Schools In Kuwait Research Articles

Predicting teacher voice behaviour: The influence of distributed leadership, psychological empowerment and power distance orientation in Kuwait

Teacher voice behaviour is a significant instrument for developing positive change, better decision-making and raised school efficacy at an educational institution, with a principal's leadership facilitating this mechanism. The purpose of this study is to investigate how and under what conditions a school principal's implementation of distributed leadership affects teacher voice behaviour within their school. Data from 1024 teachers across 36 public schools in Kuwait was examined using regression analysis and bootstrapping methods. This research examined a moderated mediation model of distributed leadership effects upon teacher voice behaviour, with teacher psychological empowerment included as the mediator and power distance orientation as the moderator. Results revealed a partial mediation model and found that distributed leadership had significant direct and indirect effects upon teacher voice behaviour. Power distance orientation negatively moderated the relationship between psychological empowerment and teacher voice behaviour. This study contributes to existing distributed leadership literature by identifying psychological empowerment as an additional mediator, and power distance orientation as a boundary condition, in the relationship between distributed leadership and teacher voice behaviour. This study's findings could provide the conceptual basis for interventions designed to promote teacher voice behavior.

Beverage consumption and obesity in Kuwaiti school children.

Sweetened beverage consumption is particularly important in countries such as Kuwait, where the prevalence of obesity is high, and most children drink sweetened beverages daily. To assess the relationship between three most commonly consumed beverages, (soda, milk, and juice) and the incidence of obesity among Kuwaiti children at the critical age of 10-12 year, Longitudinal cohort data of 6,305 children on initial presentation in 2012 (age, 10 years) and follow-up in 2014 (age, 12 years) were obtained from the Kuwait Healthy Life Study. The servings for the three beverages (soda, juice, and milk) were calculated as servings per day groups (0, 1-2, and 3 servings/day or more). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the relationship between developing obesity during 2012-2014 and soda, juice, and milk consumption. Model selection was based on clinically relevant covariates and potential confounders using stepwise model selection. Six percent children become obese between baseline and follow-up visits. High soda drinking showed significant association with developing obesity. High milk consumption (more than 3 servings a day) was also significantly associated with developing obesity. Potential confounders included in the final model were age, sex, governorates, and fitness level, of which none were significant confounders or effect modifiers for the association. Children with high soda consumption had significantly higher prevalence of obesity. High obesity prevalence was observed with high milk consumption at a lower significance level but not with high juice consumption.

Adopting E-Learning to Facilitate English Teaching and Learning in Kuwait

This research investigates the implications of adopting e-learning on the teaching and speaking proficiency of English among teachers in Kuwaiti public schools, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many private schools in Kuwait had already transitioned to digital learning platforms, public schools lagged behind. This study used interviews and questionnaires to glean insights from teachers, with a particular focus on their experiences and perceptions. Initial findings suggest that while the shift to online learning introduced challenges, it also offered significant opportunities to improve teaching methodologies and English-speaking capabilities. Despite initial anxieties regarding the transition, e-learning proved to be a flexible and convenient medium, prompting a revaluation of its role in Kuwaiti public high school education. The research underscores the significance of understanding the strengths and weaknesses of e-learning in the English curriculum, especially as the world grapples with the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Poor Performance of Teachers in Public Education Schools in Kuwait Using Educational Technology

Technology has made education more accessible and engaging for learners of all ages. It has facilitated the dissemination of information, allowing students to access a wealth of educational resources at the click of a button. The research problem that led to this study is that public school teachers in Kuwait have been struggling to keep up with the advancements in technology and incorporate it effectively into their instructional practices. This study explains the reason for the poor performance of teachers in general education schools in the Kuwait using educational technology. We interpret an educational field experience, which is the type of research most often used in education. The methods were used for collecting qualitative data in this study were interviews and document analysis. The teachers’ personal interviews were face to face and included written questions. The reason for the poor performance of teachers includes a lack of experience in teaching with technology, limited on-site support, insufficient knowledge of using technology for instructional purposes, and discomfort with integrating educational technologies into effective teaching. In addition, school budgets do not allow for the support of technology activities during the academic year. Teachers rarely have opportunities to use technology in their classrooms. Sometimes teachers use their own money to provide the necessary technology for their students, such as tablets, laptops, or interactive whiteboards. Also, teachers do not feel comfortable doing tasks because they do not believe there are a variety of resources and strategies to help educators enhance their tech-teaching abilities.

