The Influence Of Expectation And Perception Of Supervisors’ Mentoring On Educational Satisfaction Of Masters Of Arts

This study focuses on the influence of postgraduates’ expectation and perception of their supervisor’s mentoring on educational satisfaction in terms of supervisors,their mentoring,professional identity and sense of institutional belonging through questionnaires,sampled by masters of arts in a university code-named “H”.It shows that these students’ expectation of their supervisor’s mentoring is relatively high,but that of perception is ordinary.They are relatively satisfied with their supervisors and the mentoring,whereas their professional identity and sense of institutional belongings is on average.There is no big difference in respect of their expectation of supervisors’ mentoring and the satisfaction of supervisors as well as the mentoring when they are under varied backgrounds,while it is significantly different concerning their perception of supervisor’s mentoring,professional identity and sense of institutional belonging.Meanwhile,their perception of supervisors ’mentoring exists remarkable variations if their supervisors ’ ages,titles and number of full time Ph D candidates are different.The reality of these students’ expectation and perception of their supervisors ’mentoring can be divided into four types:low expectation and perception(19.9%),high expectation but low perception(12.3%),average expectation and perception(43.2%),and high expectation and perception(24.6%).Except for gender,there is no significant difference among these four types.Specifically,more male postgraduates in arts belong to types of high expectation and perception,average expectation and perception,and low expectation and perception than fem ale ones,but it is less likely for them to be the high expectation but low perception.There are also striking differences in students ’ educational satisfaction among different types of expectation and perception of their supervisors ’ mentoring.Satisfaction of supervisors and the mentoring of those who belong to the type of high expectation and perception is successively higher than those of average expectation and perception,low expectation and perception,and high expectation but lo w perception.The professional identity and sense of institutional belonging of those who belong to types of high expectation and perception and average expectation and perception is significantly higher than those of low expectation and perception and high expectation but low perception.The type of expectation and perception that students belong to has conspicuous impacts on each dimension of their educational satisfaction,which is more obvious on their supervisor and the mentoring than their professional identity and sense of institutional belonging.To sum up,for masters of arts,the impact of perception of supervisors ’ mentoring on their educational satisfaction is higher than on expectation.Only sufficient,comprehensive and individualized mentoring ca n these students’ educational satisfaction be lifted.However,the influence of supervisors ’ mentoring on educational satisfaction is not infinite,so other factors such as students ’subjectivity should be taken into consideration.Therefore,it is suggeste d that universities and colleges should improve the evaluating system of postgraduates ’educational satisfaction so as to enhance the quality of higher education.Besides,measures should be taken to strengthen the comprehensiveness,efficiency and pertinence of supervisors’ mentoring.Also,universities and colleges should keep an eye on postgraduates’ expectation of supervisors’ mentoring in time to upgrade the matching rate of expectation and perception.Furthermore,postgraduates should be encouraged to bring their initiative into full play,improve their learning engagement,and enrich their schooling experience.