Education In Arab Countries Research Articles

Suggestions for Improving Health Care Delivery: Al-Qalam University College Perspective

Quality improvement of health care in Iraq is an essential social standard demand now. The health care system, health care providers, and delivery of health care have confronted a series of extremely unusual difficulties during the period from 1980 to date. When the infrastructure of Ministry of Health and health care availability to Iraqi community unexpectedly started to deteriorate because of the wars (Iraqi-Iranian war wich lasted for eight years and two Gulf was), the economic sanctions imposed upon the country and the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. Medical education is under reform as it has started to change from teacher-centered to student-centered education. Researchers are woring seriously to find and set a workable system to improve the medical education in Arab Countries. The medical research is important as it led to health development, breakthrough and medicine future shaping, as it provides the required information that is vital in improvement of disease diagnosis, disease prevention, community health, establishment of new treatment approaches, discovery of new drugs, and economical benefit.

Mental Health Care Education and Training in Pharmacy Programs in Arabic-Speaking Countries

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess how entry-level pharmacy programs in Arab countries prepare graduates to provide mental health care, specifically examining the didactic curricula and experiential training in psychiatry in bachelor and PharmD programs. MethodsAn electronic survey was sent to all entry-level pharmacy programs in the 22 Arab countries asking to report on the 2021-2022 academic year. The survey assessed teaching and learning (eg, psychiatric diseases taught and extent of the coverage; contact hours dedicated to psychiatric therapeutics, pharmacology, and medicinal chemistry), experiential training in psychiatry and its challenges, and graduates’ preparedness to provide mental health. A descriptive analysis of the data was undertaken, and data were reported for bachelor and PharmD programs separately. ResultsOverall, 35 pharmacy programs completed the survey. All PharmD programs and 80% of bachelor programs covered psychiatric therapeutics, and most contact hours were dedicated to pharmacology, followed by psychiatric therapeutics and medicinal chemistry. Over half of the faculty considered that depression and anxiety disorders were covered sufficiently, and 56.2% of programs did not offer experiential training in psychiatry. Common challenges in psychiatry experiential training included a lack of sites and qualified preceptors. Overall, 26.4% of faculty positively rated graduates’ preparedness to provide mental health care. Graduates who completed experiential training in psychiatry and PharmD graduates were rated higher. ConclusionPharmaceutical education in Arab countries could be improved by enhancing the teaching and assessment of mental health topics and expanding psychiatry experiential training. Such changes would improve entry-level pharmacists’ competencies in mental health care provision.

Gifted education in Arab countries: analyses from a learning-resource perspective

Gifted education in Arab countries: analyses from a learning-resource perspective

The use of virtual and augmented reality in science and math education in Arab countries: A survey of previous research studies

The aim of this study was to present a survey of research relating to the use of virtual and augmented reality in science and math education in Arab countries after 2012. The research studies were collected from several sources that include a set of common Arabic research database, a set of English research database, and popular search engines. Thirty three research studies were found related to the use of virtual and augmented reality in science and math education in Arab countries. These studies were examined based on four variables: focus, research method, data collection tools, and geographical distribution. The results showed that most of the research related to uses of virtual and augmented reality in science and math education in Arab countries focused on students and their teachers and most of the researches followed the two-group experimental design, and the quantitative descriptive research. Regarding the methods of data collection most of the studies used test and questionnaires. In addition, most of the research studies were conducted in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Based on the findings, a set of recommendations were presented.

The Educational Impact of Al-Azhar University in South Western Nigeria: A Case Study of Arabic-Islamic Schools in Yorubaland