School leadership in context: the influence of Islamic values and beliefs on Kuwaiti school principal practices

ABSTRACT This article reports the findings of a study investigating the influence of Islamic values and beliefs upon the practices of school principals in Kuwait. The findings are part of a large-scale project to develop an Islamic-Oriented Educational Leadership (IOEL) model for Muslim school leaders. This article undertakes an exploratory investigation employing a qualitative research approach. The research data were derived from 36 semi-structured interviews conducted with principals of public schools in Kuwait. Through a rigorous analysis of the collected data, three prominent themes emerged: (i) Integration of Islamic Values in Leadership Traits and Attributes; (ii) Mission and Vision Alignment with Islamic Principles; and (iii) Incorporating Islamic Values into School Principal Roles. The findings underscore the significance of Islamic values and beliefs in shaping the leadership approaches of Kuwaiti school principals; their decisions, roles and actions consistently reflect alignment with these deeply-held principles. Nonetheless, it is important to note that these practices remain intricately interwoven with the cultural and political norms of Kuwait. This article’s findings have practical implications for both future research and practice. Furthermore, the article’s findings can enhance current interpretations of educational leadership by highlighting its spiritual aspects, and the influence of personal contextual factors on leader perspectives.

The Effect of Using the Flipped Learning Strategy on Developing Primary Stage Fourth Graders' English Comprehension Skills in Kuwait

This paper focuses on investigating the flipped learning strategy’s effect on developing reading comprehension skills in English among 4thgrade primary pupils in the Kuwaiti capital schools. To achieve the study’s objective, the researcher redesigned 9 reading comprehension lessons from the 4th grade EFL textbook. The researcher used the quasi-experimental approach with an experimental and a control group to measure the effect of the flipped learning strategy on pupils’ achievement in English reading comprehension. To calculate the effect, a post-achievement test was used, and the study sample was intentionally selected. This is consisted of 50 male and female pupils from the basic stage. The data were analyzed statistically, and the results revealed statistically significant differences in favor of the experimental group. Based on the obtained results, the researcher recommended applying the flipped learning strategy in teaching English and related subjects in primary schools in Kuwait and holding training courses for English language teachers to design lessons that align with flipped learning. Further research can address the effect of AI tools in improving reading comprehension.

“Teachers’ Impact on the Implementation of Human Rights Education in International Indian Schools in Kuwait

With globalization, the establishment of private international schools has increased, particularly in nations with large migrant populations. These schools are affiliated to accreditation bodies from their respective country of origin for curriculum and assessment, although they may also be subject to certain norms within host countries. This duality alludes that students’ knowledge is largely dependent on the teacher who effectuates the official curriculum defined by the accrediting institution into the actual curriculum within the classroom. Although this reflects on all courses taught, it has wider implications in the effectiveness of Human rights education (HRE). This paper investigates key factors that determine the effective implementation of HRE by teachers in international schools, using the case study of Indian schools in Kuwait. By developing the 3I model (Introduction, Interpretation, and Implementation), the researchers determined the causative linkages in the structure and effectiveness of school curriculum for HRE, measured with exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. The results indicate that human rights are not adequately addressed in the official curriculum and the teacher’s own knowledge and comprehension of human rights influences the application of HRE in the actual curriculum, which may present scope for bias and subjectivity.

Obesity during Adolescence and Feeding Practices during Infancy: Cross-Sectional Study.

