scholarly journals Integrating SDGs in Higher Education—Case of Climate Change Awareness and Gender Equality in a Developing Country According to RMEI-TARGET Strategy

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3101
Author(s):  
Mona Nabil Demaidi ◽  
Khaled Al-Sahili
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Active Member ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
And Gender

Universities play an essential role in spreading climate change awareness. However, slight information on climate change and environmental issues had been integrated into the curricula. Moreover, minimal research had been carried out to understand university role in spreading awareness, and students level of awareness and daily behaviour towards climate change, especially in developing countries. This paper aims to investigate the aforementioned issues. An experimental study was carried out on 448 undergraduate students enrolled at An-Najah National University Palestine. The study aimed to examine students’ knowledge and daily behaviour towards climate change, and the important role the university and students’ societies play in terms of spreading and enhancing awareness. The results revealed that female and male students had a non satisfactory interest level in environmental topics and activities, and gender equality did not seem to be an issue. Moreover, female students tend to have a significantly lower level of awareness on climate change compared to male students. On the other hand, being an engineering students or a member in students’ societies had a positive impact on students’ level of awareness and especially females. The results revealed that female students who are enrolled in the engineering faculty or members of students’ societies had a significantly higher level of awareness compared to female students who are enrolled in other faculties or not members of students’ societies. In general, students had a low level of awareness regardless of gender or faculty and universities should offer undergraduate students and especially female students’ opportunities to learn more about climate change by integrating climate change topics into higher education. Moreover, universities should support extracurricular activities held by student societies, and some of these activities should be directed towards environmental and climate change issues. This study entails the activities of the Mediterranean Gender Equality Community of Practice co-created by the Mediterranean Network of Engineering Schools (RMEI), where An-Najah University is an active member, with the support of the EU TARGET project entitled ’Taking a reflexive approach to gender equality at Institutional transformation’.

scholarly journals Exploring the content of instrumental lessons and gender relations in Australian higher education

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Zhukov
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Educational Setting ◽  
Applied Music ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Female Teachers ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Lesson Content ◽  
And Gender

This observational study analysed the lesson content of 24 instrumental lessons (piano, strings and winds) using a gender-balanced sample (equal numbers of male/female teachers and students) from five Australian higher education institutions to ascertain the priorities of topics in advanced applied music lessons in the Western Classical tradition. The results were analysed according to gender to determine differences of approach between male and female teachers and male and female students. Same-gender and different-gender pairings were also considered. Technique was found to be of the greatest importance, followed by Articulation and Expression. Some gender differences have emerged between the teachers, with the male teachers tending towards a more analytical approach and the female teachers adopting more balanced lesson content. The treatment of students showed some divergence, with greater emphasis on Expression in the lessons of female students, whereas the male students studied more Structure. The results demonstrate stereotypical gender behaviour among the teachers and towards their students not previously observed in this educational setting.

scholarly journals What Motivates Students to Study Engineering? A Comparative Study between Males and Females in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 147
Author(s):  
Wafa Labib ◽  
Amal Abdelsattar ◽  
Yasser Ibrahim ◽  
Abdelhakim Abdelhadi
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Considerable Effect ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Engineering Majors ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Engineering Programs

Motivation to study engineering in undergraduate study is of great importance to students. It encourages undergraduate students to enroll in an engineering program and continue their studies without dropping out. Male students enroll in engineering programs with large numbers compared to female students in many parts of the world. In Saudi Arabia, there were limited engineering programs for female students. In this research, the motivation to study engineering is studied and compared between male and female students in the College of Engineering at Prince Sultan University, the first private university in Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted through a detailed survey distributed to 41 male engineering management students and 45 female architectural engineering students. These students’ performance and experience were considered and compared considering their gender to evaluate their persistence toward engineering study. According to the results obtained, the highest degree of the parents had a considerable effect on the selection of engineering major for male and female students. Most surveyed male and female students select an engineering major because of its positive impact on the community and its role in improving the way of life. Male students may differ in that they considered engineering in order to start their own business after graduation with a higher percentage compared to female students. There was a very limited role of the school in selecting engineering majors according to the surveyed male and female students. This role should be enhanced and utilized to encourage more female students to consider engineering majors in their college study.

