Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Women's studies (incl. girls' studies)'

Gifted programs in the United States under-represent African American (Black) children (Phi Delta Kappan, 1992). In 1993, African-American students were under-represented by 50% in gifted education, and 60% in 1998 (Grantham & Ford, 2003). Further, some speculate that gifted education programs are the most segregated educational programs in the nation (Ford, 1995). This proves especially true for Black gifted girl in urban educational arenas, where gifted Black girls are rarely recognized. The purpose of this research was to examine the circumstances surrounding how urban black girls—identified as showing academic promise—come either to be overlooked as qualified for gifted education or seem not to take up a sense of themselves as gifted, that is they see themselves as not fitting among those who are in gifted education. Three scholarly arenas frame this study: Feminist thought and theory, with an emphasis on Black feminist thought, notions of "giftedness" and gifted education, and policies and processes for identification of gifted Black girls. Eight gifted Black girls were individually interviewed twice, three teachers were individually interviewed, and three parents were interviewed in a focus group session. Four interview guides were constructed to focus on students' perspectives of GS1 (pseudonym) and gifted education, parent strategies, and teachers' roles in the identification of these gifted Black girls. Qualitative analysis strategies (Spradley1980) were utilized for data analysis. The curriculum of the gifted programming at GS1 (pseudonym) ultimately contributed greatly not only to how girls saw themselves as gifted, but also how they understood stereotypes about young Black women. The feminist curriculum and the "feminist lens" provided in the gifted programming at GS1 provided outlets for girls' voices. Teachers interviewed not only understood the gifted Black girls' culture, but also strengthened their relationships with the girls and with their parents by presenting and enforcing clear expectations for the gifted programming. Parents interviewed not only understood their gifted daughters' uniqueness, but also the importance of their independence and security as young Black women.

This study explores stories Black adolescent girls living in urban public housing tell about themselves and their community, the narratives the girls believed outsiders hold thereof, and the ways they theorize about, respond to, and counter mainstream representations of inner-city youth and communities.

The study was conducted through a Critical Literacy class held in a local community center, using a general interpretive design with ethnographic/observational methods. The data were interpreted through a Counterstory theoretical and analytic lens. The participants’ stories are explored through a Freirean Critical Pedagogy framework derived from a critical epistemology. Study data was collected through photo journals, interviews, video and audio recordings of sessions of a Critical Literacy class taking place over 11 weeks, and artistic works produced by participants. Data were coded through three levels, with first level codes including both etic and emic codes to aid in data organization and retrieval, second level emic codes identified during data collection, and, finally, third level emic codes were used to name patterns emerging from the data to support larger themes.

Findings suggest that the participants perceive that outsiders view girls from their community and their neighborhood as undesirable. Participants saw the people and relationships they have in their community as deeply valuable, but they are cognizant of and discuss their neighborhood’s circumstances, like undesirable conditions caused by lack of material resources, and assert that storytelling can serve a pedagogical purpose in reflecting a more complete picture. Participants told stories about themselves as kind, joyful, intelligent, desiring safety, hopeful, and strong. The girls express that adults often read the joy and playfulness of girlhood as disrespect or a lack of seriousness about present and future goals. They assert that challenging false narratives is important, difficult work. They theorize that one can engage in the process of dismantling others’ assumptions by actively creating learning opportunities that lead people toward encounters with someone they may have misjudged, and by telling Counterstories. Such methods could assist teachers in discerning and addressing how assumptions about young people may be reflected in their practice and/or curriculum.

Canada has a long history of perpetrating violence and discrimination against Indigenous peoples, especially women. State policies and practices have systematically disenfranchised Indigenous women through mechanisms of displacement, assimilation, and marginalization. More than a century of large-scale intersectional violence has embedded complex intergenerational trauma into Indigenous families, further heightening their vulnerability. The “public face of law” has institutionalized the State endorsement of individual executioners of violence against Indigenous women. For decades, Indigenous peoples and human rights organizations have urged the State to recognize its active role in the violence and launch a public national inquiry. This thesis seeks to highlight the culpability of the State in the contemporary crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls while reasserting the power of the Indigenous woman. My argument is that in order to restore Indigenous women to their rightful place of power and equality in society, the State must both acknowledge and take responsibility for its crimes.