Breastfeeding is proposed to play a role in reducing the risk of obesity throughout life. Kuwait has an extremely high prevalence of childhood obesity (45% of adolescents are overweight/obese) and extremely low breastfeeding indicators, particularly exclusive breastfeeding. In fact, little is known about the association between breastfeeding and obesity from Kuwait and the broader Middle East. To estimate the prevalence of overweight/obesity in female adolescents in Kuwait and assess its association with breastfeeding during infancy. This is a cross-sectional study that included 775 girls randomly selected from public and private high schools in Kuwait. The primary exposure was breastfeeding in the first four months of life, and the outcome was overweight/obesity during adolescence. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association between breastfeeding and overweight/obesity while adjusting for potential confounders. Approximately 45% of adolescent girls were either overweight/obese. We found no significant association between breastfeeding (exclusive/mixed breastfeeding and formula feeding/no breastfeeding) and overweight/obesity neither in univariable analysis (Crude Prevalence Ratio: 1.14, 95%CI [0.92-1.36] & Crude Prevalence Ratio: 1.29, 95%CI [0.86-1.68]; p = 0.293) for mixed feeding and no breastfeeding respectively, nor in multivariable analysis (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio: 1.14, 95%CI [0.85-1.42] & Adjusted Prevalence Ratio: 1.20, 95%CI [0.68-1.68]; p = 0.589) for mixed feeding and no breastfeeding respectively. Breastfeeding during infancy was not significantly associated with overweight/obesity during adolescence. However, breastfeeding should be encouraged for its indisputable benefits for infants and their mothers alike. Further prospective studies are needed to assess the association.

Factors influencing ethical behaviour in the workplace: the case of schools in Kuwait

Factors influencing ethical behaviour in the workplace: the case of schools in Kuwait

مساهمة منهج التربية الإسلامية في تنمية الذكاءات المتعددة من وجهة نظر طلاب المرحلة المتوسطة في محافظة الأحمدي بدولة الكويت The contribution of the Islamic education curriculum to the development of multiple intelligences from the Viewpoint of Middle School Students in Ahmadi Governorate in the State of Kuwait

This study aims to identify the extent to which the contribution of the Islamic education curriculum to the development of multiple intelligences from the point of view of middle school students in the governorate of Ahmadi, Kuwait. The study population consisted of Female students of Baraka Bint Al-Numan school, and male students of Mubarak Abdullah Al-Jaber School in Kuwait. A qualitative and quantitative methods approach was used in this study, in which the researchers used a convenience sampling method to select the study sample. The study population consisted of 350 male and female students. A total of 322 questionnaires were successfully collected for analysis. The questionnaire was used as a tool to collect data which consisted of 33 items. To obtain the results of this study, descriptive analysis, independent sample t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used. The study concluded as follows: 1) The Islamic education curriculum contributes to developing multiple intelligences from the point of view of middle school students in the Ahmadi Governorate in the State of Kuwait. 2) There is a statistically significant difference at 0.05 level between the study sample on the contribution of Islamic Education Book content in developing multiple intelligences of grade and cumulative average, except gender. 3) There is no statistically significant difference at 0.05 level between the study sample on the contribution of teachers in the development of multiple intelligences personality variables (gender, grade, and cumulative average). 4) There is no statistically significant difference at 0.05 level between the study sample on the contribution of educational activities in the development of multiple intelligences on gender and cumulative rate except for grade.

مساهمة منهج التربية الإسلامية في تنمية الذكاءات المتعددة من وجهة نظر طلاب المرحلة المتوسطة في محافظة الأحمدي بدولة الكويت The contribution of the Islamic education curriculum to the development of multiple intelligences from the Viewpoint of Middle School Students in Ahmadi Governorate in the State of Kuwait

This study aims to identify the extent to which the contribution of the Islamic education curriculum to the development of multiple intelligences from the point of view of middle school students in the governorate of Ahmadi, Kuwait. The study population consisted of Female students of Baraka Bint Al-Numan school, and male students of Mubarak Abdullah Al-Jaber School in Kuwait. A qualitative and quantitative methods approach was used in this study, in which the researchers used a convenience sampling method to select the study sample. The study population consisted of 350 male and female students. A total of 322 questionnaires were successfully collected for analysis. The questionnaire was used as a tool to collect data which consisted of 33 items. To obtain the results of this study, descriptive analysis, independent sample t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used. The study concluded as follows: 1) The Islamic education curriculum contributes to developing multiple intelligences from the point of view of middle school students in the Ahmadi Governorate in the State of Kuwait. 2) There is a statistically significant difference at 0.05 level between the study sample on the contribution of Islamic Education Book content in developing multiple intelligences of grade and cumulative average, except gender. 3) There is no statistically significant difference at 0.05 level between the study sample on the contribution of teachers in the development of multiple intelligences personality variables (gender, grade, and cumulative average). 4) There is no statistically significant difference at 0.05 level between the study sample on the contribution of educational activities in the development of multiple intelligences on gender and cumulative rate except for grade.

