Introduction
Education is not an event, but a process that involves the interaction between different stakeholders in diverse environments. Hence, it is unjustified to believe that education only takes place in the school and in the confines of the classroom. Also, the belief that teachers are the only ones responsible for imparting knowledge to the students is ungrounded (McConnell & Kubina, 2014). Research has revealed the important role played by the interactions between the home and school environments in supporting learning. The parents should, therefore, be allowed to have an active role in the education of the children. Research has been done on the nature of the relationship, how it looks like and its impact (Luo, Aye, Hogan, Kaur & Chan, 2013). There are also many ways and avenues for the parents to be engaged in the process of learning. The impact of the relationship on the students’ and educational outcome is clearly positive on the basis for the research that has been done. Most have recommended that schools should seek greater avenues for engaging the parents in the education of the students.
Alborno, N. E., & Gaad, E. (2014). ‘Index for Inclusion’: a framework for school review in the United Arab Emirates. British Journal of Special Education, 41(3), 231-248.
Summary of Article
Problem or the Research Question/s
The study is based on an investigation of the inclusion within the UAE environment. Cultural inclusion is one of the elements investigated and includes the support of the different stakeholders, among them the parents of the children from the different cultures represented in the school. The “School for All” initiative is discussed as the model for success in ensuring that no one is left out in the efforts to achieve success in the education process. Whether the support can be understood better using the “Index for Inclusion” is an area that warrants greater investigation.
Review of Literature
The past research on the “Index for Inclusion” proposed by Booth and Ainscow is investigated from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) background. Research is carried out to inform the background of the program and literature reviewed on the role of inclusion in enhancing learning and educational achievement. The history of inclusion in the UAE from the point of view of the different stakeholders, including the parents, teacher, and the community is also investigated leading to the gaps to be addressed in future research. Inclusion is investigated from the perspective of integrating the children with different needs within the educational setting. However, this cannot be adequately achieved without the necessary support from the community, including the home. Further, the documented evidence on the working of the community support is reviewed as part of the literature review.
Hypothesis
The study hypothesizes that “Index for Inclusion” is a useful framework for investigating the level of inclusiveness in the schools within which the study is carried out.
Objectives (Guiding Question/s)
The study is founded on creating a better understanding of the effectiveness and impact of an inclusive educational program aimed at increasing the support of the children with diverse needs, including disabilities. The main objective of the study is to find out the usefulness of “Index for Inclusion” in investigating the level of inclusiveness in the schools within the UAE academic context.
Methodology
The study was based on a qualitative research approach in which a multiple case study design was used. The study is logical based on the need to establish the level of inclusiveness in the schools in the UAE from the different stakeholders standpoint.
Findings/ Results
The results of the study indicated the effectiveness of the “Index for Inclusion” as the measure of the effectiveness in inclusion in the UAE schools. The model is critical in showing the level of inclusiveness in a particular school setting. It also indicates the perceptions of the stakeholders in the use of inclusive learning. The perspective of the various stakeholders, including teachers and parents, were captured. Involvement of the different stakeholders, including parents, was identified as being of great value in the educational setting.
Critical Evaluation of the article: Analysis
The study is informed by the use of a practical program in promoting the education process. This is important in ensuring that there is adequate data to inform the study. It is founded on the use of a tested model for assessing effectiveness of inclusiveness in the UAE context. The qualitative approach was also useful in explaining the perceptions of the stakeholders. Using the qualitative approach, it was possible for the researcher to capture the perceptions of the participants on the use of the model in educational settings.
The use the qualitative approach, however, would provide more biased data because the responses were founded on the perceptions of the participants. The results, therefore, would be limited in terms of the generalizability and applicability to other settings.
The article has important information on the use of the “Index for Inclusion” in evaluating the important role played by the different stakeholders in the education process in the UAE. The article is founded on evidence specific to the UAE context, indicating the fact that it can be useful to provide information on how to achieve real inclusion and how to engage the school and community in achieving the goal.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The conclusion made in the article is that “Index for Inclusion” model can be a useful tool for the investigation of the level of inclusion in the UAE educational context. The information points out to the critical role that inclusion would play in allowing the support of the parent in the learning process (Cullen, Cullen & Lindsay, 2013). The evidence points to the potential for the implementation of inclusion, including the areas of improvement for greater effectiveness. It also indicates the basis for actual inclusion of the different stakeholders in the UAE education context. It informs practical work on the involvement of these stakeholders, including parents in supporting an inclusive learning environment. The article provides the basis for the potential for working together for the benefits of the students with different needs and cultural realities.
Khan, Z. R., & Rodrigues, G. (2017). STEM for girls from low income families: Making dreams come true. Journal Of Developing Areas, 51(2), 435-448.
