Less than 25% of superintendent positions, the highest level of educational leadership, are occupied by women. This is in sharp contrast to the fact that over 75% of the nation’s teaching force are women. A significant barrier cited in the literature is that there is a deficiency in the support needed for women to successfully promote into higher-level administrative positions. Although mentoring has been shown to be key factor for female administrators’ success in educational administration, this study provides quantitative data to demonstrate the need for quality mentoring opportunities for school site administrators.The purpose of this research study was to examine associations between the quality of mentoring relationships and school administrators’ competency in instructional leadership, specifically as perceived by female educational leaders in contrast to male educational leaders. While there is research to support that mentoring provides many benefits for new administrators and evidence that school site administrators must possess competency in the area of instructional leadership, research investigating the potential impact of mentoring on the instructional leadership effectiveness of educational administrators is limited. This quantitative study utilized multiple regression analyses and found evidence to suggest that the quality of the mentoring experience is related to instructional leadership effectiveness based on self-reports of educational school site leaders. Moreover, when the relationships were investigated by gender, an association was found for women, but not for men. Additional analyses based on gender pairings of mentee with mentor also revealed gender-specific differences. When measuring overall instructional leadership effectiveness, and the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale dimension of developing the school learning climate, there was evidence to suggest that the gender of the mentor may matter for male mentees although there was insufficient evidence to suggest that the gender of the mentor mattered for female mentees. Collectively, the findings of this study provide quantitative data to demonstrate the need for quality mentoring opportunities for school site administrators, particularly for female educational leaders in the area of instructional leadership effectiveness. Additional research is needed to determine whether the gender differences observed in this sample are replicable, and if so, to better understand their source and possible strategies to reduce them.

This qualitative study examined the lived experiences of Queer students at ABC Community College. Using phenomenology as its guiding framework, transcribed interviews were analyzed in order to seek the phenomenon of the experience. Examination of the literature suggested that Queer students’ experiences of discrimination could have a negative impact on academic achievement and that inclusive and affirming spaces have the opposite effect. Further, Queer students search for affirming spaces from their faculty and peers, and the engagement these spaces provide may be good prognosticator academic achievement. When students are provided with inclusive spaces, they may be more likely to come out, live openly, and represent themselves authentically (Kosciw J. G., Greytak, Palmer, & Boesen, 2014). Other researchers are encouraged to replicate the study with a larger number of participants, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Magister Educationis - MEd / This study seeks to investigate barriers to participation in adult learning among Somali refugees in Cape Town. It draws on scholarship around various conceptual frameworks on migration perspectives, and barriers to participation in adult learning, as lenses to understand and explain the experiences of the Somali refugee community. The Refugee Act of 1998 was promulgated post-democracy in South Africa. One of the objectives of this Act was to redress past inequalities by providing access to education for all the people of South Africa including foreigners who are refugees or immigrants legally settled in the country. Due to various challenges, not all refugees and migrants have access to education that would provide them with the necessary skills to enter the job market. Without access to the formal labour market, they resort to informal activities that enable them to generate cash and sustain livelihoods. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the gender dimension is important since women particularly are subject to prejudices and disadvantages that deny them entry into the labour market, both informal and formal. This study therefore investigated barriers to participation in adult learning among refugees. One of the main purposes of the research was to examine the impediments, which inhibit both men and women refugees from access to a decent education and opportunities for adult learning in South Africa. The methodology adopted was a qualitative research design. Through focused, in-depth interviews with a sample grouping of a Somali refugee community, insights were obtained into the challenges and blockages to learning access that are prevalent. The sample size comprised 50 participants: 25 males and 25 females, which were arrived at using the snowball sampling technique. An in-depth interview protocol guided the discussion, which was intended to elicit personal narratives. The findings of the study revealed that both men and women experience institutional, situational, dispositional and academic barriers, which prevent them from participating in adult learning programmes and other learning opportunities in spite of their willingness to do so. However, women particularly suffer from a lack of access due to cultural and religious norms, which limit their participation as women learners. This additional barrier proved to be a substantive situational barrier that did not affect Somali men. This study makes several recommendations that are based on the research findings. Participants generally desired sufficient access to adult learning programmes, harmonious living and integration within communities, and to employment opportunities, education funding support, and increased public awareness of such learning opportunities through seminars and workshops.

