International Teacher Education Conference 2014 1

International Teacher Education Conference 2014
Khawla wished for greater opportunities to network, saying, “I wish if we could be able to network better
with others so they can help us. It helped a lot. …Networking is one of those things that really helps.”
Summary of Findings
Research question one is “What are the perceptions of members of the cohort group of candidates for the
vice-principalship who are involved in the [XXXX] Professional Development Program, regarding the
effectiveness of the program?” Findings indicate that all four program participants interviewed believed that the
program increased their preparedness to address the rigors of the first year of the vice-principalship. However,
participants identified a large gap between the theoretical knowledge imparted in the program and the oftenharsh
realities they faced as vice-principals. Additionally, the gap in programming mid-year was perceived by
some participants as an abandonment of ADEC’s responsibility to support them. Particular areas in which much
more training was needed include: ESIS/online registration, curriculum (for those assigned outside of their
teaching cycle/area), school management (e.g., duty schedule, substitutes, budget, busses), parent/community
engagement, and communication. Aspects of the training that were perceived to be most helpful were; guest
speakers; the practical tasks that participants completed at the schools; caring, encouraging, and nurturing
relationships with program leaders/teachers; and the opportunity to form a caring and collaborative network with
their peers. Although the program participants faced many challenges in their first year as vice-principals, they
all exhibited a high degree of personal belief in their ability to enact positive change, in order to support student
achievement and ADEC reform efforts.
Concerning sub-question one, “What are participants’ perceptions about the cultural appropriateness of the
[XXXX] Professional Development Program?” all of the program participants indicated that the training was
culturally appropriate and contextualized. One participant, Khawla, suggested that further contextualization
(e.g., a review from an informed Emirati national or small committee) would strengthen the material further. She
cited one incident when the material seemed “so, not to UAE context,” stating, “I think the program is very good
… just not to bring like a ready-made experience and put it here.” The remaining three participants were
adamant in their belief that the material was appropriately contextualized. Several participants lauded the
program leaders for their attention to cultural appropriateness and efficacy. Mariam said, “They [the program
leaders] considered our identity, they considered our culture, everything, everything.… They know, I think they
know about our culture and understand everything.”
Concerning sub-question two, “What are participants’ perceptions about the relevance of the information
presented in the [XXXX] Professional Development Program, as it relates to their experience in the UAE
context?” the participants generally indicated their belief that the training was helpful to them in preparing to
become vice-principals; however, the degree to which each participant truly struggled through the first trimester
indicates that beyond information, they needed a much greater degree of mentorship and support in order to be
successful. Participants indicated that an internship before placement, ongoing mentoring and coaching, more
practical information, and communication training would benefit future trainees.
CONCLUSION
It is clear that the development of future leaders in ADEC is an essential component of ADEC’s vision and
mission and accords with national priorities, in terms of Emiratization. After a review of the literature and
interviews with four participants in this program, it is my conclusion that several important areas should be taken
into consideration by future program designers. These are: participants’ educational background, leadership role
models, reality in ADEC schools, and some gender issues (particularly as they relate to the decision to join the
teaching profession). Additionally, the participants voiced the need for much more support for ADEC’s
electronic systems (such as ESIS) and for communicating with the community.
Program participants had many similarities in terms of their background. Program designers may want to
consider these background characteristics specifically when designing program activities, particularly with
regard to supporting participants with moving beyond the rote pedagogy and poor leadership role models that all
of the interviewees referenced having experienced. Khawla explicitly referenced the temptation for Emirati
teachers to “get back to the way their teachers taught us and we were taught in a very traditional way.” Poor role
models are not unique to the Emirati context; Buskey and Topolka-Jorissen outlined the danger of new leaders
“emulating” poor role models in their work in the U.S. (Buskey &Topolka-Jorissen, 2010, p. 115). However, all
of the program participants referenced having experienced almost exclusively rote traditional teaching and
authoritarian leadership. This may be a shared history, which provides context to program designers.
Additionally, leading teachers who have experienced this type of teaching may require a unique skill set.
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