Summary of Article
Problem or the Research Question/s
The study is founded on the need to understand the patterns of the involvement of the girls in the academic realm. The fact that many girls are being denied the chance of education informs the study. The research is informed by a reality in the UAE context, as well as in other developing nations, relating to the exclusion of the girl child in the STEM subjects, primarily those from lower income families. The need to improve the enrollment of girls in those subjects is the basis for the current investigation. It informs the possible practical measures for ensuring better enrollment of girls from lower income families, basically by impacting on the family as the most important indicator of the low enrollment.
Review of Literature
The entire article has a review of previous literature on the different categories of the challenges that affect the involvement of the girls in the STEM subjects. The review of literature presents an analysis of the research that has been carried out with the participation of the girls in the learning process. Past research on patterns of involvement in the STEM higher education, based on the familial background is also reviewed. The article further includes a review of the research on the effective ways of intervening to improve the familial realities as the mediator for improved enrolment of girls in the subjects. The gaps leading to the present study are identified in the review.
Hypothesis
The article is a review of research evidence; it does not include any hypothesis. However, it is evident that there are interventions, impacting on lower-income families, which have the potential for increasing the enrollment of girls in the STEM subjects in the UAE.
Objectives (Guiding Question/s)
The main objective of the study was: “1) to identify gaps in low-income bracket parents’ knowledge and attitude of the importance of STEM education for girls; and 2) to study the impact of a pilot study conducted with 235 female students belonging to low-income expatriate families living in the UAE, over a period of five years” (Khan, & Rodrigues, 2017. p, 440). The study basically explores the practices that can be applied in ensuring the achievement of effective enrollment of girls in the country in the STEM subjects.
Methodology
Because of the two-fold nature of the objectives, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used: survey and focus group discussion. The use of the mixed method design plays an important role in triangulation. It ensures that detailed data is collected in various forms in order to get results with a high level of validity and reliability. Verification of findings is possible because the results from the two methods can be compared, hence improving accuracy.
Findings/ Results
The analysis of the data indicated that there is a low level of understanding, among the low-income families, on the importance of STEM education for girls. Under those premises, dedicated summer workshops and internships were found to have a positive impact on increasing the enrolment in STEM education for girls. The results indicate that the role of the family in the level of enrollment can be affected to change the current situation.
Critical Evaluation of the article: Analysis
The use of the two methods, together, is important to ensure that as much detail as possible about the study is captured. This has a huge impact on the reliability and validity of the findings. It also played an important role in achieving the highest level of accuracy of the findings.
Although the research had acceptable response rate, the sample size of 235 girls and their parents was fairly small. The smallness of the sample had a huge impact on the possibility of generalizing the findings to the general population and other settings.
The findings of the study have major implications on the efforts to increase the enrolment of girls in the subjects considered challenging by impacting on the knowledge of the low-income families in the UAE. The results point to the important role played by the family in determining the level of enrollment in the subjects, and the subsequent achievement.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The conclusion made in the study indicates a gap in the enrollment of girls from low-income families in the STEM education basically due to familial influencers. This means that by affecting the knowledge of the families, the enrollment could increase. This leads to the recommendations to increase the enrolment of the girls by targeting the challenges inherent in the low-income families. Parental involvement in the learning process plays an important role in the achievement of the students, indicating the need for greater engagement, not only to increase enrolment but also to improve the achievement of the girls in the subjects (LaRocque, 2013). It is critical to identify the challenges unique to the UAE educational setting to change them into opportunities for supporting school-home relationship.
Miklánková, L., Górny, M., & Klimešová, I. (2016). The relationship between the family’s socio-economic status and physical activity level of pre-school children. Trends In Sport Sciences, 23(4), 193-202.
Summary of Article
Problem or the Research Question/s
The article is based on the importance of understanding the role the family plays in the development of a healthy lifestyle among students, especially during the early days of their education. The research works towards answering the question on the mediational role of achievement goals between behaviors of the parents and the outcomes of the learning process. The parents are argued to have the potential to impact on the various outcomes of the children. However, there is a need for more research on the actual impact on healthy lifestyle among students as early in their life as possible. The effect on children during the early days of their life is evident even when they are grown.
Review of Literature
The authors have carried out an adequate review of the literature on the role of the parent in the development of their children during their early years of life. Whatever the children learn during their preschool years is brought into the learning environment. The gap in research in terms of the factors that impact on the physical activity as related to the family forms the basis for the study. The relationship that exists between the behaviors and practices of the parents and the achievement outcomes of the students was also explored, pointing to the limitations in research that needed to be addressed in further research.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis of the study is not clearly stated but can be deduced as the existence of a relationship between the socio-economic status of the family and the level of physical activity of pre-school children.
