Becoming a Chinese student: a practice-based study of Chinese students' learning in an Australian university

A growing concern in studies of internationalisation relates to Chinese students studying in the West. In business studies, Chinese students are the largest cohort of international undergraduates. Areas of concern include differences in learning styles, language and socio-cultural barriers. Institutionally, learning is considered to occur when students can demonstrate the learning outcomes achieved and learning is assured against learning criteria. However, research has shown the limitation of this view or what Hagar et al (Hager, Lee & Reich, 2012) term the dominant paradigm of learning and that learning occurs in many forms (Boud, 2006; Stone, Boud & Hager, 2011). There is an absence of discussion about how learning actually occurs, or the practices that Chinese students use in order to learn. Drawing on Hager and Hodkinson's (2011) use of becoming as a metaphor for learning, this thesis aims to examine the experience and practices of Chinese business students studying in an Australian university. The principle research question focuses on the contribution that a practice-based study makes to investigations of undergraduate Chinese business student learning in an Australian university. Drawing on a practice theoretical framework influenced by the Chinese philosophical concept of Yinyang, and a practice methodology, the research is an in-depth investigation of the everyday practices used by five Chinese business undergraduate students to support their learning. The study uses interpretative methods including interviews, observations, reflexive groups, document analyses, collections of artefacts and field notes. The findings demonstrate how students put things together in different ways that are inseparable from their becoming. Study practices, such as memorising and translating are used by students together with socio-cultural practices. Study and socio-cultural practices are entangled in multiple relationships usefully described using Yinyang concepts (Wang, 2012). The findings highlight how student learning occurs, or becomes, as they adapt and adopt what they see as appropriate study and sociocultural practices in different contexts. A practice-based approach, with the inclusion of the notion of Yinyang, can help explain the tensions and contradictions of students’ performance as learners and the process of becoming that makes up their learning journey. Many institutional and historical tensions and contradictions shape students’ learning practices. I conclude that Chinese students’ learning is characterised by complexity and that the possibility and impossibility of Chinese students’ learning is inseparable from particular practices, settings and arrangements. The implications for students and teachers are that learning cannot be pinpointed in a static snapshot but is better understood as a constant process of becoming and that institutions and teachers need to be able to deal with complexity when supporting students by developing appropriate curricula and structures.</p

Analyses of In-Cage Singlet Radical-Pair Motions from Irradiations of 1-Naphthyl (<i>R</i>)-1-Phenylethyl Ether and 1-Naphthyl (<i>R</i>)-2-Phenylpropanoate in <i>n</i>-Alkanes

The regio- and stereochemistries of photo-Claisen reactions of 1-naphthyl (R)-1-phenylethyl ether ((R)-2), in combination with photo-Fries and photo-Claisen-type reactions of 1-naphthyl (R)-2-phenylpropanoate ((R)-1), have been investigated in n-alkanes of different viscosities and at several temperatures. Analyses of the results provide detailed information about the in-cage motions of the singlet prochiral 1-naphthoxy/1-phenylethyl radical pairs (radical-pair B) that are formed directly from (R)-2 and indirectly from (R)-1 via decarbonylation of singlet chiral 1-naphthoxy/2-phenylpropanoyl radical pairs (radical-pair A). In hexane at 23 °C, the photo-Claisen products from irradiations of (R)-2 retain up to 31% enantiomeric excess (ee), but the ees of the same photoproducts from (R)-1 are near 0%. This disparity is attributed to differences between the initial orientations of the constituent radicals of radical-pair B at the moment of their “birth”. The regio- and stereoselectivities reach plateau values as the solvent viscosity increases, indicating that the relationships between the rates of radical−radical bond formation and either translational or tumbling motions within a solvent cage reach an asymptotic limit. Detailed analyses are presented of the various motions that are in competition within a solvent cage during the very short lifetimes of the radical pairs. The data, in toto, present interesting insights into how radical pairs move during short periods and over short distances when their solvent cages have walls of varying flexibility

Enantioselectivity of Prochiral Radical-Pair Recombinations. Reaction Cavity Differentiation in Polyethylene Films

Recombinations of prochiral radical pairs from irradiations of 1-naphthyl (R)-2-phenylpropanoate in polyethylene films occur with significant enantioselectivity due to templating effects in the reaction cavities. Photoreactions in PE films in their unstretched or stretched states and of different crystallinity have been employed to distinguish between the characteristics of reaction cavities in amorphous and interfacial regions of the polymer

