicherry University regarding agriculture as an occupation. The study examines the demographic characteristics of the participants and explores their perceptions of agriculture. The sample comprises 56.4% female and 43.6% male respondents aged 21 to 28. Most (93.6%) of the participants fall within the 21 to 25 age group. Regarding the family type, most respondents (75.6%) belong to nuclear families, while a minority (20.5%) reside in joint families. Regarding residence, 53.8% of the respondents live in urban areas, while slightly over one-third (46.2%) reside in rural areas. The academic backgrounds of the participants are diverse, with approximately one-third belonging to the social science stream (34.6%), management stream (33.3%), and life science stream (32.1%), respectively. The study reveals that 65.4% of the respondents have a medium level of perception towards agriculture, while 34.6% have a high level of perception towards agriculture as an occupation. The article further presents the results of statistical analyses, including an independent sample t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). These indicate no significant differences in perception of agriculture as an occupation across gender, nativity, course of study, and family type. These findings contribute to understanding postgraduate students’ perception of agriculture as a career option and provide insights for policymakers and educators in promoting agriculture as a viable and attractive occupation for future generations. Int. J. Soc. Sc. Manage. Vol. 10, Issue-3: 55-59.

Digital Literacy Skills and System Quality as Predictors of Learning Management Systems Use of Postgraduate Students in Ibadan Nigeria

<p class="Default"><span lang="EN-US">The use of learning management systems (LMS) was observed to be weak among students in Nigeria. Therefore, digital literacy skills and system quality were used as predictors to predict LMS use among postgraduate students in universities in Ibadan, Nigeria. A survey design of the correlational type was adopted. At the same time, the population of the study comprised all the 4,750 postgraduate students of two universities in Ibadan, Nigeria, and 328 postgraduate students were drawn using a multi-stage sampling technique. The instrument adopted for data collection was a questionnaire which had three sections. The questionnaire return rate was 316 copies, representing a 96.3% retrieval rate. Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and multiple regression analysis were conducted to test the null hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. A significant relationship between digital literacy skills and the use of learning management (r =.319; p < 0.05) was found, while a significant relationship between system quality and the use of learning management systems (r =.501; p < 0.05) was equally established. There is a significant relationship between digital literacy skills and LMS system quality (r =.529; p < 0.05). Furthermore, a joint influence of digital literacy skills and system quality on the use of learning management systems of postgraduate students in universities in Ibadan, Nigeria (F =53.594; R=0.505; p < 0.05) was established. It was recommended that university management and lecturers should ensure the system quality of the LMS type to be adopted must support the convenience of use and have fewer technicalities in its use.</span></p>

Integrating entrepreneurship into chemistry education - Cairo University post-graduate students' case study

Integrating entrepreneurship into chemistry education - Cairo University post-graduate students' case study

Understanding challenges, investment, and strategic language use of postgraduate students in an English-medium university in Kazakhstan

ABSTRACT This qualitative study documents six postgraduate Kazakh students’ challenges, language learning strategies (LLSs), and future vision while studying at a highly selective English medium instruction (EMI) university in Kazakhstan. It also aims to capture the influence of the participants’ past English learning experiences and contextual factors on their LLS deployment. The study found that all participants exhibited greater agency, using a host of appropriate LLSs to complete their master’s programmes successfully. However, the two participants who studied in schools for the gifted encountered fewer challenges than the other participants from mainstream schools after joining the EMI university. The former exercising their agency and their positive previous English language learning experiences enabled them to use diverse voluntary strategies to accomplish both personal and national goals. This study reveals how educational policy and distribution of enabling language learning resources in similar contexts can affect individuals’ LLS choices and use, and their identity improvement.

Construction of a Postgraduate Teaching System with Deep Integration of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ability Cultivation for Microelectromechanical Systems Major

Strengthening the cultivation of the innovation and entrepreneurship abilities for postgraduate students is a practical need for the country to implement the innovation driven development strategy, and also an inevitable requirement for establishing an innovative country. This paper discusses some problems faced by the cultivation of the innovation and entrepreneurship abilities for postgraduate students. Based on the research on the construction of the curriculum system of postgraduate students majored in Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) in Southeast University, P.R. China, this paper presents the ideas and plans for the construction of the teaching system integrating the cultivation of innovation and entrepreneurship abilities. By promoting the implementation of this plan, the discipline of MEMS in Southeast University has made some achievements in the cultivation of innovative and entrepreneurial talents. A survey indicates that 37.7% of the postgraduate students from the discipline of MEMS expressed a willingness to start their own businesses within 5 years after graduation. At the same time, over 35.9% of the postgraduate students stated that they have certain or good innovation and entrepreneurship abilities and potentials. This can provide useful reference for the cultivation of innovation and entrepreneurship abilities of postgraduate students in other universities.

