Education Commons^™

Leadership Potential And Self-Perceived Employability Of Undergraduate Students In The United Arab Emirates, Aizhan Shomotova, Tatiana Karabchuk, Ali Ibrahim

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One of the main challenges facing higher education institutions (HEIs) is developing students’ employability skills, such as leadership. The earlier students acquire leadership skills, the higher their self-perceived employability (SPE) is upon graduation. Understanding how leadership is associated with SPE can help HEIs provide better leadership development programmes to increase SPE so that students pursue sustainable employment after graduation and use their leadership skills successfully in the workplace. Currently, there is a scarcity of published research on how youth leadership potential (LP) impacts SPE among undergraduate students at HEIs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Arab region in …

Developing A Success Model Of A Social Student Relationship Management System, Wasef Mater, Monther Aldwairi, Nasim Matar, Waleed Al-Rahmi

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Social media's significance in higher education has increased due to its capacity to enhance participation, communication, teamwork, and information sharing. Important notifications, updates, and reminders can be promptly received by all members of the university community, assuring that information is shared with everyone. The objective of this study is to develop a model for a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system in higher education that is based on social media and intends to increase student satisfaction, loyalty, and profitability. It blends the idea of trust with Delone Mclean success model. Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to evaluate the …

Transition To Distance Learning: Student Experience And Communication During The Covid-19 Pandemic In The United Arab Emirates, Soumaya Abdellatif, Aizhan Shomotova, Safouane Trabelsi, Salwa Husain, Najeh Alsalhi, Mohamed Eltahir

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The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 prompted higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to switch to online learning for the safety of their citizens. The main purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between four indicators of digital learning experience and the intensity of student socio-pedagogical communication after the transition to distance learning. The data were collected from Ajman University, a private university in the UAE, during the spring of 2020. The sample consisted of 381 students who were surveyed using an online survey tool or email. First, this study found that the majority of students …

University Student-Parents’ Experiences In The Uae During Covid-19: Future Implications For Higher Education, Martina Dickson, Rehab Al Hakmani, Melissa Mcminn, Jessica Midraj, Deena Elsori, Prospera Tedam

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The COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020 and threw higher education institutions worldwide into a rapid transition from face-to-face to online learning modes. While students everywhere were grappling with the changes to their learning experiences, those with parenting responsibilities had additional pressures. This study investigated how university student-parents across the United Arab Emirates experienced the change, and their perceptions of the impact of COVID- 19 on their studies. One hundred seventy-five students responded to a questionnaire exploring domains such as their domestic set-up for study, levels of support from family and their institutions, and the situation’s impact on their learning, well-being, …

Toward Culturally And Linguistically Responsive E-Learning In Post-Covid-19 Higher Education: Perspectives From The United Arab Emirates, Sarah Hopkyns

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The COVID-19 pandemic has caused dramatic shifts in education worldwide. In the spring of 2020, universities abruptly moved to emergency remote teaching and learning (ERT&L), with online and hybrid education continuing into the post-pandemic era. In the Gulf, cultural, religious, and sociolinguistic dynamics can present additional challenges for teaching and learning online. Reluctance to use cameras due to modesty, privacy, and E-safety concerns, amongst others, affects interaction and rapport. This article presents empirical data from a qualitative phenomenological case study investigating male and female Emirati university students’ (n = 107) perspectives on access, interaction, and engagement during Zoom classes in …

The Effectiveness Of Project-Based Learning On Emirati Undergraduate Students In A Microbiology Course, Carole Ayoub Moubareck

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Purpose: A composting project was introduced into an undergraduate microbiology course, to evaluate its efficacy against traditional lecturing for teaching environmental sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: The research project was a semester-long intervention. Three groups of students participated in the study: a group of 47 female undergraduate students were involved in a composting project, a group of 43 female students were exposed to a traditional lecture and a group of 34 students were the control group. A pretest and a posttest were used, along with poster presentations for the composting project students. In addition, a questionnaire was used to examine students' attitudes toward …

The Systematic Implementation Of An Innovative Postgraduate Online Learning Model In The Middle East, Nessrin Shaya, Laila Mohebi

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This paper aims at examining the factors contributing to effective implementation of online learning in the Middle East higher education sector, through investigating the success and learning effectiveness of an innovative online learning model offered jointly by three prestigious universities in two different Arab countries. A mixed-method research approach was employed to triangulate data collected from key stakeholders engaged with the programme, namely senior managers and enrolled students, to derive findings that would inform managers, trainers and educators, from a systemic implementation, faculty-development and course-design perspective. Qualitative data gathered from face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with a number of senior managers took …

Framing The Role Of Higher Education In Sustainable Development: A Case Study Analysis, Suzanna Elmassah, Marwa Biltagy, Doaa Gamal