scholarly journals What Lies Beneath: The Role of Self-Efficacy, Causal Attribution Habits, and Gender in Accounting for the Success of College Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 333
Author(s):  
Kerstin Hamann ◽  
Maura A. E. Pilotti ◽  
Bruce M. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Causal Attribution ◽  
The United States ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Course Grades ◽  
Success In Higher Education ◽  
And Gender

Existing research has identified gender as a driving variable of student success in higher education: women attend college at a higher rate and are also more successful than their male peers. We build on the extant literature by asking whether specific cognitive variables (i.e., self-efficacy and causal attribution habits) distinguish male and female students with differing academic performance levels. Using a case study, we collected data from students enrolled in a general education course (sample size N = 400) at a large public university in the United States. Our findings indicate that while students’ course grades and cumulative college grades did not vary by gender, female and male students reported different self-efficacy and causal attribution habits for good grades and poor grades. To illustrate, self-efficacy for female students is broad and stretches across all their courses; in contrast, for male students, it is more limited to specific courses. These gender differences in cognition, particularly in accounting for undesirable events, may assist faculty members and advisors in understanding how students respond to difficulties and challenges.

scholarly journals Strategies-Based ESP Instruction (SBI) of Reading Comprehension: Male vs. Female Students

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 171
Author(s):  
Seyyed Hossein Kashef ◽  
Ayoob Damavand ◽  
Azizollah Viyani
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Reading Comprehension Instruction ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Method Of Instruction ◽  
Based Instruction ◽  
Age Range

The present study aimed at exploring the effect of a Strategies-Based Instruction (SBI) on improving male and female students' reading comprehension ability in an ESP context. The main assumption was that SBI would be more successful in developing reading comprehension of females compared to male students through using effective strategies and skills delivered in SBI method. The participants, within the age range of 18-22, included 24 male and 26 female students who were an intact experimental group. Following a pretest, treatment (15 weeks, 2 sessions per week), and a posttest, the obtained data was analyzed using ANOVA to examine the effects of the independent variables, namely, method of instruction and gender. The results of the analysis showed that although the teaching intervention had a significant effect on students' reading comprehension, gender’s effect was not significant. The findings are discussed in relation to effective reading comprehension instruction through the use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies in ESP teaching contexts.

scholarly journals Undergraduate Students’ Research and Information Skills Continue to Change in their Second Year

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 116
Author(s):  
Kimberly Miller
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Depth Interviews

A Review of: Hulseberg, A., & Twait, M. (2016). Sophomores speaking: An exploratory study of student research practices. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 23(2), 130-150. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10691316.2014.981907 Abstract Objective – To understand sophomore undergraduate students’ research practices. Design – Mixed methods online survey and participant interviews. Setting – A small liberal arts college in the Midwestern United States of America. Subjects – The sample consisted of 660 second-year students; 139 students responded to the survey (21% response rate). In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 of the 139 survey respondents. Methods – A 13-item survey was emailed to sophomore students during October 2012. To analyze the results, the authors and a library student intern developed a coding scheme to apply to open-ended survey questions. Survey respondents could also volunteer for in-depth interviews. A total of 50 survey respondents volunteered, and 14 were invited for in-depth interviews between December 2012 and January 2013. The interview protocol included open-ended questions about students’ research experiences. Students were also asked to identify and discuss one recent research project. Interviews were audio and video recorded; data from one interview was lost due to technology failure, resulting in data analysis of 13 interviews. Interview transcripts were coded by an anthropology doctoral student, the study authors, and a library student assistant. Main Results – The survey found that students completed fewer research projects and used fewer library resources as sophomores than they did as first-year students. For example, only 4.9% (n=7) of students reported completing zero research assignments in their first year, compared with 34.5% (n=48) in their second year. When asked if there were library resources or skills they wanted to know about sooner in their academic career, students’ top reply was “Nothing” (34.5%, n=48), followed by “Navigating the physical space” (15.8%, n=22), “Librarians/staff & reference desk” (11.5%, n=16), and “Effective searching & evaluating sources” (10.8%, n=15). Male and female students’ responses differed, with male students less likely overall to express interest in library resources. While 42.4% (n=59) of students replied that they would consult with a librarian for help with their research projects, this option ranked third after professors (83.5%, n=116) and peers (70.5%, n=98). Again, responses varied by gender, with female students (49.5%, n=49) more likely than male students (26.3%, n=10) to contact a librarian about a research project. Most interview participants replied that searching online, including library resources, was their research starting point. Students most often selected research topics, based on their interest, from a professor-approved list. Students identified “relevant content, familiarity . . . , and credibility” (p. 138) as important source evaluation characteristics. The majority of students also used library information sources in their research, including databases, research guides, and the catalogue. Students most often mentioned struggling with “finding sources/identifying keywords” (n=6) and “finding known items” (n=6). Unlike survey respondents, interview participants unanimously reported consulting with a librarian. Most students (n=11) received library instruction as first-year students, and some suggested that this instruction helped them feel comfortable asking for help. Finally, most students felt that their research habits improved from their first year to their second year, specifically with regards to “their research technique, improved confidence . . . and an expanded source horizon” (p. 143). Conclusion – The authors recommend continuing strong information literacy support to first-year students, as well as working with faculty members and other campus partners to promote reference services to sophomores. When compared to previous research, the current study reports a higher percentage of students seeking librarian assistance; however, because some students also reported confusion about when and how to ask for help, further analysis could explore how reference librarians capitalize on peer and faculty “referral networks” (p. 145). Finding that students face significant challenges early in the research process was consistent with previous research, and future study might reveal more about this specific phenomenon in sophomores. Interviews should also be extended to include students who are non-library users. Finally, the authors suggest that the findings provide no evidence of a “sophomore information literacy slump” (p. 146).

