Holland’s got talent for learning Chinese? A case study on study success at and dropout from OTC-Chinese at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences

Summary

This study is mainly focused on ‘dropout’, defined as a student ceasing OTC study as the consequence of not obtaining 28 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits for Chinese within one academic year. Each year, the dropout rate of full-time first-year students in the Dutch vocational higher education system is approximately 30%. The annual dropout rate of Chinese language students in the Oriental Languages and Communication program (OTC-Chinese) at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences is around 50%. Research on performance, dropout and progress in language-focused programs is scarce. This study attempts to answer the following question:

Which factors play a role in the dropout rates of first-year students of OTC-Chinese?

Success or failure in studying a foreign language is determined by a complex interplay of different factors. To answer the above question, several personal factors (hereinafter ‘background characteristics’) and psychological factors of students were selected to predict the outcome of Chinese language acquisition, and hence, study success or dropout. Background characteristics include gender, prior education, average results of the school leaving exam, prior knowledge of the Chinese language (heritage or non-heritage learner) and the average grade of the first semester OTC-Chinese exams in year one (hereinafter ‘average first exam grade’). Psychological factors include language aptitude, learning strategies, Chinese character learning strategies, learning motivation, and learning styles. The following instruments / questionnaires were used to measure the psychological factors: Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT), Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), Strategy Inventory for Character Learning (SICL), Survey on L2 Motivational Self System with Chinese language learners in the U.S. (L2MSS), and Inventory of Learning Styles (ILS). Since the number of students dropping out decreases as the year progresses, the collected data can also be used to predict successful study. A combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches has been used to analyze the collected data. Association analysis, interaction analysis and stepwise logistic regression analysis have been used to project the prediction.

The information sample used for this study was collected from full-time first-year students of OTC Chinese of the cohorts 2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014. Their study program is made up of four ten-week “blocks” over the period of one year. Exams take place at the end of each block. The aforementioned five instruments to measure psychological factors were administered and analyzed at different moments in time, each of which is described in this research as a Measuring Moment and focuses on the quantitative measuring of data. This research contains eight Measuring Moments in total. In Measuring Moment 1, background characteristics and the average first exam grade were studied. At each succeeding Measuring Moment after Measuring Moment 1 the variables of one instrument of the psychological factor were added and analyzed. For example, at Measuring Moment 2, the variables of the MLAT were added and analyzed. At Measuring Moment 3, the variables of the SILL were added and analyzed, et cetera. After each variable of the psychological factors had been added, the variables of the psychological factors were accumulatively added. For example, at Measuring Moment 7, the variables of the MLAT and the SILL were added and analyzed. At Measuring Moment 8, the variables of the MLAT, the SILL and the SICL were added and analyzed. Originally, more variables of the psychological factors would have been added after Measuring Moment 8, but since too few students dropped out to be statistically meaningful, data collected after Measuring Moment 8 are discussed qualitatively.

The results show that ‘average first exam grade’ and average results on the school-leaving exam play a role in successful study. ‘Prior knowledge of the Chinese language (heritage learners)’ also plays a role, but only at the beginning of the school year. As the school year progresses the ‘non-heritage learners’ catch up with the ‘heritage learners’. Previous education ‘mbo’ (Senior Secondary Vocational Education and Training) plays a role in dropout. Gender plays no significant role in success or dropout.

Among psychological factors, the following variables play a role in successful study: the ‘cognitive strategies’ of the SILL, the motivational variables ‘family influence’ and ‘cultural interest’ of the L2MSS, and the ‘meaning directed learning style’ of the ILS. The only variable which plays a role in dropout is ‘factor 3’ of the SICL. None of the variables of the MLAT play a significant role in either success or dropout. The results of the qualitative discussion show that family circumstances can be of importance to dropout. Students who have dropped out are characterized by the presence of more factors predicting dropout than factors predicting success. Students who have fallen behind during their study of Chinese will have great difficulty catching up again.

Based on the results of this research, directions for future research are discussed, and recommendations for prevention of dropout are formulated for OTC-Chinese.