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)

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)

<p>In this dissertation, I investigate the authentic learning experiences of students participating in the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) program at Purdue University within the framework of authentic education. Utilizing a quantitative approach, the study assesses the performance of new and returning students across five key outcomes that measure authentic learning during a single semester. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant main effects for time of assessment and type of student on performance, with an overall improvement in all outcomes observed from mid-term to final evaluations and returning students typically outperforming new students. Interaction effects between time and type were also examined, revealing subtle yet complex dynamics in students’ learning trajectories. The findings hold implications for enhancing authentic learning, especially in engineering design contexts, and offer insights to guide future implementation of and improvements to authentic education initiatives, particularly the EPICS program. Despite certain limitations, the research opens avenues for future investigations into diverse aspects of authentic education in STEM and beyond.  </p>

<p dir="ltr">Accurately assessing outcomes of students’ motivation when solving complex food system problems through integrating STEM learning can describe their learning experiences and help teachers make relevant connections. This study shows high school students self-reported that they were motivated by solving food system STEM projects.</p><p dir="ltr">The purpose of the study was to predict high school students’ self-efficacy (confirmed by Exploratory Factor Analysis, EFA) based on Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (SEVT) variables (confirmed by EFA). The convenience sample for this study was students from four high schools in Indiana (<i>N</i> = 160) who had participated in food system STEM projects at their schools. Quantitative data was collected using the Food System Motivation Questionnaire containing 41 items related to two self-efficacy variables and five SEVT variables. Quantitative data were analyzed using Principal Components Analysis, descriptive statistics, simple linear correlations, and multiple regression. Qualitative data were collected using a focus group interview protocol (Appendix D) and analyzed using thematic coding (deductive) followed by pattern coding. Quantitative and qualitative findings were analyzed using triangulation.</p><p dir="ltr">There were four conclusions to this study. First, the Food System Motivation Questionnaire accurately and reliably measured five variables aligned with SEVT motivation. Second, students were motivated regarding the project’s usefulness in their local contexts and reported higher cultural project self-efficacy after completing the project.<b> </b>Third, over 70% of high school students’ cultural project self-efficacy to complete a food system STEM project can be predicted based on their local context utility value, personal importance and usefulness, intrinsic value, and cost value. Local context utility value was the highest contributor of unique variance. Last, <a href="" target="_blank">after completing the food system STEM projects, urban high school students shared they made connections to their families, local and global community contexts, and future careers and applications. </a>Implications regarding how teachers can motivate high school students to solve food system STEM projects were discussed.</p>