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.     

Socio-cultural factors of teachers’ conceptions of knowledge: epistemic beliefs of Arab teachers

This research investigates aspects of epistemic beliefs of pre-service and in-service teachers in the United Arab Emirates, and how these beliefs might be related to factors such as teachers’ gender, location (where they live), and the subject they teach (humanities vs. science). A standardized Arabic version of the Epistemic Belief Inventory was administered to a group of 35 pre-service teachers and 52 in-service teachers. The results indicated that in-service teachers had more sophisticated beliefs than pre-service teachers on Certainty of Knowledge, Omniscient Authority, and Innate Ability dimensions. Also, male teachers were found to be less sophisticated than female teachers and teachers from rural areas tended to think in a simpler way than teachers from urban areas. Although there was no main effect of subject, it significantly modified the effects of gender and location. The data showed the multidimensional nature of epistemic beliefs, and were discussed in the context of Arab/Emirati culture.     

A New Paradigm for Networked Resource Sharing in the United Arab Emirates Universities

Library and Information Web Access (LIWA) is the first systematic interlibrary cooperative activity among three universities under the umbrella of the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. LIWA was born in 2007 after the shift of the partner libraries to Web-based information services. Interlibrary book lending is the current achievement of Library and Information Web Access with the aim to expand resource sharing and incorporate more e-services soon. This paper aims at gaining some insights into potential success factors for further development of the library consortium in a networked environment. Some key issues, such as metadata standards, acquisitions, licensing, access security, and governance are discussed.     

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.     

The degree to which UAE primary science workbooks promote scientific inquiry

This research investigated Grades 5 and 6 science workbooks for the degree to which they promote scientific inquiry abilities, opportunities that students had to acquire these abilities and the obstacles hindering students from implementing them. A document review technique and a constant comparative method were applied sequentially. A total of 58 instigative logs were scrutinized. Findings revealed that while the activities allowed students to use appropriate techniques and tools to collect and interpret data, and use their inquiry abilities related to implement investigation plans, they did not allow students real opportunities to formulate questions, plan for simple investigations, write conclusions, or communicate investigations. A total of 15 Grade 5 and 6 science teachers were asked to report their perceptions of the students’ role in implementing identified abilities. A one‐way analysis of variance revealed that there was a significant difference between students who individually implemented the inquiry abilities and students who were supported by the teacher or by other students. Obstacles that hindered students from implementing identified inquiry abilities included teachers’ intensive supports, students’ limited background or skills, and materials and instrument shortages. The study concluded with recommendations for policy, practice, and future research.