Cross Cultural perspectives in educational research

by Robinson-Pant, Anna

• ISBN13: 9780335214563
• ISBN10: 0335214568
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-11-01
• Publisher: Open University Press

Summary

The research student population of higher educational institutions continues to expand to include people from an ever-widening range of cultural and educational backgrounds. However, many research methods courses are still directed at the traditional student population. This book examines aspects of postgraduate research from a cross-cultural perspective, analysing the dilemmas faced by international students when defining a research question, choosing research methods, collecting data, deciding which language to use and writing their theses.Through an exploration of how international students re-examine their beliefs and research practices during their study in the UK, this book challenges the assumptions of all those engaged in educational research, addressing key questions such as:How do our teaching and learning experiences shape our approach to educational research?How do we judge 'good' educational research?What does it mean to be critical?The book uses the real-life experiences of international students to illuminate the kinds of challenges they may face. It supports both students and their supervisors, showing students how to approach cultural differences, and supervisors how to deal sensitively with the problems encountered by overseas students in their research.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	vii
List of acronyms and abbreviations	xi
Introducing a cross-cultural perspective on the PhD research process	1	(28)
`Impressions' by Manal Ibrahim Madini	25	(4)
Defining the research question	29	(29)
`Challenges facing a PhD graduate from the UK: an Iranian context	55	(3)
Karim Sadeghi
Choosing a research approach	58	(35)
`Behind the scene: the ``culture'' of interviewing in Malaysia'	85	(4)
Asmahan Abd. Razak
`The insider/outsider dilemmas in educational research -- a Mexican experience'	89	(4)
Judith Castaneda-Mayo
Research ethics	93	(31)
`There is more to learn behind the scene'	118	(6)
Scholastica N. Mokake
Which language?	124	(21)
`Translation experience'	141	(4)
Huda Al-Yousef
Writing the thesis	145	(19)
Reflections on the doctoral research process: exploring the pedagogical implications of this book	164	(23)
`The influence of culture on education in two different contexts'	182	(5)
Howida Mostafa
Notes	187	(6)
References	193	(10)
Index	203