Dissertations (Education)

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Browsing Dissertations (Education) by Subject "academic skills"

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    A Description of Preschool Parents Perceptions of Kindergarten Readiness
    (The British Univesity in Dubai (BUiD), 2015-04) Dinar, Eqlima
    Children as young as three are being assessed whether they are ready or not for kindergarten by examining their academic skills which have raised parents’ concerns about their children’s ability to be successful in formal schooling. Parents are a child’s first teacher and their beliefs about readiness affect the kind of experiences and materials which they provide for their children and knowing their perceptions could benefit teachers, schools and legislators in this region for improving the quality of early childhood education. Kindergarten readiness is a complex construct that involves multiple dimensions of children development. This descriptive survey study was conducted to describe preschool parents perceptions about the skills that they believe are important for their child to be ready for kindergarten. By utilizing the National Education Goal Panel framework of readiness, an online questionnaire was constructed and distributed to a convenient sample of 76 parents of 3 to 4 years old children who are enrolled in the United Arab Emirates preschools. Parents reported that Social and Emotional domains were most crucial to children’s success in kindergarten yet they focused on academic instruction when engaging in activities with their children. The findings of the study can be utilized to better inform parents about the skills that are crucial for readiness, help teachers in designing better instructional experiences and aid legislators in planning and implanting policies that could improve the quality of early childhood education in the country. Further research is still required on this topic that can be on larger scale so that it would generalizable to a bigger population.
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    The Impact of Arts Integration on the Learning and Social Abilities of Students with Disabilities: An Approach to an Inclusive Classroom
    (The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2020-11) Shouma, Madiha
    Arts Integration (AI) is known as an effective teaching method which contributes to students’ engagement and learning in the classroom. It is flexible and can be altered or modified to fit an individual student’s needs. This study aims to determine how AI can contribute to the academic and social development of students with disabilities in the classroom. Building on existing literature on Arts Integration in education, it asks: What is the impact of AI on the educational and social development of students with disabilities? How does Arts integration in the curriculum contribute to effective inclusion in the classroom? What are teachers’ attitudes in the Emirate of Sharjah towards promoting arts integration in their classrooms? How involved and/or aware are caregivers about Art Integration? Based on a review of the literature on Arts Integration and theories of its impact on students with disabilities, a case study was conducted in one of the schools in the United Arab Emirates, specifically in the Emirate of Sharjah. The case study examined the impact of AI on the academic and social development of 4 elementary students with different disabilities. Moreover, a printed survey was distributed to the teachers and the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) from the same school to measure their awareness and attitudes towards AI in their classrooms. In addition, through a collaboration with an educational governmental institute in Sharjah that caters to the needs of young adults with disabilities, an online survey was sent to their database -which includes caregivers of students with disabilities across Sharjah- to measure their knowledge and level of involvement in AI. The results indicate that AI has indeed a positive impact on the academic and social development of students with disabilities. Moreover, the results of the teachers’ survey (TWAS) show an incredible level of teachers’ awareness and willingness to increase the integration of art in their classrooms. Last but not least, the caregivers survey also showed how parents strongly encourage AI as they can see its impact on their children’s abilities and their attitude in social environments inside the house and inside the school. On these bases, it is recommended that educators consider Arts Integration as a key factor in their classroom as it provides information to a wide range of learners, multiple means for all students to express their understanding, and better engagement for all students in participatory, collaborative and developmental learning experiences. Further research is needed to identify the effectiveness of AI on different ages and different disabilities. Hence, create a clear and unified framework for teachers to practice AI in the inclusive classroom.
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    The importance of computer programming for developing primary students’ future and academic skills: Examining the time and resources allotted for it in UAE schools
    (The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2022-06) ELSAWAH, WAFAA ABDELRAHIM
    Abstract Purpose- As the era of technology continues to evolve, programming education has garnered a growing amount of interest. Programming has an important role in preparing students and arming them with the language of the future. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the importance of programming, discuss the pedagogical philosophy of how programming is taught, identify the barriers to the proper implementation of programming education in UAE primary schools, and finally find solutions to overcome these barriers. Methodology- The study adopted a mixed methods approach to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Thirteen ICT teachers, from different schools in the UAE, were interviewed in the qualitative study to investigate their perception of the teaching of programming to primary students. A questionnaire was distributed to parents who have kids in primary school in the UAE in the quantitative study. The questionnaire received responses from 499 parents. The primary goal of the questionnaire is to validate the interview results as well as understand the parents' perspectives towards their kids' experiences with the programming being taught at school. Findings- The analysis of data revealed that the good application of programming education in UAE schools is yet to be accomplished. There is a need to reform the teaching of programming in primary schools in the UAE and to raise awareness about it and its importance in the school domain (school principals, teachers, and students) and the community domain (parents). Implications- One significant implication is that teaching programming should be taken seriously by educational policymakers and school leaders as a core subject that should be taught to all students. The study also contributed to the growing body of literature on the value of programming skills and the role of the appropriate curriculum in developing these skills. It also makes some recommendations to the MOE, the school inspections team, school managers, and teachers in order to improve education programming and overcome challenges in UAE primary schools. Originality/ value- This study provides new insights at both practical and scholarly levels. It can shed light on the field's expansion prospects. The outcomes of this study may assist educational policymakers in better implementing programming education, particularly in primary school. Moreover, it helps teachers better prepare for the problems that primary students may encounter with learning programming in schools.