Factors Influencing Orientations of Covalently-Attached and Doped Aromatic Groups in Stretched Polyethylene Films

Linear polarizations have been measured for covalently attached and doped 9-anthryl and 1-pyrenyl groups residing in interior sites of stretched polyolefinic films. The influences of polymer crystallinity, the concentration of aromatic groups, and the length of the substituents attached to doped molecules or of the tethers to polymer chains of covalently attached species on the degree of polarization have been explored. The results demonstrate the utility of comparing orientational parameters from doped and covalently attached groups in analyzing the factors responsible for stretch-induced orientation. The anthryl and pyrenyl groups prefer to reside in interfacial regions more than amorphous regions even before film stretching, and the specificity of their orientations is determined by the nature of interactions with surrounding polymer chains. The magnitudes of orientation factors are dependent on polymer crystallinity and substituent or tether length, but are independent of aromatic group concentrations as long as they are low. There are significant differences between the orientations of doped and covalently attached groups of the same type due to the inability of the latter to translocate between site types during film stretching. The results, as interpreted in the context of current theories, demonstrate the necessity of crystallite surfaces (i.e., interfacial sites), but not stretching-induced translocation, for selective orientation of aromatic groups along the axis of stretching

Image6_Theoretical analysis of the thermoelectric properties of penta-PdX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayer.JPEG

Based on the successful fabrication of PdSe2 monolayers, the electronic and thermoelectric properties of pentagonal PdX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayers were investigated via first-principles calculations and the Boltzmann transport theory. The results showed that the PdX2 monolayer exhibits an indirect bandgap at the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof level, as well as electronic and thermoelectric anisotropy in the transmission directions. In the PdTe2 monolayer, P-doping owing to weak electron–phonon coupling is the main reason for the excellent electronic properties of the material. The low phonon velocity and short phonon lifetime decreased the thermal conductivity (κl) of penta-PdTe2. In particular, the thermal conductivity of PdTe2 along the x and y transmission directions was 0.41 and 0.83 Wm−1K−1, respectively. Owing to the anisotropy of κl and electronic structures along the transmission direction of PdX2, an anisotropic thermoelectric quality factor ZT appeared in PdX2. The excellent electronic properties and low lattice thermal conductivity (κl) achieved a high ZT of the penta-PdTe2 monolayer, whereas the maximum ZT of the p- and n-type PdTe2 reached 6.6 and 4.4, respectively. Thus, the results indicate PdTe2 as a promising thermoelectric candidate.</p

Image1_Theoretical analysis of the thermoelectric properties of penta-PdX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayer.JPEG

Based on the successful fabrication of PdSe2 monolayers, the electronic and thermoelectric properties of pentagonal PdX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayers were investigated via first-principles calculations and the Boltzmann transport theory. The results showed that the PdX2 monolayer exhibits an indirect bandgap at the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof level, as well as electronic and thermoelectric anisotropy in the transmission directions. In the PdTe2 monolayer, P-doping owing to weak electron–phonon coupling is the main reason for the excellent electronic properties of the material. The low phonon velocity and short phonon lifetime decreased the thermal conductivity (κl) of penta-PdTe2. In particular, the thermal conductivity of PdTe2 along the x and y transmission directions was 0.41 and 0.83 Wm−1K−1, respectively. Owing to the anisotropy of κl and electronic structures along the transmission direction of PdX2, an anisotropic thermoelectric quality factor ZT appeared in PdX2. The excellent electronic properties and low lattice thermal conductivity (κl) achieved a high ZT of the penta-PdTe2 monolayer, whereas the maximum ZT of the p- and n-type PdTe2 reached 6.6 and 4.4, respectively. Thus, the results indicate PdTe2 as a promising thermoelectric candidate.</p

Image5_Theoretical analysis of the thermoelectric properties of penta-PdX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayer.JPEG