scholarly journals Quotas and Gender Competence: Independent or Complementary Approaches to Gender Equality?

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Wroblewski
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Cultural Change ◽  
Critical Discussion ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Female Representation ◽  
Paradoxical Situation ◽  
Short Period ◽  
And Gender

Austrian gender equality policy in higher education is characterized by the successful implementation of a comprehensive set of gender equality policies and persistent gender imbalances. After the introduction of a legal quota for university bodies, for instance, female representation in decision-making bodies increased significantly within a short period of time. However, this did not lead to a cultural change or the abolishment of barriers to women’s careers. Research has attributed this paradoxical situation to a lack of reflexivity because the current gender equality policies do not force institutions or individuals to challenge traditional practices, which are perceived to be merit-based and therefore gender neutral. To overcome this paradox, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science, and Research launched a policy process aimed at strengthening gender competence in all higher education processes—management, administration, teaching, and research. This paper provides a critical discussion of the Austrian quota regulation and its implementation. It also introduces the concept of gender competence and outlines the underlying assumptions as to why the new policy is expected to contribute to change. Following a critical reflection on these assumptions, the paper also discusses how existing steering instruments have to be adapted to support individual and institutional reflexivity.

scholarly journals Analyzing Descriptive Writing among Chinese Undergraduates According to Gender

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-26
Author(s):  
Qian CHEN ◽  
Subadrah Madhawa Nair
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Hunan Province ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Writing Ability ◽  
Writing Test ◽  
Descriptive Research ◽  
Descriptive Writing ◽  
Chinese Undergraduates

The aim of the study is to assess the Chinese undergraduate students’ EFL descriptive writing ability according to gender and to explore four EFL lecturers’ views on how to help students enhance their EFL descriptive writing. This study employed descriptive research design using the QUAN-qual model. A descriptive writing test was used as an instrument and the essays of the students were marked by a lecturer. Purposive sampling was used to select samples which consists of 400 Chinese undergraduate students (200 males and 200 females) from Hunan City University in Hunan Province, China. Before the actual study, the researcher carried out a pilot test to investigate the reliability and validity of the instrument (descriptive writing test). The results obtained from the quantitative data showed that female students outperformed male students in their overall writing as well as each component of the writing. In relation to students’ writing level, the lecturers emphasized that it is very crucial to utilize the Process Approach in class to enhance students’ vocabulary and grammar foundation. In addition, students are required to practice writing more frequently which can arouse their enthusiasm in learning English.

scholarly journals AN ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS OF GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT ISSUES IN THE ECONOMIC SECTOR IN MALAYSIA: AN ANALYSIS

