Abstract
Teacher education occurs along a continuum that encompasses teacher candidate recruitment, teacher candidate preparation, novice teacher induction, teacher professional development, and advanced teacher qualifications. Since the formation of the state in 1971, teacher recruitment and teacher education in the UAE have undergone several stages of development, beginning with the sourcing of teachers from the Arab world, through the establishment of in-country teacher education programs designed to produce native teachers, to the hiring of teachers from high performing school systems in the Anglophone world. Teacher education is quite a challenging enterprise, being impacted by changes in the constantly evolving education system in this young nation. High-quality teacher education candidates can be elusive, and it is difficult to attract nationals to teaching, especially males. Yet, at the same time, there are opportunities for teacher education as the country works valiantly to raise educational standards, including the development of Arabic language teacher education, the provision of continuing professional development around teacher licensure, and induction programs for novice teachers.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
In order to avoid confusion between ‘students’ as learners in school and ‘students’ as learners in a teacher education program, the term ‘teacher candidate’ will be used throughout this paper to refer to those who are learning to become teachers. This term is consistent with the language used by teacher education accrediting bodies, such as the US-based CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation).
References
Alqasimi Foundation. (2018). Teacher scholarships. Retrieved from http://www.alqasimifoundation.com/en/what-we-do-l3/75/teacher-scholarships.
Badri, M., & Al Khaili, M. (2014). Migration of P-12 education from its current state to one of high quality: The aspirations of Abu Dhabi. Policy Futures in Education, 12(2), 200–220.
Barber, M., & Mourshed, M. (2007). How the world’s best-performing systems come out on top. London: McKinsey and Company.
Barber, M., Mourshed, M., & Whelan, F. (2007). Improving education in the Gulf. Retrieved from https://abujoori.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/improve-gulf-education.pdf.
Blaik Hourani, R., & Litz, D. (2018). Perceptions of the school self-evaluation process: The case of Abu Dhabi. School Leadership & Management, 36(3), 247–270. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2016.1247046.
British Business Group. (2018). Bimingham University coming to Dubai. Capital Letter, 20(2), 22.
Buckner, E. (2017). The status of teaching and teacher professional satisfaction in the UAE. Retrieved from Ras Al Kahaimah, UAE: http://www.alqasimifoundation.com/admin/Content/File-562017233517.pdf.
Buckner, E., Chedda, S., & Kindreic, J. (2016). Teacher professional development in the UAE: What do teachers actually want? Retrieved from: http://www.academia.edu/25943209/Teacher_Professional_Development_in_the_UAE_What_Do_Teachers_Actually_Want.
Clarke, M. (2006). Reflective practice: A foundation for action research and effective teaching. In A. Warne (Ed.), Action research in English language teaching in the UAE: Perspectives from teacher education at the higher colleges of technology (pp. 11–20). Abu Dhabi, UAE: HCT Press.
Clarke, M. (2009). The discursive construction of interpersonal relations in an online community of practice. Journal of Pragmatics, 41(11), 2333–2344.
Clarke, M., & Gallagher, K. (2008). Curriculum revitalization: A UAE perspective. In D. Hayes & J. Sharkey (Eds.), Revitalizing an established program for school age learners through curricular innovation. Alexandria, VA, USA: TESOL Publications.
Cochran-Smith, M., Baker, M., Burton, S., Chang, W.-C., Cummings Carney, M., Fernández, M. B., … Sánchez, J. G. (2017). The accountability era in US teacher education: Looking back, looking forward. European Journal of Teacher Education, 40(5), 572–588. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2017.1385061.
Cochran-Smith, M., Cummings Carney, M., Stringer Keefe, E., Burton, S., Chang, W.-C., Fernández, M. B., … Baker, M. (2018). Reclaiming accountability in teacher education. Columbia University, New York: Teachers College Press.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). Teacher education around the world: What can we learn from international practice? European Journal of Teacher Education, 40(3), 291–309. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2017.1315399.
Darling-Hammond, L., Burns, D., Campbell, C., Goodwin, L., Hammerness, K., Low, E., et al. (2017). Empowered educators: How high performing systems shape teaching quality around the world. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Dickson, M. (2012). Wide-scale educational reform in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: What do the teacher training students think? Journal of Teacher Education and Educators, 1(2), 203–228.
