Mini-dissertation (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Although Canada is internationally known for its multicultural practices, the work life experiences of visible minority female school principals are unheard and absent from educational leadership research in Canada. In light of the fact that the student population in Canadian schools is increasingly diversifying, it is important to examine the experiences of visible minority female school principals from their own perspectives in order to gain a better understanding of their work life in the education system across Canada.<p> This research is a qualitative case study of the administrative work life experiences of five visible minority female school principals in five selected Western Canadian public schools. The purpose of the research was to examine and describe the administrative work life experiences of the selected visible minority female principals, with a particular focus on the path they took to become principals, the challenges they faced, and the strategies they used to foster inclusive schools. In-depth interviews were the main research method used in this study, supplemented by document and record analyses and the researchers reflective journal. Each of the five participants was interviewed three times in order to provide an in-depth analysis of their work experiences. The data were analyzed by using narrative and inductive analysis to let the participants tell their stories first and analyze the research questions inductively second. The results of this study revealed that the path to the principalship for visible minority female principals is influenced by multi-factors, personal abilities and strengths, challenges, supports, and preparatory and training programs. Each of the participants went through different processes to achieve their goal based on their own unique situations. This study also revealed the participants in their principal positions faced personal, professional, and organizational challenges related to gender, race, and accent. However, the participants regarded these challenges as opportunities for them to learn and to grow.<p> The strategies used to build inclusive schools by the five participants stemmed from the participants personal attributes, skills, support systems, and the contribution of their minority status. In their leadership positions, individuals set a clear mission, varied leadership styles, used reciprocal empowerment, demonstrated an ethic of care, acted as mentors, pursued networking, and mastered necessary positional knowledge.<p> This study provides recommendations for other visible minority female principals and visible minority female teachers who aspire to principal positions by identifying steps needed to prepare for the principalship; recommendations for Boards of Education on policy making and action as well as recommendations for professional development. Implications for future research are also set out. This study, while confirming the findings of the research done by other scholars, also has its own unique findings, and the five participants work life experiences provided five pictures of successful visible minority female school principals in Western Canadian public schools

Although Canada is internationally known for its multicultural practices, the work life experiences of visible minority female school principals are unheard and absent from educational leadership research in Canada. In light of the fact that the student population in Canadian schools is increasingly diversifying, it is important to examine the experiences of visible minority female school principals from their own perspectives in order to gain a better understanding of their work life in the education system across Canada.<p> This research is a qualitative case study of the administrative work life experiences of five visible minority female school principals in five selected Western Canadian public schools. The purpose of the research was to examine and describe the administrative work life experiences of the selected visible minority female principals, with a particular focus on the path they took to become principals, the challenges they faced, and the strategies they used to foster inclusive schools. In-depth interviews were the main research method used in this study, supplemented by document and record analyses and the researchers reflective journal. Each of the five participants was interviewed three times in order to provide an in-depth analysis of their work experiences. The data were analyzed by using narrative and inductive analysis to let the participants tell their stories first and analyze the research questions inductively second. The results of this study revealed that the path to the principalship for visible minority female principals is influenced by multi-factors, personal abilities and strengths, challenges, supports, and preparatory and training programs. Each of the participants went through different processes to achieve their goal based on their own unique situations. This study also revealed the participants in their principal positions faced personal, professional, and organizational challenges related to gender, race, and accent. However, the participants regarded these challenges as opportunities for them to learn and to grow.<p> The strategies used to build inclusive schools by the five participants stemmed from the participants personal attributes, skills, support systems, and the contribution of their minority status. In their leadership positions, individuals set a clear mission, varied leadership styles, used reciprocal empowerment, demonstrated an ethic of care, acted as mentors, pursued networking, and mastered necessary positional knowledge.<p> This study provides recommendations for other visible minority female principals and visible minority female teachers who aspire to principal positions by identifying steps needed to prepare for the principalship; recommendations for Boards of Education on policy making and action as well as recommendations for professional development. Implications for future research are also set out. This study, while confirming the findings of the research done by other scholars, also has its own unique findings, and the five participants work life experiences provided five pictures of successful visible minority female school principals in Western Canadian public schools

A narrative analysis of the lived experiences of seven undergraduate African American females at Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) is presented in this study. The purpose of the study was to explore the ways the seven women constructed their identity and self-concept in the context of their PWI environment. Other key purposes of the study included strategies in which the women successfully negotiated their PWI environments and the influence of the intersection of race, gender, and class on the collegiate and life experiences of these African American undergraduate females. The framework which was conceptualized from previous literature portrayed the historical context of the African American woman’s struggle for educational access as both Black and female, her life on campus, tools for success, and the identity development of African American women. Critical Race and Black Feminist theoretical frameworks, were the foundation for the study. Through these theoretical lenses, the study looked closely at the academic, social, and cultural climate on PWI campuses and the impact of these factors on the identity development and self-concept of the women in this study. The research methodology of narrative analysis was used and resulted in the emergence of three key findings in this study. The findings indicate that African American undergraduate females at PWIs engage in negotiating worlds, managing subjectivities, and redefining selves as they make meaning and walk out their individual lived experiences as students on Predominately White campuses.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, 2009. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oklahoma, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 190-201).