Perception of Postgraduate Students on Ethical Public Relations Practice in Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

In every organization, Public Relations serve as a vital anchor that keeps its reputation and external relationships afloat. It is a shield that minimizes risk and damage upon progress, initiating robust growth and evolution. The rationale for this study is that every successful public relations activity is guided by certain moral principles and is geared towards ensuring that the communication needs of all key stakeholders are addressed. These obviously include the postgraduate students of Ebonyi State University who constitute a critical component of the university publics. Besides, in building the reputation of an organization, it has to start with the internal publics. It is against this backdrop that it becomes imperative to assess the practice of ethical public relations as perceived by postgraduate students among the university staff at Ebonyi State University. The objectives were to determine whether Ebonyi State University postgraduate students perceive the level of communication flow between the students and staff as highly commendable; ascertain the level of goodwill elicited from postgraduate students and as well determine the major challenges that confront the postgraduate students. The study was anchored on a two-way symmetrical model. A mixed research method was adopted for this study and data were gathered using a questionnaire and in-depth interviews with staff of the public relations unit of Ebonyi State University. The population of the study consists of 990 postgraduate students in the 9 faculties of the university between 2018 to 2022 academic sessions. The population includes 88 PGDs, 540 Masters, and 362 PhDs. A sample of 285 respondents was chosen for the study based on the Australian sample size online calculator. The findings of the study revealed that poor communication and inadequate feedback mechanism pose serious challenges to the ethical practice of public relations at Ebonyi State University. It was therefore recommended that in order to build and enhance healthy relationships between the university and its postgraduate students, it is vital to find innovative ways to communicate with the postgraduate students to keep them not only engaged but informed.

Electronic library resource use by postgraduate students at a university of technology in South Africa

Background: A university of technology in South Africa provides different kinds of e-library resources to its users. Not much is known about the use of these e-library resources by postgraduate students. The existing literature focuses mostly on using e-library resources by all university students and do not specifically emphasise postgraduate students. Therefore, there is a need for a study to investigate the use of e-library resources by postgraduate students.Objective: The study aimed to investigate the use patterns and the factors influencing the use of e-library resources by postgraduate students of a university of technology in South Africa.Method: The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model was used to conceptualise the study. A quantitative approach was used with a descriptive survey research method. Questionnaires were designed and distributed through email using survey monkey.Results: Facilitating conditions (FCs) directly influence postgraduate students’ intention to use e-library resources and age moderates the influence of facilitating conditions on e-library resource use. Mediated by behavioural intention (BI), e-library resource use is influenced by performance expectancy (PE), by effort expectancy (EE) and by social influence (SI).Conclusion: The UTAUT model was used to determine the use patterns and the factors influencing the use of e-library resources by postgraduate students of a university of technology in South Africa.Contribution: The literature has underemphasised the need to investigate the influence of postgraduate students in South African universities using e-library resources. Therefore, the study results are expected to fill that gap.

Three golden principles in geography teaching: valuing theory, matching cases and reflecting on self

ABSTRACT This article presents a new model of curriculum making on geography teaching at the higher education level. It shows how what we term the ‘three golden principles’ – valuing theory, matching cases and reflecting on self – can be used to inspire and contribute to geographic thought and theory teaching. The article discusses the role of geographic theories in teaching and learning in higher education with reference to Tim Cresswell’s book Geographic Thought. It then describes a teaching experiment carried out with postgraduate students in a Chinese university that sought to establish the effectiveness of the three golden principles in practice. The article demonstrates how, under the guidance of the principles, students can develop their critical and creative thinking skills. It shows that these principles can enhance the integration of students’ scientific knowledge with everyday knowledge of geography and discusses the implications of this approach for geography teaching in China and elsewhere.

Pattern of Facebook use by university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: relations with loneliness and resilience

Considering young adults’ extensive use of social media since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the present study examined the pattern of Facebook use by university students during the period of hygienic crisis. Specifically, it was investigated students’ Facebook intensity use and self-disclosure to unknown online friends, as well as the role of sense of resilience and loneliness in the manifestation of the above Facebook behaviors. Overall, 792 undergraduate and postgraduate university students (48% women) completed online self-report questionnaires regarding the above variables. Undergraduate students, regardless of gender and Department of studies, made more intense Facebook use and self-disclosure to unknown online friends. Sense of loneliness positively predicted students’ online self-disclosure not only directly but also indirectly through their Facebook intensity use. Students’ resilience negatively moderated the relationship between sense of loneliness and Facebook behaviors. The findings propose a new explanatory model of emotional and behavioral mechanisms, which leads to a less safe pattern of Facebook use. This pattern possibly reflects youth’s collective tendency to use this social media platform recklessly as a way out of crisis periods, such as the pandemic period. The emergence of this pattern could be useful for launching or enriching university counselling/prevention actions aimed at strengthening students’ psycho-emotional skills, and subsequently their prudent use of social media.

Practical learning in hybrid environments: Can remote learning be active, authentic, and real?