Sexual activity among unmarried adolescents is a major public health problem in Nigeria, because unmarried pregnant girls are more likely to have multiple sex partners and are less likely to use contraceptives, putting them at greater risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STD), unplanned pregnancy, abortion, social isolation, and poverty. Teen pregnancy and STD rates are on the rise in Nigeria, yet few data exist on the experience of the adolescents themselves. This phenomenological study was designed to explore the in-depth experiences of 10 pregnant, unmarried adolescent girls aged 16-19, including the factors contributing to their sexual activity. An ecological model served as the conceptual framework to permit individual experiences to be understood in their social and ecological context. Semistructured interviews and Hycner's method of analysis were used to collect and analyze the data. Results showed that the decision to initiate sexual activity among these girls was influenced by many factors, including: the need for financial support and a socially condoned system of "sugar daddies" who support girls in return for sex; peer pressure to have a sex partner; a romantic knowledge of sexual behavior based primarily on the mass media; and inadequate sex education. As a result of their pregnancy, the girls experienced negative reactions from their families and community, and serious psychological and financial concerns about their prospects for future marriage and their child's identity. A comprehensive community-based reproductive health program is called for, with reliable sex education, cooperation from the mass media, and support from family and community members. The social change implication of this study is to potentially lead to a decrease in unplanned pregnancy, STDs, social isolation, and poverty among adolescent girls in Nigeria.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify key transformational teaching practices in an all-girls school. Teachers and administrators value the development and utilization of successful teaching practices. Teachers may adopt transformational leadership practices to cultivate transformational characteristics in pedagogy. There is a need to identify transformational teaching practices to implement training and modeling for teachers in girls’ schools. Identification of these leadership practices currently used by teachers in girls’ schools will aid in teacher development or pedagogical training and contribute to a richer, fuller educational experience for their students.

Methods. A thorough review of the literature demonstrated that the dimensions of Bass’s transformational leadership theory may be applied to pedagogical practice in schools. The literature review resulted in the theoretical framework. A qualitative design was selected for the study. The researcher employed the case story approach research method, which utilized input from individuals to identify key transformational teaching practices. The participants were 7 teachers in an all-girls school in Southern California. Validity of the interview questions was assured through employing an expert panel, and reliability was established through use of a second data reviewer.

Findings. The study identified 18 key transformational leadership practices that are classified within Bass’s theory of transformational leadership. These practices fell into the dimensions of Bass’s theory: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. Two additional themes emerged as findings of interest.

Conclusions. This study identified practices of transformational teachers in an all-girls school. By identifying specific transformational teaching practices, this study can assist teachers in applying transformational teaching methods which they can utilize as part of their teaching practice. Identification and reinforcement of these practices may be included in teacher training as they begin instruction at girls’ schools. Additionally, girls’ school administrators and faculty mentors may use the results of the study to create teacher professional development programs at their schools.

Recommendations. More research is needed to understand how transformational teaching practices affect student learning. Teacher education programs may use these findings as support for increasing their instruction of transformational teaching techniques. The findings may also reveal practices that school leaders such as principals, division directors, or other administrators can promote with their faculty members.

ABSTRACT Yemeni women have a subordinate position in the conservative, male-dominated society, and girls? education remains a challenge. The school curriculum perpetuates the traditional values of social injustice, and Yemen is in the last place among 142 countries for gender equality. The purpose of this case study was to explore the role of the education curriculum in Yemen, to describe how that curriculum represents women, and to explore how that representation impacts the place of Yemeni women. The conceptual framework drew on theories of gender equity and equality in education, and their application to Yemeni curricula and girls? education. Data were gathered from eight Yemeni women aged 25 to 35, using both face-to-face and electronic questionnaires. Data analysis began with coding and categorizing until themes emerged to identify the absence of female voices in curriculum and the role of literature in promoting gender equality. The Yemeni curriculum does not effectively address social justice and girls? education. Research findings suggested that a relevant literature curriculum that included Yemeni women authors and subjects could motivate Yemeni women to think critically about their status in society and encourage the voices of women to narrow the gender disparity. Findings showed that the inclusion of women in the Yemeni curriculum could have the following three critical impacts: inspiring the minds of both boys and girls, developing girls? self-esteem, and empowering young women leaders. Recommendations included a revision and development of the current Yemeni curriculum so that it features both males and females as equal citizens and encouraging greater public awareness of the value of women?s experience in the development of the country. This may help to build a sense of equality and social justice.

This qualitative research study explored perceptions of academic resilience among teachers and twelfth grade adolescent girls. Specifically, how students and teachers believe teachers promote academic resilience in students, the characteristics of academically resilient students according to students and teachers, and the characteristics of academically non-resilient students according to teachers. The relationship between the general comments made during student focus group sessions and the students’ responses on the Locus of Control (LOC) survey were analyzed.

Qualitative data were collected including teacher interviews, student focus groups, Implicit Theories of Intelligence Scales for teachers and students as well as the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Survey for students.