Pursuing education in Arab countries generates a controversy among indigenous and home-made scholars in Nigeria. Some believe that it is enough to pursue religious education within the country, while some others uphold the standpoint that Muslim students should pursue their studies in Arab countries like Al-Azhar. Hence, there is a lot of confusion and controversy about the impact of Al-Azhar University in Nigeria. However, this study aims to investigate the impact of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt on Arabic-Islamic schools in the Yorubaland, Nigeria. This is done through investigation of its curriculum, scholarship, and sending of Al-Azhar's delegates to teach in Arabic-Islamic schools in Yorubaland, Nigeria. It discusses Islamic religious affairs and the role played by the Nigerian Muslim scholars in general and in the South Western Nigeria in particular. Furthermore, it addresses the argument bothering on the need to pursue religious education within and outside the country. This study also examines the difference between Al-Azhar educational system and the Nigerian Arabic- Islamic educational system and investigates the need for continuation or otherwise of Al-Azhar’s venture in the Nigerian Arabic- Islamic Schools. This study is both historical and analytical in nature. It used data gathered via primary and secondary sources and utilizes both qualitative and quantitative methods. Findings from this study revealed the suitability of Al-Azhar educational system for Nigeria. It also showed the continuous need to pursue Al-Azhar education by Nigerians. The need to introduce some Western courses into Al-Azhar educational curriculum to facilitate easy fitting of the graduates into Nigerian educational system also emanated from this study. The study recommends the completion of secondary education in Nigeria by intending Nigerians seeking Al-Azhar education in order to facilitate their usefulness in the Nigerian western-oriented educational system upon their return.

Learning to Read in an “Estranged” Language: Arabic Diglossia, Child Literacy, and the Case for Mother Tongue-Based Education

Reading proficiency of Arab students is amongst the lowest globally. Research in applied linguistics confirms the pervasive impact of Arabic language diglossia—that is the linguistic distance between the language of education, Standard Arabic (StA), and the vernacular mother tongue, Spoken Arabic (SpA)—on the acquisition of various basic literacy skills. This multidisciplinary paper argues that the current approach to education in Arab countries is not working and proposes to refocus on Mother Tongue-Based education. In a novel analysis, the paper examines through the lens of diglossia StA vocabulary in various educational materials designed to teach initial literacy to young children, including the new kindergarten Arabic textbook by the Ministry of Education of Egypt. The analysis shows that more than half the vocabulary used to teach basic reading skills, such as phonics and decoding, is unfamiliar to children, i.e., distant from their spoken language variety. A commonly proposed solution to the unfamiliarity of preschool-aged children with the language of literacy instruction is to expand their oral exposure to StA, through read-aloud and screen time, such that it is not a new language when they enter school. Drawing on findings from the fields of Arabic linguistics, Early Childhood Education, MotherTongue-Based education, and children’s literature, this paper discusses problems with this approach and deems it unimplementable. Using new survey data, the paper confirms the poor culture of reading to children in StA. It further outlines research demonstrating the limited role of screen time in developing language. Recognizing that children enter school with limited to no knowledge of StA, the paper presents evidence-based arguments for why adopting Mother Tongue-Based education—where SpA is the language of literacy instruction during the initial years of schooling—is the better pedagogical approach to teaching literacy and should be a steppingstone to learning StA.

Trans-Cultural Validation of the “Physical Education and Sport Anxiety State Scale” (PESAS) in Arabic Language: Insights for Sport and Physical Education

Objective: Adaptation in Arabic language and empirical examination of the instrument for measuring the state anxiety in physical education and sport PSEAS among Tunisian students. Methods: A set of 623 athletic and non-athletic students (m age = 14.71, AND age = 2) from primary and secondary school completed an adapted version of the PSEAS Anxiety Scale in Arabic language. The subjects were recruited in two phases: exploratory (n = 161; m age = 14.59, ET age = 2) and confirmatory (n = 462; m age = 14.79, ET age = 1.99). Results: The PSESAS measurement scale was stable on exploratory factor analysis and no items were removed from the three dimensions of the scale. Likewise, reliability tests have shown that the internal consistency is adequate. The confirmatory factor analysis carried out showed the robustness of the measurement of the 18 items of the scale. Also, the three dimensions showed a moderate correlation, which confirms the first-order structure of the instrument. The sensitivity of the instrument for the variable gender, sport practice and gender interaction effect*sport practice was highlighted. Females and non-athletes showed higher levels of anxiety. Conclusion: The Arabic version of PSEAS is valid and reliable in terms of psychometrics and can be administered to assess state anxiety rates for primary and secondary students in physical education in Arab countries.