Exploring the determinants of mental health, wellbeing, and lifestyle in 8-11 year old children with type 1 diabetes and their healthy counterparts in Kuwait.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disease with an early onset, but little is known about its psychological effects in middle childhood. The present study was the first to explore the relationship between mental health, wellbeing, and lifestyle of 8-11 years old children with Type 1 diabetes and their parents, and a healthy comparison group. A total of 200 parent-child dyads were recruited in diabetic clinics and from primary schools in Kuwait. Both groups completed a series of behavioural and physical assessments relating to health, wellbeing, and lifestyle. A significant relationship was found between higher Body Mass Index (BMI) and poorer mental health, including low academic self-esteem, depression, and anxiety, in the diabetes group. This group had significantly higher mean scores in mental health problems, and lower scores in wellbeing, compared with control group. Both groups had poor dietary habits and low levels of physical activity. Unlike previous studies, no differences were found between parents' mental health for children with Type 1 diabetes and parents of the control group. Although elevated problem scores on a variety of indices remained within normal range, the pattern of results indicates that children with diabetes would profit from early screening and preventative intervention to reduce the likelihood of psychological and behavioural difficulties later on.

Sustainable Leadership in Private International Schools: Lessons from Kuwait

The rapid, global growth of the private international school sector has raised demand for qualified school administrators to lead schools in that sector. Many administrators hired into that sector face particular challenges when coming from public systems in other countries. The question is in what ways do gaps between the training and experience of recruits and the demands of the sector compromise the sustainability of effective leadership in private international schools. There are implications for policy development around training and support for leaders in this sector as, unlike many national public systems, it lacks a supply of specifically trained leaders. This article presents a qualitative study of semi-structured interviews with 17 international school leaders who moved from national public systems abroad to private international schools in Kuwait. The major themes that emerged in those interviews were the challenges faced by leaders in adjusting to differing governance structures, the business and marketing aspects of private international schools, and managing the transience of staff. A number of similar themes have been cited in research on international schools in other world regions, although some expressions of those themes are particular to Kuwait. This article concludes with a discussion of the need to provide sustainable norms for leadership across the international school sector, with training and support to help school leaders transition and work more effectively in the sector.

REALITY OF OCCUPATIONAL BURNOUT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF KUWAIT FROM TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVE

This study aims to identify the reality of occupational burnout in its three dimensions in public education schools, including secondary schools, from the perspective of Kuwaiti school teachers, following the descriptive analytic approach. The study applied the questionnaire to a simple random sample of (425) secondary school teachers in the six educational districts in the State of Kuwait. Using the appropriate statistical tools, the study concluded several results, the most important of which are: (1) the reality of occupational burnout in general was low, as the lack of personal achievement dimension came in the first place, followed by the negative interpersonal relationships dimension, then the emotional exhaustion dimension; (2) There are no statistically significant differences between the arithmetic means of occupational burnout for the educational district and academic qualification variable. However, there are statistically significant differences, attributed to the gender variable, in favor of males. The study recommends that: (A) The administration shall pay attention to the teacher through his participation in decision-making, avoiding centralization through delegation of authority; (B) The administration shall establish a system of material and moral incentives for encouragement; (C) The administration shall distribute administrative tasks in a way that reduces the burden on the teacher; and (D) The administration shall set times for meeting with teachers to solve problems and conflicts that occur between them, and make further efforts to repair relationships. Keywords: Occupational Burnout, Secondary Stage, Kuwait

Kindergarten teachers’ challenges in teaching English as a foreign language to children

ABSTRACT Teaching English as a foreign language in early years has become prevalent in response to contemporary trends of English as a global language. However, early childhood teachers may face challenges that would prevent children from achieving success in learning English in different educational contexts. This study explored the challenges that kindergarten teachers face when teaching English as a foreign language at kindergarten schools in Kuwait. There is high demand for teaching English as a second language in most countries in the world at early stages, and stakeholders could take responsibility for overcoming these challenges that are related to many aspects of this field. The researchers interviewed 16 kindergarten teachers and then conducted classroom observations. Lack of teacher preparation and training, English curriculum deficiencies, and teachers’ English proficiency level emerged as key challenges faced by kindergarten teachers. Other localized challenges were also identified. This paper concludes by highlighting several implications for decision makers to further enhance teaching English as a foreign language in kindergarten schools.

