Theses (Education)

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Browsing Theses (Education) by Subject "academic achievement"

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    IMPACT OF THE UAE NATIONAL SERVICE ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS
    (The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2021-02) Alhammadi, Fatima
    The main focus of this study was to investigate the influence of the National Service programme in the UAE among the post-Secondary school Emirati youth on their academic development at higher learning institutions and hence career development in the future. To achieve this, three specific research objectives were developed to guide the study development. The first objective was to assess the experiential and learning skills taught at the national service that influences the level of discipline among the alumni while in higher learning institutions. The second objective was to explore the influence of participating in the national service programme on students' attitudes in higher learning education towards constructive feedback. The third objective was to assess the impact of participating in national service on the ability of alumni to make informed decisions on occupational choices. Snowball sampling technique was used to collect data from as many participants as possible. A sample of 1843 Emirati university students who are alumni of the national service programme, 106 parents of university national service students and 106 university lecturers, were recruited to participate in the study. A questionnaire, including closed-ended questions to collect quantitative data and open-ended questions to collect qualitative data, was used. The collected data were analysed using statistical analysis and thematic analysis. Before conducting analysis to address the specific objectives, a descriptive approach using frequency distributions, percentages and graphical representation were used to analyse demographic data and all the quantitative data. Another pre-test for objectives analysis conducted was Cronbach’s alpha test for reliability and validity of internal consistency, which showed significant reliability and validity of the data for further analysis. Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation and Multiple Linear regression models were used to analyse the data in order to address the research objectives. The results showed that soft skills and behavioural maturity learnt during national service improve students discipline level, attitudes towards constructive feedback and the ability to make informed decisions as well as on academic development. The results also showed a significant relationship between improved discipline and commitment to academic studies and other responsibilities. The findings have concluded that participation in the national service programme equips young people with experiential and learning skills as well as behavioural maturity improvement that significantly influence their discipline level, academic development, attitudes towards constructive feedback and informed decision-making process. Therefore, the research recommends that the government should establish a diploma or degree programme for national service programme to increase its academic and career development scope.
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    Investigating the Role of Students’ Attainment, Aptitude and Attitude Assessments in Predicting SAT Achievement: The Case of US-Curriculum Schools in the UAE
    (The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2021-11) HADI, LAMES ABDUL
    The focus on the role of assessments in predicting students’ performance is rapidly increasing. The literature highlights the need to investigate students’ achievement predictors in exit assessments. Some studies have focused on investigating the relationship and/or predictability between one or two types of assessment within the academic, cognitive, or affective domains (Chen et al., 2012; Donati, Meaburn & Dumontheil, 2019; Gonzalez, 2015; Hong, 2018). In US-curriculum schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), three types of assessment are implemented that measure students’ attainment, aptitude, and attitudes toward learning, namely the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), Cognitive Ability Test (CAT4), and the Pupil Attitudes toward Self and School (PASS). The current study utilised those assessments to investigate the role of students’ attainment in MAP, aptitude level in CAT4, and attitude towards learning in PASS assessments in Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) achievement. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed-method design, and data was collected in two phases. Assessment data of students in Grades 9-12 from five US-curriculum schools in the UAE conducting the MAP, CAT4, PASS, and SAT was analysed to find the relationship between those assessments and to investigate the predictability of SAT using MAP, CAT4, and PASS scores. As a result, in phase one of the study, 603 SAT-Math scores and 169 SAT-English scores for the same students were analysed, and stakeholders’ perceptions were collected from 84 leaders’ and teachers’ and 797 students’ questionnaires dedicated to each participant group. In phase two, 13 leaders, 15 teachers, 32 students, and eight parents were part of focus group interviews. The results highlighted a positive relationship between SAT-Math and SAT-English scores and attainment, aptitude, and the majority of attitudes toward learning factors. Specifically, the strongest positive relationship is between students’ MAP and SAT scores and between CAT4 and SAT-Math. Two prediction equations were developed, concluding that MAP, CAT4, and PASS variables explained 44.7% of the variance in SAT-Math scores with an effect size of 0.808, and 42.9% of the variance in SAT-English scores with an effect size of 0.751. Stakeholders’ perceptions revealed an overall high agreement on the role of students’ academic attainment in English and math, aptitude level, and attitudes toward learning in predicting SAT achievement. Learner self-regard and confidence in learning are the only attitude factors that all stakeholders agreed on in relation to their role in SAT achievement, confirmed by assessment data analysis. Stakeholders’ perceptions highlighted the use of MAP, CAT4, and PASS assessments to support teaching and learning processes and pointed to the lack of a systematic process using assessment data to predict students’ SAT scores. The study contributes to the field by guiding researchers and educators in their pursuit of identifying factors within academic, cognitive, and affective domains that predict students’ academic achievement. Accordingly, the findings can guide educators and schools in supporting students’ academic and social development by finding a systematic process of utilising assessment information, tracking students’ progress, providing feedback about curriculum development, assessment policies, teaching and learning processes, and finally identifying stakeholders’ need for support in the role and use of assessments.