Policy borrowing in the gulf cooperation council countries: Cultural scripts and epistemological conflicts

Romanowski, Michael H.; Alkhateeb, Hadeel; Nasser, Ramzi

doi:10.1016/j.ijedudev.2017.10.021

Cited by 25 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Although scholars doubt whether decentralization can be realized at all for developing countries where democracy is not practiced (Bardhan and Mookherjee 2005), the current study argues that a governmental wish for decentralization in a developing country like Qatar is neither black and white nor a one-directional movement. There is always a paradox when borrowing "Western" concepts for a different context (Romanowski et al 2018). Digesting and developing a borrowed idea are less consistent and more complex than one expects, as Gershberg and Winkler (2004) pointed out: "what is equitable may not be efficient, what is efficient may not be democratic, and what is democratic may not be equitable" (p. 324).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Education transferring and decentralized reforms: The case of Qatar

Romanowski

2020

Prospects

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Nations transfer educational reform models for the systematic improvement of education. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Gulf Cooperation Council states, which have implemented primarily Western decentralized reform models to overhaul their educational systems. This article reports non-empirical research, written as a conceptual analysis that examines the current situation of the educational reform in Qatar. The theory of education transferring serves as a conceptual framework to scrutinize Qatar's recent educational change to Project-based Learning. This illustrates the shift from the initial decentralized reform to its current centralized state. Contextual factors that influence decentralization are discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Education transferring and decentralized reforms: The case of Qatar

Romanowski

2020

Prospects

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“…This method of rote learning was then transferred to the new organised educational system. Romanowski et al (2018) highlighted that rote learning is generally encouraged in school education systems in GCC and Arab countries. They further stated that students are usually not taught how to think critically or engage in reflection and are merely recipients of knowledge.…”

Section: Rote Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In their quantitative study of examining cultural differences between generations in Saudi Arabia, Bukhari et al (2019) showed that borrowed Western curricula and educational systems do not ensure effective learning in GCC countries. Since students are used to the rote learning culture, processing information that requires high levels of cognition, a characteristic of Western educational products, is a challenge (Romanowski et al, 2018)-but a necessary one, considering that modern tasks require analytical thinking and critical thinking skills.…”

Section: Culturementioning

confidence: 99%

The Growing Demand for Education in Saudi Arabia: How Effective Is Borrowing Educational Models from the West?

Mirghani¹

2020

JEL

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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) considers education a top priority, and more emphasis has been placed on this following the 2016 announcement of Saudi Vision 2030. Since then, the country has witnessed several economic and social changes. As a result, the Kingdom has initiated a plan to invest in human capital through education to diversify its economy and increase employment. This includes educational reform with regard to primary and secondary education geared toward preparing students for higher education and the workplace. However, several factors may hinder the successful execution of this plan. This report will provide insights into factors such as cultural dimensions, learning profiles, the English language proficiency gap, and information on borrowing educational models from the West. It will also include some suggestions and recommendations to enhance teacher education programmes so that positive educational reform may be achieved effectively.

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“…These four basic principles form the basis for pedagogical process in classrooms, which is described as constructivism (Wilson, 2017). Romanowski, Alkhateeb, and Nasser (2018) and Bosman and Schulze (2017) also suggest that knowledge is not passively acquired and that it is acquired when a person is thinking actively. They also posit that behavior is transformed through cognition so that individuals can function Nguyen (2016) proposes the description of the constructivist approach into two precise categories, which encompass the constructivist and socio-cultural worldviews, also identified as socio-constructivist perspective.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Perceptions and Beliefs of Saudi Preparatory Year Program Learners Towards Learning English: A Case Study

Massri¹

2019

SSRN Journal

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Learning English in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) can be a challenging experience. Nevertheless, being proficient in English language guarantees better job opportunities in various fields and thus learners need to acquire an acceptable level of proficiency. Recognizing its significant role in the learners' academic and professional excellence, the English language has gained the status of a mandatory language in the Saudi higher education institutions. As students enter universities for higher studies, they are often required to take prerequisite courses in English to gain a higher level of proficiency. This qualitatively driven descriptive case study investigated the attitudes of EFL students who were enrolled in the Foundation Year Program. This study aimed to examine the learners' feelings, emotions, and attitudes in the light of their academic performance. In total, thirteen male and seventeen female students were interviewed using semistructured interviews as a main tool for the data collection. They were asked to recall and write their narratives regarding their experience of learning the English language throughout the foundation year program. The socio-constructivist nature of this qualitative case study offered an opportunity to participants to share their stories. Consequently, it highlighted the factors that motivated them for a language learning experience. Moreover, it allowed them to reflect on the challenges that they encountered during their learning odyssey of the English language course as part of the preparatory year program (PYP). Findings from this research study suggest that the participants' motivations to learn English are primarily related to socioeconomic reasons. Besides, students were particularly motivated to learn English when they were encouraged by their families and by 'good' teaching practices. Nevertheless, these findings failed to establish an association between the learners' attitudes and their performance on the assessments during the course. This case study adds to the existing literature by examining a context that lacks empirical evidence on the topic of EFL learners' beliefs about English learning. More research in this area is required to determine why this discrepancy occurred.

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Policy borrowing in the gulf cooperation council countries: Cultural scripts and epistemological conflicts

Cited by 25 publications

References 26 publications

Education transferring and decentralized reforms: The case of Qatar

Education transferring and decentralized reforms: The case of Qatar

The Growing Demand for Education in Saudi Arabia: How Effective Is Borrowing Educational Models from the West?

The Perceptions and Beliefs of Saudi Preparatory Year Program Learners Towards Learning English: A Case Study

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