Artie test

229 Pages·2014·23.57 MB·English

by  Zuzu Milfort

Fachbereich Erziehungswissenschaft und Psychologie
Der Freien Universitat Berlin

Studying in the Desert of Saudi Arabia:
A Portrait of Aja Women in Hail

Dissertation
zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades
Doktor(in) der Philosophie (Dr. phil.)
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Zuzana Milfort

Berlin, 2014
Erstgutacher: Prof. Dr. Christop Wulf, Freie University Berlin

Zweitgutacherin: Prof. Dr. Petra Wieler, Freie University Berlin

Date of the viva voce/ defense: Berlin, 30. June 2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the people involved during
the entire realization of this work. A special mention to my Doctoral Supervisor
Professor Christoph Wulf, for allowing me this great opportunity and providing
me with your guidance. Another special mention needs to go out to all my
friends and family who constantly provided assistance and encouragement.
After a number of years in Hail, I would like to thank all my past students and
colleagues for allowing me the chance to experience your culture, life style,
and ambitions. I wish I could personally thank each individual for his or her
participation. I hope that one day all your hard work will allow your dreams to
come true, or at very least pave the way for your daughters, their daughters,
and generations to come.

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ABSTRACT.

The grandparents of many female students at Hail University lived (and few
still do) in traditional Bedouin tents eking out a harsh nomadic existence. Their
children are striving for a better lifestyle, higher earning opportunities, and a
more comfortable existence, such as running water and electricity, and this
has interrupted the centuries-old way of life. Forty years on, the Bedouin
mentality still remains with some our University of Hail (UOH) students, while
some are beginning to question this traditional way of life.

The problem is that even with the advent of rapid technological and media
changes, the girls continue to maintain a Bedouin mind set, and are still seen
by men as mere possessions, fourth on their list after the car, house and job. It
remains a rarity for a woman’s opinion to be sought, let alone listened to.

The objective of this study is to research female students at Hail University in
order to understand the impact of a Westernized education system within their
culture, and how this affects their lives.

The aim for this research is knowledge development. Obtaining and analysing
the necessary information as ELC (English Learning Centre) director at Hail
University could prove valuable in the development of this university and the
general Saudi Arabian educational system.

With a high demand for foreign lecturers this information can be used to inform
potential and new lecturers of the rapid change and development seen over
the past few decades, as well as to provide more insight into the secret and
protected private lives of the students.

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TABLE.OF.CONTENTS.
Acknowledgements ......................................................................................... 1!
Abstract ............................................................................................................ 2!
Table of Contents ............................................................................................ 3!
List of Tables .................................................................................................... 5!
List of Figures .................................................................................................. 6!
Chapter 1 Introduction .................................................................................... 7!
Chapter 2 Aims and objectives .................................................................... 10!
Objectives ............................................................................................................... 13!
Chapter 3 Background Information ............................................................. 18!
3.1 Country And City Profile ................................................................................... 20!
3.2 The University Campus And Facilities .............................................................. 24!
3.3 The Students and Teachers ............................................................................. 31!
3.4 Living Conditions .............................................................................................. 41!
Chapter 4 Literature Review ......................................................................... 47!
4.1 Education .......................................................................................................... 49!
4.2 Segregation ...................................................................................................... 59!
4.3 Women in society ............................................................................................. 61!
4.4 Marriage ............................................................................................................ 66!
4.5 Foreigners ......................................................................................................... 68!
4.6 Previous research ............................................................................................. 69!
Chapter 5 Methodology ................................................................................. 70!
5.1 Research Design .............................................................................................. 72!
5.2 Secondary Data ................................................................................................ 77!
5.3 Primary Data ..................................................................................................... 82!
5.4 Method 1 – Questionnaire ................................................................................ 83!
5.5 Method 2 – Interview ........................................................................................ 96!
5.6 Method 3 – Observation ................................................................................. 103!
5.7 Ethics In Research .......................................................................................... 105!
Chapter 6 Analysis and Findings ............................................................... 111!
6.1 The characteristics of the respondents ........................................................... 114!
6.2 The characteristics of the respondents' families and friends .......................... 123!
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6.3 The reasons for the respondents going to university ...................................... 130!
6.4 The respondents' experiences at university ................................................... 137!
6.5 The respondents' perceptions of Western teachers ....................................... 150!
6.6 The respondents’ interactions with teachers .................................................. 155!
6.7 The perceived influence of the teachers on the students ............................... 159!
6.8 Respondents' beliefs about their future .......................................................... 165!
6.9 What are the theoretical implications of the findings? .................................... 171!
6.10 Can the findings be used to develop plans for future research? .................. 179!
6.11 Interview Analysis ......................................................................................... 182!
6.12 Teachers’ perspective ................................................................................... 194!
6.13 Observations ................................................................................................. 196!
Chapter 7 Conclusion .................................................................................. 202!
Chapter 8 Recommendations ..................................................................... 213!
Recommendation for the students: ....................................................................... 214!
Recommendation for the teachers: ....................................................................... 217!
Recommendations for the compound: .................................................................. 219!
References ................................................................................................... 222!
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LIST.OF.TABLES.

