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In this study in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), we investigated college students’ perceptions of their past experience of receiving one-to-one tutoring support in mathematics when they were in secondary school. In addition, we also explored students’ reasons for taking one-to-one tutoring in mathematics, the perceived impact of one-to-one tutoring in overcoming shortcomings of school mathematics teaching and on their mathematics achievement, and whether the learning environment at school influenced decisions about having one-to-one tutoring. Eight case-study students were involved in recalling how beneficial one-to-one tutoring was through semi-structured interviews. Because of the small sample size, the research involved only qualitative data based on the recollections of college students who were attending a one-year course in the General Education department of Abu Dhabi Men’s College. The research provided valuable insights into how some students considered having a one-to-one tutor beneficial for their achievement when they were in secondary school. Educators must consider students’ learning environment as being one of the main reasons for deciding whether or not to undertake one-to-one tutoring to raise their achievement in mathematics.

ﻓﻲ ھذه اﻟد را ﺳﺔ ﻓﻲ دوﻟ ﺔ ا ﻹﻣﺎ را ت اﻟ ﻌرﺑﯾﺔ اﻟ ﻣﺗ ﺣدة، د رﺳﻧﺎ ﺗ ﺻورا ت طﻼب اﻟ ﺟﺎ ﻣﻌﺎ ت ﻋن ﺗ ﺟرﺑﺗﮭم اﻟ ﺳﺎﺑﻘﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺗﻘدﯾم د ﻋم ﺗﻌﻠﯾﻣ ﻲ ﻓ رد ي ﻓﻲ اﻟ رﯾﺎ ﺿﯾﺎ ت ﻋﻧدﻣﺎ ﻛﺎﻧ وا ﻓﻲ اﻟ ﻣد رﺳﺔ اﻟﺛﺎﻧ وﯾﺔ. ﺑﺎ ﻹ ﺿﺎﻓﺔ إ ﻟ ﻰ ذ ﻟ ك ، ا ﺳ ﺗ ﻛ ﺷ ﻔ ﻧ ﺎ أ ﯾ ﺿً ﺎ أ ﺳ ﺑ ﺎ ب ا ﻟ ط ﻼ ب ﻹ ﺟ ر ا ء د ر و س ﻓ ر د ﯾ ﺔ ﻓ ﻲ اﻟر ﯾﺎ ﺿ ﯾﺎ ت ، وا ﻟﺗﺄﺛﯾ ر اﻟ ﻣﻠ ﺣو ظ ﻟﻠ د رو س اﻟﻔ ردﯾ ﺔ ﻋﻠ ﻰ ﺗ ﺣ ﺻ ﯾﻠ ﮭم ﻓ ﻲ اﻟر ﯾﺎ ﺿ ﯾﺎ ت ، وﻣ ﺎ إذا ﻛﺎﻧ ت ﺑﯾﺋﺔ اﻟﺗ ﻌﻠم ﻓ ﻲ اﻟ ﻣد رﺳﺔ ﻗد أﺛ ر ت ﻋﻠ ﻰ اﻟﻘ را را ت اﻟ ﻣﺗ ﻌﻠﻘﺔ ﺑﺎ ﻟ ﺣ ﺻ ول ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﺗد ر ﯾ ب ﻓ ر د ي . د ر س وا ﺣ د. ﺷ ﺎ ر ك ﺛ ﻣﺎﻧ ﯾ ﺔ ﻣ ن ط ﻼ ب د ر ا ﺳ ﺔ اﻟﺣ ﺎﻟ ﺔ ﻓ ﻲ اﻟﺗذﻛﯾ ر ﺑ ﻣد ى ﻓﺎﺋدة اﻟﺗد رﯾ س اﻟﻔ رد ي ﻣ ن ﺧﻼل ﻣ ﻘ ﺎ ﺑ ﻼ ت ﺷ ﺑ ﮫ ﻣ ﻧ ظ ﻣ ﺔ . ﻧ ظ رً ا ﻟ ﺻ ﻐ ر ﺣ ﺟ م ا ﻟ ﻌ ﯾ ﻧ ﺔ ، ﺗ ﺿ ﻣ ن ا ﻟ ﺑ ﺣ ث ﻓ ﻘ ط ﺑ ﯾ ﺎ ﻧ ﺎ ت ﻧ و ﻋ ﯾ ﺔ ا ﺳ ﺗ ﻧ ﺎ دًا إ ﻟ ﻰ ذ ﻛ ر ﯾ ﺎ ت ط ﻼ ب ا ﻟ ﺟ ﺎ ﻣ ﻌ ﺎ ت ا ﻟ ذ ﯾ ن ﺣ ﺿ ر و ا دو رة ﻣدﺗ ﮭﺎ ﻋﺎم وا ﺣد ﻓ ﻲ ﻗ ﺳم اﻟﺗ ﻌﻠﯾم اﻟ ﻌﺎم ﻓ ﻲ ﻛﻠﯾﺔ أﺑو ظ ﺑ ﻲ ﻟ ﻠ ط ﻼ ب . ﻗ د م ا ﻟ ﺑ ﺣ ث ر ؤ ى ﻗ ﯾّﻣ ﺔ ﺣ و ل ﻛﯾ ﻔﯾ ﺔ ﻧ ظر ﺑ ﻌ ض اﻟ طﻼب ﻓ ﻲ وﺟود ﻣد ر س وا ﺣد ﻣﻔﯾد ﻟﺗ ﺣﻘﯾﻘ ﮭم ﻋﻧدﻣ ﺎ ﻛﺎﻧ وا ﻓ ﻲ اﻟ ﻣد رﺳﺔ اﻟﺛﺎﻧ وﯾ ﺔ. ﯾ ﺟ ب ﻋﻠ ﻰ اﻟ ﻣﻌﻠ ﻣﯾ ن ا ﻋﺗﺑﺎ ر ﺑﯾﺋ ﺔ ﺗ ﻌﻠم اﻟ طﻼب وا ﺣدة ﻣ ن ا ﻷﺳﺑﺎ ب اﻟ رﺋﯾ ﺳﯾ ﺔ ﻟﺗ ﻘ ر ﯾ ر ﻣﺎ إ ذا ﻛﺎ ن ﯾ ﺟ ب ﻋ ﻠﯾﮭم إ ﺟ ر ا ء د ر و س ﻓ ر دﯾ ﺔ أ م ﻻ ﻟ ر ﻓ ﻊ ﻣ ﺳ ﺗ و ى ﺗ ﺣ ﺻ ﯾﻠﮭم ﻓ ﻲ اﻟ ر ﯾﺎ ﺿ ﯾﺎ ت .

