Research On Dimensions Of Student Perceived Nurturing Quality Of MTI

Since professional degree of Master of Translation and Interpreting (MTI) was approved the establishment in2007, the nurturing of vocational translators has mushroomed in size. With the large-scale enrollment of academic institutions of MTI, student nurturing quality assurance of MTI has become the focus of attention. Over the recent years, there have been researches on quality assurance and assessment of graduate education from the macro perspective. However, researches on the micro perspective have been seldom to find, especially empirical studies on assurance and evaluation and student perceived quality of professional master’s degrees, the latter of which are even less studied. With such awareness, the author aims to explore and study the affecting factors and dimensions of student perceived nurturing quality of MTI, so as to offer some suggestions to the quality assurance of MTI education.As a branch of higher education, graduate education falls into the category of service industry with basic output of postgraduate education service. In light of service quality of graduate education with the integrated use of the theories of service quality management and stakeholder, the author carries out a systematic empirical research on dimensions of student perceived nurturing quality of MTI with the combination of theoretical and empirical research methods, and qualitative and quantitative analysis. The thesis takes respondents of the first and second year of MTI—the core stakeholders of MTI education as the research objects. With the data from eight representative universities, including comprehensive, normal, science and engineering ones as samples, the thesis has made efforts in:1. Conducting researches on student perceived nurturing quality of MTI. making clear the affecting factors of student perceived nurturing quality of MTI. generating the evaluation scale of student perceived nurturing quality of MTI and probing into the5common factors/dimensions for "perceived nurturing quality":"Nurturing Environment/Tangibles"(11factors)(including teaching methodology, curriculum organization, implementation and evaluation and facilities),"Professional Faculty"(6factors), Academic and Vocational Assurance"(6factors),"Thesis Instruction and Evaluation",(4factors), and "Reliability"(2factors).2. Using SHRVQUAL assessing instrument to analyze the overall situation as well as the specillc affecting factors of student perceived nurturing quality of Mil so as to generate satisfactory and dissatisfactory affecting factors of nurturing quality. The results from this Perception minus Hxpectation model show that:(1) In general, MTl students are satisfied with the overall nurturing quality of the institutions, indicating the nurturing services have been effective and meaningful.(2) Students arc quite satisfied with professionalism of teaching faculty, thesis instruction, and the comprehensive administrative efficiency of nurturing institutions, indicating that effective related efforts have been made.(3)MTI candidates are dissatisfied with tangible nurturing environment and assurance on broadening state-of-the-art academic scope and improving professional capabilities, as is represented in the following3particular aspects:a. Curriculum planning and implementation show obvious poor quality in aspects such as the link between curriculum and employment, education on professional ethics and granting access to state-of-the-art academic achievements in the field of study.b. There have been conspicuous worries from the students about employment issues; the assurance of providing employment-related services from the nurturing institutions basically fails to be satisfactory.c. Current situation of providing sufficient and proper opportunities for translation practice from the nurturing institutions are especially unsatisfactory.It is notable thai this thesis mainly uses service quality management theory and stakeholder theory widely applied in industrial and commercial service areas to conduct a research on student perceived nurturing quality of Mil. Such attempt is of facilitating value to the quality assurance of MTl.