title: Women's experiences of higher education in New Zealand: Comparing the perspectives of New Zealand and Chinese women

authors: Wu, Yuanyuan

subjects: Higher Education

abstract: The perceptions of women and the nature of higher education have undergone dramatic changes since the 19th century. Women have gradually obtained the same rights and opportunities as men to pursue and participate in higher education. Today, women even outnumber men in higher education in many developed and developing countries. This study explores, from a qualitative point of view, some of the reasons why more and more women prefer to get higher qualifications and compares women’s experiences and perspectives on their higher education, work and life choices in relation to two contexts – New Zealand and China. 

This study began the investigation with a literature review to examine how women’s positions have increased presence and rights in political, economic, cultural and educational areas through three waves of feminism. In particular the effect the three waves had on the structure and shape of higher education and gender roles. In addition, this study also considers the gradual shift of focus in lifelong learning and the application of human capital theory (HCT) from social democratic visions to the neo-liberal ideas. This shift being the movement away from the human potential for life fulfillment to education as the mechanism to develop economies by increasing productivity and incomes. 

In order to examine contemporary motivations of women’s participation in higher education, and the relationship between education, employment and personal life, this study used face-to-face interviews and answering questions via e-mail with seven participants to collect the data. The participants included three Chinese women and four New Zealand women who are or were enrolled in higher education in New Zealand at the University of Waikato.

Thematic analysis of interview data was combined with the review of existing literature in order to argue that the most significant motivation of women participating in higher education is to gain increased career opportunities and higher incomes. Both of these external motivations are largely a production of neo-liberal understanding of lifelong learning theory and HCT. Women accepted the individualistic responsibility of education and employability without the debating of the authenticity of these two assumptions. They assumed that the government did not need to play a role. In addition, this thesis also argues that participating in higher education is viewed by the women to be positive normally because the benefits that higher education can bring include a sense of belonging, personal growth, and active citizenship. However, the women also expressed views reflecting the pressures of work-life balance, the challenges of combining study with relationships or children. Thus this thesis argues that the experiences from participating in higher education are more complex and can be negative. For modern women, the main challenge is to how to balance the different demands of work, life and education. Sometimes, women have to defer marrying and having children to solely focus on study. This deferment of life course in turn can have a potential negative impact on women’s lives. Moreover, gender discrimination is still against women in relation to their educational levels, and decisions relating to family formation and age. The extent of this problem depends however on the context. While for the most part the women’s views were incredibly similar regardless of country of origin in relation to discrimination, the New Zealand and Chinese women have different perspectives, experiences or understandings. Discrimination is more common and more tolerated in China. Despite legislative changes more work needs to be done to further the rights of women in China.

text: Women's experiences of higher education in New Zealand: Comparing the perspectives of New Zealand and Chinese women The perceptions of women and the nature of higher education have undergone dramatic changes since the 19th century. Women have gradually obtained the same rights and opportunities as men to pursue and participate in higher education. Today, women even outnumber men in higher education in many developed and developing countries. This study explores, from a qualitative point of view, some of the reasons why more and more women prefer to get higher qualifications and compares women’s experiences and perspectives on their higher education, work and life choices in relation to two contexts – New Zealand and China. 

This study began the investigation with a literature review to examine how women’s positions have increased presence and rights in political, economic, cultural and educational areas through three waves of feminism. In particular the effect the three waves had on the structure and shape of higher education and gender roles. In addition, this study also considers the gradual shift of focus in lifelong learning and the application of human capital theory (HCT) from social democratic visions to the neo-liberal ideas. This shift being the movement away from the human potential for life fulfillment to education as the mechanism to develop economies by increasing productivity and incomes. 

In order to examine contemporary motivations of women’s participation in higher education, and the relationship between education, employment and personal life, this study used face-to-face interviews and answering questions via e-mail with seven participants to collect the data. The participants included three Chinese women and four New Zealand women who are or were enrolled in higher education in New Zealand at the University of Waikato.

Thematic analysis of interview data was combined with the review of existing literature in order to argue that the most significant motivation of women participating in higher education is to gain increased career opportunities and higher incomes. Both of these external motivations are largely a production of neo-liberal understanding of lifelong learning theory and HCT. Women accepted the individualistic responsibility of education and employability without the debating of the authenticity of these two assumptions. They assumed that the government did not need to play a role. In addition, this thesis also argues that participating in higher education is viewed by the women to be positive normally because the benefits that higher education can bring include a sense of belonging, personal growth, and active citizenship. However, the women also expressed views reflecting the pressures of work-life balance, the challenges of combining study with relationships or children. Thus this thesis argues that the experiences from participating in higher education are more complex and can be negative. For modern women, the main challenge is to how to balance the different demands of work, life and education. Sometimes, women have to defer marrying and having children to solely focus on study. This deferment of life course in turn can have a potential negative impact on women’s lives. Moreover, gender discrimination is still against women in relation to their educational levels, and decisions relating to family formation and age. The extent of this problem depends however on the context. While for the most part the women’s views were incredibly similar regardless of country of origin in relation to discrimination, the New Zealand and Chinese women have different perspectives, experiences or understandings. Discrimination is more common and more tolerated in China. Despite legislative changes more work needs to be done to further the rights of women in China.

year: 2012

title: Local FinTech development and stock price crash risk

authors: Wang, Xinyue

abstract: This study investigates the effect of financial technology (FinTech) development on stock price crash risk. We show that the development of FinTech can inhibit management from deliberately hiding bad news and alleviate information asymmetry, thereby reducing stock price crash risk. This effect is more pronounced among non-state-owned enterprises, firms with poor information environments and low-quality internal controls, and those in competitive industries and regions with high marketization. Overall, these findings suggest that FinTech development can mitigate the deliberate concealment of bad news by management and improve the timeliness of disclosure, leading to lower risks faced by investors.

