Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Unknown NAVIGATING BARRIERS: WOMEN'S CAREER ADVANCEMENT IN SAUDI ARABIA POST-VISION 2030(University of Birmingham, 2024-09) Bakadam, Lina; Cai, MinjieThis dissertation investigates the barriers to women’s career advancement in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in particular, within the context of economic and social changes driven by Vision 2030. The introduction highlights the importance of understanding these barriers as the Kingdom aims to empower its citizens and diversify the economy. The methodology chapter explains the systematic approach to extracting data, quality assessment, and thematic analysis of current literature, uncovering main themes to understand the career advancement of women. The findings emphasise the persistent challenges women encounter, which include cultural expectations, gender disparity, and a lack of support within the workplace. While there is a gradual improvement to empowerment, women remain challenged by a complex landscape of organisational and societal challenges. The discussion chapter integrates the findings with relevant theoretical frameworks, providing insights into recommendations for future research and practical implications targeting the enhancement of women’s role within Saudi society.19 0Item Unknown THE METAVERSE’S POTENTIAL TO REVITALISE HERITAGE TOURISM IN SAUDI ARABIA(Bournemouth University, 2024) Basri, Abdullah; Buhalis, DimitriosThis study aimed to assess the viability of the metaverse to revamp heritage tourism in Saudi Arabia. This aim was met through the fulfilment of five main objectives, including determining the impact of metaverse on heritage tourism in Saudi Arabia; evaluating its social and economic effects on heritage tourism and local communities; assessing its economic implications on tourism, revenue generation, and employment opportunities; identifying the main obstacles posed by metaverse tourism; and identifying the challenges and opportunities associated with metaverse tourism in a global context. A mixed-methods research methodology was adopted to synthesise in-depth evidence about the likelihood of metaverse revitalising heritage tourism in Saudi Arabia. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected and integrated from a sample of 57 participants, comprised of technology experts, heritage site managers, and tourists. Primary data was collected using semi structured interviews and structured questionnaires, and secondary data was obtained from statistical sites and reports on the economic viability of the metaverse. The findings demonstrate the critical role of the metaverse in revitalising heritage tourism in Saudi Arabia. A clear majority of participants believed that the metaverse is an effective tool for revolutionising heritage tourism and that it is easier to visit virtual heritage sites on the metaverse than physical sites. Responses associated the metaverse with the potential to democratise access to heritage sites and grow the tourism sector overall, which is in line with the secondary data and financial projections. Concerns about the technology’s low rate of adoption and its potential to disrupt the traditional tourism economy were also raised. Nevertheless, the results of the study revealed that with careful planning, metaverse technology has the potential to revolutionise Saudi Arabian heritage tourism. Keywords: Metaverse, heritage, tourism revitalising, tourism, virtual, economic, social, opportunities, challenges, tourists, inclusivity.53 0Item Unknown 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.edu42 0Item Restricted Teachers’ Perspectives on the Implementation of Continuous Assessment (CA) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Classes in Saudi Elementary School: A Qualitative Case Study(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-12-26) Alqahtani, Maram; Bloom, FennemaStarting from 2021/2022 academic year, the Saudi national government introduced English classes from the first grade of elementary school to improve the English proficiency levels of Saudi students. Notably, elementary school teachers rely on continuous assessment (CA) methods to evaluate their students’ learning. However, very few studies have looked at how elementary teachers employ CA in their English Classrooms to inform best practices. As such, the purpose of this study was to collect data on how Saudi elementary teachers used CA in their English classes to promote their students’ learning progress. This qualitative case study, involving 3 Saudi English teachers from different elementary schools, used 17 open-ended questions to collect data on CA practices, challenges, benefits, training, and construed beliefs in the Saudi context. The findings show that Saudi elementary teachers believed that using CA promoted their students’ learning progress and used a variety of CA methods to assess their students’ writing, speaking, listening, and reading skills. However, they faced a lot of challenges that impended their use of CA, including a high workload, lack of training, low motivation among students to learn English, inadequate resources, and the national English curriculum focus on paper assessments. These findings suggest that more needs to be done to support Saudi teachers in using CA in their classrooms. Therefore, it is recommended that more support be given to teachers in order to support their effort such as: providing in-service training, online courses and resources, and opportunities for teachers to discuss best practices with their experienced colleagues from other schools to improve their CA competency. بدءًا من العام الدراسي 2021/2022، قدمت الحكومة الوطنية السعودية دروس اللغة الإنجليزية من الصف الأول الابتدائي لتحسين مستويات إتقان اللغة الإنجليزية للطلاب السعوديين. والجدير بالذكر أن معلمي المدارس الابتدائية يعتمدون على أساليب التقييم المستمر (CA) لتقييم تعلم طلابهم. ومع ذلك، فقد بحث عدد قليل جدًا من الدراسات في كيفية توظيف معلمي المرحلة الابتدائية CA في فصول اللغة الإنجليزية الخاصة بهم لتوجيه أفضل الممارسات. على هذا النحو، كان الغرض من هذه الدراسة هو جمع بيانات حول كيفية استخدام المعلمين السعوديين للمرحلة الابتدائية CA في فصول اللغة الإنجليزية لتعزيز تقدم تعلم طلابهم. استخدمت دراسة الحالة النوعية هذه، التي شارك فيها 3 مدرسين سعوديين للغة الإنجليزية من مدارس ابتدائية مختلفة، 17 سؤالًا مفتوحًا لجمع بيانات حول ممارسات CA والتحديات والفوائد والتدريب والمعتقدات المفسرة في السياق السعودي. تظهر النتائج أن معلمي المرحلة الابتدائية السعوديين يعتقدون أن استخدام CA يعزز تقدم تعلم طلابهم ويستخدمون مجموعة متنوعة من أساليب CA لتقييم مهارات الكتابة والتحدث والاستماع والقراءة لدى طلابهم. ومع ذلك، فقد واجهوا الكثير من التحديات التي أعاقت استخدام CA، بما في ذلك عبء العمل الكبير، ونقص التدريب، وانخفاض الدافع بين الطلاب لتعلم اللغة الإنجليزية، وعدم كفاية الموارد، وتركيز مناهج اللغة الإنجليزية الوطنية على التقييمات الورقية. تشير هذه النتائج إلى أنه لا بد من بذل المزيد من الجهود لدعم المعلمين السعوديين في استخدام CA في فصولهم الدراسية. ولذلك، يوصى بتقديم المزيد من الدعم للمعلمين من أجل دعم جهودهم مثل: توفير التدريب أثناء الخدمة، والدورات والموارد عبر الإنترنت، وفرص المعلمين لمناقشة أفضل الممارسات مع زملائهم ذوي الخبرة من المدارس الأخرى لتحسين مهاراتهم.57 0Item Restricted What Saudi Women Needed to Achieve a Leadership Position(Dalal Alghamdi, 2023-07-15) Alghamdi, Dalal; Donne, VickiThroughout the years, Saudi Arabia has faced widespread gender gaps, discrimination, and inequality; however, due to 2030 visions, government reforms, and law changes, there has been an improvement in women's rights which has led to a significant increase in women's employment. Saudi women today are better educated, more informed, and more financially independent than ever, which has ushered in a rising process of women's empowerment. From interviews with eight Saudi women leaders, this paper discusses Saudi women’s leadership experiences and the various possibilities for improving women’s leadership experiences, such as social support, societal changes in cultural practices, and improving Islamic principles regarding women’s roles. Also discussed within the paper are recommendations including how education, training, Islamic religion, and self-belief would help Saudi women overcome some barriers to leadership opportunities.28 0