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Self-Perceptions of Leadership by Mexican American Women
No full textThis study attempted to contribute to research regarding successful Mexican American women entrepreneurs by highlighting the issues that they faced in becoming successful.
There is a growing trend of Mexican American women entrepreneurs in the Southwest United States. Currently 2.6% of Mexican American women own businesses, and 5.6% of all women are self-employed business owners. This study attempted to contribute to research regarding successful Mexican American women entrepreneurs by highlighting the issues that they faced in becoming successful. The study addressed the following research questions: How do the Mexican American women in this study perceive their leadership, given their cultural influence as Mexican Americans, in becoming successful entrepreneurs? What characteristics do they perceive as integral in becoming successful entrepreneurs? An interpretive qualitative methodology, with semi-structured interviews, was designed to collect data from 10 Mexican American women entrepreneurs. The underlying framework of the study was Likert\u27s theory on four leadership styles for effective management. This theory has been utilized in prior management studies, making it a good fit for the research given that the intent of the study was to focus on Mexican American women entrepreneurs who are owners of their own businesses. The framework facilitated the researcher\u27s exploration of the self-perceptions of these entrepreneurs, based upon their responses in the study interviews. The findings revealed the following common themes in the experiences of the women entrepreneurs: (a) The beginnings, (b) Turning Points, (c) Entrepreneurial spirit, and (d) Protective factors. The research also revealed that the women perceived their leadership, given their cultural influence as Mexican Americans, as influenced by a desire for personal growth and life struggles which persuaded them to become entrepreneurs. The characteristics which appeared integral to their success as entrepreneurs included being strong independent women, risk takers, and participatory leaders
Graduate Faculty Perceptions of Experiential Learning Activities in Multicultural Classrooms
No full textThe purpose of this study was to explore graduate professors\u27 perspectives in using experiential learning activities in a multicultural classroom setting.
Current graduate programs employ many effective teaching methods. One of these methods, using experiential learning activities (Lee & Caffarella, 1994) in class, includes the subcomponents of cooperative learning, self-directed learning, and active learning. While these methods are commonly used, not much scholarly literature has examined the perceptions of graduate faculty regarding the methods\u27 usefulness. The purpose of this study was to explore graduate professors\u27 perspectives in using experiential learning activities in a multicultural classroom setting. This study used classroom observations, interview questions, and the review of course documents as the three main research instruments to discover and understand professors\u27 viewpoints on experiential learning activities. The study found that professors\u27 teaching activities should (a) be well planned, (b) use multiple activities for different subject teaching and learning, (c) involve a positive climate with good teaching attitudes, and (d) include multiple opportunities for sharing the experiences of both professors and students. The research offers a synthesis model for effective teaching of graduate students in multicultural classroom settings as well as recommendations for teaching international students. The significance of the study lies in understanding professors\u27 perceptions of effective teaching practices in multicultural classrooms and in motivating practitioners to adapt their teaching practices
Sex and the City: A Promotion of Modern American Feminism
Get PDFThe television series Sex and the City (SATC), has left a significant impact on American society. The show displays this revelation: American women today have many established cultures of equal worth in male dominated discourses. This thesis explains how the shows narrative represents and expands feminist ideology in America. By modernizing feminist discourses, SATC challenges televisual female representation on subject matters including motherhood, sexuality, marriage, gender identity, and family. Investigating its four protagonists - Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha - demonstrates how the narrative contributed to the social movement of feminism. Furthermore, with analyzing its construction and display since the show began airing, an evaluation of SATC\u27s realistic influence on American women may be considered
Participatory Development: An Investigation of In-Community Stakeholders\u27 Perceptions
No full textThe purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the in-community stakeholders\u27 perceptions of the participatory process in development projects.