Dickson, M. (2013). School improvements in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Asking the ‘expert witnesses’. Improving Schools, 16(3), 272–284.
Dickson, M., Kabey, H., & McMinn, M. (2015). Comparing reported classroom practice in public and private schools in the United Arab Emirates. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 186, 209–215.
Dickson, M., & LeRoux, J. (2012). Why do Emirati males become teachers and how do cultural factors influence this decision? Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, 9(2).
Dickson, M., Riddlebarger, J., Stringer, P., Tennant, L., & Kennetz, K. (2014). Challenges faced by Emirati novice teachers. Near and Middle Eastern Journal of Research in Education, 4. http://dx.doi.org/10.5339/nmejre.2014.4.
DSC. (2016). Statistical yearbook. Retrieved May 29, 2018, from Government of Dubai https://www.dsc.gov.ae/Report/Copy%20of%20DSC_SYB_2016_01%20_%2002.pdf.
Findlow, S. (2005). International networking in the United Arab Emirates higher education system: Global-local tensions. Compare, 35(3), 285–302.
Galal, A., Welmond, M., Carnoy, M., Nellemann, S., Keller, J., Wahba, J., & Yamasaki, I. (2008). The road not traveled: Education reform in the Middle East and North Africa MENA development report. Retrieved from Washington, DC.
Gallagher, K. (2007). ‘Giving What I Never Got’: Issues in mentoring in initial teacher education in the United Arab Emirates. In P. Davidson & L. Stephenson (Eds.), Teacher education in the Arab World. Dubai: TESOL Arabia Publications.
Gallagher, K. (2011). Becoming and re-becoming a teacher in the Arabian Peninsula: Amal’s story of hope. Teacher Development, 15(2), 141–155.
Gardiner Hyland, F. (2014). Exploring the impact of teacher education pedagogy on EFL reading teacher identities a United Arab Emirates case. In K. Bailey & R. Damerow (Eds.), Teaching and learning english in the arabic-speaking world (pp. 83–100). London: Routledge.
Gardner, W. (1995). Developing a quality teaching force for the United Arab Emirates: Mission improbable. Journal of Education for Teaching, 21(3), 289–302.
Gardner, W., & Abu Libde, A. (1995). Professional development schools: How well do they travel? Journal of Education for Teaching, 21(3), 303–315.
Ibrahim, A. (2012). The learning needs of beginning teachers in the United Arab Emirates. Journal of Education for Teaching, 38(5), 539–549. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2013.739791.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Litz, D., & Scott, S. (2016). Transformational leadership in the educational system of the United Arab Emirates. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 45(4), 556–587. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143216636112.
Lortie, D. (1975). Schoolteacher: A sociological study. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Loughrey, B., Hughes, A., Bax, S., Magness, C., & Aziz, H. (1999). English language teaching in the UAE: Evaluation report. Retrieved from Roehampton, UK.
Lynch, R., Hennessy, J., & Gleeson, J. (2013). Acknowledging teacher professionalism in Ireland: The case for a chartered teacher initiative. Irish Educational Studies, 32(4), 493–510.
Navdar, P. (2017, October 3). Education: Following the schools-led, school-situated model. Arabianindustry.com. Retrieved from http://www.arabianindustry.com/education/features/2017/oct/3/education-following-the-schools-led-school-situated-model-5693064/.
OECD. (2014). What does it take to become a teacher? Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/education/EAG2014-Indicator%20D6%20(eng).pdf.
OECD. (2015a). Better skills, better jobs, better lives: A strategic approach to education and skills policies for the United Arab Emirates. Retrieved from http://www.Users/z9299/Desktop/UAE%20Ed%20Book/Teacher%20Education/A-Strategic-Approach-to-Education-and%20Skills-Policies-for-the-United-Arab-Emirates.pdf.
OECD. (2015b). Education GPS: Country profile (United Arab Emirates). Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/education/school/TALIS-Country-profile-Abu-Dhabi.pdf.
OECD. (2017). TALIS: Initial teacher preparation study. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/OECDEDU/oecd-talis-initial-teacher-preparation-study.