Based on the successful fabrication of PdSe2 monolayers, the electronic and thermoelectric properties of pentagonal PdX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayers were investigated via first-principles calculations and the Boltzmann transport theory. The results showed that the PdX2 monolayer exhibits an indirect bandgap at the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof level, as well as electronic and thermoelectric anisotropy in the transmission directions. In the PdTe2 monolayer, P-doping owing to weak electron–phonon coupling is the main reason for the excellent electronic properties of the material. The low phonon velocity and short phonon lifetime decreased the thermal conductivity (κl) of penta-PdTe2. In particular, the thermal conductivity of PdTe2 along the x and y transmission directions was 0.41 and 0.83 Wm−1K−1, respectively. Owing to the anisotropy of κl and electronic structures along the transmission direction of PdX2, an anisotropic thermoelectric quality factor ZT appeared in PdX2. The excellent electronic properties and low lattice thermal conductivity (κl) achieved a high ZT of the penta-PdTe2 monolayer, whereas the maximum ZT of the p- and n-type PdTe2 reached 6.6 and 4.4, respectively. Thus, the results indicate PdTe2 as a promising thermoelectric candidate.</p

Image3_Theoretical analysis of the thermoelectric properties of penta-PdX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayer.JPEG

Based on the successful fabrication of PdSe2 monolayers, the electronic and thermoelectric properties of pentagonal PdX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayers were investigated via first-principles calculations and the Boltzmann transport theory. The results showed that the PdX2 monolayer exhibits an indirect bandgap at the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof level, as well as electronic and thermoelectric anisotropy in the transmission directions. In the PdTe2 monolayer, P-doping owing to weak electron–phonon coupling is the main reason for the excellent electronic properties of the material. The low phonon velocity and short phonon lifetime decreased the thermal conductivity (κl) of penta-PdTe2. In particular, the thermal conductivity of PdTe2 along the x and y transmission directions was 0.41 and 0.83 Wm−1K−1, respectively. Owing to the anisotropy of κl and electronic structures along the transmission direction of PdX2, an anisotropic thermoelectric quality factor ZT appeared in PdX2. The excellent electronic properties and low lattice thermal conductivity (κl) achieved a high ZT of the penta-PdTe2 monolayer, whereas the maximum ZT of the p- and n-type PdTe2 reached 6.6 and 4.4, respectively. Thus, the results indicate PdTe2 as a promising thermoelectric candidate.</p

Image4_Theoretical analysis of the thermoelectric properties of penta-PdX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayer.JPEG

Based on the successful fabrication of PdSe2 monolayers, the electronic and thermoelectric properties of pentagonal PdX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayers were investigated via first-principles calculations and the Boltzmann transport theory. The results showed that the PdX2 monolayer exhibits an indirect bandgap at the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof level, as well as electronic and thermoelectric anisotropy in the transmission directions. In the PdTe2 monolayer, P-doping owing to weak electron–phonon coupling is the main reason for the excellent electronic properties of the material. The low phonon velocity and short phonon lifetime decreased the thermal conductivity (κl) of penta-PdTe2. In particular, the thermal conductivity of PdTe2 along the x and y transmission directions was 0.41 and 0.83 Wm−1K−1, respectively. Owing to the anisotropy of κl and electronic structures along the transmission direction of PdX2, an anisotropic thermoelectric quality factor ZT appeared in PdX2. The excellent electronic properties and low lattice thermal conductivity (κl) achieved a high ZT of the penta-PdTe2 monolayer, whereas the maximum ZT of the p- and n-type PdTe2 reached 6.6 and 4.4, respectively. Thus, the results indicate PdTe2 as a promising thermoelectric candidate.</p

Image2_Theoretical analysis of the thermoelectric properties of penta-PdX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayer.JPEG

Based on the successful fabrication of PdSe2 monolayers, the electronic and thermoelectric properties of pentagonal PdX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayers were investigated via first-principles calculations and the Boltzmann transport theory. The results showed that the PdX2 monolayer exhibits an indirect bandgap at the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof level, as well as electronic and thermoelectric anisotropy in the transmission directions. In the PdTe2 monolayer, P-doping owing to weak electron–phonon coupling is the main reason for the excellent electronic properties of the material. The low phonon velocity and short phonon lifetime decreased the thermal conductivity (κl) of penta-PdTe2. In particular, the thermal conductivity of PdTe2 along the x and y transmission directions was 0.41 and 0.83 Wm−1K−1, respectively. Owing to the anisotropy of κl and electronic structures along the transmission direction of PdX2, an anisotropic thermoelectric quality factor ZT appeared in PdX2. The excellent electronic properties and low lattice thermal conductivity (κl) achieved a high ZT of the penta-PdTe2 monolayer, whereas the maximum ZT of the p- and n-type PdTe2 reached 6.6 and 4.4, respectively. Thus, the results indicate PdTe2 as a promising thermoelectric candidate.</p