This study analyzed articles from India, Italy and Singapore regarding how science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is conceptualized in the K-12 setting. The research questions that guided our study were as follows: (1) How is K-12 STEM education conceptualized in literature in other countries? (2) Which STEM subject areas are more documented in K-12 STEM literature? (3) How are K-12 STEM teaching practices implemented?

This study utilized a systematic literature review methodology by (1) creating search terms based on the research questions, (2) choosing databases in which to conduct the search, (3) conducting the search and gathering articles and (4) selecting articles based on inclusion criteria. We chose search terms according to three domains relevant to our study as follows: countries of interest, content of interest and teaching practices. Articles researched were (1) an empirical journal article or literature review; (2) primarily focused on the concept of K-12 STEM teaching practices in one of the countries of interest and (3) written in English.

Findings from the study revealed few articles addressed a conceptualization of STEM; however, the majority of articles agreed upon the importance of STEM teaching methods in the K-12 classroom setting. Science was documented as the top documented area in K-12 STEM literature for India and Italy, whereas technology and mathematics were the top documented areas in Singapore. Comparing K-12 STEM teaching practices, Italy and Singapore were found to focus more on student-centered STEM teaching practices whereas schools in India mostly utilized student-centered teaching approaches.

The parameters of the systematic literature review, such as key terms used in the search and limited scope of countries investigated, were identified as limitations of the study. By expanding search parameters to include other countries or search terms, STEM education can be viewed on a more global scale.

This study will improve the global perspective of STEM education practices.

This study is unique in that it compared the conceptualization and K-12 STEM teaching practices implemented in India, Italy and Singapore.

The purpose of the current study is to assess Omani teachers’ performance on tasks related to the stages of engineering design. To achieve this, data from an engineering design test was used, and demographic variables that are correlated with this performance were identified.

This descriptive study employed a cross-sectional design and the collection of quantitative data. A sample of preservice science teachers from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) (n = 70) participated in this study.

Findings showed low and moderate levels of proficiency related to the stages of engineering design. Differences between males and females in terms of performance on engineering design tasks were found, with females scoring higher overall on the assessment. Biology preservice teachers scored higher than teachers from the other two majors (physics and chemistry) in two subscales. There were also differences between teachers studying in the Bachelor of Science (BSc) program and the teacher qualification diploma (TQD) program.