Journalism and Media Curricula in Arab Universities

The study aims to reveal the consistency of the types of courses in the study plans of the bachelor’s programs and specializations in journalism and media in Arab universities, along with the classification of the UNESCO model curriculum courses on teaching journalism in developing countries. It adopted three types of courses that need to be included in any curriculum in the field of journalism teaching: Professional Training Courses (47%), Journalism Courses (10%), and arts and other sciences courses (43%). This model was applied to academic plans of journalism and media programs and specializations in nine Arab public universities covering the three Arab regions: The Levant and Iraq, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Maghreb and North Africa. In addition, the study adopted the descriptive approach by analyzing and describing the components of the study plans in terms of form and content. The study results showed that the faculties and departments of communication and media in the selected sample of Arab Universities offer different programs more in teaching journalism and media disciplines. In contrast, communication studies are almost limited to public relations programs. As for the content level of the three courses (vocational training courses, journalistic studies courses, and courses from other arts and sciences) included in their study plans in different proportions, some of them are compatible with the estimates of the UNESCO model curriculum, while some are far away from these estimates. Also, there is a methodological and scientific gap between the practical and theoretical aspects in most of the selected sample of programs and disciplines. KEYWORDS University education in Arab countries, ideal journalistic competence, teaching methods, courses, vocational training, journalism and media studies

The religious situation in Central Asia

Due to communist ideology religious education was not available to Soviet citizens. For a long time, Central Asian countries did not have their own religious educational institutions. After having had their independence and opening of the borders, active interaction of the Central Asian states with the outside world began: many citizens left to receive religious education in Arab countries. During the theological training of young people in foreign Islamic centers, students were imbued with religious views and values ​​alien to the mentality of their people. When they return to their homeland, they begin to promote the ideas of radical Islam. Islamists understand that such activities are prohibited and illegal, they go underground, having unconscious young people involved in the confrontation with the state. Radical religious preachers form a belief in the mass consciousness about the value of Islam as a worldview and social force that can solve all problems. However, the low level of religious literacy of the majority of Muslims, their inability to distinguish true religiosity from religious fanaticism and extremism, contribute to the spread of radical Islamism. As the number of adherents of Islamic extremism increases, their religious and ideological confrontation with the secular state may develop into a phase of armed struggle, into a terrorist underground. The article describes how administration of the republics representing the region has to balance between protecting the citizens from religious extremism and preventing the infringement of the rights and freedoms of law-abiding believers The article examines peculiarities of the religious situation in the post-Soviet countries of Central Asia, describes the legal basis for regulating religious issues,  significance of state concepts and programs. In addition, the article examines peculiarities of religious and theological education in the countries of Central Asia. The article defines the significance of secular principles and the regulation of religious issues in a secular country. Key words: religion, Central Asia, religious organizations, law, religious situation.

Financing Higher Education in Arab Countries: Challenges, Constraints and Solutions

This study related to the HE finance system aims primarily to systematically identify, summarize, examine and critically analyze the key challenges and constraints confronting HE finance as investigated in the research on this subject and propose solutions for further improvement. The findings from the defined sample of 24 relevant studies showed that major constraints and challenges facing HE financing certainly affects the flow of adequate finance provided to HEIs, including brain drain, existence of a gap between educational outcomes and labor market, reliance on policy learning and dependency on others, financial crisis, shortage of governmental resources, and poor participation of the private sector and civil society. The constraints and challenges were identified based on insightful theoretical constructs that highly characterized by principles and concepts which may not allow us to practicably develop a clear understanding of how to inspire the development of HE finance that would be a concern of policymakers and speedily acts on policy-making. However, the integration of such theoretical constructs (or others) and the introduction of serious attempts or thoughtful scenarios towards practical applications are mostly ignored. The need to acknowledge the constraints associated with limits on finance is fundamental for declining the hazardously high levels of unemployment for a sustainable economic growth. Finally, quantitative and mixed method research designs, and cross-sectional and panel analysis data are recommended to assess the influence of the HE finance systems and to identify the best opportunities and ways to meet challenges confronted by the countries, given their social and political paradigms.

