Implementation of the K12 Education Reform in Qatar's Schools

by Zellman, Gail L.; Ryan, Gery; Karam, Rita; Constant, Louay; Salem, Hanine

• ISBN13: 9780833047366
• ISBN10: 0833047361
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-01-16
• Publisher: RAND Corporation
• More Book Details
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Summary

To assess progress made in the first years of Qatar’s implementation of its K–12 education reform, RAND analyzed data from school-level observations, national surveys, and national student assessments. Findings reveal that the new, Independent schools had implemented many elements of the reform, that students in these schools were performing better than students in Ministry of Education schools, and that much work was still needed to enable students to meet the new, higher standards.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. iii
Figures	p. xi
Tables	p. xiii
Summary	p. xv
Acknowledgments	p. xxvii
Introduction	p. 1
Past Efforts to Reform Education in Qatar	p. 2
RANDÆs Analysis of QatarÆs K-12 System	p. 3
Design of the Reform	p. 4
Implementation of the Reform	p. 8
Aims and Purpose of the Study	p. 9
Organization of This Monograph	p. 10
Methods	p. 12
Case Study Data Collection and Analytic Approaches	p. 13
Observations	p. 16
Elicited Information	p. 18
Secondary Data	p. 20
Quantitative Data Characteristics and Analytic Approaches	p. 20
QNEDS Surveys	p. 20
QCEA Data	p. 21
Sample Selection for Ministry and Independent School Case Study	p. 22
Initial Sample Selection	p. 22
Changes to the Study Sample	p. 23
Study Limitations	p. 23
Recruiting, Retaining, and Developing Staff in QatarÆs Independent Schools	p. 27
Recruiting for the Independent Schools	p. 29
Effects of Qatarization on Recruitment	p. 30
Challenges to Retaining Skilled Qatari Teachers in Independent Schools	p. 34
Teaching in an Independent School Is More Demanding Than Teaching in a Ministry School	p. 35
Teachers in Independent Schools Have Longer Working Hours and a Longer Academic Year Than Do Teachers in Ministry Schools	p. 36
Teachers in Independent Schools Feel Less Secure in Their Jobs Than Do Teachers in Ministry Schools	p. 37
Higher Salaries Do Not Always Adequately Compensate for the Increased Workload	p. 39
Professional Development Opportunities Fostered by the Reform	p. 40
Providers of Professional Development	p. 42
Types of Professional Development Activities in Which Teachers Participated	p. 44
Subjects Addressed in Professional Development	p. 46
Does Professional Development Meet the Needs of Independent School Teachers?	p. 48
Conclusions	p. 51
Developing Curriculum and Instructional Materials	p. 55
Curriculum Development in the Independent Schools	p. 56
Curriculum Development Was a Challenging Task for Independent School Teachers	p. 57
Curriculum Development Was Less Difficult for Teachers in Independent Schools That Had Formerly Been Scientific Scholls	p. 59
The Education Institute Engaged Experts to Help Teachers Implement the New Curriculum Standards	p. 60
External Support Was Valuable in Helping Independent School Teachers Understand the Curriculum Standards and Select or Design Curriculum Materials	p. 62
Curriculum Development in the Ministry Schools	p. 62
Concerns About Eliminating Required Textbooks in Independent Schools	p. 64
Many Parents Were Concerned That Prescribed Textbooks Were Not Being Used in Independent Schools	p. 67
Institutional Responses to Concerns	p. 68
Teacher Satisfaction with the Overall Learning Environment in Ministry and Independent Schools	p. 69
Conclusions	p. 71
Evaluating Classroom Practice and Pedagogy	p. 75
Promoting Student-Centered Classroom Instruction	p. 76
TeachersÆ Strategies for Engaging Students	p. 78
Overall Use of Instructional Activities	p. 78
Level of Cognitive Demand Placed on Students	p. 85
Implementation of the New Curriculum Standards in Arabic, Mathematics, and Science	p. 87
Demands Imposed by Curriculum Development and Implementation Limited Most SchoolsÆ Efforts to Integrate Across Subjects	p. 88
Standards Implementation Was Not at the Expected Level in Most Classrooms	p. 88
The Focus on Professional Development in English Was Drawing School Attention and Resources Away from Professional Development in Other Subjects	p. 88
Pedagogy Was More Student Centered in Independent Schools Than in Ministry Classrooms But Was Still Predominantly Teacher Centered	p. 89
Teachers Had Problems Implementing Group Work Activities	p. 89
Materials Were Aligned with the Standards ôin Spirit,ö But Lesson Plans Were Not Associated with the Relevant Standards	p. 90
Information and Communications Technology Resources Were Commonly Used in These Classes But Rarely in New and Interesting Ways	p. 90
Teachers Were in Need of More Subject-Specific Professional Development to Help Them with These Issues	p. 91
Teaching Mathematics and Science in English	p. 92
QNEDS Survey Data	p. 92
Subject-Matter ExpertsÆ Assessment of How Well the Independent Schools Were Implementing the Language-of-Instruction Policy	p. 93
Conclusions	p. 95
Improving Student Performance Through Motivation Strategies and Parent Engagement	p. 97
Teacher Contributions to Improving Student Motivation	p. 98
Student Satisfaction with School Experiences	p. 101
Continuing Problems with Student Motivation	p. 103
Selection Effects	p. 103
Changes in Examination Requirements	p. 104
Reliance on Private Tutors	p. 104
Parent Apathy	p. 105
Parent Involvement	p. 106
Parent-Community Boards of Trustees	p. 106
Types of Parent Involvement in the Schools	p. 107
General Concerns Shared by Independent School Parents	p. 114
Conclusions	p. 116
Measuring Student Performance	p. 119
The Qatar Comprehensive Educational Assessment	p. 120
Overview of Student Performance on the QCEA	p. 121
A Statistical Model to Examine Relationships Among Student Achievement, School Type, and Other Factors	p. 122
Relationship Among Student Performance, School Type, and Student Characteristics	p. 125
Generation I and 11 Schools Were Associated with Higher Student Achievement Than Were Ministry Schools	p. 126
Generation I Schools Showed Somewhat Larger Positive Effects Than Did Generation II Schools	p. 128
Student and Family Demographics Were Found to Be Strongly Associated with Student Achievement	p. 128
Teacher Education Level and Years of Teaching Experience Were Found to Be Unrelated to Student Achievement	p. 130
Relationship Between Student Performance and Reform Features	p. 130
Conclusions	p. 131
Summary of Findings and Recommendations	p. 133
Differences Between Independent and Ministry Schools	p. 134
How Effectively Have the New Independent School Components Been Implemented?	p. 136
Changes in Ministry Schools	p. 138
Recommendations to Strengthen the Reform	p. 139
Reform System Functioning	p. 139
Participants in the System	p. 140
Student Assessment System	p. 144
Conclusions	p. 145
Appendix
Summary of Classroom Observations	p. 147
Student Achievement Model	p. 151
References	p. 165
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