Objectives (Guiding Question/s)
The study was guided by the objective of establishing the role played by the socio-economic status of the family in improving the level of physical exercise among children during their pre-school years. It was to establish the parental behaviors and practices that have a positive or negative impact on the learning process and the general achievement outcomes.
Methodology
The researchers did not mention the actual research design that they used in their research. However, the study is in the form of a quantitative design aimed at measuring the identified variables under study. The quantitative approach would provide more objective data to inform the findings of the study. The researcher, therefore, could come up with the objective picture of the relationship under investigation.
Findings/ Results
The results of the study revealed the importance and the need for physical exercise among preschool children. Hence, there is an identified need for ensuring that the factors supportive of this variable are in place. The study also indicated a positive relationship between the socio-economic status of the family and the level of physical exercise among the children. The findings indicated that involvement of the parents as early as possible has the potential to instill positive lifestyle and uphold the same throughout the education process. Parents are able to provide the important feedback from home when they are actively engaged.
Critical Evaluation of the article: Analysis
The sample size used in the study, 200 children (96 girls, 104 boys), is sufficient to give reliable findings from the study. The study, hence, has a high level of generalizability which means that the results can be used in other similar settings.
The study was based on a collection of data from parents some of whom did not see the need to fill the questionnaire. Some parents did not see the need to complete the study and either failed to or partially filled the questionnaire. The commitment of the parents in the study was a huge limitation as most of the parents did not commit.
The study has implications in the involvement of the parents during the initial years of education, at the formative age where physical education plays an important role in the general development of the child. The results indicated the importance of involving the parents as early as possible as the important stakeholders in the learning process.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The study revealed the importance of the involvement of the parents in developing positive behaviors in the children during the formative years. The conclusion made by the researchers is that the involvement of parents in the learning process can be an important mediator in promoting positive behavior among the students, including adoption of a positive lifestyle. Hence, during the early learning days, in preschool and nursery education, the parents can be critical stakeholders in boosting the learning process. Schools should ensure that the parents are considered as significant stakeholders in the learning process (Luo et al., 2013). Teachers should study the most effective ways of engaging the parents for better behavioral outcomes. Future research, in this area, should include an adequate briefing of the parents taking part in the study.
Sheridan, S. M., Bovaird, J. A., Glover, T. A., Garbacz, S. A., Witte, A., & Kwon, K. (2012). A Randomized Trial Examining the Effects of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation and the Mediating Role of the Parent-Teacher Relationship. School Psychology Review, 41(1), 23-46.
Summary of Article
Problem or the Research Question/s
The study is motivated by the identification of disruptive behaviors in children. Thus, the study is proposed out of the possibility of the parents to play a mediating role in promoting behavioral competence as well as reducing problem behaviors. The possibility of the family characteristics playing a role in the problem is investigated. The study is founded on the need to investigate the research that has been carried out on the association between the involvement of the parents and the academic achievement of the students. The research is informed by the increase in the interest in this important connection.
Review of Literature
There is an adequate review of previous literature on the manifestation of disruptive behavior among students and the measures that have been assumed in the past in addressing the challenges. Conjoint behavioral consultation as the theory addressing the negative behaviors is also explored. Literature informs the research, from the importance of the involvement of the parents in the learning process to the role of the literacy of the parents in mediating the development of literacy among the students. The review further investigates the role played by the involvement of the parents in addressing the problem from the knowledge of the family characteristics having a critical role to play.
Hypothesis
The researchers do not indicate the hypothesis, but a list of research questions. However, it can be deduced that while involvement of the parents in the learning process has a positive relationship with the achievement of the students, the relationship is mediated by family literacy. Intervention to increase parental literacy, therefore, will have a positive impact on students’ literacy learning.
Objectives (Guiding Question/s)
The questions that were answered in the study were: “(a) what is the effect of CBC on prosocial, adaptive, and disruptive behaviors for children in kindergarten through third grade? (b) What is the effect of CBC on parent and teacher perceptions of the parent-teacher relationship? (c) Does the parent-teacher relationship mediate the effects of CBC on child outcomes?” (Sheridan, Bovaird, Glover, Garbacz, Witte, & Kwon, 2012, p. 26). The objective of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of family literacy intervention in improving the students’ literacy learning and overall performance.
Methodology
The researchers carried out a large-scale randomized trial to test the efficacy of a family–school partnership model. The study would play an important role in practically showing the effect of involving parents in the learning process from the point of view of engaging in an experimental research process.
