Factors favouring or impeding building a stronger higher education system in the United Arab Emirates

The paper examines the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the higher education system in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Using a literature review, three elements were examined: its development and structure, quality, and research capacity. The findings reveal that the UAE’s higher education sector has witnessed remarkable growth since 1997, guided by the state’s policy commitment, and few restrictions on foreign universities opening branches in the UAE. This situation has led to substantial growth in the supply of higher education opportunities for the Emirati and expatriate population. Despite the UAE having achieved a high ranking for ‘quality indicators’ on the global level in the World Economic Forum’s Competitiveness Reports, the quality of graduates, education, and research engagement is still debatable. Significant efforts are needed to ensure that these critical issues, as well as the understudied expansion of higher education institutions, are being addressed to erase the misalignment with the UAE’s strategic goals.     

Gender representation in the Arabic language textbook for the ninth grade approved by the Ministry of Education for use in schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The aim of the present study was to investigate the gender representation in the Arabic language textbook for the ninth grade in UAE. The criteria examined include the ratio of gender (female to male) appearances, the ratio of gender (female to male) aspects of religious and historical, educational professional, social and family, the traditional, the language used in the evaluation questions, titles of address for women, and order of mention. To examine these factors, the manual method of analysis was adopted. The findings revealed that the bias in favor of males is still prevalent, as the phenomenon of males-first—referring to the secondary status of women—is evident in the textbook examined. However, the findings also reveal the common use of the neutral title Ms to address women. Thus, it is recommended to correct gender representation in the textbooks used in educational settings to ensure fair gender representation in educational materials.     

Counseling Self-Efficacy and its Relationship to Anxiety and Problem-Solving in United Arab Emirates

The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among counseling self-efficacy, problem-solving, and state and trait anxiety. A total sample of one hundred thirteen males and females (females = 105; males = 8) enrolled in the psychology department at the UAE University voluntarily participated in this study. The Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory (COSE), Problem-Solving Inventory (PSI), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to collect data from participants. Findings revealed significantly moderate correlations between counseling self-efficacy and both problem-solving and State and trait Anxiety. Findings are discussed within the context of UAE culture and directions for future research are provided.     

Creating a knowledge-based economy in the United Arab Emirates: realising the unfulfilled potential of women in the science,technology and engineering fields

As the United Arab Emirates (UAE) moves towards a knowledge-based economy, maximising the participation of the national workforce, especially women, in the transformation process is crucial. Using survey methods and semi-structured interviews, this paper examines the factors that influence women's decisions regarding their degree programme and their attitudes towards science, technology and engineering (STE). The findings point to the importance of adapting mainstream policies to the local context and the need to better understand the effect of culture and society on the individual and the economy. There is a need to increase interest in STE by raising awareness of what the fields entail, potential careers and their suitability with existing cultural beliefs. Also suggested is the need to overcome negative stereotypes of engineering, implement initiatives for further family involvement at the higher education level, as well as the need to ensure a greater availability of STE university programmes across the UAE.     

The learning needs of beginning teachers in the United Arab Emirates

Beginning teachers have legitimate learning needs that cannot be grasped in advance or outside the school context. These needs are documented in Western literature, but the skills required by beginning teachers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have not been investigated. The present study responds to this research gap. Data were collected through a self-administered survey with multiple-choice and open-ended questions completed by beginning teachers. Then focus group meetings with selected participants were conducted. Classroom management, creating attractive learning environments, motivating pupils to learn and using different teaching strategies are the most critical learning needs of beginning teachers in the UAE. Interestingly, being responsive to the diverse cultural and social backgrounds of pupils, creating extra-curricular activities and teaching in overpopulated classrooms were considered less crucial. These findings are significant for improving pre-service teacher education programmes and in-service teacher training and mentoring programmes in the country.     

The spectacle of global tests in the Arabian Gulf: a comparison of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates*

Although scholars have examined the effects of global tests on national and regional educational governance, few researchers have studied their impact on education in the Arabian Gulf. This research fills the knowledge gap by studying the international spectacle of PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS results in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – two small rich states at the periphery of knowledge production processes. I argue that an analysis of these narratives reveals how global accountability discourses are translated into the Arabian Gulf context as truth claims that performance in league tables is an accurate and objective representation of educational quality. Four themes emerge from the analysis: integration of test results into national visions; measurement of educational progress based on test results; ranking of student performance; and policy changes to improve test results. In conclusion, I suggest that the over-dependence on global tests in defining educational quality in Qatar and the UAE erodes educational sovereignty and restricts the capacity of small states to develop and nurture alternative, indigenous and localised solutions for guiding educational reforms.     