Participatory approaches and methods have been justified as a prerequisite to, and a catalyst for, sustainable socioeconomic development. The process has been adopted and applied in a variety of development contexts by international development agencies. Participation entails the involvement of in-community stakeholders in the initiation, implementation, and evaluation of development interventions and policies that are designed to change their lives. Although many development agencies are increasingly adopting participatory processes for development, critics question whether popular participation is not another form of top-down approach to development that restricts participation to outside experts and local elites and keeps the beneficiaries of development projects in the abstract as socioeconomic indicators. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the in-community stakeholders\u27 perceptions of the participatory process in development projects. The study investigated women participants of the Bukoba Women\u27s Empowerment Association (BUWEA) in rural Tanzania. The study utilized the Freirean dialogical approach that begins from a deep respect and humility before the poor and oppressed people and a respect for their understanding of the world they inhabit. It considers their contributions no less important than the knowledge of the dominant groups. The study revealed that the women were aware of the participatory process and that the process, as initiated by the external stakeholders, had led to the success of many economic-development projects and created a sense of empowerment. As the participants reflected on what they perceived to be participation, their voices revealed a local contextual understanding of the participation process. The results further indicated that in order to have meaningful dialogue in development, it is important that the voices and knowledge of the rural poor are listened to and taken into account. The study concluded that when the rural poor are increasingly involved in the process of developing themselves at the various stages of development, capabilities and capacities are increased, which enable them to own and manage their destinies in collaboration with external stakeholders
Assessing the Need for Entrepreneurial Training at the Higher Educational Institutions in Ghana
No full textThis mixed methods study compared the entrepreneurship traits of students who had taken an entrepreneurship course and those who had not.
Collaboration among educational institutions, governments, and industries has had a significant economic impact in many countries. Keys to success in these collaborations have been environments provided by the government that are conducive to entrepreneurship and the industries\u27 contribution to experiential learning. In 2003 Ghana, responding to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Agenda for Poverty Reduction, had in her strategic plan the intent to introduce entrepreneurial training as an option for all courses of study at the higher educational institutions. This mixed methods study compared the entrepreneurship traits of students who had taken an entrepreneurship course and those who had not. The study showed that the strategy of offering entrepreneurial training at the higher educational institutions in Ghana is not only effective but also worth implementing and supporting it. In fact, it is worthy to be emulated by other countries in the sub region. Countries seeking economic growth and poverty reduction in the 21st century should consider including entrepreneurial training to develop the creative and innovative skills of their youth
A Narrative Inquiry Exploring How College Communication Professors Engage Students With Public Speaking Apprehensions
Get PDFThe purpose of this qualitative study was to discover how communication professors at four-year private universities help students who exhibit public speaking apprehension (PSA) learn to cope with their anxiety. The research was framed in the narrative inquiry paradigm, interviewing eight college communication professors about their experiences working with public speaking students. Each of the eight professors worked at private universities in a large southwest metropolitan city. The researcher attempted to gather critical incidents that shed light on valuable learning experiences that could be useful to professors looking for ways to help reduce their students\u27 PSA. The researcher found three common themes embedded in the interviews: (a) meeting with students individually and establishing relationships with them; (b) building community and trust in the classroom; and (c) placing less emphasis on grades. Each of the common themes contributed in one way or another to the critical incident that shaped the professor\u27s teaching perspective. Although the purposeful sample was limited in size it revealed that Communication Orientation Motivation (COM) Therapy and systematic desensitization can both be useful treatment techniques for students willing to improve their public speaking ability. Findings revealed that professors were able to change an apprehensive student\u27s perspective by focusing on public speaking as a communicative effort rather than a performance. The study offers recommendations for professors engaged with students at all levels of education in addressing this issue
Women in Leadership: Factors That Affect the Achievement of Women in Higher Education Administration at Four-Year Public and Private Universities in Texas
No full textThe purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the factors that affect women administrators in higher education at four-year public and private universities in Texas. By comparing private and public universities, the research provided an assessment of similarities and differences of the factors impacting achievement of women in higher education. This study surveyed (N = 288) female administrators in higher education, who are currently working in private and public institutions of higher learning. Family and educational factors were examined with descriptive and inferential analysis. A chi-square statistical procedure indicated significant association between private and public four year universities and certain factors impacting women achievement in higher education. The study added to the framework of literature and presented an understanding of the nature of the field of women administrators in higher education in Texas. Results confirmed that women administrators at four-year public and private universities in Texas have significant demographics differences. However, they had similar factors that impacted their achievement as women administrators. The important factors that most affected women administrators included educational level, higher education teaching experience, and not having children. There was a strong positive relationship between the participants mother earning a four-year degree and the participants father earning a four-year degree (r = .55, significance level = .000). Since the variables were found to be significant, mother and father earning a four-year degree was a factor that affects women in becoming administrators