Online strategies designed to enable practical learning were in use prior to the pandemic. Nevertheless, in response to the rapid shift to online delivery during lockdowns, face-to-face practical learning was often postponed and replaced with traditional transmissive and theory-focused modes. This paper reports undergraduate and postgraduate university students' online learning experiences in New Zealand, where some practical learning approaches were evident particularly in the fields of teacher education, health or medicine, and sciences. Using multiple methods, data stemmed from a national survey followed by individual interviews and focus groups. Findings affirm that practical learning is possible in hybrid contexts, and is no less real than learning on campus. In-home or community-based activities, virtual simulations, online practice, and video-based learning all offer engaging opportunities for practical learning.

Mental health of new and recent graduates during the university-to-work transition: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionUniversity students face challenges when starting their careers and entering the workforce after tertiary education is associated with negative psychological outcomes. The planned scoping review will synthesise the literature on...

Speech Acts of Apology and Request by Arab Postgraduates with Malaysian Supervisors

This study investigates the pragmatic and linguistic competencies of Arab postgraduate students and native English-speaking postgraduate students in Malaysian universities, focusing on their speech act strategies for requests and apologies. Using qualitative methods such as Discourse Completion Tests and conversations, the study addresses three research questions related to pragmatic and linguistic forms, gender differences, and cultural norms in English-speaking settings. The participants consisted of 95 individuals, including an equal number of males and females from four universities in Malaysia during the academic year 2022-2023. Of the participants, 32 were of Arab origin, and 63 were native English speakers. The study found significant differences in response rates between the two groups and emphasized the importance of understanding cultural norms for effective communication. The findings suggest that learners from Arab countries must comprehend the differences between cultural norms and conventions in English-speaking environments to communicate efficiently. The study has implications for assisting Arab-speaking graduate students in improving their communication abilities and promoting cross-cultural understanding in academic settings in Malaysia.

Relationship between Academic Stress and Thesis Completion among University Postgraduate Students

The study examined the association between academic stress and thesis completion among the University of Cape Coast postgraduate students. The correlational research design was employed for the study. A sample of 294 postgraduate students who completed their postgraduate studies between 2018 and 2020 was purposively selected for the study. Means and standard deviations, Pearson's Moment Correlation, and independent sample t-tests were used to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that the major factors causing academic stress were that, lecturers made too many extra demands on students, poor interest in some courses, eleventh-hour preparation for examinations, worry about examination results, and monotonous teaching style by some lecturers among others. The study also found a statistically significant relationship between academic stress and thesis completion among postgraduate students. It was therefore, recommended that the University of Cape Coast’s management in collaboration with all its academic departments, should take the challenge of academic stress more seriously by ensuring that all postgraduate students seek professional counselling services available at the university to enable them to cope with the ever-increasing academic demands on them.

ParichartBOT: a chatbot for automatic answering for postgraduate students of an open university

ParichartBOT: a chatbot for automatic answering for postgraduate students of an open university

Proposal-Grant Writing Skills, A Veritable Tool for Academic Success of Graduate Students

The study focused on proposal grant writing as a veritable tool academic success of postgraduate students in universities. Two research questions were answered and two hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The population for the study was 65 senior faculty members of the department of English & Literary studies, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) and Enugu State University of Science & Technology (ESUT). Instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire. Two experts validated the instrument for data collection. The internal consistency of the instrument was determined by the use of Cronbach alpha reliability method and 0.76 reliability coefficient was obtained. The data generated were analyzed using mean to answer research questions while t-test was used to test the hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed that good knowledge of proposal grant writing skills such as research skills, writing skills and analytical skills is a prerequisite for a successful postgraduate studies in universities. Acquisition of good writing skills enhances chances of research funding, increases scholar’s visibility, creates collaborative research networks and fosters employment opportunities in industries and academic institutions for graduate students. It was recommended that Postgraduate studies management should regularly conduct training sessions, workshops, and seminars on proposal grant writing for graduate students. These sessions would provide valuable insights, practical tips, and guidance from experienced professionals. It was also recommended that graduate students should learn the culture of sharing their proposals for grant funding with mentors, or professionals experienced in grant writing. Soliciting their feedbacks and suggestions for improvement would enhance the quality of the proposal.

Prevalence of Nomophobia in University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of nomophobia in university students. A systematic search was conducted of the following databases: Web of Science/ Core Collection, Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and Ovid/ MEDLINE until March 2021. Cross-sectional studies reporting the prevalence of nomophobia in undergraduate or postgraduate university students that assessed nomophobia with the 20-item Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) tool were included. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were performed in duplicate. A meta-analysis of proportions was performed using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using sensitivity analysis according to the risk of bias, and subgrouping by country, sex, and major. We included 28 cross-sectional studies with a total of 11,300 participants from eight countries, of which 23 were included in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of mild nomophobia was 24% (95% confidence interval [CI], 20%-28%; I2 = 95.3%), that of moderate nomophobia was 56% (95% CI, 53%-60%; I2 = 91.2%), and that of severe nomophobia was 17% (95% CI, 15%-20%; I2 = 91.7%). Regarding countries, Indonesia had the highest prevalence of severe nomophobia (71%) and Germany had the lowest (3%). The prevalence was similar according to sex and major. We found a high prevalence of moderate and severe nomophobia in university students. Interventions are needed to prevent and treat this problem in educational institutions.