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Understanding the academic expectations... - PDF Document (954 K) |
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| Access Rights |
Open Access |
| Citation |
Gauntlett, K. (2010). Understanding the academic expectations of students from Oman in Australian universities: traditional family values in the modern educational context. Doctorate, Centre for the Study of Higher Education, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne. |
| Handle |
10187/7066 |
| Title |
Understanding the academic expectations of students from Oman in Australian universities: traditional family values in the modern educational context |
| Creator |
Gauntlett, Katerina |
| Date |
2010 |
| Abstract |
The Arab Gulf States have been identified as a market of significant potential for the recruitment of international students to Australian universities. However, recent experiences of enrolling Gulf students have not proven as successful as those of other international students. Academic underperformance and unrealistic expectations on the part of Gulf students have been cited as the main reasons why a number of Australian universities are hesitant to commit to ongoing market development in the region. |
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This thesis focuses on students from the Sultanate of Oman in order to test a hypothesis as to why students from the Gulf States experience Australian tertiary education so differently from other international students. Preliminary scoping undertaken for this study using academic and support staff recollections of the experiences of an early cohort of sponsored students from Kuwait indicates staff in Australian universities have tended to refer to established paradigms for international student transition. They have explained Gulf students’ problems in terms of: difficulties learning in English; gaps in academic background; adjustment to new modes of teaching and learning; and unrealistic expectations of their own academic performance and of the institution’s capacity to support them through the transition. The fieldwork, comprising intensive interviews with a cohort of sponsored undergraduate students from Oman, attests that these students carry similar assumptions about their own academic abilities, and efficacy of personal relationships with staff in overcoming difficulties in transition to the Australian educational setting. |
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In this thesis it is argued that far from revealing the reasons why Omani students exhibit behaviour and attitudes outside the norm, these explanations simply disguise the very particular causes as common to international students in general and consequently do not help staff working in Australian universities to understand the failure of academic and pastoral care programs to address the apparent underperformance, low motivation and dissatisfaction of students from the Gulf States. |
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This study draws together research on international students, literature on Middle Eastern culture, and studies on Gulf economies to provide an explanation for the unique academic expectations of students from Oman. In particular, the educational and employment priorities set by the Omani Government are highlighted as problematic in the context of traditional family values that have proven resilient in promoting tribal interests over broader societal needs. These notions are based on traditional means of utilising family connections to overcome difficulties in Gulf societies, known as wasta. Data elicited through the fieldwork confirm that Omani students’ over-reliance on personal assistance available from academic and support staff is representative of their assumption that personal relationships provide the key to overcoming academic difficulties. The students (and their sponsors) are therefore likely to attribute dissatisfaction with their experience and poor academic performance to limited support provided by the institution. This finding gives rise to a series of recommendations for Australian universities to consider when recruiting students from the Gulf States and devising academic and pastoral care programs to address their particular transition needs and assist them in adjusting their expectations. |
| Type |
Doctorate |
| Notes |
© 2010 Katerina Gauntlett. |
| Publication Status |
Unpublished |
| Peer Reviewed |
Peer Reviewed |
| Faculty/Department |
Centre for the Study of Higher Education, Melbourne Graduate School of Education |
| Institution |
The University of Melbourne |
| Collection |
Research Collections (UMER) |
| Rights |
Terms and Conditions: Copyright in works deposited in the University of Melbourne Eprints Repository (UMER) is retained by the copyright owner. The work may not be altered without permission from the copyright owner. Readers may only, download, print, and save electronic copies of whole works for their own personal non-commercial use. Any use that exceeds these limits requires permission from the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from these works. |
| PID |
253728 |
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