From Practices to Teaching: Challenges and Opportunities of Public Administration in the Arab World

This paper examines the challenges facing PA education, considering the colonial heritage of the region. Over the past decade, researchers have paid attention to Public Administration (PA) and its education in the Middle East. Many explored the history of the PA in the region and the quality of PA programs within high education institutes. In the context of the developmental challenges that face the current generation in the region, and under the current political circumstances which have negative consequences on PA, many voices call for a reliable and high-quality PA education and good governance, which includes accountability, transparency, democracy, and other concepts related to bureaucratic machinery within the public institutions. There is therefore a need to examine what governmental institutions, together with academic institutions in the Arab States, are doing to make significant progress in this field. The paper examines the main challenges facing PA education in Arab countries.

BOOK REVIEW: Teaching and Learning in the Arab World

The book Teaching and Learning in the Arab World is a compilation of 21 papers representing completed research from the Arab Gulf region. The editor, Christina Gitsaki, was the UNESCO Chair in Applied Research in Education at the Sharjah Colleges of Technology at the time of publication. The book was compiled as an attempt to increase the number of published studies on education, teaching, and learning in the Arab region. This effort was due in part to concerns raised in the 2009 Arab Knowledge Report by the United Nations Development Program (as cited in Gitsaki, 2011) regarding the state of education in Arab countries. The purpose of the book is to provide an overview of some of the challenges and issues that have arisen in the Arab Gulf region as a result of the fast-paced educational reforms that have been implemented.

مدى استخدام منهجیة البحث النوعی فی التربیة الخاصة: دراسة تحلیله لعشر مجلات عربیة محکمة فی الفترة من 2005م إلى 2014م Using Qualitative Research Methodology in Special Education: An Analysis of Ten Arabic Peer-reviewed Journals, 2005 – 2014

هدفت الدراسة الحالية إلى التعرف على مدى استخدام منهجية البحث النوعي (Qualitative Research Methodology) في ميدان التربية الخاصة من خلال تحليل البحوث المنشورة في عشر مجلات عربية علمية محکمة خلال فترة عشر سنوات (من 2005 إلى 2014م)، کما سعت الدراسة إلى معرفة مدى توفر مؤشرات الجودة في الأبحاث النوعية التي تم العثور عليها. بلغ عدد أبحاث التربية الخاصة التي تم تحليلها (348) بحثا، وتم تحليلها باستخدام استمارة تحليل صممت لتصنيف البحوث إلى بحوث نوعية، وکمية، ونظرية، ومختلطة. وکشفت نتائج الدراسة أنه تم استخدام منهجية البحث النوعي في (3) دراسات فقط وبنسبة بلغت (0.86%)، في حين استخدمت منهجية البحث الکمي في (322) دراسة بنسبة بلغت (92.52%)؛ بقية الدراسات کانت بحوث نظرية حيث بلغ عددها (20) بحثا وبنسبة (5.74%) ومنهجية البحث المختلط بنسبة (0.86%). في المرحلة الثانية من الدراسة، تم اخضاع الدراسات النوعية التي تم العثور عليه لتحليل إضافي لمعرفة مدى توفر مؤشرات الجودة فيها وأشارت نتائج التقييم أن البحوث النوعية الثلاثة توفر فيها مؤشرات الجودة المتعارف عليها في البحث النوعي. بينت نتائج الدارسة بوضوح أن البحوث النوعية نادرا ما تستخدم من قبل الباحثين العرب في التربية الخاصة وهذا قد يکون دلالة على وجود صعوبة فيتقبل طريقة البحث النوعي في إجراء البحوث والحصول على المعرفة بالرغم من مناسبته لدراسة قضايا ومواضيع التربية الخاصة. وفي ضوء تلک النتائج، قدمت الدراسة مجموعة من التوصيات تتعلق بسبل تعزيز استخدام منهجيات البحث النوعي في أبحاث التربية الخاصة. The present study aimed to identify the extent of the use of qualitative research methodology in the field of special education in Arab countries through analysis of published research in ten peer-reviewed Arabic journals during ten-year period (from 2005 to 2014). The study also sought to examine the availability of quality indicators in qualitative research found. A total of (348) special education studies was analyzed. The results of the study revealed that qualitative research methodology was used in (3) studies only at a rate of (0.86%), while quantitative research methodology was used in (322) study at a rate (92.52 %); the rest of the studies was theoretical research used in (20) studies accounting for (5.74%) and mixed research methodology accounting for (0.86%). In the second phase of the study, qualitative studies was subjected for additional analysis to find the extent of the availability of quality indicators, and the results of the evaluation showed that the three qualitative research comprise the accepted quality indicators in qualitative research. The results of the study clearly revealed that Arab researchers in special education field rarely use qualitative research and this might be an indication of a difficulty in accepting qualitative research way in conducting research and attaining knowledge in spite of its relevance to special education field. In light of these findings, the study made a series of recommendations relating to promoting the use of qualitative research methodology in special education in the Arab world.