O’Sullivan, K. (2015). Bilingual education—Mismatch between policy and practice in the UAE? International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 8(7), 425–438.
Pennington, R. (2017, April 17). Abu Dhabi teacher licensing in brought forward. The National. Retrieved from https://www.thenational.ae/uae/abu-dhabi-teacher-licensing-is-brought-forward-1.22894.
Riddlebarger, J. (2015). English instruction in Abu Dhabi. Retrieved from http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/tesoleflis/issues/2014-12-22/1.html.
Ridge, N. (2010). Teacher quality, gender and nationality in the United Arab Emirates: A crisis for boys. In M. B. R. S. o. Government (Ed.), (Vol. 6). Dubai.
Ridge, N., Kippels, S., & ElAsad, S. (2015). Education in Ras Al Khaimah and the United Arab Emirates. Retrieved from http://www.alqasimifoundation.com/admin/Content/File-138201703546.pdf.
Ridge, N., Shami, S., & Kippels, S. (2017). Arab migrant teachers in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar: Challenges and opportunities. In Z. Babar (Ed.), Arab migrant communities in the GCC (39–64). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
SCAD. (2016–17). Education statistics. Retrieved from https://www.scad.ae/Release%20Documents/Education%20Statistics%202016-17%20-%20EN.pdf.
SCAD. (2017). Statistical yearbook of Abu Dhabi 2017. Retrieved May 29th 2018, from Government of Abu Dhabi https://www.scad.ae/Release%20Documents/SYB_2017_EN.PDF.
Sharif, A. (2013). World’s biggest private school operator GEMS seeks $1 Billion. Bloomberg. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-03-27/world-s-biggest-private-school-operator-gems-seeks-1-billion.
Sowa, P. A., & Vega, D. L. (2009). One corner at a time: Collaborating for educational change in the UAE. Childhood Education, 85(2), 102–106.
Taha, H. (2017). Arabic language teacher education. In A. Gebril (Ed.), Applied linguistics in the Middle East and North Africa (pp. 269–287). Amsterdam, The Netherlands: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
TELLAL. (2018). Teacher training. Retrieved from https://www.tellalinstitute.com/faculties-category/teacher-training/.
Thacker, S., & Cuadra, E. (2014). The road traveled: Dubai’s journey towards improving private education. In A world bank review: MENA development report. Retrieved from https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/23963.
Thorne, C. (2015). An investigation of the professional identity of teacher educators in the UAE. (PhD), Exeter, UK.
TIMSS. (2008). TIMSS 2007 encyclopedia: Volumes 1 and 2. In I. V. S. Mullis, M. O. Martin, J. F. Olson, D. R. Berger, D. Milne, & G. M. Stanco (Eds.), A guide to mathematics and science education around the world (Vols. 1, 2). Chestnut Hill, MA: TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College.
TIMSS. (2015). TIMSS 2015 encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2015/encyclopedia/benchmarking-participants/dubai-uae/special-initiatives-in-mathematics-and-science-education/.
UAEU. (2018). Teacher education program (international students only). Retrieved from https://www.uaeu.ac.ae/en/admission/teacherprog.shtml.
UNDP. (2014). The arab knowledge report for 2014: Youth and localisation of knowledge. Retrieved from Dubai.
Wallace, M. (1991). Training foreign language teachers: A reflective approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
WAM. (2018). Teachers forum which examines modern educational strategies opens in Ajman [Press release]. Retrieved from http://wam.ae/en/details/1395302658131.
Warner, R. (2018). Education policy reform in the UAE: Building teacher capacity (49). Retrieved from Dubai: http://www.mbrsg.ae/getattachment/872091c8-05f3-418b-84a9-48294717ebbb/Building-Teacher-Capacity.
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Zeichner, K. (2009). Rethinking the connections between campus courses and field experiences in college- and university-based teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education, 61(1–2), 89–99.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gallagher, K. (2019). Challenges and Opportunities in Sourcing, Preparing and Developing a Teaching Force for the UAE. In: Gallagher, K. (eds) Education in the United Arab Emirates. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7736-5_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7736-5_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-13-7735-8
Online ISBN: 978-981-13-7736-5
eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)