For my practicum experience I chose, with the help of Dr. Brenda Marina, to conduct an educational research study. I must admit, I didn't know what I was getting myself in to! Given my fascination with different cultures, coupled with my moving to the Middle East, I was handed a unique research opportunity. I chose to explore how Islam affects a female educator's experiences within the higher education realm. In a culture dominated by men, the notorious "glass ceiling" is extremely low and hard to break through for women in the Middle East. In order to understand the struggles and successes women experiences in this culture, I will be interviewing female faculty members and administrators from the Royal University for Women, the country's lone female-only university (http://www.ruw.edu.bh/). As I prepared to interview the female educators, I found it quite interesting that the Dean of General Education, a man, would be organizing and picking the participants for my study.
But, before I could begin my research, I had to go through a lengthy and arduous process of being approved by the IRB. After submitting the application and its many supporting documents, I had to wait--and wait I did. And anxiously waited even more. Turns out, the websites aren't the only things here that are censored; it seems that my email gets filtered for me. After several failed attempts for the IRB to contact me, Dr. Marina was finally able to pass on even more supporting documents to fill out. Apparently, research in a foreign country has many more hurdles to overcome than research stateside!
With graduation less than a month away, I have chosen to continue my research after this semester ends. Hurdles such as the lengthy IRB process, the holy month of Ramadan, and the two holy holidays of Eid have sidelined my interview and research process. As I prepare to begin my interviews in the upcoming weeks, I am excited at the prospect of lifting the veil on a culture that many people do not know about or understand. I'll keep you updated!
Introduction Letter
Dear Educator:
My name is Jessica Summers, and I am a graduate student enrolled in the Masters Higher Education Administration program at Georgia Southern University. I am the researcher for a project topic involving the phenomenon of the lived experiences of women educators of diverse backgrounds. I am inviting you to participate in this study as an educator and leader in your discipline.
The purpose of this letter is to request your consent in gathering the necessary information for my study. Your experiences can be critical to the study, and this session should only take approximately one hour out of your busy schedule to allow me to interview you. The purpose of this study is to describe and understand the lived experiences of several women educators who will give rich descriptions of the various aspects of their work lives including resilience and obstacles in educational leadership. Upon approval from IRB, I, the researcher will contact the females that verbally indicated interest in this study. The female educators who consent to participate in an in-depth interview will be sign the consent form before the interview session begins. The researcher will then lead the interviews.
Participation in this research will include completion of one face to face interview that may take up to one hour. This may include a few follow up questions that may be answered by phone or email. Not only will I be taking sporadic notes during the interview session, but I will also be tape recording the session to insure accuracy and to allow me the opportunity to listen and respond to your comments. All interview tapes will be securely stored in my office. You may review transcriptions for any inaccuracies that may be present and you will be referred to by pseudonym to assure your anonymity in any publication. The target time frame for the interviews is between September and November 2010.
Participation in the interviews is voluntary, and respondents may choose not to respond to any questions that they do not wish to answer. There is no penalty for deciding not to participate in the study. As such, this project presents minimal risk to participants. Answering the interview questions should not adversely affect the participants. Once the study has been completed, all transcriptions will be held in a lock box separate from the individual consent form. Ultimately, email addresses, consent forms, tape recordings, notes from the interview, and transcriptions will be discarded by the researcher. There are no physical or financial risks known in this study.
One benefit for participants is that they will explore special concerns for female educators in leadership roles. Also, participants will be able to clarify for themselves the different factors that may impact women in education. Society will benefit from this research, as the results will supplement literature on females of diverse backgrounds in educational leadership roles in India.
Thank you for your consideration for this study. If you have any questions regarding this research study, you may contact me at (973) 3940-3931 or at js05550@georgiasouthern.edu, or the faculty advisor on this study, Dr. Brenda Marina, at bmarina@georgiasouthern.edu. The coordinator or the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the Office of Research Services and Sponsored Programs, 912-478-0843, may also be of assistance should you have any questions regarding your rights as a research participant. Again, thank you for your time.
You must be 18 years of age or older to consent to participate in this research study. If you consent to participate in this research study and to the terms above, you will be given a copy of this consent form to keep for your records.
Title of Project: The Lived Experiences of Women in Education in Bahrain
Principal Investigator:
Jessica Marie Summers
Villa 322
Road 906
Hidd, Area 109
Manama, Bahrain
(973) 3940-3931
Faculty Advisor: (Dr. Brenda Marina, P. O. Box 8131, College of Education, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia 30360-8131, 912-478-5600, bmarina@georgiasouthern.edu)
Thank you in advance for your consideration and support!
Jessica Marie Summers
Sample Interview Questions
We would like to learn how women of diversity fare in higher education and other leadership positions. Your responses will help shape our understanding and shed light on how women of diversity challenge stereotypes and succeed in a world wherein they are minority and may face discrimination. Please respond to all or any of the statements below. Thank you.
1) Please share with us your cultural or ethnic background.
2) Why did you pursue a career in higher education / or your career in a leadership position?
3) Please share with us your position in higher education/ or your career in a leadership position.
4) What role did your family play in your decision to pursue a career in higher education/ or your career in a leadership position?
5) What role did education play in your decision to pursue a career in higher education/ or your career in a leadership position?
6) What other factors played a role in your decision to pursue a career in higher education/ or your career in a leadership position?
7) What are ways in which your employer can serve your needs as a professional?
8) What are ways in which your colleagues can serve your needs as a professional with an ethnic or cultural background different from theirs?
9) What advice would you give a young woman in her pursuit of a career in higher education/ or your career in a leadership position?
10) Would you do anything different?
1) Please share with us your cultural or ethnic background.
2) Why did you pursue a career in higher education / or your career in a leadership position?
3) Please share with us your position in higher education/ or your career in a leadership position.
4) What role did your family play in your decision to pursue a career in higher education/ or your career in a leadership position?
5) What role did education play in your decision to pursue a career in higher education/ or your career in a leadership position?
6) What other factors played a role in your decision to pursue a career in higher education/ or your career in a leadership position?
7) What are ways in which your employer can serve your needs as a professional?
8) What are ways in which your colleagues can serve your needs as a professional with an ethnic or cultural background different from theirs?
9) What advice would you give a young woman in her pursuit of a career in higher education/ or your career in a leadership position?
10) Would you do anything different?
Practicum/EDLD 8735
-Were there any areas in which you wish you had more content knowledge or skills to better perform in your practicum?
-There are two specific areas that I would have liked to had more knowledge in before I began my practicum. The first area would be the IRB application process. For the majority of this semester I have been working on getting my practicum approved by the IRB. Because my research is international, I have to go through the full review board instead of the expedited review board like Dr. Marina and I had previously thought. Also, because it is international research, there are additional components and questionnaires that needed to be done. Dr. Marina and I have agreed to continue the research beyond the end of this semester. My review board is tomorrow, so here's hoping!
The second thing that I wish I had more content knowledge in is the Muslim culture. Because the culture is so different than what I have previously been exposed to, it has taken some getting used to. One cultural difference that I wish I had been more prepared for is their concept of time. Although I may give someone here a time line of two weeks, the attitude is very "we'll get to it when we get to it." By increasing my knowledge it will help me to better anticipate problems and quickly come up with solutions. I have been trying to educate myself on Muslim culture, but nothing truly prepares you for it until you are in it and exposed to it!
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