Table 1. – Objectives and Research Questions 12

Table 2. – The Number of students at public schools 52

Table 3. – Qualitative Research Type 75

Table 4. – Socio-demographic and contextual characteristics of the respondents 114

Table 5. – Students at a Bachelor Level Hail University 116

Table 6. – Home responsibilities of the respondents 119

Table 7. – Characteristics of the respondents' families 124

Table 8. – Characteristics of the respondents' friends 128

Table 9. – Reasons why the respondents went to university 131

Table 10. – Respondents' experiences at university 137

Table 11. – Respondents' perceptions about the use of English 144

Table 12. – Respondents' experiences of absence from class 147

Table 13. – Respondents' perceptions of Western teachers 150

Table 14. – Respondents' perceived interactions with teachers 155

Table 15. – Teachers' perceived influence on students 159

Table 16. – Respondents’ beliefs about their futures 165

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LIST.OF.FIGURES.

Figure 1. – Map of Saudi Arabia 19

Figure 2. – Number of students by gender and education stage 21

Figure 3. – Hail City Roofline 23

Figure 4. – Hail City Suburbia 23

Figure 5. – Classroom in the old campus 26

Figure 6. – The new offices for teachers 28

Figure 7. – Courtyard inside the new campus where students can socialise 35

Figure 8. – The modern and new hallways that line the new campus 40

Figure 9. – The compound from the mountains 43

Figure 10. – The compound from the mountains with Hail City in the distance 43

Figure 11. – Accommodation for single teachers, with mountains in the background 46

Figure 12. – The view from one of the windows looking at the barbed-wired wall 46

Figure 13. – The new Hail campus, during the finishing stages of construction 58

Figure 14. – Women in Hail shopping and waiting between prayer times 107

Figure 15. – The compound from another vantage point 108

Figure 16. – The mountains after the rain with the compound in the foreground 108

Figure 17. – A Saudi student 109

Figure 18. – Another view of Hail 109

Figure 19. – A young boy sits behind the wheel waiting for his sister 110

Figure 20. – Another view of the boy waiting to drive his sister home 110

Figure 21. – Responsibilities if not studying 121

Figure 22. – Why The Participants Study 132

Figure 23. – Does anyone help you with your schoolwork and studies? 142

Figure 24. – Frequency distribution of the Perceptions of Western Teachers scale 154

Figure 25. – Frequency distribution of the Interactions with Teachers scale 158

Figure 26. – Frequency distribution of the Teachers' Influence on Students scale 164
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CHAPTER.1.INTRODUCTION.

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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has gone on a spending spree, investing
billions of dollars to better educate the younger generations of Saudi Arabia.
There are new universities being built throughout the Kingdom, with the aim of
achieving international recognition as an academically emerging power.

The KSA, currently has approximately 28% of the population below the age of
15, this means there is a predicated bubble in the number of students who will
attend university and other educational facilities. In order to manage and cope
with all the students, a significant number of foreign academics and teachers
are hired to assist in accomplishing this objective.

This investigation will aid in providing an insight, not only at an indigenous
level, but more importantly to foreign teachers and other bodies, in helping to
promote their understanding of what these young students are facing in their
daily lives, as Saudi Arabia moves towards its aim of becoming a more
educated, knowledge-based nation.

There are many problems and obstacles these young students must
overcome in order to gain an education, and even after obtaining their degree
there are even more challenges that they need to face and overcome. The
research will address tribal and family issues as well as cultural obstacles
which these students and young women must face every day.

The recent development for young women to gain a higher education has not
been met with open arms. For a culture where women usually have a stay-at-
home role, the new opportunity is changing these women’s perception and
ideals. Women who just cared about marriage are now trying to plan a career,
and can see the importance of education not only for their generation but also
for future generations.

These universities are where they will often experience their first and last
encounter with someone from the west. With no prior knowledge and only
using basic stereo-types, these women become very vulnerable as they are
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