English

The importance of academic library consortia increased due to the rapid development in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT). In the light of this role the study aims to investigate the establishment of four Academic library consortia in Arab countries at the national level, with analysis of the provided services on their consortia portals.  A descriptive study methodology was used to investigate and define the main features of each consortium; goals and objectives, benefits, governance, organizational management, funding and services. The following Data gathering tools are used; a checklist which was sent to the studied consortia’s directors, three of them replied (The Egyptian, Lebanese and Jordanian consortia directors); a content analysis method to gather information about the services available on the studied consortia websites (portals); in addition to the published research and news about the studied consortia. The results of the study show that the Ministries of Higher education in Arab countries are aware of the key role of academic library consortia and their impact on higher education. They have a strong commitment towards developing academic libraries to provide access to relevant information resources and services that meet the needs of the communities and support teaching, lifelong learning and research in this changing era. The studied consortia have similarities and differences, which will maximize the opportunity to communicate and cooperate together to form the Arabic unified Academic Libraries Consortium.   Key words: Academic library consortia, Arab countries, Egyptian University Libraries Consortium, Jordanian Public University Libraries Consortium, Lebanese Academic Libraries Consortium, Saudi Digital Library.

Special Education in Arab Countries: Current challenges

Arab countries have undertaken various measures to develop special education programmes and services over the last three decades; nevertheless, major challenges remain regarding the expansion of these programmes and services and improving their quality. This article provides an update on disability and special education in Arab countries. Reflections on the historical development of special education in Arab societies are briefly presented. Major challenges currently faced by Arab countries in the field of special education are described, and some recommendations for action are offered.

