Education In Oman Research Articles

Gifted Education in Oman: Analyses from a Learning-Resource Perspective

The Education and Learning Capital Model (ELCM), based on the Actiotope Model of Giftedness was used as a framework to explain the current practices dedicated to serve gifted education. This article addresses the status quo of gifted education in Oman according to the ELDM. The model comprised ten components including action learning capital, economic education capital, cultural education capital, social educational capital, infrastructure education capital, organismic learning capital, telic learning capital, episodical learning capital, and attentional learning capital. Questions related to these ten elements were answered by analyzing reports from the Ministry of Education (MoE) and royal decrees that serve the education of gifted students. Also, interviews were conducted with gifted students, teachers, and administrators, and parents of gifted students to consolidate the answers to the ten questions based on the ELCM. The article concluded with some recommendations and suggestions of supporting gifted education in Oman.

Analysed and Evaluated the Development of the National Curriculum since 1998 In Physical Education in Oman

Analysed and Evaluated the Development of the National Curriculum since 1998 In Physical Education in Oman

Omani EFL Learners` Vocabulary Learning Strategies

The knowledge of vocabulary can be considered the main factor of understanding the context in learning a foreign or second language process. This can be seen clearly in international exams such as TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and IELTS (International English Language Testing Sysytem). This research aims to analyze the vocabulary learning strategies of 42 Omani EFL learners and measure the effect of gender in strategy selection among them. To collect the information, a questionnaire regarding VLS (Vocabulary Learning Strategy) was distributed among college EFL learners, and the paper results revealed insignificant relation between gender with vocabulary learning strategies. Determination strategies, among all other strategies, received the highest ranking among the users, while social strategies were at the bottom of the list. Omani colleges and universities are using English as the medium of instruction, so the current study can help the syllabus designers and teachers deal with the psycholinguistic level of books, materials, teaching methods, and strategies appropriately. To gain a more comprehensive map of learning strategies all over Oman, it can be suggested that a network of researchers try to distribute the questionnaire among all Omani EFL learners through some random sampling, and results can be beneficial for future analysis of the psycholinguistics map of the education in Oman.

­Parents’ Perspectives towards Implementing English-Medium Instruction at Tertiary Education in Oman

This study investigates parents’ perspectives towards using English as a medium of instruction (EMI). Hundred and seventeen (117) parents who had children studying at higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Sultanate of Oman answered a questionnaire featuring 40 items with a 5-point Likert-scale response key. Findings indicate that, while many parents displayed favorable attitudes towards implementing EMI in HEIs, approximately half of them asserted that their children’s English is not good enough to cope with EMI. Therefore, most of them believed that some courses at least should follow Arabic medium instruction. The study explores the advantages and disadvantages of EMI, and findings reveal that the majority of the respondents identify more advantages. It was also found out that the respondents assisted their children in several ways to cope with EMI. For instance, by financing their children to learn English in private institutions, encouraging children to translate their course materials into the Arabic language, and seeking the support of parents’ friends to explain doubts and what children have not understood in the classroom.

Teachers' perceptions of social and emotional learning competencies in the schools of the second episode of basic education in Oman

The research aims to identify the degree to which teachers possess social and emotional learning competencies in the schools of the second cycle of basic education in the Sultanate of Oman after the Corona pandemic, and the researchers used the descriptive approach. (5) Competencies, and (46) indicators: (self-awareness - self-management - social awareness - relationship skills - responsible decision-making). The research sample consisted of (380) male and female teachers in the second-cycle schools in the governorates of North and South Al Batinah, North Al Sharqiya, and Dhofar. The results of the research showed that the total degree of teachers’ possession of social and emotional learning competencies was to a large degree, with an arithmetic average (2.95), and a percentage (74%), The degree of possession of each competency (5) was also significant, and there are statistically significant differences in the degree to which teachers possess social and emotional learning competencies on the efficiency of social awareness in favor of female teachers, while there are no statistically significant differences in the degree to which teachers possess social learning competencies. In addition, emotional due to the variable age. The research recommended that the Ministry of Education adopt training courses, workshops, and lectures on social-emotional learning programs for teachers.

Pharmacy education in the Sultanate of Oman: Challenges and opportunities

Pharmacy degree in Oman makes up to 5-year in Bachelor of Pharmacy and 4-year in diploma of pharmacy. The curricula of the pharmacy programme include basic sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacy practice, and experiential learning. Students are posted in different healthcare sectors and facilities during experiential learning to gain the practice experience. Graduates must complete an internship programme in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, polyclinics, health centres, and community pharmacies. Pharmacists and assistant pharmacists should fulfil the pharmacy licensing conditions and pass the Prometric exam to register and practice pharmacy. There is a shortage of pharmacy workforce in practice, academia, and industry. With the need for a specialised pharmacy workforce in different sectors, it is time to review the pharmacy education in Oman to meet the national needs and priorities.

