No description available.

Inclusive education within the United Arab Emirates has started to gain momentum and the roles of teachers have become more challenging. This study investigated teacher views surrounding the inclusion of SEN students into mainstream schools. A qualitative exploratory research design was employed and the social constructivist theory was used as a framework for the research. Purposive sampling was employed, and a total of seven teachers and four parents participated in the study. Thematic analysis was used and findings suggested that UAE teachers experienced various challenges due to the inclusion of SEN students into their schools. Some of the challenges included: lack of professional development, lack of managerial support, parental demands, cultural barriers and the lack of collaborative opportunities. The study recommended varied professional development workshops aimed at developing an understanding of SEN and inclusion within the UAE context. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Inclusive education within the United Arab Emirates has started to gain momentum and the roles of teachers have become more challenging. This study investigated teacher views surrounding the inclusion of SEN students into mainstream schools. A qualitative exploratory research design was employed and the social constructivist theory was used as a framework for the research. Purposive sampling was employed, and a total of seven teachers and four parents participated in the study. Thematic analysis was used and findings suggested that UAE teachers experienced various challenges due to the inclusion of SEN students into their schools. Some of the challenges included: lack of professional development, lack of managerial support, parental demands, cultural barriers and the lack of collaborative opportunities. The study recommended varied professional development workshops aimed at developing an understanding of SEN and inclusion within the UAE context. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

In 1998 the Institutes of Nursing in the United Arab Emirates adopted a new approach of Case-Based learning in their three year nursing program. This categorical change created a need to examine the development of nursing students' self-efficacy and motivation under this new curriculum. The aims of this study were to investigate whether the students in the final year of the program will evidence higher levels of motivation and self-efficacy compared to those in the second and first year of the program, and to demonstrate that the higher the level of self-efficacy, the more internal, unstable and controllable the attributions for success and/or failure. This study was based on Bandura's theory of self-efficacy. A randomly selected cross-sectional survey involving nursing students in the three-year diploma nursing program of Abu-Dhabi and AI Ain Institutes was studied (N=178). The participants of this study involved a total of 86 (48.3%) enrolled in year one diploma, 51 (28.7%) enrolled in year two and 41 (23.0%) in year three diploma. On the whole the participants' levels of motivation and self-efficacy were high, but both ANOVA and Kruskall Wallis tests did not support any level increase by year of education as was expected. However, the Spearman's rho (r) test yielded low but positive and significant correlations between the levels of self-efficacy and students attribution for success and/or failure. / Thesis (M.Cur.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

The purpose of this study was to trace the development of education, including higher education, in the United Arab Emirates. In order to complete this study, a computer search of available literature in the English and Arabic languages was constructed. The findings of this study revealed that although education at all levels has been expanded and improved, enrollment in vocational education and science remains low at the secondary level. Students also seem to avoid science and education at the college level. Based on the results of this study, further research should be conducted to determine the perceptions of alumni educational experience, community involvement in education, the role of national and multi-national cooperations in education, and women's education in relation to their participation in the labor force.

Women in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have a role to play in the development of their country’s political, economical, educational and social goals. Although, social constraints exist for women and work, they presently dominate sectors like education. A qualitative research design was employed to identify barriers, current leadership roles and the participation of national female educators in the decision-making process. Barriers to both job entry and career progression were identified. In particular, married educators with children found difficulties in balancing their roles as care givers and career women. Educational leaders used transformational leadership styles, were considered role-models and contributed to decision-making by providing quality decisions based on their experience and expertise. Strategies to assist women in overcoming barriers are recommended because when women start forming an integral part of the workforce, their empowerment and their input in terms of leadership will be a key factor for the UAE government’s goal of Emiratisation. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.

The knowledge gap between Arabic nations and the developed world is widening. A contributing factor to the slow acquisition and production of knowledge is the use of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) as the language of instruction in schools. To bridge the gap, English is used in tertiary education in most Arab countries. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a useful case study to explore the dynamics of Arabic and English in education. After an overview of the problems imposed by MSA, the dilemmas facing the teaching of English and in English in the UAE are explored. Many of the problems encountered in the teaching and learning of English are the product of specific aspects of an education in MSA. The study assesses whether MSA or English is the most viable instrument for the delivery of high quality education in the Arab world and finds that currently English is essential. / English Studies / M.A. (with specialisation in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of other languages))

Women in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have a role to play in the development of their country’s political, economical, educational and social goals. Although, social constraints exist for women and work, they presently dominate sectors like education. A qualitative research design was employed to identify barriers, current leadership roles and the participation of national female educators in the decision-making process. Barriers to both job entry and career progression were identified. In particular, married educators with children found difficulties in balancing their roles as care givers and career women. Educational leaders used transformational leadership styles, were considered role-models and contributed to decision-making by providing quality decisions based on their experience and expertise. Strategies to assist women in overcoming barriers are recommended because when women start forming an integral part of the workforce, their empowerment and their input in terms of leadership will be a key factor for the UAE government’s goal of Emiratisation. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.

The knowledge gap between Arabic nations and the developed world is widening. A contributing factor to the slow acquisition and production of knowledge is the use of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) as the language of instruction in schools. To bridge the gap, English is used in tertiary education in most Arab countries. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a useful case study to explore the dynamics of Arabic and English in education. After an overview of the problems imposed by MSA, the dilemmas facing the teaching of English and in English in the UAE are explored. Many of the problems encountered in the teaching and learning of English are the product of specific aspects of an education in MSA. The study assesses whether MSA or English is the most viable instrument for the delivery of high quality education in the Arab world and finds that currently English is essential. / English Studies / M.A. (with specialisation in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of other languages))

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of expatriate school leaders in the education system of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study was motivated by a concern regarding the short-term entry of expatriates into the UAE education system, thereby questioning their overall impact in the UAE educational reform. The literature reviews focused on mentoring and leadership within education, and how these related to the UAE educational reform in particular. The empirical investigation used a qualitative, ethnographical case study design. The situated learning theory and the social constructivist theory were used as conceptual frameworks for the study. Purposive and convenient sampling was employed to select five indigenous and five expatriate school leaders as participants for this study. Qualitative data collection was preceded by a pilot study in which an indigenous and an expatriate school leaders were informally interviewed. Individual interviews were thereafter conducted whereby participants were interviewed over a two-week period. The interviews were followed by focus group sessions that were gender specific. Notes were kept and all observations were documented throughout the study. Findings were that, according to the participants’ views, expatriate school leaders seemed to make little impact on current UAE education reform. Their impact was inhibited by dubious motives of many expatriate school leaders working in the UAE; cultural and religious barriers between expatriate and indigenous school leaders; language as a barrier; lack of role modelling; continuous changes in the UAE education system; poor attitudes of some indigenous school leaders; resistance to change; lack of sustainability and poor communication between school leaders and policy makers. Recommendations were provided to enhance the impact of expatriate school leaders within the UAE system. Firstly, expatriate impact could be enhanced through an intensive two-week induction programme and secondly, by means of a partnership development framework to improve the mentoring relationship between expatriate and indigenous school leaders. Ways to overcome the language barrier were also recommended. Additionally, the study provided recommendations for further research. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)