ACHIEVING GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES THROUGH

AN INTEGRATED ONLINE PLATFORM FOR INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION: A NEED BASED STUDY

 

 

Guydeuk Yeon and Rinju George

 

 

CHRIST (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY)

HOSUR ROAD

BENGALURU, KARNATAKA, INDIA

[email protected]

[email protected]

 

 

Abstract

 

The present study aims to explore on possibilities of developing an integrated online platform for international collaboration and relate the proposed platform with the graduate attributes of CHRIST (Deemed to be University). Three important aspects of the platform were identified. They include advantages, challenges and suggestions. When the advantages of the platform were linked with the graduate attributes, a significant relation was observed between them. The study implies that collaborating with different foreign universities through the integrated online platform can well nurture the graduate attributes among university students.

 

Keywords- international collaboration; graduate attributes; integrated online platform; semi-structured interveiw; content analysis

1. Introduction

                                                    

International collaboration is encouraged by most of the universities and research institutions [1]. Goal of such collaboration is to generate research projects, share knowledge, and solve each other’s research problems and cementing international relationships [2]. Collaboration between countries can bring other gains such as developing trust among countries and engagement of researchers [3].

In recent years, the internet and other information technology resources have supported long-distance communication among researchers. But most of the collaboration begins only after the collaborators have established personal contact [4]. A few important elements to be taken care for an international collaboration to be fruitful include detailed planning, knowing the context of different country, building relationship continuously, being flexible, using technology to enhance communication, ensuring that both parties get benefit out of collaborations, creating a common ground and thinking for long term [5]. Universities across the world are offering different programs for international collaboration to cultivate graduate attributes of students [6].

Graduate attributes have been defined as “the qualities, skills and understandings a university community agrees its students will desirably develop during their time at the institution and, consequently, shape the contribution they are able to make to their profession and as a citizen” [7] [8]. But it is not feasible for everyone to go for offline collaborations. There are numerous online platforms with communication tools, design tools, documentation tools, file sharing tools and project management tools. These tools are fragmented and serve limited purposes. One of the fundamental purposes of university is to nurture graduate attributes among students. Hence through this present study, investigators explore on the need to have an integrated online platform which can be utilized to nurture graduate attributes among university students.

 

 

2. Objectives

 

The first objective is to explore on the understanding of students and faculty members on integrated online platform for international collaboration. The second objective is to relate integrated online platform for international collaboration with graduate attributes of CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, India.

 

3. Method

 

3.1. Research Design

 

For in-depth exploration investigators utilized a qualitative phase.

 

3.2. Participants

 

Participants included five students and five faculty members (males=3, females=7) who are currently associated with CHRIST. Participants were selected using purposive sampling technique.

 

4. Measures

 

4.1. Semi-Structured Interviewing Technique

 

Investigators prepared open ended questions related to the research area and conducted semi-structured interview with participants. Interview sessions were planned for duration of half an hour to one hour.

 

4.2. Procedure

 

Five students and five faculty members were identified to take part in the research study. Rapport was established prior to the interview. The process of data collection was mainly through semi-structured interviewing techniques. With the consent of participants, their responses were audio recorded. Data collected were later content analyzed using the support of Dedoose software. Here researchers looked for patterns that evolved from the descriptions to identify the understanding of students and faculty about the integrated online platform for international collaboration. All the ethical issues were taken care throughout the research processes.

 

5. Results and Discussion

 

Results and discussions were done in two phases. Phase-I dealt with the understanding of students and faculty members about the proposed Integrated Online Platform for International Collaboration (U-GATEWAY). Phase-II talks about the relation between advantages of U-GATEWAY and the graduate attributes of CHRIST.

 

5.1. Phase-I

 

Three major categories were identified. Categories discussed include 1) Collaboration Advantages of U-GATEWAY, 2) Collaboration Challenges of U-GATEWAY and 3) Suggestions for U-GATEWAY. Details of categories and sub-categories are given in below sections.

 

 

5.1.1. Collaboration Advantages of U-GATEWAY

 

Ten different advantages of having U-GATEWAY identified from discussions. Using Dedoose software, a qualitative chart was plotted. Identified advantages, count values, mean scores and sum scores are presented in table 1.

 

Table 1. Advantages of U-GATEWAY

 

 

Above table has been arranged in the order of importance, from most responded to the least mentioned sub-categories. Advantages in top five list include research collaboration, idea development & resource sharing, international exposure, discussion forums and online seminars/conferences/workshops.