The purpose of this study was to examine the participation, perceptions, and preferences of seventh- and eighth-grade girls in coeducational and gender-separated physical education classes in five schools in East Tennessee. The participants in this study were seventh- and eighth-grade girls attending public schools in two East Tennessee counties. Participants completed a questionnaire pertaining to their physical education classes. Although 465 students were invited to participate in this study, only 241 students returned the permission form. This resulted in a 50% response rate. The findings were descriptive in nature, although basic analyses were calculated to identify any relationships among the different variables. The literature review examined adolescents' activity patterns, adolescents' self-esteem, gender equity issues, coeducational physical education versus same-gender physical education, and physical educators and their roles. The study revealed that most seventh- and eighth-grade girls dressed out for physical education and participated in coeducational physical education classes. A majority of the seventh- and eighth-grade girls preferred having a female physical education teacher. Seventh- and eighth-grade girls' participation rates did not decrease in a coeducational class setting. There was not a significant relationship between the gender of the physical education teacher and seventh- and eighth-grade girls' participation in physical education activities. Seventh- and eighth-grade girls agreed their physical education teachers were fun, fair, and easy to talk to. Seventh- and eighth-grade girls also agreed that their physical education teachers explained things well and motivated them to do their best. Having boys in physical education classes was not a major factor for girls in dressing out for physical education classes or in their participation rates.

The focus of this research was to investigate the effects of gender and level of prior access to athletic programs sponsored by school, community, church, student or civic groups, and informal programs on level of first-time-in-college (FTIC) freshmen’s interest in participating in intercollegiate athletics. To this end, 1,196 respondents (682 females and 514 males) who were admitted to the University of Central Florida and attended freshman orientation sessions in May and June of 2007 at the UCF-Orlando campus completed the face-to-face survey. Participants ranged in age from 18 years of age to 25 years of age, representing varied racial/ethnic backgrounds, with a majority being registered as full-time students at time of the survey. The FTIC freshmen anonymously and voluntarily completed a modified version of The Student Interests in Athletics, Sports, and Fitness Survey (National Collegiate Athletic Association, 1995). Quantitative data gathered through analysis of closedresponse questions provided information on their demographics, general interest in athletics, prior access to school and non-school sponsored sports, and interest in participating in college athletics. Survey responses suggested that a gender difference exists in FTIC freshmen when taking into account prior access to school and non-school sponsored athletics in predicting level of interest in participating in intercollegiate sports. FTIC freshmen males reported having more access to athletics than did FTIC freshmen females prior to attending freshmen orientation sessions in May and June of 2007. In addition, more FTIC freshmen males than females reported being interested in participating in iv intercollegiate athletics. Lower interest and participation rates by females in intercollegiate sports may, therefore, be an artifact of less access to opportunities to participate in sports during high school. Although almost four decades have passed with the expectation of gender equity within school settings in effect, most educational institutions are not in compliance with Title IX legislation. Females have not been afforded the same opportunities to participate in sports as males, and this appears to have influenced their interest in participating in sports. The findings of this study demonstrate the need for increased enforcement of Title IX legislation at all levels of education for true gender equity and athletic interest to be realized.

Black women face barriers to higher education that include systemic racism and sexism that lead to self–doubt, discrimination, and familial and community support. They battle barriers to and within academia through the intersectionality of their sex and racial identity groups. As a response to the barriers they face in higher education, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Black women navigating a doctoral program in education at a California State University. To explore the experiences of the participants, I used a qualitative study with a Heideggerian phenomenological approach and a Black feminist lens. A three­–question interview, which asked about the application process, admissions process, and first–year experience was used to explore the experiences of five Black women at two California State University campuses. The results of this study could be used to address the racial and gender equity gaps within the California State University system.

