A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Dispositional Attributes and Academic Achievement in Postgraduate Coursework Students

• In Event: 72.033 - Cultural and Critical Studies of Graduate Education

Abstract

This paper presents the dispositional profile of postgraduate coursework students. Within this elite cohort there was significant individual variation. Patterns of variation revealed two underlying dimensions, representing process and complexity factors. Students from different cultural backgrounds varied in their process and complexity beliefs. Relationships between these dispositional factors and academic achievement also varied according to cultural background. These results support the principle that individual dispositional variation relates to academic achievement. Beyond this, however, group-level variation exists between students from different cultures, and relationships between disposition and achievement may not be consistent across all groups. This interaction between cultural background, disposition and achievement requires further attention.

Authors

• Erika Jane Spray, The University of Newcastle, Australia

• Robert Cantwell, The University of Newcastle

• Jill Scevak, The University of Newcastle