‘Index for Inclusion’: a framework for school review in the United Arab Emirates

This study uses the ‘Index for Inclusion’, developed by Booth and Ainscow, as a framework for investigating inclusive provision in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), introduced through the ‘School for All’ initiative. The study, by Nadera Emran Alborno of the American University in Dubai and Eman Gaad of the British University in Dubai, adopts a qualitative research approach, using a multiple case study methodology, to provide a rich and contextualised picture of implementation from the perspective of the various stakeholders. Following the ‘Index for Inclusion’, the findings are presented in terms of the three key school dimensions of cultures, policies, and practices. Themes emerging from the data include barriers to participation and learning such as the lack of effective training, adequate support services, and inclusive classroom structures. Also included are positive system characteristics such as the welcoming school climate, support among stakeholders, and emerging parent and community involvement. The study provides insights into the possible challenges to the implementation of the ‘Index for Inclusion’ in schools in the UAE.     

Development of moral education in the UAE: lessons to be learned

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is making it a requirement of all schools within the Emirates (both public and private) to follow a programme of moral education (MEP), at all ages from grades 1 to 13, which is designed centrally. Explicitly secular and humanist in its approach, this is a remarkable development in a country where Islam is the official religion and where traditional practices and values are deeply rooted. However, it provides an example of an education initiative designed to contribute to a national strategic ambition—that of developing the UAE as a progressive, enlightened country, and one where its residents share a common culture despite the diversity of their origins. This paper describes the programme and sets it in the context of ‘virtue education’, following a philosophical and ethical tradition to which both Arab and Western philosophers have contributed.     

Classroom interaction in regular and special education middle primary classrooms in the United Arab Emirates

Samir Dukmak is an assistant professor in the Department of Special Education in the Faculty of Education at the United Arab Emirates University. The research reported in this article investigated the frequency, types of and reasons for student-initiated interactions in both regular and special education classrooms in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These interactions were studied in relation to various variables, including levels of students' academic achievement, their gender, special educational needs and disability. Teacher-initiated interactions were also examined in the study. Eighteen boys and girls from two regular and two special education classrooms were observed. Various types of interaction were identified among students and the results reveal that boys in all groups initiated more interactions than girls, and that high-achieving boys and girls initiated more interactions than their low-achieving counterparts. The findings also reveal that teachers interacted differently with boys versus girls. The reasons prompting students to initiate classroom interaction are highlighted in this research.     

Reflection ‘on’ and ‘in’ teacher education in the United Arab Emirates

This article examines the uptake of reflective practice, as one of a number of educational discourses, by student teachers in a new Bachelor of Education degree in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In a recent article, Pat Richardson [2004. International Journal of Educational Development 24(4), 429–436], argued that reflective practice is incongruent with the values of ‘Arab-Islamic’ culture and is therefore not an appropriate approach to promote in teacher education in the UAE. Here we argue that such a view relies on a limited reading of the concept of culture and reduces individuals to cultural ‘dupes’. We also present evidence from student teachers that, far from endorsing the inappropriateness of reflective practice in the UAE context, shows Emirati women wholeheartedly embracing—and doing—reflective practice.     

One or multiple paths to quality assurance of higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven autonomous emirates that follow different economic models. There is a process for quality assurance at the federal level, however, each emirate takes its own approach to assure the quality of its institutions. This has resulted in different procedures and varying levels of oversight and scrutiny of quality. Since the majority of higher education providers in the UAE are market-driven, this poses the challenge of maintaining the quality of education in those institutions. This study explores how well quality assurance systems support the quality of commercial higher education institutions using two research methods: semi-structured interviews with 38 stakeholders to investigate their perceptions of the quality assurance processes in the UAE; and focus group discussions with 161 students to collect their views of the quality of education in the commercialised institutions. The research confirms earlier findings that quality of education is a function of quality assurance processes.     

Motivation of Emirati males and females to study at higher education in the United Arab Emirates

This article reports on a study into the motivation of young Emirati undergraduate students for studying in a higher education institution in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The participants were male and female undergraduate students in their first or second year of studying. The aim of the study was to examine their motivation using a framework that recognised the unique sociocultural context of the UAE. Data were analysed according to an adapted framework encompassing both Self-Determination Theory and Personal Investment theory. Self-Determination Theory was chosen due to its focus on different types of extrinsic motivation, and Personal Investment theory was chosen for its non-culture specific applicability. A major finding of the research is that an examination of motivation according to dichotomous relationships of intrinsic versus extrinsic, collectivist versus individualistic, self as individual versus self as part of society are over-simplistic in this specific context. A more useful paradigm is one in which the individual is influenced by personal and professional goals, as well as social and familial expectations. Unexpectedly, use of language (Arabic or English) did not influence the results. These findings will provide teachers and university administration with a better understanding of their students, and will replace certain stereotypes that teachers may have about their students and their motivation for studying.     