text: Local FinTech development and stock price crash risk This study investigates the effect of financial technology (FinTech) development on stock price crash risk. We show that the development of FinTech can inhibit management from deliberately hiding bad news and alleviate information asymmetry, thereby reducing stock price crash risk. This effect is more pronounced among non-state-owned enterprises, firms with poor information environments and low-quality internal controls, and those in competitive industries and regions with high marketization. Overall, these findings suggest that FinTech development can mitigate the deliberate concealment of bad news by management and improve the timeliness of disclosure, leading to lower risks faced by investors.

year: 2023-05

title: Talk More: Student Learning Through Reciprocal Conversations

authors: Grant, Sarah

subjects: oral language

abstract: This research explored ways of improving the oral language development of Year 1 children in four low decile mainstream schools who were making limited progress in literacy. Over 82% of these students were Māori.  Due to the continued impact of past educational policies and the subsequent interruption of the intergenerational transmission of the mother tongue, many Māori children are not exposed to proficient and fluent models either of spoken English or of spoken Māori.  Such children struggle to make the English literacy progress expected of them by schools and communities. The central focus of the research was to evaluate a claim that Year 6 students (tuākana)  could make a substantial improvement in the oral language achievement of  Year 1 students (teina), through engaging with them in regular conversational contexts using the TALES (Talk, Ask, Listen, Encourage, and Say) procedures. This pedagogical approach is understood as one which was culturally responsive for these students. 

Quantitative analysis of data from three quantitative outcome measures (Record of Oral Language, Junior Oral Screening Tool, and Auditory-Vocal Association Assessment of Verbal Attainments) demonstrated that there were substantial oral language gains for the 72 teina students involved in the study. The quantitative analysis also demonstrated that these gains occurred most strongly during the phases in which the TALES procedures were being implemented by the 72 tuākana students, in accord with the multiple baseline design. Detailed qualitative analysis of a random sample of six of the 72 pairs illustrated both the effectiveness of the tuākana language interaction with the teina, and the different ways that the tuākana were able to implement the TALES procedure. Analysis of five minute probes of transcripts over six weeks from these six tuākana - teina pairs indicated that a wide range of literacy activities and conversations took place. The unique learning needs and personal learning intentions of each tuakana and teina were successfully monitored using this five minute probe procedure. Powerful reciprocal learning processes were evident in transcripts of conversations between the tuākana and the teina, and also within feedback and feed-forward meetings between the tuākana and key teachers.  

The substantial oral language gains for the teina students in this study  were achieved within learning contexts that were social and  interactive, and that embodied the principles of ako (learning and teaching roles were shared) and whakawhanaungatanga (building caring and  supportive relationships). These principles are among those that underpin pedagogies that are culturally responsive (Bishop  Glynn, 1999; Glynn, Wearmouth,  Berryman, 2006; Ladson-Billings, 1995, 2006) and transformative. The results of this research study give a clear message to mainstream non-Māori teachers, that they can make a positive and substantial difference to the learning outcomes of their Māori students.

text: Talk More: Student Learning Through Reciprocal Conversations This research explored ways of improving the oral language development of Year 1 children in four low decile mainstream schools who were making limited progress in literacy. Over 82% of these students were Māori.  Due to the continued impact of past educational policies and the subsequent interruption of the intergenerational transmission of the mother tongue, many Māori children are not exposed to proficient and fluent models either of spoken English or of spoken Māori.  Such children struggle to make the English literacy progress expected of them by schools and communities. The central focus of the research was to evaluate a claim that Year 6 students (tuākana)  could make a substantial improvement in the oral language achievement of  Year 1 students (teina), through engaging with them in regular conversational contexts using the TALES (Talk, Ask, Listen, Encourage, and Say) procedures. This pedagogical approach is understood as one which was culturally responsive for these students. 

Quantitative analysis of data from three quantitative outcome measures (Record of Oral Language, Junior Oral Screening Tool, and Auditory-Vocal Association Assessment of Verbal Attainments) demonstrated that there were substantial oral language gains for the 72 teina students involved in the study. The quantitative analysis also demonstrated that these gains occurred most strongly during the phases in which the TALES procedures were being implemented by the 72 tuākana students, in accord with the multiple baseline design. Detailed qualitative analysis of a random sample of six of the 72 pairs illustrated both the effectiveness of the tuākana language interaction with the teina, and the different ways that the tuākana were able to implement the TALES procedure. Analysis of five minute probes of transcripts over six weeks from these six tuākana - teina pairs indicated that a wide range of literacy activities and conversations took place. The unique learning needs and personal learning intentions of each tuakana and teina were successfully monitored using this five minute probe procedure. Powerful reciprocal learning processes were evident in transcripts of conversations between the tuākana and the teina, and also within feedback and feed-forward meetings between the tuākana and key teachers.  

The substantial oral language gains for the teina students in this study  were achieved within learning contexts that were social and  interactive, and that embodied the principles of ako (learning and teaching roles were shared) and whakawhanaungatanga (building caring and  supportive relationships). These principles are among those that underpin pedagogies that are culturally responsive (Bishop  Glynn, 1999; Glynn, Wearmouth,  Berryman, 2006; Ladson-Billings, 1995, 2006) and transformative. The results of this research study give a clear message to mainstream non-Māori teachers, that they can make a positive and substantial difference to the learning outcomes of their Māori students.

year: 2009