The Relationship between School Leadership and Teacher Motivation in Kuwait

The main aim of this paper was to examine how school leadership influences teacher motivation in Kuwait. This purpose has been fulfilled using both graphical and statistical analysis methods applied to primary quantitative data. The data was gathered from 108 Kuwaiti teachers from 15 Kuwaiti schools, including the author’s school. It can be concluded that school leadership has a strong positive effect on the degree to which Kuwaiti teachers are motivated in the workplace. The carried out analysis has demonstrated that monetary rewards and working conditions quality statistically predict the participants’ motivation level. Considering the limitation of this paper, it can be recommended that the future researchers in the field should examine the impact of motivation and hygiene factors such as employee autonomy, personal development opportunities, emotional support and non-monetary rewards on the motivation of Kuwaiti teachers. Furthermore, it is recommended that the future researchers in the field should contact a greater number of Kuwaiti teachers in order to add to internal validity and reliability. Finally, it is recommended that the future researchers should gather data from Kuwaiti school leaders to arrive at more comprehensive conclusions concerning the link between school leadership and teacher motivation in Kuwait.

The Sudden Shift to Distance Learning: Challenges Facing Teachers

This study explores challenges facing teachers in distance education programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants in this study are teachers from 8 intermediate schools in Kuwait. A convergent parallel mixed methods research design was used to collect survey and interview data. The study generates survey data from 215 teachers and interview data from 8 teachers to determine teachers’ perceptions of the challenges they face. The findings of the study suggest that teachers are willing to use technology but lacked technological and pedagogical knowledge and were not prepared for making the sudden shift to distance education. The study highlights the importance of teachers’ professional development in distance education. This study has implications for schools and policy makers who are forced to suddenly revert to distance learning during a pandemic.

The Readiness of Teachers in Secondary Schools in Kuwait to Employ the Ethics and Values of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The study aims to identify the employing of secondary school teachers in the State of Kuwait for the ethics and values of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. To achieve this study, the descriptive approach was used, where a questionnaire was developed, consisting of three areas (school administration, teachers and students) with 22 paragraphs , and its validity and stability was verified, and then it was distributed on the sample of the study which was consisted of (89) teachers in the schools of Kuwait.The result of the study showed that the Degree the teachers of secondary schools in Kuwait employing of ethics and values of the Fourth Industrial Revolution was high and with an average arithmetic (3.80). The results also showed no significant differences in the evaluations of the study’s sample members for the teachers of the secondary schools in Kuwait of the fourth industrial according to gender variables, the scientific qualification, experience. Based on the study results, the researcher recommended that the ministry of Education should hold more specialized training courses and workshops, in the field of educational technology and the fourth industrial revolution in the educational process of teachers, conducting applied scientific research on the fourth industrial revolution and education, and the interest of educational institutions, The process of education and follow-up, and the development of a moral value system for educational institutions.

School Leadership Master’s Program Enhancement through Cross-Border Collaboration between Assiut and Kuwait Schools of Education

Egypt and Kuwait are currently executing a large-scale transformation in the national education system. On such time, school leadership capacity building and development is crucial and fundamental. Therefore, the current research seeks to scrutiny leadership components presented in the Education Administration Master program offered in Assiut and Kuwait Faculties of Education to cross match the presented knowledge and competencies with international requirements of highly credited leadership master programs. A comparative analytical study was implemented to compare the leadership models presented in the Assiut and Kuwait master’s programs in educational administration. The intended outcome is to enhance the current master program offered in both faculties. 
 
 Received: 31 October 2021 / Accepted: 1 December 2021 / Published: 3 January 2022

Teacher’s Opinions On Integrating Moderate Mobility Needs In Physical And Movement Education Classes In Kindergarten Through Middle Public Schools In Kuwait

Teacher’s Opinions On Integrating Moderate Mobility Needs In Physical And Movement Education Classes In Kindergarten Through Middle Public Schools In Kuwait