Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted What are the challenges and facilitators facing Middle Eastern paramedics during their PhD journey? A phenomenological approach, qualitative study design.(Monash University, 2024-07-22) Alotaibi, Yousef Ayidh; Bowles, Kelly; Shannon, BrendanAbstract Aim This study aims to understand the lived experiences of paramedics from the Middle East during their PhD studies in paramedicine, to provide insights that can help universities and policymakers offer better support, potentially improving retention rates and creating a more inclusive academic environment for all international students. Methods In this study, participants were enrolled through purposive sampling method. We conducted a qualitative reflexive thematic analysis, using an inductive coding technique at the semantic/explicit level. This approach allowed us to detect themes from the participants’ reports of the PhD life internationally including its challenges and facilitators. Results Data was collected from 9 participants studying or graduated from PhD in paramedicine. Four themes were produced: (1) Importance of collaboration, which emphasises how crucial teamwork and collaboration are for the success of PhD studies in paramedicine; (2) a balancing act, which captures the personal challenges and experiences of paramedicine PhD students, especially those who move to a new country for their studies; (3) having a reason, where the personal reasons behind pursuing a PhD in paramedicine are explored in depth; and (4) lack of paramedicine expertise, exploring the lack of expertise in paramedicine within academic and research settings perceived by participants as well as a lack of Paramedic specific research training programs. These themes reveal the importance of the lived experiences of Middle Eastern paramedics in their PhDs. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of exploring the PhD journey in paramedicine. These findings can inform institutions and supervisors can enhance the PhD journey for Middle Eastern paramedics by implementing targeted support and mentorship programs, expanding postgraduate programs in paramedicine, and ultimately enhancing the overall experience for international students. Keywords PhD, Paramedicine, qualitative, Middle Eastern, challenges, lived experiences Corresponding Author: Yousef Alotaibi, Department of Paramedicine, Monash University – Peninsula Campus, PO Box 527, McMahons Road, Frankston, Victoria 3199, Australia. Yousef.Alotaibi@Monash.edu51 0Item Restricted Saudi PhD Sojourners’ Construction of Identities on Twitter: An Exploratory Study in the United Kingdom(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-11-23) Almesfer, Badryah Khaled; Satar, Muge; Brandt, AdamThis thesis provides insights into international students' online discursive construction of their identities on social media. Social media platforms have become part of the daily lives of many people. For international students, they are perhaps even more so as they are used for educational and social purposes, as well as staying in contact with family and friends at home. They are also an important way of portraying identity. Increasing numbers of students pursue university studies abroad, but little attention has been paid to how they construct and develop their international identities on social platforms, as existing research has focused primarily on pedagogical uses of technology or intercultural competence. This study explored how a group of Saudi international PhD students constructed their identities online on one of the most popular social media platforms, Twitter, while studying in the United Kingdom. It employed online ethnographic observation of Saudi PhD sojourners’ profiles and tweets on Twitter from May 2019 to January 2020, followed by interviews. The data were analysed thematically, informed by the grounded theory approach. The findings showed that the participants developed multiple identities on Twitter – PhD, global, religious and national – reflecting complex perceptions of capital, power and social identity. Their construction entailed idioms of practice, the use of linguistic and non-linguistic cues, forming communities of practice through audience design and demonstrating affiliation with various groups using hashtags. The participants illustrated how identities can be constructed online and highlighted the importance of undertaking a PhD both socially and professionally. Their interactions on Twitter also showed that the study abroad experience can be enriching in terms of intercultural communication and developing a global perspective. The study concludes that social media can be used as an effective resource for communication by students in making personal and academic representations.10 0