Relevance of US Education to Former

Students from Taiwan: An Exploratory Investigation.

Su-Chin Hsieh, Ph.D. Candidate;

Francis Musa Boakari, Professor

University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX.

CIES Conference – Baltimore, MD. Feb. 28, 2007

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Purpose of the study

Investigate the relevance/advantages derived from US higher education, based on the opinions of some former international students who graduated from U.S. universities, and now living at home in Taiwan.

The significance of the study could be to help future students from Taiwan decide whether a US university degree would meet their professional goals and expectations.

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Research Questions

What were the major advantages derived from obtaining a US university education?

What were the effects of some demographic variables on the participants’ responses to the question above?

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The Research

LiteratureReview

LiteratureReview

Taiwanese Sample

Taiwanese Sample

QuantitativeQuantitativeDescriptive/InferentialAnalysis

Descriptive/InferentialAnalysis

ResultsResults

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The Perceived Advantages of Study in the U.S.

Kirkpatrick-Munchus (Ainsworth, 1995) Boakari (1981), Jenkins (1980)• Exposure to creative criticism & academic

freedom• Enriching personal experience• Mutual understanding• William (1979)• Research and technology skills• Field-level implementation• Cadronovsky (1973)• Knowledge of philosophy and practice• Ability to apply knowledge in working• Understanding American life-style• Interest in international understanding• Developing professional competence• Influence work-style• Liberty of expression

“Kirkpatrick’s

4 Dimensions”

Knowledge gain

Application

Career Satisfaction

Behavior Change

Cultural awareness

Communication skills

(Researcher-constructed)

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Demographic Variables83 Taiwanese students who graduated from the

U.S. were surveyed using convenient sampling• Gender: Female = 41%, Male = 59%• Degree Obtained:

Bachelor’s=2.4%; Master’s=63.9%; Doctoral=33.7%• Academic field:

Social Sciences = 80.7%; Natural Sciences = 19.3%• Job sector:

Government = 19.3%; Private = 80.7%• Work experience before studying in the U.S.:

No = 27.7%; Yes = 73.3%• Period of study in the U.S.

before1993=24.1%; 1994-2000=22.9%; after2000-53%

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Questionnaire DesignQuestion: After you graduated from the U.S. and returned to

Taiwan, how has your US higher education influenced you in the area of … [professional, social, cultural, economic and political performance]

Measured by:• Categorical scale: Likert-type with 7 points

• Influence Index: Mean = ∑Xi/n Xi: the degree of influence is an integral value n = sample size

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Results: Six Perceived Advantages

Six Advantages (ranked ordered by degree of influence) :

1. Knowledge gain

2. Behavior change

3. Communication skills

4. Application

5. Cultural awareness

6. Career satisfaction

Coefficient of internal consistency: Cronbach's Alpha = .732

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1. Knowledge Gain

Question:

After you graduated from the

U.S. and returned to Taiwan, how has your US

higher education influenced your…• academic knowledge?• problem-solving skills?• self-learning ability?

Results:

Mean = 2.157 (most important of the advantages ) Std. = 0.64 (least important advantage)

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1. Knowledge Gain (Cont.)

There is a significant difference between gender. Males think they gained more knowledge than the females. (t-test, p = .039)

There are significant differences between the degree types.

(ANOVA, p=.006)

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1. Knowledge Gain (Cont.)

(ANOVA, p= .003 )

The longer work experience respondents had before studying in the U.S., the more knowledge they think they gained.

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2. Behavior Change Question:

How has your US education influenced you in ...

• seeing things from different viewpoints?

• accomplishing assignments independently?

• cooperating with others?

• trying out new methods?

Results:

• Mean = 1.934, Std. = 0.802 • There is no significant difference based upon

the demographic variables.

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3. Communication Skills

Question:

How has your US education influenced you in your ...

• English proficiency?

• ability to express what you think?

• communication with others?

Results:

Mean = 1.916, Std. = 0.693

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3. Communication Skills (Cont.)

(ANOVA, p = .008 )

The higher the degree level, the more language advantage they indicated to have.

