Informal conversations of students at a Pacific Islands university: A study of the nature of shared information and knowledge construction

This study investigated the topic and information in informal conversations by 332 students at a Pacific Islands university, utilizing the College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CSEQ). A quantitative study, it used descriptive statistics and the Kruskal-Wallis test to analyse data. Conceptualized around the notion of grapevines, it found that students are least likely to have conversations on the arts, but are more likely to have conversations on the economy. It was also found that the students were least likely to persuade their peers as a consequence of knowledge they have gained, but are likely to refer to knowledge they have gained to investigate other ways of thinking about a topic. This has implications for the understanding of the coconstruction of knowledge by university students outside of class, and what influence that could have on the understanding of intellectual conversations of students within the class. It is important to recognize that the “community of truth” should not be seen as existing only in the classroom, but out-of-class as well where students can have a better understanding of the curriculum, evaluate what is happening in society, and also have the opportunity to disagree and interrogate what is being taught to them

Hesitance to seek assistance in certain areas of university life

The aim of this study is twofold: a) to investigate the area of least student involvement pertaining to a variety of university activities such as the use of the library, computer and information technology, writing experiences, experiences with the faculty, personal experiences, and student acquaintances, and b) investigate the differences in student involvement between faculties regarding these same university activities. Informed by the theory of student involvement, the study utilizes descriptive analysis for the level of involvement and the Kruskal-Wallis test to investigate faculty differences. This quantitative study, involving 332 students of the University of the South Pacific, identifies the relational and interactional hesitance in many measures. This included hesitance to seek assistance at the library or to seek advice from instructors on their writing. Furthermore, students are unlikely to work or socialize with a faculty member on a project or informally, and students are least likely to have serious discussions with others from a different country or political opinion. These findings have implications for positive student involvement and engagement, for student adjustment at university, and overall satisfaction with university