Pharmacy Education in the Palestinian Territories

We are delighted that the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education has recently focused on pharmaceutical practice and pharmacy education in Arab countries as part of its International Pharmacy Education Supplement. In 2006, Al-Wazaify and colleagues published an article titled “Pharmacy Education in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait” followed by a 2009 article by Kheir and colleagues titled “Pharmacy Education and Practice in 13 Middle Eastern Countries.”1,2 The latter article not only shed a light on pharmaceutical education in Arab countries, which are underrepresented in international literature, but it also started a constructive discussion forum in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, including several letters.3-5 To further enrich this discussion, we present here a synopsis of pharmacy education in the Palestinian territories. It is fair to say that colleges and schools of pharmacy and, in general, pharmacy education in the Palestinian Territories (East Jerusalem, West Bank, and Gaza Strip) represent a unique case study. For many years, higher education in the Palestinian Territories was stalled due to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Up till 1992, there was not a single pharmacy school in the Palestinian Territories, and public and private-owned pharmacies relied on pharmacists educated abroad and registered in neighboring country associations, such as the Jordanian Pharmaceutical Association. The establishment of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Al-Azhar University in Gaza Strip (established in 1992) and the Department of Pharmacy at An-Najah University in West Bank (established in 1994) marked a significant progress in pharmacy education in the Palestinian Territories. Currently, there are 5 schools of pharmacy that offer bachelor and doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degrees, and bachelor and master of pharmaceutical sciences degrees.6-10 Every year, more than 500 students are admitted to the bachelor of pharmacy programs at Al-Azhar, An-Najah, Hebron, and Al-Quds (in East Jerusalem) universities or PharmD programs at An-Najah and Birzeit universities. Admission is based solely on scores on the General Secondary School Examination (known as the Tawjihi) and little consideration is given to nonacademic criteria. Although these programs are accredited by the Palestinian Ministry of Higher Education, their curricula are focused on biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences and short in clinical, administrative, and experiential courses. Bachelor of pharmacy programs (5 years; 160-180 credit hours) consist of 73-81% biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences, roughly 13% pharmacy practice, less than10% social and administrative pharmacy and experiential education courses, and 720-1 440 hours of community pharmacy training.6-8 The PharmD programs include biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences (around 75%) and pharmacy practice and social and administrative pharmacy (around 25%) courses, more than 1 000 hours of community pharmacy training and an additional sixth year of pharmacy clerkships.7,9 Moreover, the faculty member to student ratio (1:40) is generally low compared with pharmacy schools in surrounding countries and the faculty body consists mainly of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences faculty members (More than 70%).6-9 Thus, Palestinian Territories’ schools of pharmacy provide qualified pharmacists to meet the needs of the public and private pharmacies; however, there is a lack of clinical pharmacists with specialized residency trainings. This reflects the shortage in academic and research resources and the inability to attract qualified and well trained faculty members in the areas of pharmacy administration and pharmacy practice. This article has uncovered several areas where additional research could be valuable. While the scope of this investigation was confined to the schools of pharmacy in the Palestinian Territories, future studies can extend the present investigation to the Middle East countries and investigate the student pharmacist’s perceptions on the current pharmacy curriculum in the Palestinian Territories.

Higher Education in Arab Countries: from Past to Present

The article describes the problems of higher education in the Arab countries from the time of caliphate in the 7th century to present time. The Arab caliphate had a number of scientific centres based on the principles of ancient Greek science and culture. The author stresses the role of interpreters and translators in the development of science, preservation and development of the ancient school of knowledge. Many of ancient scientific books appeared in Europe only in Arabic translation. That means that science and education in the Arab countries was mostly based on ancient science. One of great problems of education in the Arab countries is the recession of its quality and backwardness as compared to European education. The reason is lack of finances and unstable situation in the region. The author illustrates the article with the situation in educational institutions of Egypt. Egypt has one of the oldest and most individual systems of education in the Arab countries. The article shows secular universities as well as one of the most influential religion universities, Al-Azhar. Today, religion education in oriental countries is gaining more and more importance. Religion penetrates all spheres of society. The financial streams in the Arab countries are controlled by Muslim circles.

Trajectories of Education in the Arab World: Legacies and Challenges * Edited by OSAMA ABI-MERSHED

This volume is an outcome of two conferences organized by Georgetown University in 2006–7, in response to the completion of the first series of the UN Arab Human Development Report (AHDR) in 2005 (UNDP, 2002–5). The Report examined critical deficits in ‘knowledge, freedom and women’s empowerment’ in the Arab world 2002. The AHDRs focused on the unequal standards of education in Arab countries and their relation to the developmental lags compared to the rest of the world. These observations prompted the international conferences to examine past and ongoing Arab educational initiatives. The first was called ‘The Politics of Education in the Arab World’; the second, held in Doha (2007), examined ‘Education and Change in Qatar and the Arab World’. The various contributors to the volume show how initiatives to transform education in the Arab world are heavily influenced by global, post-Cold War political and economic structures. The initiatives are modulated by local definitions of useful knowledge as well as the rules of inclusion and exclusion in relation to the global economy.

Террористические исламистские организации на Северном Кавказе: влияние экзогенного фактора

Modern terrorism does not lock itself in the framework of a particular region. The activities of certain terror groups is extremely decentralized, there is a regular communication via the Internet. This particularly applies to radical Islamist groups. Terrorists flow from one country to another, the youth is travelling for study in spiritual centers of Islamic education in Arab countries. The article is devoted to the analysis of the Caucasus Emirate which turned to become an important network structure of radical Islamists.

Achievements and challenges of higher education in Arab countries

Achievements and challenges of higher education in Arab countries