Findings indicated that teachers and students both reported teachers who were flexible and provided extra help sessions for students promoted academic resilience. It also was reported by teachers and students that developing personal relationships with students helped to promote academic resilience. Teachers and students reported similar characteristics of academically resilient students. Characteristic behaviors of academic resilient students were identified as having ambition or being motivated to be successful. Having a positive attitude and having the ability to be reflective also were identified as characteristic of academic resilience. Finally, teachers and students agreed that having a strong internal locus of control is characteristic of academic resilience.

The following study sought to explore transformative changes in self-esteem, self-perception of dance ability, and expressions of spirituality that may occur when adolescent girls not only participate in classical ballet classes, but also learn in a teaching model emphasizing compassion encouragement discipline technique. This study performed a pre and posttest using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the dance subscale of Vispoel's Arts Self-Perception Inventory (ASPI), and MacDonald's short version of the Expressions of Spirituality Inventory (ESI) on 27 adolescent girls ages 14 through 19 randomly divided into 2 even groups, comparison and experimental, who participated in a 5-week classical ballet course. Both groups were taught by the researcher. The comparison group was taught in a traditional dance instructor style paying most attention to the execution of the participants' steps and dance combination performance rather than any internal changes. The experimental group received the researcher-developed Compassion Encouragement Discipline Technique. Results of the pre and posttests of each of the inventories were compared and analyzed via an analysis of variance and discussed to explore the efficacy of this pedagogical style. Quantitative results indicated no statistical significance on standardized assessments measuring their self-esteem, arts (dance) self-perception, or expressions of spirituality. However, researcher observed differences in the comparison and experimental group were noted and discussed. Because transpersonal psychology allows for emotional transformation, this study contributes to furthering transpersonal literature by acknowledging the potential impact of student/teacher rapport in the compassion and empowerment-based teaching of classical ballet to adolescent girls.

The 21st century has seen a pervasive theme in STEM continue from the 20^th century: women do not pursue and persist in STEM careers at anywhere near the rate of men. Furthermore, STEM education has fallen short in preparing its students to enter the workforce as entrepreneurial knowledge workers prepared to innovate. As STEM and entrepreneurship receive unprecedented attention in scholarly circles, the first purpose of this mixed methods study at an independent day school was to examine the impact of a predominately female STEEM (i.e., science, technology, engineering, entrepreneurship and mathematics) teaching staff on girls’ perceptions of STEEM. The second purpose of this study was to examine the impact of adding entrepreneurship to a STEM curriculum. The ultimate goals of this study were to inform local policy and practice.

Through teacher interviews, student focus groups, and a student survey, this study investigated the impact of female teachers and a recently established entrepreneurship-infused curriculum. The theory of action guiding this school is that female STEEM teachers and the inclusion of entrepreneurship skills and projects can improve girls’ perceptions of the STEM classroom, helping them to view STEM as less gender-oriented (i.e., male-oriented), and thereby make these classes feel more welcoming to girls. This is aimed at increasing their adoption of STEM majors in college and STEM careers after they graduate.

This study has four major findings. First, the predominantly female STEEM faculty appeared to build girls’ confidence in their STEEM classes. Second, the STEEM teachers use active learning and critical thinking to engage the girls in their classes. Third, the introduction of entrepreneurship appears to have helped increase girls’ interest in STEM. Last, even while discussing their efforts to increase girls’ engagement with STEM, many teachers celebrate gender blindness.

These findings raised a number issues that should be important educators and (especially) school leaders. These include the importance of high standards for girls in STEEM classes, the value of including real world experiences in STEEM lessons, the success of expanding STEM with a less traditionally academic area and the challenges that gender blindness can perpetuate for educators and their students.

This qualitative study explored the experiences and insights of four alumnae from a girls’ after-school writing program and the program’s transformative impact on development of their literacy, their voice, and their confidence. The writing program, InkGirls (a pseudonym), was for girls of color ages 13 to 18 who lived in metropolitan Los Angeles. Participants attended high-density public schools located in low-income neighborhoods. Curriculum and instructional practices in such public schools have been critiqued as substandard, rote, and lacking opportunities for critical thinking and student voice (Darder, 2015). Gender bias in the classroom, and the lack of representation of women of color in instructional materials also have been legitimate concerns in U.S. public schooling (Sadker, Sadker, & Zittleman, 2009).

Using a theoretical framework of critical pedagogy (Freire, 2000) and critical feminist pedagogy (Weiler, 1988), this qualitative study investigated practices of critical literacy (Christensen, 2009) in the writing program that promoted development of literacy and voice and elevated the critical consciousness and social agency of the participants. The program’s elements of critical literacy included studying relatable texts, reading from critical perspectives, writing personal narratives, and completing social action projects in public readings for a live audience. The findings from the program’s curriculum and public readings, and the perceptions of the former participants pointed to critical literacy as an effective approach to literacy instruction and development of voice and agency