EXPLORING THE EXPERIENCE OF SHIFTING TO ALTERNATIVE

EDUCATION MAJOR FOR STUDENTS THOSE WHOM STUDYING ABROAD

IN NCKU-TAIWAN

A. Background
Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge,
skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include storytelling, discussion,
teaching, training, and directed research. Education frequently takes place under the
guidance of educators, but learners may also educate themselves.[1] Continuing education
is an all-encompassing term within a broad list of post-secondary learning activities and
programs. Economic conditions are one of the main reasons driving demand for
continuing education, and many people enroll in continuing education programs during
recessions. Likewise, during recessions, many workers seek to improve skills to remain
hired or find new job opportunities.
But how if continuing education with different from previous majors field, should be
continued studying graduate or post graduate in the same or allied departments, in order to
become an expert in a given field of science, but many are taking are not in accordance
with the prior, everyone to continue studying on courses relevant to their respective needs
of individuals and to the needs of society. This will cause some impact on their daily
activities, therefore the researcher interest to exploring Experience of Shifting to
Alternative Education Major for Students Those Whom Studying Abroad in NCKU
Taiwan 2016.

B. Research Purpose
1. Purpose
To explore the experience of shifting to alternative education major for students
those whom studying abroad in NCKU Taiwan.
2. The Aim
a. Analyze perception that took different majors previously at NCKU students.
b. Analyze the reasons took a different major previously at NCKU students.
c. Analyze the impact of took different majors previously at NCKU students.

C. Methods
This type of research is qualitative research with the phenomenological approach
where research design that uses natural background, with the intention of interpreting
phenomena and conducted with the involvement of existing methods (Denzin & Lincoln,
1987). A phenomenological study describes the common meaning for several individuals
or their lived experiences of a concept or a phenomenon (Creswell, 2007). The
phenomenon in this study is many students university were taking difference major with
the previous major education at National Cheng Kung University.

D. Interview Guide and Transcript

In qualitative research, which became the instrument or tool of research is the
researcher's own (human instrument). The tools used for data collection was the interview
format with semistructure interview approach that contains the main points of the question
asked and we can develope the question from the participants answer, in addition to the
format of the interview, there are several support tools in qualitative research to collect
data including the writing instrument, the tape recorder (MP3), and camera, so that the
conversation is done can conversation is recorded to avoid missing or can’t be written by
the researcher. The interview guides are:
1. What the major are being taken in education currently?
2. Is the current major was taking same with the previous education?
3. What do you think about different took in previous major?
4. What's the reason for took a different major with the previous major?
5. What the possible advantages when took a different major in previous?
6. What the possible disadvantages obtained when taking took a different major in
previous?
7. What the tips have been you do to make it easier to follow the current major?
8. What's the impact that arises when you have been following in currently study?

Interview Transcript
Researcher Masroni
Participant 1
Time/Date/Place of Mon 10:05 AM, April 25, 2016 / Dormintory
Interview
Interview purpose

