Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Since the King Abdullah Scholarship Program was initiated in 2006, more than 50,000 Saudi women are studying abroad. Each year hundreds of Saudi female students are returning every year from a study abroad experience from a western country. However, there is a lack of research examining their reentry experience and its effect on their re-adaptation and cultural integration. This study analyzes how the participants adapted the learned skills and communication style from the host culture to their home culture. Qualitative methods were used to explore the re-adaptation and cultural integration experience of the reentry experience. In-depth interviews were conducted with twelve returned Saudi female students. Grounded theory methodology was used to analyze the interviews, with Kim’s (2001) integrative theory of communication and cross-cultural adaptation (ITCCA) providing the theoretical framework for the analysis. This research provided an insight into the Saudi women experience, by examining their pre-entry characteristics, intercultural transformation, communication competence, and the formation of their intercultural personhood. Further, to help minimize the returners’ challenges and maximize their benefits. The reentry consolation program and reentry-training program that I proposed would help the returners understand the faced challenges to better adjust and grow in their home culture. Also, it will help the returners reflect in their professional lives and better understand their work environment to help enhance and integrate their skills to maximize their productivity.

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Thesis (MA. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2014 / A study investigating alcohol use amongst female undergraduate students was conducted at the University of Limpopo Turfloop Campus. The study was quantitative in nature and used a cross-sectional survey design. A purposive sample of 200 undergraduate female psychology students across 1st, 2nd and 3rd year levels was used. The Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) was used as a framework which guided the study and the reporting of the research results. The self-report questionnaire was made up of several standardized questionnaires and open-ended questions. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics namely, frequency tables and figures as they gave a clear overall picture of the data. The chi square (X2) statistic was also used to see if there was significant difference in drinking trends between 1st, 2nd and 3rd year female psychology students. Nearly 89% of the entire sample reported to being Christian, it was expected that they would have moral values associated with the religion which would either call for moderate drinking or abstinence. The results of this study generally underpin this statement. Overall, a significant difference in drinking patterns across year levels, with first years more likely to report problem behaviours relating to alcohol consumption, than second or third year levels was found. In terms of the PMT, the majority of the respondents reported responsible drinking behaviours and patterns. However, a notable number of participants, although not statistically significant, did report a number of problems associated with alcohol consumption. The study recommends that future research be undertaken into alcohol use amongst both genders at different year levels at the institution. It was also recommended that qualitative research, to find out students motivations for drinking, be undertaken amongst both genders.

Denna undersökning syftar till att se vilka anledningar som finns till kvinnliga elevers val, eller snarare bortval av utbildning inom teknik, och vad som kan vara de bakomliggande faktorerna som bidrar till eller avgör att få kvinnliga elever väljer teknikprogrammet. Utbildningsvägar med tekniska inriktningar lockar fortfarande endast ett fåtal kvinnliga elever. Kvinnliga elever som går på teknikprogrammet och naturvetenskapsprogrammet har tillfrågats om vilka faktorer som påverkade dem vid deras gymnasieval. Studien har genomförts på tre gymnasieskolor inom Stockholms län (två kommunala skolor från olika kommuner och en fristående skola). Metoderna för studien var enkätundersökning till lärarna, gruppintervju med eleverna och enkätundersökning med frågor till kvinnliga elever på teknikprogrammet och naturvetenskapsprogrammet. Studien visar att hierarkiska strukturer i kulturella koder för programmen var framstående, såsom hur könsfördelningen ser ut på programmen. De kvinnliga eleverna på teknikprogrammet anser att öppet hus och föräldrarnas åsikter har påverkat deras val av teknikprogrammet. Teknikintresset har även visat sig avgörande liksom innehållsmässiga faktorer i högstadiets teknikundervisning, vilket har medfört att eleverna väljer bort teknikprogrammet. Studien påvisar ett troligt samband mellan lågt självförtroende inom teknik och de kvinnliga elevernas gymnasieval, eftersom de saknar tillit till sin egen förmåga inom teknik och anser att de saknar kunskap om vad teknik är. Av studien framkommer möjliga metoder för att utöka antalet kvinnliga elever på teknikprogrammet anordnande av öppet hus och förändring av den kulturella koden för teknikprogrammet genom att betona kvinnliga förebilder inom teknik. En annan möjlig väg till att minska segregerade gymnasieval till teknikprogrammet är att skapa nya inriktningar som passar kvinnliga elever på teknikprogrammet. / This survey aims to identify the reasons for female students' choices, or rather discontinuation of education in technology, and what are the main reasons affecting them in their selection that contribute to make female students choose or not choose the technology program in the upper secondary school selection process. Educational pathways with technical focus still attract only a few female students. The female students who are currently studying the technology program and the science program have been asked about the factors that influenced them in the upper secondary school choice process. The study has been conducted at three secondary schools in Stockholm county (two municipal schools from different municipalities and one free school). The methods of the study were a web questionnaire questions to the teachers, group interviews with the students and a web questionnaire questions to female students on the technology program and science program. The study shows that hierarchical structures in cultural codes for the programs were prominent, such as how gender distribution looks like at programs. The female students at the technology program consider that open-houses and parents' opinions have heavily in their decision process. Technical interest has also been crucial as well as substantial factors in upper level lower secondary school technical education, and thus students opt out the technology program. The survey shows the low ability beliefs have strong connection with female students' choices for their future education because they do not belief in their own ability in technology and they consider that they have lack knowledge about what technology is.  Conclusion could be made that possible ways for increase the number of female students in the technology program through the open house, and the change of the cultural code of the technology program by emphasizing female role-models in technology world. Another possible way to avoid segregated upper secondary school program choices could create new specializations in the technology program to attract female students.