This thesis explores the intersection of shared micro-mobility services and genderwith a focus on the nighttime in Stockholm, Sweden. Research has found agender gap in user characteristics, with safety, affordability, and vehicle qualityaffection adoption. This study explores the differences in motivations and barriersto usage, contributing to sustainable and inclusive transportation. This wasachieved through a quantitative-qualitative approach that combined responsesfrom 164 people, 60 open comments, and 15 interviews. The research found PublicTransport and socializing as the primary mode and purpose of night trips amongmen and women, with women having a slightly higher preference. Time-saving,convenience and reliability, ease of access and use, and the complementarity ofother modes of transport are relevant for users regardless of gender. Womenseem to be more regular users than men. Women also seem to be more sensitiveto pricing and safety issues, both positive and negative aspects of the services.Among users who avoid the service at night, parking restrictions, unusefulnessand impracticality, expensiveness, owning a bike, consuming alcohol, andsocio-political aspects are the main motivations for doing so. The last three alsoapply to non-users. Men seem to be more sensitive to parking restrictions andwomen to unusefulness and impracticality and carrying bags and travelling withchildren. Finally, this document suggests strategies to increase overall, nighttime,and female usage of this service, focused on the shared micro-mobility operatorsand municipalities.

[pt] Esta pesquisa analisa a representatividade da bancada feminina na Câmara Federal, por meio do método dedutivo, considerando duas dimensões principais: presença e ideias. O objetivo geral dessa investigação é examinar as potenciais interações entre essas duas perspectivas no âmbito do legislativo federal brasileiro. Partindo de uma abordagem feminista, a pesquisa delineia o conceito de representatividade, destacando o debate internacional em relação a construção de medidas institucionais de inclusão no cenário político que se fortaleceu a partir da década de 90. Além disso, destaca as lutas políticas articuladas pelas mulheres na conquista e expansão de seus direitos políticos no Brasil, desde a luta pelo sufrágio até a implementação das cotas eleitorais de gênero e a consolidação da bancada feminina. A pesquisa ressalta a importância de fortalecer e ampliar os direitos políticos das mulheres, enfatizando que a busca pela equidade de gênero nos espaços políticos está intrinsecamente ligada a esforços para transformar as estruturas de poder que perpetuam a injustiça e a desigualdade. / [en] This research examines the representativeness of the women s bench in the Federal Chamber through deductive methodology, considering two main dimensions: presence and ideas. The overarching aim of this investigation is to scrutinize the potential interactions between these two dimensions within the scope of the Brazilian Federal legislature. Departing from a feminist approach, the research outlines the concept of representativeness, highlighting the international discourse surrounding the construction of institutional inclusion measures in the political landscape that gained momentum from the 1990s onwards. Furthermore, it underscores the political struggles orchestrated by women in their pursuit and expansion of political rights in Brazil, spanning from the suffrage movement to the implementation of gender electoral quotas and the consolidation of the women s bench. The research underscores the significance of bolstering and broadening women s political rights, emphasizing that the quest for gender equity in political spaces is inherently tied to efforts to transform power structures that perpetuate injustice and inequality.