Memo after
interview
Research Purpose To explore the experience of shifting to alternative education major for
students those whom studying abroad in Taiwan.
Studying aims d. Analyze perception that takes different majors with prior education
at NCKU students.
e. Analyze the reasons took a different major with prior education at
NCKU students.
f. Analyze the impact of taking different majors with prior education
at NCKU students.
Time/Date/coder
of Analysis
Coding principle
1. Coding by the contents shared interviewee only:
(1) looking for the important explicitly expressed statement/emphasized or repetitive
parts by participants.
(2) How about the implicit statement?
2. How to decide a behavior/concept unit:
(1) A word, a phrase or a sentence related to the perception, reason or impact
(2) A unit will be coded by a specific thought, feeling or behavior from initiaion to the
end, while the content shift to another topic then give a new code.
3. How to differentiate among unit, theme, and category
4. How to group several units into a theme?
5. How to group several themes into a category?
6. How to build up a core concept based on those categories discovered
Raw data/mark Units/themes/categories
Researcher : Ok based on informed concent
yesterday we're conducting interviews on the field
related majors in college NCKU you were took, there
are a few questions later I would ask to you related to
that field, before we starting what major did you took in
previous?
Participant : “Mechanical engineering”
Researcher : Mechanical engineering, it is a
specialized field of Mechanical engineering own or
there are several branches?
Participant : " Some of the branches it's certainly...
yes it was their major, major...
Researcher : What majors did you took currently?
Participant : “Aeronautic, ya aeronautic...”
Researcher : Whether Auronautics field was also
included in the field of Mechanical engineering?
Participant : “Partial not all, aaa aaa in the sense that P02 Aeronautic is major linkages
it is Aeronautic is one of them is alone but widely different with mechanical
mechanical linkages different, although eee mechanical engineering.
enngenering study many towards manufacture while
here aeronautics be explained towards the finished
design is a little bit different, a little different in terms of P03 Aeronautic more about design
design and manufacture we clear away the one to do while mechanical engineering
that for what it is... in major that, right there we branch about manufacture
away from branches that are still relevant despite the
major is not...”
Researcher : From what have you been explain
before, is the currently major was taking same with the
previous education?
Participant : "Different ... Heem different .. " P04 Emphasize that mechanical
and aeronautic are different major
Researcher : What do you think about different took
in previous major?
Participant : "Say we Physics graduate and master of P05 Advices that as well as took
physics as well, assume chemistry also taken master the same major it’s been good
chemistry, it's been good ... "
Researcher : It’s mean if you have graduate from
mechanical engineering, you should be to continue
master mechanical engineering, it’s should not be
aeronautics major your currently, right?
Participant : "Yes mechanical engineering also much P06 Thought that more better in
better ... " one major mechanical engineering
Researcher : What the reason for took a different
major with the previous major?
Participant : " One scholarship, job situation, and in R06 Some reasons decided took
Indonesia also qualified us much needed especially different major one is scholarship
when we master degree or doctorate it easier to get a job and second job situation.
and to earn a higher salary, even though I myself ee..
want to become entrepreneurs, but to become our own
enterpreneur need to convince people or if we want to R07 Another reason that are
convince someone we need to perform confident with different from fields that are being
more knowledge in the areas A, B, C, D, E, the third taken to become enterpreneur.
prestige..."
Researcher : Whether in Indonesia itself is linked on
the field of aeronautics has been a lot?
Participant : "No , in Indonesia aeronautics actually R08 Aeronautic development in
not much developed but in Indonesia the price of labor Indonesia and also the
is pretty cheap though we actually more cheaper than opportunities factories and
vietnam but if to make the factory still makes sense in because price of labor in Indonesia
Indonesia , and if we want to take a project from outside cheap.
the country still make sense ... "
Researcher : What the possible advantages when
took different major in previous?
Participant : " The amount of knowledge that we I09 The advantages taking
have, in the sense that we do we will eee ... have the different major to add more
knowledge and skills that are not too deep but we know knowledge and skill but not too
a lot, for the example we differ with physics bachelor to deep.
continued master degree of physics that normally he
would be very familiar with physics, beside it I'm as
multidisciplinery we know it more, but probably not as
deep as people as study the same field ... " 1010 The advantage is
multidisiplinary but only limited
Researcher : That’s it the advantages, and than what
the possible disadvantages obtained when taking took
different major in previous?
Participant : " The disadvantage we have to learn I011 The way to follow the
more .. should take the time to learn more, than the learning process when took
same major, more else eee .. in NCKU ee .. for our own different major should be learn
as international students often have difficulty more and more
understanding the language professor have been give,
often language .. although his class in English but often I012 The difficulty with the
in mandarin language in class. we have to look for by language at the learning process
myself what the professor wants ... " when the class with mandarin
language
Researcher : So, what the tips have been you do to
make it easier to follow the current major?
Participant : "Take your time learning, we are trying I013 Exchange information with
to find a friend who one well field the same classmate it’s one of way to get
department ... well most do not speak mandarin .. so more understand the lesson
that we can exchange information because the
information is very important... "
Researcher : What the impact that arises when you
have been follow in currently study?
Participant : “Ouwhh... impact sleep less, must I014 The arise impact when adapt
strive to adapt to the existing environment. environment with new condition was sleep less
 there are plenty of other international students like and did not sleep well.
india, thailand, vietnam and we embrace them all to be
friends... and reduced sleep quality definitely do not
sleep well... "
Researcher : I think enough for this section, thank
you so much for your time.
Participant : “You are welcome...”

E. Result
For the result of study the experience of shifting to alternative education major for
students those whom studying abroad in NCKU Taiwan, here for the characteristic of each
participant.
Table 1. Characteristic of Participant
Participant Characteristic of Participant
No
Code Age Religion Previously Major Curently Major
1. P.1 24 years old Catholic Mechanical Engineering Aeronautics
2. P.2 34 years old Budha Chemical Engineering Finance
3. P.3 33 years old Islam Chemical Engineering Mechanical Engineering