Rapporten baseras på en empirisk studie och en litteraturstudie. Syftet är att belysa några av de anledningar till att flickor och kvinnor utesluter tekniken och i synnerhet väljer bort den vid gymnasievalet. Vad påverkar de kvinnliga eleverna i deras val respektive bortval av teknikprogrammet? Denna studie söker elevperspektivet hos gymnasieungdomar som utfrågas om deras genomgångna gymnasieval och vilka faktorer som påverkade dem. Därigenom erhålls ett resultat i en avvikande synvinel till skillnad från studier där ungdomar utfrågas innan eller i samband med gymnasievalet i årskurs 9, i och med att gymnasieungdomarna är något mer mogna till reflektion över sina anledningar samt att de har mer insikt samtidigt som de har gymnasievalet i närbelägen dåtid. Den empiriska studien har utförts på en stor gymnasieskola i en av Sveriges storstadsregioner. Metoden för den empiriska studien var intervju och enkätfrågor till kvinnliga elever på teknikprogrammet och naturvetenskapsprogrammet samt lärare som undervisar dessa. Studien påvisar att de kvinnliga eleverna anser att existerandet av de mjukare inriktningarna på teknikprogrammet (exempelvis Design- och produktutveckling), öppet hus samt föräldrarnas åsikt utgör en stark påverkan på deras val av Teknikprogrammet. I nära samverkan med litteraturen gick dessa områden att sammanfoga till några koncilianta sammanhörande gebit. Hierarkiska strukturer i kulturella koder för de olika programmen var framstående. Återgivningen av tekniskt intresse tolkades också ha en avgörande betydelse liksom innehållsmässiga faktorer i teknikundervisningen på högstadiet. Även föräldrarnas direkta eller indirekta åsikt tros spela in. Studien påvisade ett troligt samband mellan föräldrars utbildning samt yrkesval och de kvinnliga elevernas gymnasieval. Av studien framkommer att eventuellt möjliga vägar till att undvika segregerade gymnasieval till teknikprogrammet exempelvis är att utöka antalet mjuka inriktningar på teknikprogrammet, fortsätta att medvetet arbeta för fler kvinnliga elever på teknikprogrammet på det öppna huset samt att försöka att medvetet skynda på förändringen av den kulturella koden för teknikprogrammet genom att bland annat föra fram och trycka på kvinnliga förebilder inom teknik, både moderna och historiska. / The report is based on both a survey and a literature study. The purpose is to highlight the reasons why girls and women exclude technology as such and, in particular, why they opt it out in the upper secondary school selection process. What do the female students consider to be the main reasons affecting them in their selection and discontinuation of the technology programs? This study searches for the pupil perspective of upper secondary school students. This gives a deviating result as opposed to studies that are conducted with pupiles in lower grades. The survey was conducted at a major secondary school in one of Sweden's metropolitan regions. The method of the survey was interviews and a web questionnaire addressing female students on the technology program and the science program as well as teachers who teach them both. The study shows that the existence of the softer specializations of the technology program (such as design and production development), open-houses and the parents' opinion weighed heavily in their decision process. In close collaboration with the literature, these areas joined up to some conciliatory related fields. Hierarchical structures in cultural codes for the various programs were prominent. The interpretation of the term technical interest was also crucial as well as substantial factors in upper level lower secondary school technical education. Even the parents' direct –as well as indirect opinions are important. The survey shows that parents' education and their existing career choices have strong connection with female students' choices for their future education. Conclusion could be made that possible ways to avoid segregated upper secondary school program choices could include setting up an increased number of "soft" specializations in the technology program, active work to attract female students during technology programs’ open-houses and speeding up change of the technology program cultural codes by, among other things, emphasizing the importance of both established and new female role-models in the technology world.