Teacher Training for Online Education in Oman: A Case Study at Two English Language Teaching Institutions

This study is a joint research project carried out in two different academic institutions in Oman during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research aims to identify the perceptions of teaching faculty and administrators on the advantages and disadvantages of online education. It also explores how the training process for online teaching occurs and what support is provided afterwards. Qualitative methodology was adopted and data were collected through semi-structured interviews from a representative sample of teaching faculty and administrators from both institutions. Interview data were thematically analyzed using NVivo qualitative analysis software. Findings suggest that participants perceive more disadvantages of online education than the advantages demonstrating a rather negative perception. The training was decided mainly by administrators and focused on essential technical skills. Participants expressed a need for effective online pedagogical training. Short, practical sessions suitable for teachers at different skill and experience levels were suggested by the participants as well as informal peer support groups for continuous professional development after the training. There was some indication of administrative support in mainly infrastructure areas, which can be improved by employing specialist online education support staff. Further, peer support through formal committees or informally through colleagues was found to be accessible and practical. Findings from this study and the literature review can be used in other international contexts for effective provision of online education.

Addressing student challenges in transnational education in Oman: the importance of student interaction with teaching staff and Peers

ABSTRACT Transnational education is rather common in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, with among the highest TNE enrolments of any region worldwide. Approximately a third of the Omani students in higher education are registered in programmes offered transnationally, and a UK university is the main provider. The aim of this study was to identify the challenges that Omani students perceive when studying in transnational education by means of a survey and in-depth follow-up interviews. The findings show that challenges relate mainly to students’ adaptation to transnational higher education pedagogies, the challenges of academic writing, and challenges related to the international or UK culture of the programme. It argues in favour of widening the definition of contextualisation from simply including local examples to a pedagogical approach in TNE that supports students in dealing with their challenges in the TNE contexts.

Teacher Training for Online Education in Oman: A Case Study at Two English Language Teaching Institutions

Teacher Training for Online Education in Oman: A Case Study at Two English Language Teaching Institutions

­Parents’ Perspectives towards Implementing English-Medium Instruction at Tertiary Education in Oman

­Parents’ Perspectives towards Implementing English-Medium Instruction at Tertiary Education in Oman

Investigating the necessity of having digital repositories in postbasic education in Oman

Investigating the necessity of having digital repositories in postbasic education in Oman

A REVIEW OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF EDUCATION IN OMAN

This article reviewed the digital transformation of education in Oman. There are many problems facing regular education in Oman. In this study, the issue of digital transformation in Omani education is mainly discussed. The aim of this study is to review the impact of the environment, human and financial resources, and educational knowledge on the speed of digital transformation of education, as the speed of digital transformation leads to the development of digital transformation performance in the Sultanate of Oman. The results indicated that the environment, human resources, finance and knowledge have a significant impact on the performance of digital transformation. The inclusion of digital transformation revealed the conceptual model for the effect of complementary mediation on the relationship between digital knowledge and digital transformation as well as the performance of technology as a whole. This study demonstrates the importance of digital transformation along with e-learning and meeting user expectations. The Secondary Research Approach method was used by reviewing many articles from various sources such as websites, books, journals, and scholarly research, from July to November 2020.The results contributes significantly to both theory and practice by promoting the use of digital transformation.

The Mediated Qur’an: Religious Education and Recitation via Online Distance Learning in the Sultanate of Oman

This article considers the role of media in relation to memorization and recitation of the Qur’an and modern religious education. Specifically, it considers the example of the online program of distance learning for recitation and memorization of the Qur’an as developed and maintained under the auspices of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs in the state of Oman in the Arab Gulf region. The online learning program presents an example of how religious education in Oman both has a long history at the same time that it draws on modern media practices. Even further, it does so in the context of the modern regulation of religion in relation to broader concerns of cultivation of Omani national identity and heritage.The system reflects the broader placement and shifting relationships of religion and secularity across modern development of structures of governance and education in Oman.

Identifying Regional difference in facilities and Resources of teaching physical education in Oman

Identifying Regional difference in facilities and Resources of teaching physical education in Oman

Skills for the 21st century in higher education in Oman

Skills for the 21st century in higher education in Oman

Exploring Funding in Higher Education Sector in Oman

Funding of higher education institutions is a major growing expense for the Oman government (13–14% of the total spending in 2016) and is at par with that of other governments (e.g., 11% in the UK and 15.5% in the US). However, there has been little investigation into the funding of quality higher education in Oman. The present research project aims to explore the sources of funding at Oman universities after it opened the private education sector in 1996. The research methodology includes conducting interviews with leaders in higher education to explore different types of funding (e.g., gifts, tuition fees, government support). This will enhance our understanding, as well as that of decision-makers, regarding universities' funding sources and of the higher education landscape.

