Table of Contents
Preface iii
Figures xi
Tables xiii
Summary xv
Acknowledgments xxvii
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
Past Efforts to Reform Education in Qatar 2
RAND's Analysis of Qatar's K-12 System 3
Design of the Reform 4
Implementation of the Reform 8
Aims and Purpose of the Study 9
Organization of This Monograph 10
Chapter 2 Methods 12
Case Study Data Collection and Analytic Approaches 13
Observations 16
Elicited Information 18
Secondary Data 20
Quantitative Data Characteristics and Analytic Approaches 20
QNEDS Surveys 20
QCEA Data 21
Sample Selection for Ministry and Independent School Case Study 22
Initial Sample Selection 22
Changes to the Study Sample 23
Study Limitations 23
Chapter 3 Recruiting, Retaining, and Developing Staff in Qatar's Independent Schools 27
Recruiting for the Independent Schools 29
Effects of Qatarization on Recruitment 30
Challenges to Retaining Skilled Qatari Teachers in Independent Schools 34
Teaching in an Independent School Is More Demanding Than Teaching in a Ministry School 35
Teachers in Independent Schools Have Longer Working Hours and a Longer Academic Year Than Do Teachers in Ministry Schools 36
Teachers in Independent Schools Feel Less Secure in Their Jobs Than Do Teachers in Ministry Schools 37
Higher Salaries Do Not Always Adequately Compensate for the Increased Workload 39
Professional Development Opportunities Fostered by the Reform 40
Providers of Professional Development 42
Types of Professional Development Activities in Which Teachers Participated 44
Subjects Addressed in Professional Development 46
Does Professional Development Meet the Needs of Independent School Teachers? 48
Conclusions51
Chapter 4 Developing Curriculum and Instructional Materials 55
Curriculum Development in the Independent Schools 56
Curriculum Development Was a Challenging Task for Independent School Teachers 57
Curriculum Development Was Less Difficult for Teachers in Independent Schools That Had Formerly Been Scientific Scholls 59
The Education Institute Engaged Experts to Help Teachers Implement the New Curriculum Standards 60
External Support Was Valuable in Helping Independent School Teachers Understand the Curriculum Standards and Select or Design Curriculum Materials 62
Curriculum Development in the Ministry Schools 62
Concerns About Eliminating Required Textbooks in Independent Schools 64
Many Parents Were Concerned That Prescribed Textbooks Were Not Being Used in Independent Schools 67
Institutional Responses to Concerns 68
Teacher Satisfaction with the Overall Learning Environment in Ministry and Independent Schools 69
Conclusions 71
Chapter 5 Evaluating Classroom Practice and Pedagogy 75
Promoting Student-Centered Classroom Instruction 76
Teachers' Strategies for Engaging Students 78
Overall Use of Instructional Activities 78
Level of Cognitive Demand Placed on Students 85
Implementation of the New Curriculum Standards in Arabic, Mathematics, and Science 87
Demands Imposed by Curriculum Development and Implementation Limited Most Schools' Efforts to Integrate Across Subjects 88
Standards Implementation Was Not at the Expected Level in Most Classrooms 88
The Focus on Professional Development in English Was Drawing School Attention and Resources Away from Professional Development in Other Subjects 88
Pedagogy Was More Student Centered in Independent Schools Than in Ministry Classrooms But Was Still Predominantly Teacher Centered 89
Teachers Had Problems Implementing Group Work Activities 89
Materials Were Aligned with the Standards "in Spirit," But Lesson Plans Were Not Associated with the Relevant Standards 90
Information and Communications Technology Resources Were Commonly Used in These Classes But Rarely in New and Interesting Ways 90
Teachers Were in Need of More Subject-Specific Professional Development to Help Them with These Issues 91
Teaching Mathematics and Science in English 92
QNEDS Survey Data 92
Subject-Matter Experts' Assessment of How Well the Independent Schools Were Implementing the Language-of-Instruction Policy 93
Conclusions 95
Chapter 6 Improving Student Performance Through Motivation Strategies and Parent Engagement 97
Teacher Contributions to Improving Student Motivation 98
Student Satisfaction with School Experiences 101
Continuing Problems with Student Motivation 103
Selection Effects 103
Changes in Examination Requirements 104
Reliance on Private Tutors 104
Parent Apathy 105
Parent Involvement 106
Parent-Community Boards of Trustees 106
Types of Parent Involvement in the Schools 107
General Concerns Shared by Independent School Parents 114
Conclusions 116
Chapter 7 Measuring Student Performance 119
The Qatar Comprehensive Educational Assessment 120
Overview of Student Performance on the QCEA 121
A Statistical Model to Examine Relationships Among Student Achievement, School Type, and Other Factors 122
Relationship Among Student Performance, School Type, and Student Characteristics 125
Generation I and 11 Schools Were Associated with Higher Student Achievement Than Were Ministry Schools 126
Generation I Schools Showed Somewhat Larger Positive Effects Than Did Generation II Schools 128
Student and Family Demographics Were Found to Be Strongly Associated with Student Achievement 128
Teacher Education Level and Years of Teaching Experience Were Found to Be Unrelated to Student Achievement 130
Relationship Between Student Performance and Reform Features 130
Conclusions 131
Chapter 8 Summary of Findings and Recommendations 133
Differences Between Independent and Ministry Schools 134
How Effectively Have the New Independent School Components Been Implemented? 136
Changes in Ministry Schools 138
Recommendations to Strengthen the Reform 139
Reform System Functioning 139
Participants in the System 140
Student Assessment System 144
Conclusions 145
Appendix
A Summary of Classroom Observations 147
B Student Achievement Model 151
References 165