Table 2. Data Analyze

No Coding Cathegories
.
1. P02“Partial not all.... Aeronautic is P02 Aeronautic is major Perception
one of them is alone but widely linkages different with
mechanical linkages different” mechanical engineering.
P03“Mechanical enngenering P03 Aeronautic more about
study many towards manufacture design while mechanical
while aeronautics be explained engineering about manufacture
towards the finished design is a P04 Emphasize that mechanical
little bit different”. and aeronautic are different
P04” Different ...” major
P05”Assume chemistry also taken P05 Advices that as well as took
master chemistry, it's been good... " the same major it’s been good
P06“Yes mechanical engineering P06 Thought that more better in
also much better” one major mechanical
engineering
2 R06”One scholarship, job R06 Some reasons decided took Reason
situation, and in Indonesia also different major one is
qualified us much needed scholarship and second job
especially when we master degree situation.
or doctorate it easier to get a job R07 Another reason that are
and to earn a higher salary” different from fields that are
R07”Want to become being taken to become
entrepreneurs, but to become our enterpreneur.
own enterpreneur need to convince R08 Aeronautic development in
people or if we want to convince Indonesia and also the
someone we need to perform opportunities factories and
confident with more knowledge” because price of labor in
 R08“Indonesia aeronautics Indonesia cheap.
actually not much developed but in
Indonesia the price of labor is
pretty cheap And if we want to take
a project from outside the country
still make sense...”
3 I09”The amount of knowledge that I09 The advantages taking Impact
we have, in the sense that we do we different major to add more
will eee ... have the knowledge and knowledge and skill but not too
skills that are not too deep but we deep.
know a lot” I011 The way to follow the
I010”I'm as multidisciplinery we learning process when took
know it more, but probably not as different major should be learn
deep as people as study the same more and more
field....” I012 The difficulty with the
I011”We have to learn more .. language at the learning process
should take the time to learn more” when the class with mandarin
1012”As international students language
often have difficulty understanding I013 Exchange information with
the language professor have been classmate it’s one of way to get
give, often language .. although his more understand the lesson
class in English but often in I014 The arise impact when
mandarin language in class” adapt with new condition was
I013"Take your time learning, we sleep less and did not sleep well.
are trying to find a friend who one
well field the same department ...
well most do not speak mandarin ..
so that we can exchange
information because the
information is very important..."
I014“Impact sleep less, must strive
to adapt to the existing
environment
and reduced sleep quality definitely
do not sleep well... "

F. Discussion
a. Perception
Perception is the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory
information in order to represent and understand the environment. [2] Base on the
interview from the participant we have result that for the perception that for the
currently major was quite different with the previously. Iike the participant said ”
Partial not all.... Aeronautic is one of them is alone but widely mechanical linkages
different”. Actually the participant was known that the major have been took was
different with preiously but the participant stiil decide to toke the major, and here
emphasize that mechanical and aeronautic are different major what did participant said
”Mechanical enngenering study many towards manufacture while aeronautics be
explained towards the finished design is a little bit different”. We can conclude that the
participant very clearly known that he was wrong to took the major, but the participant
 decide took the major becuase maybe any another reasons. Althought the participant
already know and consciuous more better he should be took the same major, like what
the participant said “Assume chemistry also taken master chemistry, it's been good...”.
b. Reasons
Reason is the capacity for consciously making sense of things, applying logic,
establishing and verifying facts, and changing or justifying practices, institutions, and
beliefs based on new or existing information. [3] One of the reason why participant took
different major is the job situation and opportunity in another field, like what the
participant said “One scholarship, job situation, and in Indonesia also qualified us
much needed especially when we master degree or doctorate it easier to get a job and
to earn a higher salary”. Actually the researcher have to interview more deeply
because there was several statement have to clarified and deeply interview, like in this
statement “Want to become entrepreneurs, but to become our own enterpreneur need to
convince people or if we want to convince someone we need to perform confident with
more knowledge” it mean the participant have another purpose maybe the participant
want to be enterpreneur or bussinesman, beside what he was said before, but here the
researcher did not interview more deeply, so thats why the researcher did not got any
information about the real reasons from the participant.
c. Impact
Impact is measure of the tangible and intangible effects (consequences) of one thing's
or entity's action or influence upon another. Base on the interview from the participant
we have result two impact, the first one is positive impact and second one is negative
impact, for the first one here we have data that “The amount of knowledge that we
have, in the sense that we do we will eee ... have the knowledge and skills that are not
too deep but we know a lot..”. thats is the advantages of when took different major is
knowing more knowledge. For the second one is negative impact The difficulty with
the langguage at the learning proscess, exchange information with classmate it’s one of
way to get more understand the lesson, and have to adapt with the new condition. Here
the data that participant have negative impact “Impact sleep less, must strive to adapt to
the existing environment and reduced sleep quality definitely do not sleep well... ".

Refference
1. Creswell, J., W. (2007). Qualitative Inquiry & Reserach Design. 3rd Eddition.
USA:SAGE Publication.
2. Dewey, John (1944) [1916]. Democracy and Education. The Free Press. pp. 1–4. ISBN 0-
684-83631-9.
3. Schacter, Daniel (2011). Psychology. Worth Publishers.
4. "So We Need Something Else for Reason to Mean", International Journal of
Philosophical Studies 8: 3, 271 — 295