Analysed and Evaluated the Development of the National Curriculum since 1998 in Physical Education in Oman

Analysed and Evaluated the Development of the National Curriculum since 1998 in Physical Education in Oman

Learner Autonomy: Learners’ Perceptions on Strategies to Achieve Autonomy in an EFL Classroom

Learner autonomy is considered as one of the most important factors contributing to lifelong learning for language learners studying at university. This is primarily because learners were likely to feel motivated and engaged when they were given the freedom to take charge of their learning. Higher Education in Oman has been relatively a recent phenomenon that was introduced three decades before. Ministry of Higher Education in Oman emphasis developing lifelong learning and self-study skills in learners studying at a higher educational institution in Oman. Most of the learners studying at higher educational institutions were taught by the native Arab speakers in schools, and they were mostly dependent on their teachers for the completion of different academic tasks in schools. Learner autonomy is now not desired but the obligatory aspect of learning under the current unprecedented circumstances where learners were required to take control of their learning, complete their tasks, assignments and projects on their own and where teacher intervention is minimal due to ‘remote teaching’ situation. The prevalent situation where technology has now taken the pivotal role in shaping the 21st century teaching and learning process, it is high need for the EFL learners studying at tertiary level at the university should be autonomous and critical thinkers who can control of their learning process and aware of the necessities of learning. Therefore, considering the learners’ spoon-feeding learning attitude at school and fast-changing learning requirement, the researcher aimed at identifying learners’ understanding and perceptions to achieve autonomy in learning in an EFL Context. This study also aims at finding out learners’ belief on the role of peers, teachers and social media in achieving autonomy in learning. By using mixed method approach, the researcher designed a 35-items Likert scale questionnaire and semi-structured interview questions to record the perceptions of 135 EFL learners studying at tertiary level in a private university in Oman. The results of the current study revealed that students were aware of the concept of learner autonomy and they believe that teacher’s scaffolding, peer intervention and use of social media platforms can not only help them to foster autonomy in them but also to gain confidence, motivation, self-esteem, sense of responsibility and self-determination in an EFL language learning environment. The implications of this research will assist the EFL teachers and the administration to consider EFL learners learning needs and learners’ self-efficacy and attitude towards their own learning.

The Reality of Employing the Learning-in-Nature Approach in Teaching Social Studies Education in Oman

The study aimed at identifying the reality of using learning-in- nature approach in teaching social studies education in Muscat Governorate in Oman from the viewpoints of teachers. A related purpose was to examine the impact of gender, teachers' qualification, years of experience, and grade level on teachers' perspectives. The researchers developed a questionnaire consisting of three domains: teachers' knowledge about learning in nature; the benefits of learning in nature; and the challenges that teachers encountering in teaching according to this approach. A total of 85 social studies teachers responded to the questionnaire. The results of the study revealed that teachers' knowledge and practices of learning in nature approach was rated as high while their rating of the benefits of the approach was very high. Yet, they believed that the challenges encountering them in using this approach is moderate. The results also showed no statistically significant effects of gender, teachers' qualification, years of experience, and the grade level on teachers' perceptions related to using the approach. The researchers recommended the necessity of using the learning-in-nature approach in all stages of schooling, in addition, to provide training for teachers to help them implement it in their subject.

Impact of Entrepreneurship Education on the development of Entrepreneurial Activities: The Case of Omani Undergraduate Students

Supporting entrepreneurship and innovation has always been the important to the Sultanate of Oman’s future. This research will shed light on the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education on the development of entrepreneurial activities in Oman. Large number of studies have concerned about entrepreneurship education, and entrepreneurial intention, but very few studies focusing on the how and why entrepreneurship education influences and their impact on entrepreneurial intention. Therefore, the objective of our study is to identify the impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurship intention among undergraduate students in Oman. A survey questionnaire is used as the primary data collection tool by way of an online survey, and a sample from public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Oman. The sample will consist of two groups selected among a population of undergraduate students who are in their final semester of study, and from those who have graduated during the previous two years. As this research is still in progress, we are expecting to collect a sample exceeding two hundred questionnaires. Preliminary testing of the model indicates that the survey instrument of this study is a fair, valid, and reliable method with which to conduct this field data collection. The research findings are expected to contribute to a greater understanding of the relationship between the various components of entrepreneurship education and the entrepreneurial intention of those undergraduate students from the target populations. Since increasing attention has been given to entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education in Oman, in recent years, it is expected that the findings of this research will reveal the effectiveness of such programs in enhancing the potential of students to enable them to become effective, self-employed, entrepreneurs.