(t-test, p=.003)

Those who had work experience before studying in the U.S. thought they gained more in language proficiency.

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4. Application

Question:

How has your US education influenced you in ...

• applying what you learned? • your professional knowledge? • your ability to multi-task?

Results:

Mean = 1.791, Std. = 0.825

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4. Application (Cont.)

• Those who had work experience before studying in the U.S., thought they applied their knowledge to their careers more. (t-test, p = .007)

• Natural Science graduates thought they applied their knowledge to their careers more than Social Science graduates. (t-test, p = .002)

• The higher the degree, the more application advantage they have. (ANOVA, p = .012 )

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5. Cultural AwarenessQuestion:

How has your US education influenced you in the area of ...

• treating people with honesty?

• respecting different values?

• being interested in different cultures?

Results:

• Mean = 1.775, Std. = 0.946

• There is no significant difference based upon the demographic variables.

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6. Career Satisfaction

Question:

How has your US education influenced ...

• Transition in your occupation?

• Change in your yearly salary?

• Change in your work level?

• Your significance in the workplace?

• Your personal feelings of accomplishment?

Results

• Mean = 1.6, Std. = 0.893

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6. Career Satisfaction (Contd.)

(ANOVA, p = .02)

The more recent to have studied, the more career satisfaction.

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Table1: t-test / ANOVA

Advantages Gender Job sector

Work experience

Degree Social NaturalScience

Start period

Startage

1.Knowledge .039**(t-test)

.003**(ANOVA)

.006**(ANOVA)

2.Behavior Age limitation?

3.Language . .003**(t-test)

.008**(ANOVA)

Age Limitation?

4.Application .007**(t-test)

.012**(ANOVA)

.002**(t-test)

5.Culture Globali-zation?

6.Outcome . . .02**(ANOVA)

Demographic Variables **: α=.05

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Limitations of the study1. The sample of this study was limited to Taiwanese students.2. The participants were selected through convenience sampling. 3. Participants might have been deceptive in answering the self-reported questionnaire.4. Difficulties in “correctly translating ideas between US English and Taiwanese Mandarin,” could have affected appropriate understanding of some/all questions.

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Recommendation1. Increase and amplify sample size

2. Modify the questionnaire further, increasing questions for the dimensions

3. Study relevant issues such as those related to age, marital status, with or without family in US and globalization.

4. Compare the relevance of different education systems to international students

5. Determine general societal contributions a student can make upon returning to Taiwan/home country after graduation abroad?

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education: views of graduates on the benefits of doing a education: views of graduates on the benefits of doing a MBA. MBA. Higher EducationHigher Education, 30 (2): 175-187., 30 (2): 175-187.

• Boakari, F. M. (1981). Relevance of a U.S. education to the third Boakari, F. M. (1981). Relevance of a U.S. education to the third world: challenges and satisfactions on returning home. world: challenges and satisfactions on returning home.

NAFSA NAFSA NewsletterNewsletter, November:17-24. , November:17-24. • Carnovsky L. (1973). The foreign student in the American library Carnovsky L. (1973). The foreign student in the American library

school. school. The Library QuarterlyThe Library Quarterly, 43: 103-125., 43: 103-125.• Henderson J. L. (1990). Follow-up of International Graduate Students Henderson J. L. (1990). Follow-up of International Graduate Students

in Agricultural Education at the Ohio State University.in Agricultural Education at the Ohio State University. Journal Journal of Agricultural Educationof Agricultural Education, Spring:71-74., Spring:71-74.

• Jenkins, H. M. (1980). Jenkins, H. M. (1980). Relevance of U.S. education to students from Relevance of U.S. education to students from developing countries: a report on the fourth AID/NAFSA developing countries: a report on the fourth AID/NAFSA workshopworkshop..

• Lulat, Y. G. & Cordaro, J. (1984). International Students and Study-Lulat, Y. G. & Cordaro, J. (1984). International Students and Study-Abroad Programs: A Select BibliographyAbroad Programs: A Select Bibliography. . Comparative Comparative Education ReviewEducation Review, , 28 (2): 300-339.28 (2): 300-339.