Findings/ Results
Improvement in adaptive behaviors and social skills was noted in the students in conjoint behavioral consultation. There was also improved relationship between the parents and teachers. The parent-teacher relationship was established as a mediating variable of CBC on child outcomes. The data indicated that the parents who took part in the family literacy intervention improved their literacy and led to an increase in the achievement of the students. Using a model of organizing parent involvement at school, the researchers reveal a critical impact of the relationship in the achievement of the students.
Critical Evaluation of the Article: Analysis
The study was carried out involving 270 students from 82 classrooms. The study also involved their families and teachers, indicating one of its major strengths. The results, therefore, are more objectives compared to the studies that involved students only. Also, the size of the sample was large enough to allow generalizability.
The study was limited in that it did not indicate the rate at which the implementation of a treatment plan moderates the impact of CBC in the school setting. The research was founded on the assumption that CBC was the only mediator in the improvement of the learning among the students. Hence, the intervention was founded on this sole factor.
The article has implications in the development of CBC as a mediator of behavior and to play the critical role in modeling the important relationship between the parents and teachers. The study has implications on the efforts to improve the level of literacy in the families within the UAE setting as the basis for the improvement of the level of literacy amongst the students.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The conclusion in the article is that the involvement of the parents in the learning process has a positive correlation to the achievement of the students. The results of the study indicated that there is a positive relationship between the association of the teachers and parents and the behavior of the students. It is necessary, thus, that the parents remain in close contact with the teachers to ensure that the students are adopting positive behavior. The role of developing positive behavior in the children should not only be left to either of the two. The efforts to improve the involvement of the parents in the learning process should take into account the improvement of the level of literacy of the parents for a better outcome (Rodriguez, Collins-Parks & Garza, 2013; Steiner, 2014). Depending on the setting, the results provide evidence that involving the parents in the education process can have a huge impact on the educational achievement of the students.
Summary
The findings from the reviewed studies indicate that the involvement of the parents in learning would play a positive role in supporting learning and the achievement of the learners. There is a positive relationship between the parental involvement and the achievement outcomes of the students. This is because of the impact the involvement of the parents has on the learning process of the students and their commitment to the learning process. Through avoidance goals, parental control was associated with negative learning outcomes. Hence, it is critical for the positive effect that the parents, teachers, and policymakers define the role of the parents to ensure the optimal level of performance of the students. It is important that the parents are involved in a positive way than being controlled (McConnell & Kubina, 2014). The different forms of involvement of the parents, including making calls, in addressing the problem of school attendance should be considered. UAE schools should ensure that the parents are taken as important stakeholders in the learning process. On the other hand, teachers should study the most effective ways of engaging the parents for better behavioral outcomes.
References
Alborno, N. E., & Gaad, E. (2014). ‘Index for Inclusion’: a framework for school review in the United Arab Emirates. British Journal Of Special Education, 41(3), 231-248.
Cullen, S. M., Cullen, M., & Lindsay, G. (2013). ‘I’m just there to ease the burden’: the parent support adviser role in English schools and the question of emotional labour. British Educational Research Journal, 39(2), 302-319.
Khan, Z. R., & Rodrigues, G. (2017). STEM for girls from low income families: Making dreams come true. Journal Of Developing Areas, 51(2), 435-448.
LaRocque, M. (2013). Addressing Cultural and Linguistic Dissonance between Parents and Schools. Preventing School Failure, 57(2), 111-117.
Luo, W., Aye, K., Hogan, D., Kaur, B., & Chan, M. (2013). Parenting behaviors and learning of Singapore students: The mediational role of achievement goals. Motivation & Emotion, 37(2), 274-285. doi:10.1007/s11031-012-9303-8
McConnell, B. M., & Kubina, R. M. (2014). Connecting With Families to Improve Students’ School Attendance: A Review of the Literature. Preventing School Failure, 58(4), 249-256. doi:10.1080/1045988X.2013.821649
Miklánková, L., Górny, M., & Klimešová, I. (2016). The relationship between the family’s socio-economic status and physical activity level of pre-school children. Trends In Sport Sciences, 23(4), 193-202.
Rodriguez, A. J., Collins-Parks, T., & Garza, J. (2013). Interpreting Research on Parent Involvement and Connecting it to the Science Classroom. Theory Into Practice, 52(1), 51-58. doi:10.1080/07351690.2013.743775
Sheridan, S. M., Bovaird, J. A., Glover, T. A., Garbacz, S. A., Witte, A., & Kwon, K. (2012). A Randomized Trial Examining the Effects of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation and the Mediating Role of the Parent-Teacher Relationship. School Psychology Review, 41(1), 23-46.
Steiner, L. M. (2014). A Family Literacy Intervention to Support Parents in Children’s Early Literacy Learning. Reading Psychology, 35(8), 703-735.
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