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (22) ◽  
pp. 261-275
Author(s):  
Rahmawati Mohd Yusoff ◽  
Nadzrah Ahmad ◽  
Alizah Ali ◽  
Noraini Ismail ◽  
Ira Rozana Mohd Asri
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Islamic Law ◽  
Women's Empowerment ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Women’S Empowerment ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Economic Sector ◽  
Policy System ◽  
The Government

Statistics show that the number of female students enrolled in public universities is higher than male students. However, this scenario is very different from the involvement of women in the economic sector because the statistics of women's involvement in the economic sector are low and not as high as the statistics of female student enrollment to university. Therefore, this paper intends to examine the issue of gender equality and women's empowerment according to Islamic law and the situation in Malaysia. This paper will also analyse the factors that lead to the lack of women's involvement in the economic sector in Malaysia. The discussion adopts the qualitative research method by examining the issue according to the perspective of Islamic law as well as the perspective of law and the current situation in Malaysia. This paper finds that there is still no clear mechanism that should be implemented to address the issue of gender equality. Therefore, all parties including the government and employers must be more progressive in formulating a policy system that can address the issue of gender equality and women's empowerment. In the meantime, this study also suggests that the government should follow the recommendations by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) so that the issue of gender equality can be addressed immediately.

Towards a More Gender-Inclusive Climate Change Policy

2018 ◽  
pp. 354-369
Author(s):  
Farah Kabir
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Least Developed Countries ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Humanitarian Response ◽  
Change Policy ◽  
And Gender

Climate change is a reality, and poses a serious long term threat to society and to the environment. Much has been written on the negative effects of climate change across the globe focusing on the greater vulnerability of least developed countries and developing countries. Numerous studies back up the argument that “countries that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change tend to be poorer with a wider gender gap. In contrast, countries that rank high in environmental performance and gender equality, are among the richest nations of the world” (Samy, 2011, p. 100). Women are often denied of their basic rights due to discriminatory social practices and gender blind policies. Impacts of climate change affect life and livelihood of women, and diverse work responsibilities of women augment their exposure to climate hazards. Due to less access or rights to financial and productive resources, information and services that may help them cope with impacts of stresses and shocks, are not present as a result of the gaps in policies, development agendas, thus leaving women in a greater vulnerable condition. Primarily, these are the reasons slowing the progress on achieving overall gender equality. The objective of this paper is to look at the Post 2015 Arrangements. These are numerous international frameworks and agreements ie SFDRR, SDG and the Paris Agreement, that will determine sustainable development for humanitarian response and climate politics as well as policies for the next fifteen years. They focus on development from a climate change and gender equality point of view, in particular how the policies are enabling ‘gender equality', taking common but differentiated responsibilities, and equity, justice and fairness as principles.

Towards a More Gender-Inclusive Climate Change Policy

2018 ◽  
pp. 855-870
Author(s):  
Farah Kabir
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Least Developed Countries ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Humanitarian Response ◽  
Change Policy ◽  
And Gender

Climate change is a reality, and poses a serious long term threat to society and to the environment. Much has been written on the negative effects of climate change across the globe focusing on the greater vulnerability of least developed countries and developing countries. Numerous studies back up the argument that “countries that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change tend to be poorer with a wider gender gap. In contrast, countries that rank high in environmental performance and gender equality, are among the richest nations of the world” (Samy, 2011, p. 100). Women are often denied of their basic rights due to discriminatory social practices and gender blind policies. Impacts of climate change affect life and livelihood of women, and diverse work responsibilities of women augment their exposure to climate hazards. Due to less access or rights to financial and productive resources, information and services that may help them cope with impacts of stresses and shocks, are not present as a result of the gaps in policies, development agendas, thus leaving women in a greater vulnerable condition. Primarily, these are the reasons slowing the progress on achieving overall gender equality. The objective of this paper is to look at the Post 2015 Arrangements. These are numerous international frameworks and agreements i.e. SFDRR, SDG and the Paris Agreement, that will determine sustainable development for humanitarian response and climate politics as well as policies for the next fifteen years. They focus on development from a climate change and gender equality point of view, in particular how the policies are enabling ‘gender equality', taking common but differentiated responsibilities, and equity, justice and fairness as principles.

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