Journeys towards Masters’ literacies: Chinese students’ transitions from undergraduate study in China to postgraduate study in the UK
Abstract
This research explored Chinese students‟ experiences of acquiring and practising
academic literacies as required in their Master‟s programmes. To date, academic
literacy studies in common with wider research on higher education students‟
learning have tended to focus on the experiences of undergraduate students,
particularly in western universities. The current study addresses this gap in the
literature by investigating the learning journeys of students who had gained a first
degree in China and were undertaking postgraduate study in the UK.
Data were collected from three-phases of semi-structured interview: at the beginning,
at the halfway and the end of the teaching component prior to the Master‟s
dissertation phrase. Each of the participants was drawn from one of three
contrasting Master‟s programmes at the University of Edinburgh (Education, Finance
and Investment, and Signal Processing and Communications) and participated in all
three phases of interview. All eighteen participants‟ experiences are presented as
case studies to bring their voices to the fore and acknowledge the complexity and
individuality of their learning journeys.
The research shows that five dimensions of transitions are significant and relevant to
all the participants – transitions in language, pedagogical culture, subject, level of
study, and living and learning abroad. The language barrier is particularly
important both in itself as well as through its influence on other transitions, although
all five transitions are in various respects interwoven. The extent to which the
transitions are challenging differs across participants and programmes. The
perspective of transitions does not therefore suffice to capture the richness of the
Masters‟ students‟ journeys.
Accordingly, the perspective of Masters‟ literacies is introduced as a powerful lens
through which to explore the Chinese participants‟ learning experiences and
challenges and how these are linked to their confidence in themselves as Master‟s
students. Four academic literacy practices are viewed in this study as key
components of Masters‟ literacies: autonomy in learning, subject discourses, critical
and analytical thinking, and interaction with teachers and students. Finally, the
conceptual, methodological and practical implications of these findings are explored.