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Volume
11. Issue 4
Article 11
Title
How Multicultural Learning Approach Impacts Grade for International University Students in a Business Course
Author
Kenneth David Strang
APPC International Research (NY, USA) ; University of Central Queensland, Australia
Bio Data:
Professor Strang has a Doctorate in Project Management, an MBA, a BS, and a Business Technology diploma. He is a certified Project Management Professional® from the Project Management Institute, and a Fellow of the Life Management Institute (specialized in actuary statistics and pension systems), from the Life Office Management Association. His research includes: Multicultural e-learning, leadership, new product development, knowledge management, and e-business project management. He designs and teaches multidisciplinary subjects in business and informatics, in class and online (distance education). He is chief researcher at an international market research institution
(www.research.multinations.org/attachments/File/staff_kstrang.html) He specializes in supervising international Phd and doctorate students.
Abstract
This study surveyed over 700 business degree students in the same university program to determine how their cultural background and learning approach impacted their grades. The research replicated and extended earlier published work, taking an interdisciplinary approach by adding cultural factors to a learning style model. Culture was identified during enrollment, while learning approach was measured through a published survey instrument. The sample data was inspected to ensure it was normal and the theoretical instruments were validated using confirmatory factor analysis. Some experimental control was enforced as the students were in the same course, they had the same teaching team, and they were assessed at the same place/time. Structural equation modeling and generalized least squares regression were used to test the hypothesis that the cultural and learning approach factors significantly impact grade. The resulting multicultural learning approach model was statistically significant, revealing four of the eight factors were very predictive of grade.
Keywords: multicultural learning approach, culture, interdisciplinary, pedagogy, regression. |