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An expanding field of historical study is interested in examining the connection between gendered spaces in academia and the dynamic identities available within them, inspired by the theoretical framework of the “scientific persona”. By drawing on this discussion, the thesis aims to showcase the institutional and social circumstances through which early female university students came to produce and reshape academic identities in Sweden in the 1890s. It focuses on the establishment of “Uppsala kvinnliga studentförening” (UKSF), the first local university association for women students in Sweden, thus locating the process that produces academic identities at the crossroad of individual and collective strategies and forums. To this end, the thesis analyzes UKSF’s protocols in addition to autobiographical documents by two early members, Lydia Wahlström and Gulli Petrini. The study shows that by providing a collective forum, UKSF managed to enable a wholly new way of being a female student. This process, which shaped both collective and individual identities, was linked to socialization and assimilation. A complete assimilation through the embodiment of an available male academic persona was, however, not possible. Rather, the female students merged identities based on several repertoires. For instance, Lydia Wahlström crystallized a persona drawing on the position as president of UKSF. At times, however, she seems to have embodied male academic personae in male dominated academic spheres. The essay additionally offers approaches to analyzing the long-lasting challenge for female students to aspire an academic career.

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine whether nontraditional student age, female gender, and the possession of nontraditional student risk factors predict enrollment in distance education college courses. This dissertation used data from the most recent National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:12), which consisted of approximately 95,000 undergraduate students who were enrolled in higher education in 2011-2012. The results of a logistic regression analysis indicated that both nontraditional student age and female gender were strong predictors of enrollment in distance education, whereas the number of nontraditional student risk indicators was a partial predictor. As leaders in higher education are tasked with decreasing time to degree completion, it is hoped that the findings of this research will support distance education as one solution to this problem. Further exploration through the deconstruction of the nontraditional student risk index as defined by the National Center of Educational Statistics as well as examination of other factors such as ethnicity and GPA are needed to provide a more complete analysis of predictors of distance education enrollment as well as better data collection for distance education retention and success.

The study sought to find out the determinants of academic performance of female students at a state university in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe. This study was prompted by the fact that it was established through research that female students are lagging behind in academic performance especially in science subjects. The population comprised all part two to part four female university students at the state university and all the lecturers who teach the female students. A sample of 25 female students and 5 lecturers in four faculties was selected using the convenience sampling strategy. The study employed a case study research design which enabled the researcher to identify the problems, gather facts on factors that determine the academic performance of the female university student in a natural setting. Self-designed interview and focus group discussions were used by the researcher to collect data. Data were analysed in narrative form and thematically. The study revealed that the determinants of academic performance of female university students were gendered cultural codes, the female student’s family background, resources and lecturer attitudes and competencies. The study recommends that policies that emancipate women be put in place. The study also recommends that resources and services such as guidance and counselling be readily available. In addition, institutions of education need to cultivate and nurture positive attitudes in parents, teachers and students towards females. Furthermore, the training of lecturers who are holders of non-teaching degrees is recommended. Finally, a model for the improvement of the academic performance of female university students is proposed. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The study sought to find out the determinants of academic performance of female students at a state university in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe. This study was prompted by the fact that it was established through research that female students are lagging behind in academic performance especially in science subjects. The population comprised all part two to part four female university students at the state university and all the lecturers who teach the female students. A sample of 25 female students and 5 lecturers in four faculties was selected using the convenience sampling strategy. The study employed a case study research design which enabled the researcher to identify the problems, gather facts on factors that determine the academic performance of the female university student in a natural setting. Self-designed interview and focus group discussions were used by the researcher to collect data. Data were analysed in narrative form and thematically. The study revealed that the determinants of academic performance of female university students were gendered cultural codes, the female student’s family background, resources and lecturer attitudes and competencies. The study recommends that policies that emancipate women be put in place. The study also recommends that resources and services such as guidance and counselling be readily available. In addition, institutions of education need to cultivate and nurture positive attitudes in parents, teachers and students towards females. Furthermore, the training of lecturers who are holders of non-teaching degrees is recommended. Finally, a model for the improvement of the academic performance of female university students is proposed. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)