Akutsjukvård är vård som finns tillgänglig för patienter dygnet runt för patienter som kräver omedelbar eller skyndsam tillsyn eller åtgärder. Inom svenska akutsjukvården används RETTS (Rapid Emergency Triage and Treatment System) i flera verksamheter för att prioritera patienterna. Prioriteringen av patienter utförs i flera fall av en sjuksköterska. Hälso- och sjukvårdslagen säger att vården i Sverige ska vara jämlik och på lika villkor, patienten med störst behov ska få vård först. Socialstyrelsen påvisar skillnader i väntetider mellan män och kvinnor på akutmottagningar där kvinnor väntar längre än män. Syftet var att belysa skillnader i omhändertagandet av manliga och kvinnliga patienter inom akutsjukvård. Litteraturöversikten är genomförd med en systematisk ansats. 15 artiklar har extraherats och utgör resultatet, samtliga är kvantitativa studier. Artiklarna är kvalitetsgranskade enligt Sophiahemmet högskolas modifierade granskningsverktyg. Resultatet syntetiserades till kategorier och underkategorier. Artiklarna till resultatet har ett etiskt övervägande beskrivet. Resultatet visar skillnader mellan hur män och kvinnor söker vård. Män och kvinnor kommer på olika sätt till sjukvården, män kommer i större utsträckning än kvinnor med ambulans, kvinnor beskriver oftare andra typer av symtom än män, Kvinnor får oftare en lägre prioritet än män, trots beskrivning av samma typ av symtom. Män får oftare en mer högspecialiserad vård än kvinnor. Slutsatsen är att brister i omhändertagandet att kvinnor gör att de får vänta längre än män och att kvinnor inte tas på allvar för sina symtom och då får en annan typ av behandling. / Emergency care is care available around the clock for patients who require immediate or urgent supervision or interventions. In Swedish emergency healthcare, RETTS (Rapid Emergency Triage and Treatment System) is used in several facilities to prioritize patients. Prioritization of patients is often performed by a nurse. The Swedish Health and Medical Services Act states that healthcare in Sweden should be on equal terms; the patient with the greatest need should receive care first. The National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) indicates differences in waiting times between men and women in emergency departments, where women wait longer than men. The aim was to highlight differences in the care of male and female patients in emergency healthcare. The literature review was conducted with a systematic approach. 15 articles were extracted and constitute the results, all of which are quantitative studies. The articles were quality assessed according to a modified review tool from Sophiahemmet University. The results were synthesized into categories and subcategories. Ethical considerations for the articles included in the results were described in the articles. The results show differences in how men and women seek care. Men and women arrive at healthcare facilities in different ways, with men more likely to arrive by ambulance. Women more often describe other symptoms than men. More often women receive a lower priority than men, despite describing the same type of symptoms. Men more often receive more highly specialized care than women. The conclusion is that deficiencies in the care of women result in them waiting longer than men and not being taken seriously for their symptoms, leading to a different type of treatment.

In education, women administrators are underrepresented in leadership positions, especially as superintendent. The study examined the following: characteristics and experiences of women superintendents to those of women administrators who aspire to be superintendent and to those women who have decided not to pursue the superintendency; the factors influencing women administrators' decisions to pursue or not pursue the position of superintendent; and the impact of identified factors on the decisions made by study participants. This qualitative multiple-subject study with an interview protocol was designed to consider the historical perspective of women in education, characteristics of women administrators, and a feminist poststructuralist framework; it included the identification of internal and external barriers and criteria for enhancing the advancement of women administrators. The study addressed the following research questions: 1. How do the experiences and characteristics of acting women superintendents compare to those of women aspiring to the superintendency and to those of women administrators who choose not to seek the position of superintendent? 2. What factors influence women administrators' decisions to pursue or not pursue the position of superintendent? The seven findings suggested that 1) educational leaders influenced decisions to become administrators; 2) style of leadership, method of conflict resolution, and decision-making practice is collaborative; 3) interpersonal skills, good communication, and approachability are (p.204-205) skills required for the superintendency; 4) the decision to pursue the superintendency is influenced by a number of factors, including role models, mentors, and the intensity of the position; 5) balancing a career with family responsibilities is potential barriers for women seeking the superintendency; 6) negative perceptions of female leaders were potential barriers for women administrators seeking and obtaining the position of superintendent; 7) individual school boards and communities influence how women and men are viewed as leaders and whether or not women superintendents are perceived differently. This study has identified implications for future studies and for advancing the careers of women administrators by eliminating barriers, challenges and negative perceptions regarding their pursuit of the position of superintendent. / EDD