Inclusivity through exclusivity: An evaluation of the provision of a special education needs (SEN) placement within second level art & design teacher education in the Republic of Ireland

It is a feature of Irish second-level teaching that teachers will encounter pupils with special educational needs (SENs). To prepare them, the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) has designated SEN placements as part of the ITE programme, whereby students are immersed in SEN settings. These placements have been acknowledged as good practice by Merriman & Rickard, on behalf of the National Parents and Siblings Alliance (2013). Over the ten-year duration of this specific SEN placement, this immersion has led to positive outcomes for both the student teachers and the centres in which they have been placed.     

Special educational needs coordinators and leadership: a role too far?

Although the National Standards for special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) (TTA, 1998) emphasised, as essential, their preparation for leadership, the extent to which SENCOs are formally recognised as leaders varies significantly. In this article, Lyn Layton provides perspectives on the SENCO role, collected through a small‐scale study, that include suggestions from SENCOs themselves that they should be part of senior leadership teams in order to work strategically. At the same time the article relates one view of leadership to the SENCO role, in order to consider how systemic changes in schools can promote the inclusion of pupils with diverse learning needs.     

Challenging Appraisal Orthodoxies: Teacher Evaluation and Professional Development in the United Arab Emirates

This paper presents findings from a 4-year study of faculty appraisal at two higher education institutions (HEIs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It finds that neither teachers nor academic managers are opposed to evaluative appraisal, and, contrary to much of the literature, most are happy for evaluative and developmental elements to be combined. It then examines the apparent paradox of continuing professional development in a context where federally-funded HEIs have the money to attract more teachers than they need; the legal right to dismiss any of them for any reason; and a strong belief on the part of managers that these particular students need and deserve only the very best teachers. It concludes that these features of the UAE context present a considerable challenge to the popular notion that people are an institution’s most precious resource and need to be developed at every opportunity.     

The effectiveness of student team-achievement division (STAD) for teaching high school chemistry in the United Arab Emirates

Education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) faces major problems which may hinder its future development. These include low achievement in science and a negative attitude toward science subjects, which have resulted in a high number of student dropouts from the science track in high school. It is believed among UAE educators that the main reason is the way science that has been taught in its schools. A solution to this problem depends on finding effective teaching methods, which maintain student achievement, improve students' attitude and provide opportunities to develop essential scientific skills. The effectiveness of Student Team-Achievement Division (STAD) for teaching science to high school classes in the UAE was investigated. The sample was selected randomly. A representative group of UAE high school students was chosen from the northern province, which includes urban areas, and from the eastern province, which includes rural areas. The study involved sixteen tenth grade classes. During the second semester of the academic year 1998/1999, three units in the chemistry curriculum were covered. This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of STAD in teaching high school chemistry in the UAE and to find out which groups, gender, area, and ability benefitted most.     

The analytic hierarchy process of the decision-making factors of African students in obtaining higher education in the United Arab Emirates

The mobility of African students beyond national territories has become common worldwide. However, the underlying reasons motivating students to leave their countries of origin in pursuit of higher education in other developing nations and why these factors are important have not been fully explored. This study attempts to explore why and how African students travel to the United Arab Emirates for higher education. A push-pull factor theory of the international student’s choice of destination is developed to identify factors influencing the choices made by these students. The analytic hierarchy process is used to examine the relative importance of these factors. The findings of this quantitative study indicate that learning environment and geographic proximity are the two most important factors for African students, while other factors have a moderate impact. The findings contribute to a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the needs and choices of existing and potential students from this continent, with a view to applying a segmentation approach to attract these students.     

Preschool inclusion in the United States: a review of research from an ecological systems perspective

Using an ecological systems conceptual framework proposed by Bronfenbrenner, research on the inclusion of preschool children with disabilities in programs with typically developing children was reviewed. Drawing mainly from studies conducted in the United States, research on child characteristics (biosystem), classroom practices (microsystem), family perspectives (mesosystem), social policy (exosystem), culture (macrosystem), and changes in variables across time (chronosystem) is described. Positive developmental and behavioral outcomes occur for children with and without disabilities in inclusive settings, although as a group, children with disabilities are not as socially integrated as their typically developing peers. Parent attitudes are generally positive although they voice some concerns about inclusion. Several social policy issues within the U.S. system (e.g., enforcement of standards, fiscal issues) serve as barriers to and facilitators of implementation of preschool inclusion, and cultural variables shape the nature of inclusive classrooms as well as family access to inclusive settings.     

阿联酋高等教育发展的现状、特色与趋势研究

近年来,位于"一带一路"沿线的阿联酋高等教育发展迅速,形成三种类型的高等学校:联邦政府大学、酋长国政府大学、私立大学.研究显示,阿联酋的高等教育极具特色:以外籍为主的人口结构推动了高等教育的国际化;本土大学深受伊斯兰教影响;私立大学数量众多,外籍教师多于本土教师;英语取代阿拉伯语成为主要教学语言;女性师生多于男性师生.未来,阿联酋将进一步推进高等教育的本土化、私立大学管理的规范化以及受教育人口的性别公平.