This study provides an overview, in an Arab setting, of preservice science teachers’ proficiency with engineering design process (EDP) tasks. It is hoped that the results may lead to improved instruction in science teacher training programs in similar contexts. Additionally, this research demonstrates how EDP competency relates to preservice teacher gender, major and preparation program. Findings from this study will contribute to the growing body of research investigating the strengths and shortcomings of teacher education programs in relation to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

Using a Southeast Asian context, this paper asks a question that has seldom been researched: Is there a divergence between parents’ and their college-going children’s perceptions of education and employability at a time of rapid economic change? If such a divergence exists, it would have hidden costs for the children. Parents’ choice of professions no longer in demand when their children reach working age can permanently damage the latter’s earning power. Also, parents’ choice of fields of study that their children are not proficient or interested in jeopardizes the latter’s chances of success in their studies. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Data were collected using mixed methods, a combination of structured online questionnaires from two local special-purpose sample surveys conducted by the authors, and follow-up interviews. Graduate Employment Survey 2 (GES2) was the second of a three-phase British Council-sponsored study, focusing on TNE, that used a structured online questionnaire for students of several tertiary education institutions, both in the public and private sectors, and for several group interviews of students in 2015. A structured questionnaire was also administered to a small number of parents.

In terms of employment, the rankings of HEIs by parents and students were generally consistent. Study in foreign HEIs abroad has the highest likelihood of employment. Branch campuses were ranked next highest. Despite this, of interest is the difference in mean scores between first and second ranked HEIs. Whereas students rate branch campuses as not much inferior to foreign university campuses, parents see a major gulf between them – they rate foreign campuses more highly than branch campuses more poorly. This difference is likely caused by parents’ traditional preference for foreign study over local, coupled with a lack of TNE knowledge.

A fundamental issue of perception is how parents and students see the role of education. Is education a destination or is education a journey? This disconnect has consequences. Given the shifting nature of employment, the need for transferable skills and the fact that some of the jobs that the next generation will be doing are not even known today, parental advice based on what they know may not do justice to their children’s choice of career. Likewise, the approach of TNE to promote traditional degrees to job paths is also a conventional approach that has a limited shelf life.

The role of parents in education choice has received surprisingly scant academic attention. With technological change driving product and service innovation ever more rapidly, previously unknown types of work have emerged in a relatively short span of time. In this situation, the risk of mismatched perceptions between parents and their children, whose educational experience spans a generation, is becoming increasingly real. While most studies of a parental role have been undertaken for Western countries, there is much less research on East Asian parents’ role in their children’s education.

This study examined participating teachers' expressions about teaching and learning when implementing lesson study (LS) about communication as a special didactic tool in mathematics; it also investigated their experience with LS. The initializing phase was characterized by letting the teachers become familiar with LS as a model for their professional development (PD). It also provided an opportunity for the participants to acquire common understanding of their starting point.

An adapted version of LS was used as a model for teachers' PD. The methods for data collection were a semi-structured interview and discussions with the teachers. From a teaching team in school year 1, two class teachers participated. The data obtained were qualitative and subjected to a thematic analysis. The teachers participated together in the different discussions during the study. All the discussions were audio-recorded.

During the discussions, the teachers raised some critical points: how to gain students' attention during lesson reviews; how to make follow-ups of the students' understanding of lesson content; how to plan and factors that could have been changed in education that could assist in all students' progress.

Both the initializing phase and the concept of special didactics have not received full attention in research. This study highlights the importance of capturing the teachers' attained competence toward understanding what is needed for future competence concerning communication as a special didactic tool in mathematics.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the characteristics and dynamics of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the ICT sector in Qatar.

The methodology of this research is based on a literature review and information collected through semistructured interviews with the different stakeholders involved in the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the ICT sector in Qatar.

The results show that two opposite forces shape the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the ICT sector in Qatar. On one hand, the strong determination and intervention of the Qatari government to diversify the economy by creating a vibrant ecosystem in the ICT sector. On the other hand, entrepreneurs in this sector are still facing some barriers and difficulties, and those issues are tightly related to Qatar's economic characteristics as a rentier state whose economy is driven by hydrocarbon resources.

These findings contribute to the clarification and critical analysis of the current dynamics of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the ICT sector in Qatar, which would have several policy implications.

Human talent is rapidly becoming the most important asset for individuals, communities and nations. As the world changes rapidly due to globalization and technological innovation new opportunities and challenges arise for individuals, communities and nations. This paper aims to explore transforming education to prepare students to invent the future.