The topic of leadership has been present in the academic world for about 100 years. In science, this is considered a rather short period of time, during which the discipline has developed enormously. Initially formulated theories and approaches have now been revised for the most part or even in their entirety. Yet, of special interest for the purpose of this research is the extremely slow development of females in this context and the lack of attention that is given to gender biased perceptions. This academic paper reviews the earliest beginnings of the subject and, as the title suggests, covers not only the history of the subject, but also the latest trends and developments in the area of leadership and gender. As it’s been said by the townsman (c.f. Anecdote), the perceptions people have of their surroundings are as diverse as the people themselves. They depend upon an infinite amount of personal experiences, shaping each and every person’s character the way they are. Therefore, during the course of this thesis, special attention is given to the role of females and especially the cognitions towards female leaders in order to address the issue of potential gender biased perceptions. By means of an online survey - which was not directed towards the general public, but rather towards persons dedicated to the field of gender and leadership - numerical and qualitative data on questions about gender-specific perceptions of leadership was collected. In summary, it can be deduced from these results, that there is a difference in the perception of leadership qualities with respect to gender. However, it should be noted that the gender biases work in two ways: The perceived differences are dependent on both, the gender of the person who answered the questions, as well as the gender of the person in the leadership position. In our opinion as researcher, the findings reveal that there are, indeed, deeply anchored, probably subconscious perceptions that seem to be associated with the topic of gender and leadership. However, all in all it can be said that the commonly assumed stereotypes of clearly male and female leader attributes do not consistently exist anymore. According to the findings of our research, the awareness of females associated with hitherto mostly male perceived leader attributes is present and will probably further consolidate in the years to come. Hence, the findings of this thesis reinforce the general positive evolution of females in leader positions. Additionally, they nurture and further strengthen growing idea of females as being naturally perceived as leaders in order to ensure fair and equitable systems for women and men in leadership.

The present study compared children's perceptions of mothers' and fathers' parental rearing styles in White and Hispanic families. Participants included 173 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade children recruited from after-school care programs in the School District of Hillsborough County, Florida. Children completed measures of perceived parenting for both mothers and fathers and a self-report inventory of their own current psychological symptoms. No differences between perceptions of parental acceptance in Hispanic and White families were expected. However, perceptions of hostile control were predicted to be higher for Hispanic fathers than for White fathers. In contrast, perceptions of maternal inconsistent discipline were hypothesized to be higher for Hispanic mothers than for White mothers. Ethnicity was hypothesized to act as a moderator between perceptions of negative parenting and internalizing and externalizing symptomology. Results indicated that there were few differences in parenting practices between White and Hispanic mothers and fathers. Only perceptions of maternal hostile control were higher for Hispanic participants in comparison to White participants when family socioeconomic status was not controlled statistically. Maladaptive parental rearing behaviors were more associated with children's internalizing than externalizing symptomology. These results indicate that Hispanic and White families are more similar in parental rearing styles than theorized originally. For fathers in particular, an emergent view of fatherhood in Hispanic families was supported. Results are discussed in terms of parenting in diverse families.

The age of onset of delinquency has long been viewed as a primary indicator for further delinquency and criminality. However, studies on the risk factors for onset, and future delinquency have focused predominantly on males. The purpose of this study was to explore gender differences and similarities in risk factors for onset and frequency of arrest. The data used in these analyses were from a longitudinal study, Pathways to Adulthood: A Three Generational Urban Study, 1960-1994. Sixty-six percent (N=1,758) of the eligible children completed the final survey. Of these children, only 515 were used in this particular study because they had documented ages of first arrest. It is hypothesized that 1) female "early" onset occurs at a later age from that of male "early" onset, 2) risk factors predictive of early onset will differ across gender, and 3) "early" onset in females will be predictive of frequency of subsequent arrests.With these data, the author uses OLS regression, logistic regression, and negative binomial regression to evaluate these hypotheses regarding age of onset, risk factors for onset, and frequency of arrest. Insufficient evidence was found to support the hypotheses of the current study. A discussion of the findings, as well as implications and calls for future research are discussed

Psychologists have begun to examine factors that influence the achievement gap between African American and White students. This is a pressing issue especially for African American students (Steele, 1997; Shelton & Sellers, 2000; Cokley, 2001). To better understand the effects of race and gender on perceived discrimination and academic disengagement, 81 African American students at the University of Texas at Austin were randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Participants either listed ten instances of discrimination they have experienced, five academic successes and five academic failures, or made no lists. The impact of these manipulations on responses to the Disengagement Scale (Major & Schmader, 1998) and the Everyday Discrimination Scale (Williams, Yu, Jackson, & Anderson, 1997) were assessed. Results suggest that gender plays an important role in African American students’ academic function. More specifically, African American males perceive more discrimination in academia than African American females, which is related to higher levels of disengagement. Researchers suggest this difference is related to African American males’ socialization to see discrimination as an insurmountable barrier rather than a navigable obstacle. / text