 

5.1.2. Collaboration Challenges of U-GATEWAY

 

Second category evolved from discussion was termed as collaboration challenges of U-GATEWAY. Nine different challenges were identified. Identified challenges, count values, mean scores and sum scores are presented in table 2.

 

Table 2. Collaboration Challenges of U-GATEWAY

 

 

Challenges which are in top five among the list are lack of face-to-face interaction, server issue, misuse of platform, privacy issues and cultural clash.

5.1.3. Suggestions for U-GATEWAY

 

Participants also shared their suggestions which can be included while developing U-GATEWAY. Suggestions evolved from discussions are categorized under four different sub-categories. Details are given in table 3.

 

 

 

 

Table 3. Suggestions for U-GATEWAY

 

 

Suggestions are presented in the order of importance: structured system, continuous trouble shooting of platform, facilitators and volunteers and user friendliness.

 

5.2. Phase-II

 

In this phase investigators studied the relation between the advantages of U-GATEWAY and the graduate attributes of CHRIST. Details are given in table 4.

 

Table 4. Concurrency between the Advantages of U-GATEWAY and the Graduate Attributes

 

 

Table 4 presents ten different advantages of having U-GATEWAY and its relation to four graduate attributes. Maximum concurrency score for each attribute is mentioned in the header of table. Elements of graduate attributes include academic attribute, personal attribute, interpersonal attribute and societal attribute. Academic attribute comprises of academic and professional excellence. Personal attribute includes personality. Interpersonal attribute includes leadership skills as well as communication skills. Societal attribute comprises of social sensitivity. Upon linking these ten possible categories of advantages it was found to have 61% of concurrency with the academic attribute. Similarly it was found to have 43% of concurrency with the personal attribute. The result also revealed that maximum concurrency can be expected for the interpersonal attribute with 69%. From the obtained results it could be inferred as that among all four attributes, U-GATEWAY can most effectively used to develop interpersonal attribute (leadership skills and communication skills). Engaging in different activities using the proposed platform was also found to have 63% concurrency with the societal attribute.

Seven out of ten advantages shared over 60% of concurrency with overall graduate attributes. From obtained results it could be inferred as that engaging in different international collaborations with different foreign universities through an integrated online platform will result in overall development of graduate attributes in terms of academic excellence, professional excellence, personality, leadership, communication and social sensitivity.

 

6. Conclusion

 

The study finds the need to develop an integrated online platform for international collaboration. The study implies that collaborating with different foreign universities through integrated online platform can nurture graduate attributes among university students. As a future implication, the study proposes to evaluate the effectiveness of platform in building graduate attributes for students.

 

7. References

 

[1]     Rautenbach, J. V., & Hughes, C. B. (2012). Bridging the hemispheres through the use of technology: International collaboration in social work training. Journal of Social Work Education, 48(4 SPL. ISS.), 797–815. DOI: 10.5175/JSWE.2012.201100114

[2]     Stead, G.B., & Harringotn, T. F. (2000). A Process Perspective of International Research collaboration. Journal of Employment Counseling. 37.

[3]     Knobel, M., Simoes, T.P., & Cruz, C. H. (2013). International collaborations between research universities: Experiences and best practices. Studies in Higher Education, 38(3), 405–424. DOI: 10.1080/03075079.2013.773793

[4]     Jeong, S., Choi, J.Y., & Kim. J. (2011). The determinants of research collaboration modes: Exploring the effects of research and researcher characteristics on co-authorship. Scientometrics, 89 (3), 967–83.

[5]     Dezure, D., Chism, N. V., Sorcinelli, M. D., Cheong, G., Ellozy, A. R., Holley, M., … Atrushi, D. (2012). Building International Faculty Development Collaborations. Change The Magazine of Higher Learning, 37. DOI: 10.1080/00091383.2012.672909

[6]     Heriot Watt University, UK (2016). Student Graduate Attributes leaflet. https://www.hw.ac.uk/students/doc/StudentGraduateAttributes.pdf

[7]     Bowden, J., Hart, G., King, B., Trigwell, K., & Watts, O. (2000). Generic capabilities of ATN university graduates. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs. http://www.clt.uts.edu.au/atn.grad.cap.project.index.html

[8]     Herok, G. H., Chuck, J. A., & Millar, T. J. (2013). Teaching and Evaluating Graduate Attributes in Science Based Disciplines. Creative Education, 04(07), 42–49. DOI: 10.4236/ce.2013.47A2008