This essay draws on an evaluation of the impact of an entrepreneurship education program on a sample of youth in Saudi Arabia and integrates the core findings and ideas of literature relevant to the topic of education for the 21st century, including several books by the author.

This paper highlights five principles guide a series of curriculum resources to advance dispositions and skills for student empowerment and civic participation: start with the end in mind to design curriculum; leverage improvement networks to design curriculum; learn by doing; the power of problem-based education; and the power of collaboration in diverse teams.

Klaus Schwab, the founder of the World Economic Forum, predicts that the Fourth Industrial Revolution, resulting from increased and ubiquitous automation and the development of artificial intelligence, will eliminate many of the jobs currently available. Together with neurotechnological and genetic developments, these changes will create new opportunities and serious challenges, which require a heightened commitment to putting humans at the center, and empowerment as a goal (Schwab, 2017). These developments create a new urgency to examine whether children and youth are being prepared to be effective and productive citizens and workers, and to not just understand the future but to invent it. There is an emerging consensus that the skills students will need to invent the future must include cognitive, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills (Pellegrino and Hilton, 2012). The growing awareness that the adequate development of these requires deliberate efforts to cultivate them is also stimulating questions and innovations about the kind of educational experiences which can cultivate those skills.

This paper aims to focus on how reading for pleasure is transmitted within the family. Using data taken from the Programme for International Student Assessment test of 2009, which dealt in depth with the reading proficiency of students, the authors show that children of parents who read for pleasure are better readers. Within the extensive research and published results on reading performance, the authors focused on the transmission of parents’ reading attitudes to their children.

In this study, the authors have opted for an approach of “difference in differences”, applied to a population that represents all 15-year-olds from five countries (Germany, Denmark, Hungary, Italy and Portugal). To support this study, the authors chose as a response variable the difference between reading performance and maths performance of each student, taking into account five plausible values for each student. The authors have several explanatory variables, among them what we call the “treatment”, which is the parents’ enthusiasm for reading.

The calculated estimations clearly indicate that there is a positive effect for four out of the five countries analysed, ranging from 4 points for Italy to 6.5 points for Germany and Portugal. As for the significance of the effect, with the exception of Hungary, the result is reliable and robust. It should also be noted that the variable that indicates the existence of a reading habit by children (daily reading for pleasure) is seen as a factor that positively affects the difference between competence in reading and mathematics in four out of the five countries analysed.

The results show positive effects on children whose parents read for pleasure, and this fact should be used to further encourage parents to promote their own reading time for pleasure. In view of the already quantified trend in international reports that adults are reading less, it seems crucial to involve educational authorities in reversing this phenomenon, knowing the impact that adult reading habits have on the reading competence of young people.

The primary research question in this study concerns the establishment of a platform for intercultural collaborative lesson study, which promotes reciprocal dialogue between culturally distinctive educational research groups. Therefore, this study aims to introduce a case of intercultural collaborative lesson study projects between Hiroshima University and Leipzig University and to illustrate the issues in intercultural collaborative lesson study.

This study reconstructed the sequence of the project as a case under the narrative structure. Data were retrieved from a collaborative project between Hiroshima University and Leipzig University, which corresponds to the theoretical framework, as they represent a clear cultural contrast. The description of the project is reconstructed and reduced into a linear storyline of procedure.

This study identifies three key issues: (1) sharing data and culture, (2) visualising methodology and process, and (3) responding to research questions and answers.

This platform does require one cultural group neither throwing their own norms away nor creating an utterly new paradigm beyond their own cultures. It is a place “between” original places that enables groups to capture their own culture and another culture, which does not compel to change but effectively allows reflection and changing themselves.

Although several transcultural reports find that one cultural asset is imported and exported, the arena of bi-directional intercultural dialogue remains undeveloped. The collaborative project between Hiroshima and Leipzig is then introduced and examined to overcome the current problems in transnational lesson study.

The purpose of this paper is to explain why Singapore is a success story today despite the fact that its prospects for survival were dim when it became independent in August 1965.

This paper describes the changes in Singapore’s policy context from 1959 to 2016, analyses the five factors responsible for its success and concludes with advice for policy makers interested in implementing Singapore-style reforms to solve similar problems in their countries.

Singapore’s success can be attributed to these five factors: the pragmatic leadership of the late Lee Kuan Yew and his successors; an effective public bureaucracy; effective control of corruption; reliance on the “best and brightest” citizens through investment in education and competitive compensation; and learning from other countries.

This paper will be useful to those scholars and policy makers interested in learning from Singapore’s success in solving its problems.