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Purpose

Higher education institutions (HEIs) should play a fundamental role in achieving the international 2030 sustainable development (SD) agenda. Quality education is the fourth of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), and one of the targets related to this is to ensure that by 2030 all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote SD. Therefore, the SDGs provide a motive for HEIs to integrate SD concepts into their day-to-day practices. This study aims to introduce a framework for HEIs’ sustainable development assessment. Such a framework guides HEIs and educational leaders to support their countries’ commitments to achieving the SDGs. …

Talking About Talk: Tutor And Student Expectations Of Oracy Skills In Higher Education, Marion Heron, Doris Dippold, Anesa Hosein, Ameena Khan Sullivan, Tijen Aksit, Necmi Aksit, Jill Doubleday, Kara Mckeown

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Although participation in academic speaking events is a key to developing disciplinary understanding, students for whom English is a second language may have limited access to these learning events due to an increasingly dialogic and active higher education pedagogy which places considerable demands on their oracy skills. Drawing on the Oracy Skills Framework we explore disciplinary tutors’ and students’ expectations of oracy skills required for disciplinary study. An analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data found that disciplinary tutors placed importance on the cognitive dimension of oracy skills such as argumentation and asking questions, whilst students placed importance on linguistic …

Digital Transformation In Higher Education: A Framework For Maturity Assessment, Adam Marks, Maytha Al-Ali, Reem Atassi, Abedallah Zaid Abualkishik, Yacine Rezgui

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© 2020 Science and Information Organization. All rights reserved. —Literature in digital transformation maturity is scarce. Digital transformation in higher education, especially after COVID-19 is seen as inevitable. This research explores digital transformation maturity and challenges within Higher Education. The significance of this study stems from the role digital transformation plays in today’s knowledge economy. This study proposes a new framework based on Deloitte’s 2019 digital transformation assessment framework with Petkovic 2014 mega and major higher education process mapping. The study triangulates the findings of multiple research instruments, including survey, interviews, case study, and direct observation. The research findings show …

Using Mobile Learning Tools In Higher Education: A Uae Case, Jenny Eppard, Zeina Hojeij, Pinar Ozdemir-Ayber, Marlieke Rodjan-Helder, Sandra Baroudi

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© International Association of Online Engineering. Research indicates that mobile learning (ML), has the potential to transform teaching and learning. Despite its benefits, mobile learning adoption is a challenging process which requires support to facilitate its integration. The focus of this article is to investigate the factors that could affect ML acceptance. The quantitative and qualitative data collected from the surveys revealed additional information regarding the pedagogical benefits of and obstacles to mobile learning integration. Even though participants in this study reported to be late adopters of technology, they maintained that ML is useful for learning, specifically ubiquitous learning. Teachers …

Improving Academic Decision-Making Through Course Evaluation Technology, Adam Marks, Maytha Al-Ali, Munir Majdalawieh, Anoud Bani-Hani

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The objective of this study is to offer a broad understanding of how end of course evaluations can be used to improve the academic outcomes of a higher education institute. This paper presents the key findings from a study conducted using twenty-three academic degree-programs, regarding their use of end of course evaluation technology. Data was collected from an online survey instrument, in-depth interviews with academic administrators, and two case studies, one in the US and another in the UAE. The study reveals that while historically end of course evaluations were primarily used to gauge the performance of instructors in the …

Ielts And Academic Success In Higher Education: A Uae Perspective, Kevin Schoepp, Dawn Garinger

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© 2016, Australian International Academic Centre PTY LTD. All rights reserved. This study compares the relationship between International English Language Testing System (IELTS) entrance scores and academic success as defined by general education program GPA for students at a federal university in the United Arab Emirates in order to reflect upon regional English language proficiency entrance requirements. It focuses on one group of students, direct entry students who have bypassed the English language foundation program with an overall IELTS 6.0 or greater and were admitted straight into the baccalaureate program. Students were grouped according to their IELTS proficiency levels: 6.0, …

Learning Management Systems: A Shift Toward Learning And Academic Analytics, Adam Marks, Maytha Al-Ali, Kees Rietsema

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© 2016. This paper presents the major findings from a study conducted with six different universities in the U.S. regarding their use of the Learning Analytics (LA) capabilities available within their learning management systems (LMS). Data was collected from an online survey instrument, in-depth interviews with IT directors and academic administrators, and a case study in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. One observation is that universities are attempting to make better use of new analytics functions and the data stored in the university LMS in order to make more informed decisions regarding short-term and longterm goals and objectives. The new functions include …

The Next Generation Of Technology: Mobile Apps In The English Language Classroom, Jenny Eppard, Omaima Nasser, Preeya Reddy

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The purpose of this research was to make suggestions for choosing Apps for a Foundation level English program in the United Arab Emirates. The program had to prepare for the integration of iPads into the English program for approximately 800 students. To prepare, the program launched a pilot study with a small group of teachers, administrators and technology specialists. We used qualitative research to fulfill our research needs which included participant diaries, focus groups, a research journal and observations. From the data, we developed a list of criteria for choosing Apps and a process for selecting Apps.