This study attempts to identify factors behind the usage of a blended learning approach that could have an effect on students' achievement, motivation, collaboration and communication as perceived by students. It also aims to analyze obstacles faced by students in using Moodle in blended learning. A sample of 283-students from all colleges at Sultan Qaboos University was randomly selected. A questionnaire of 45 items is developed to collect data. The results reveal that using Moodle in blended learning has an average level of effectiveness related to students' motivation with a mean of 3.216 and mean of 3.164 for students' achievements, and mean of 3.199 is related to students' collaborations and communication. The results showed there is no statistical significant difference among student perceptions related to gender and college type. The results also revealed that the highest obstacles facing students related to frequent disturbance in computer devices with mean 3.090. Based on the result of the study, many recommendations have been developed.
The gap between educational outcomes and labour market demand is one of the most important issues concerning researchers and specialists in the field of educational planning and policy-making. Innovation, entrepreneurship, diversity and creativity characterize the globalized, high-tech labour markets. Whilst striving for a sustainable future, Oman is still grappling with entrenched, traditional methods of education. These educational methods are incapable of meeting diverse learning needs or producing young people, equipped to readily take their places in the workforce. Structured interviews with key figures in Oman were conducted to gauge the prospect of a vision of education which encompasses alternative schools, programmes and pathways to enhance opportunities for all students and facilitate outcomes that better match demands created by an increasingly sophisticated working environment. This paper is produced at a time when planning is underway for Vision 2040 and provides insight into the challenges and opportunities for alternative education in Oman.
The purpose of this article is to explore the perceptions of faculty members regarding research capacity building in the field of Education. It particularly seeks to identify the challenges and opportunities associated with this practice from the perspectives of these members. The study adopted a qualitative research design, using focus group interviews to collect data from a sample of faculty members in the College of Education at a national university in Oman. The results revealed the existence of some challenges that hampered educational research, including time constraints, the lack of a collaborative research culture, the lack of research training, and the absence of a clear research agenda. The analysis also identified a number of capacity building opportunities such as a research-supportive environment, the availability of research funding, and the role of research groups. The study concludes with some recommendations to improve educational research capacity both in Oman and in the Arab region in general.
This article reports on a study that examined the relationship between the mission statements and performance of Basic Education Schools in Oman. The process of mission statement framing was also investigated. A sample of 161 school mission statements was randomly collected from the Ministry of Education school mission portal database representing 19% of the total population. A sequential mixed method of analysis was chosen. The mission statements being classified with respect to 12 themes of which the most frequently of them appearing Academic Achievement (74.5%) and the least frequent Scientific Research Methods (26.1%). Results show that Learning Outcomes Excellence significantly correlated with a theme around Reconstructing School Environment (r = 0.243). Also, Islamic Values and Ethics significantly correlated with Scientific Research Methods (r = 0.221). It was also appeared that school principals spent great efforts on designing school mission statements that directed schools towards achieving their purpose and improving their performance.
This study aims to explore the Sultan Qaboos University undergraduate students' perceptions and attitudes towards using m-Health app and its impact on improving their sports and health habits. Triangulation was used by applying a questionnaire and focus groups interviews to answer the research questions. The survey sample was (20) male and female students from four science and humanities colleges. Both quantitative and qualitative findings unequivocally reveal the students' positive perceptions and attitudes toward the use of the mobile health app. No statistically significant differences were found between the responses of either males or females, or the science and humanitarian colleges of the sample students. In light of these findings, the study set forth its conclusions and recommendations.
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