ABSTRACT This paper studies the motivations of 130 women who returned to education after the genocide against Tutsi. After 1994, Rwandan mature women embraced university education in greater numbers due to marginalisation at work, inhabiting a subaltern position as a consequence of their gender and secondary level of education. One way of overcoming work marginalisation was to enrol in an undergraduate programme that coincided with their current job or their prospective career. This article explores how attending university increased female students’ critical thinking skills. It will examine the impact of the university on their social and professional lives. By using a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, this paper will explore the motivation of mature female students from four private and public universities in Rwanda. This paper, which draws upon a constructivist approach, argues that the female mature students who participated in this study became critical thinkers whilst at university, after acquiring both theoretical and practical skills. This was further reinforced by the critical thinking, research and self-directed study skills that they developed, which in turn enabled them to continue learning by themselves. Consequently, participation in tertiary education enabled female mature students in Rwanda to become lifelong learners.

中文翻译：

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通过批判性思维消除知识边缘化：卢旺达成熟女性的高等教育

摘要本文研究了针对图西族遭到种族灭绝之后重返教育领域的130名女性的动机。1994年之后，卢旺达成熟妇女由于工作中的边缘化而接受了更多的大学教育，由于其性别和中等教育水平，她们处于次要地位。克服工作边缘化的一种方法是报名与他们当前的工作或未来的职业相吻合的本科课程。本文探讨了上大学如何提高女学生的批判性思维能力。它将研究大学对他们的社会和职业生活的影响。通过使用一系列定性和定量研究方法，本文将探索来自卢旺达四所私立和公立大学的成熟女学生的动机。本文采用了一种建构主义的方法，认为参加这项研究的女性成熟学生在获得理论和实践技能后，成为大学期间的批判性思想家。他们所发展的批判性思维，研究和自我指导的学习技能进一步加强了这一点，这反过来又使他们能够继续自己学习。因此，参加高等教育使卢旺达的成年女性成为终身学习者。他们开发的研究和自我指导的学习技巧，进而使他们能够继续自己学习。因此，参加高等教育使卢旺达的成年女性成为终身学习者。他们开发的研究和自我指导的学习技巧，进而使他们能够继续自己学习。因此，参加高等教育使卢旺达的成年女性成为终身学习者。