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Science Education Research in Oman: Opportunities, Trends, and Challenges
Abstract
The aim of the current chapter is to give the reader an overview of the opportunities, trends, and challenges related to science education research in Oman. The chapter starts by describing the contextual background focusing on the Omani educational system, the field of science education in the country, and the research activities and related funding systems. The chapter admits that science education research in Oman has a short history. It gained momentum in 2000 with the establishment of the first postgraduate program at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). On the other hand, there are different opportunities for science education research to prosper. Among these are the different funding systems by The Research Council (TRC) and SQU; and the establishment of a new SQU Ph.D. program in science education. Also, the diverse nature of the country provides a considerable number of underresearched issues related to science learning. The main trends in science education research in Oman are its tendency toward the quantitative school of research, its focus on exploring and implementing modern science teaching methodologies, and its equal engagement of male and female students as research participants. However, there is limited focus on lower school grade levels, private schools, and sociocultural factors. There are a number of challenges facing science education research in Oman. The main one is the limited number of science education researchers in the country. Also, the number of female researchers is very low. The author proposes that some of the pitfalls and challenges that face science education research in Oman could be resolved by establishing a national science education research center that coordinates the research efforts and directs them toward the most pressing issues related to science teaching and learning. In addition, providing more scholarships to science education researchers to complete their PhDs and founding a national professional science education research association could help in increasing the number of science education researchers and foster the research activities in the country.
... As a Muslim country science education in Oman influence the Arabic context and role of Arab and Muslim scientists in preserving the development of different sciences during the Middle Ages. One of the fundamental principles of science education in Oman is supporting scientific thinking (Al-Balushi, 2016;. The Ministry is developing a policy for the implementation of comprehensive science education in its broadest sense, where a study has been carried out to identify the challenges facing its implementation (Oman Educational Portal, 2020). ...
... These curricula are directly used in developing scientific inquiry, new ways of thinking, engineering habits of mind, and problem-solving skills especially through hands-on experiments as one of the fundamental principles of education (Al-Balushi, 2016), and assessing the learner's performance in a variety of ways. All these curricula were translated into Arabic. ...
... On the other hand, very low emphasis on computer-based instruction was reported. Also, most science teachers felt that their science instruction was limited by students lacking prerequisite knowledge and skills (Al-Balushi, 2016;. ...
This book aims to highlight science education in countries along the Belt and Road. It consists of 30 chapters divided into three main parts, namely Arab and African countries, Asian countries and European countries,. We invited science education experts from 29 “Belt and Road” countries to introduce the current status of science education in their countries and the new requirements with the rapid evolution of Information Technology. The major contributions of this book include:
1) Provide the current status of science education in countries along the Belt and Road as well as the requirement for developing and improving science education in these countries;
2) Discuss new insights of science education in future years;
3) Inspire stakeholders to take effective initiatives to develop science education in countries along the Belt and Road.
... As a Muslim country science education in Oman influence the Arabic context and role of Arab and Muslim scientists in preserving the development of different sciences during the Middle Ages. One of the fundamental principles of science education in Oman is supporting scientific thinking (Al-Balushi, 2016;. The Ministry is developing a policy for the implementation of comprehensive science education in its broadest sense, where a study has been carried out to identify the challenges facing its implementation (Oman Educational Portal, 2020). ...
... These curricula are directly used in developing scientific inquiry, new ways of thinking, engineering habits of mind, and problem-solving skills especially through hands-on experiments as one of the fundamental principles of education (Al-Balushi, 2016), and assessing the learner's performance in a variety of ways. All these curricula were translated into Arabic. ...
... On the other hand, very low emphasis on computer-based instruction was reported. Also, most science teachers felt that their science instruction was limited by students lacking prerequisite knowledge and skills (Al-Balushi, 2016;. ...
This chapter provides a brief introduction to the geographical location of Libya, its population and the current political system. We highlight the levels of the education system in Libya (primary, basic and higher education). This includes the number of enrolled students and the number of dropout rates per year. Training and development in some schools and universities that have established eLearning and emerging technologies to enhance science education teaching or learning are discussed. The assessment methodology is also considered. The chapter also provides some statistics about the economic situation technologies and cultural development in Libya. Challenges, strategies, reflections, issues, and future paths form the latter part of this chapter.
... As a Muslim country science education in Oman influence the Arabic context and role of Arab and Muslim scientists in preserving the development of different sciences during the Middle Ages. One of the fundamental principles of science education in Oman is supporting scientific thinking (Al-Balushi, 2016;. The Ministry is developing a policy for the implementation of comprehensive science education in its broadest sense, where a study has been carried out to identify the challenges facing its implementation (Oman Educational Portal, 2020). ...
... On the other hand, very low emphasis on computer-based instruction was reported. Also, most science teachers felt that their science instruction was limited by students lacking prerequisite knowledge and skills (Al-Balushi, 2016;Martin, Mullis, Foy, & Stanco, 2012). ...
The purpose of the present chapter is to give the reader an overview of the current science education research in Oman. The chapter focuses on three main sections as an overview of the country, an overview of the education development, and the current situation of science education. It addresses the emerging technologies in relation to science education including blended education and e-learning developments. The chapter then discusses the requirements for better implementation of science education along with the future strategies to overcome the challenges and issues that facing science teachers in Oman. It concludes by recommending the importance of making greater efforts to instill the twenty-first-century skills in the future graduates of science to enable them to respond to the requirements of the global economic market.
... Though little study has been conducted in this area, it is valuable to use instructional technologies when teaching school physics in Omani schools. Al-Balushi (2016) suggested that one way to overcome the challenges facing scientific education research in Oman is to increase the number of studies conducted in this area. To support the Sultanate of Oman's future scientific graduates meet the requirements of the global economy, Ambusaidi et al. (2022) underline the importance of making extra efforts to teach them 21st-century capabilities. ...
Physics is commonly perceived as a challenging academic discipline, with a contributing factor being the limited availability of educational resources to support students. Consequently, there arises a need to develop a module focused on the incorporation of technology in physics education. The integration of technology within pedagogical modules refers to the practice of including various technological Implementations in educational content. This study aimed to investigate and rank the most efficient technological implementations for designing a pedagogical hybrid physics module for students in grades 9-12 in the Sultanate of Oman. A literature review was conducted concerning the integration of technology in hybrid learning and physics education. Qualitative and quantitative research methodologies were employed for data collection, the data were analyzed utilizing Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM). To establish the FD instrument, a panel of six experts was consulted through semi-structured interviews. This panel identified 13 significant technology Implementations for the development of the module. Subsequently, a group of 12 experts was surveyed to identify the essential technology Implementations. Consequently, four technology Implementations were excluded, while the accepted Implementations were then prioritized using FDM. The findings revealed that Mobile instant messaging claimed the top position, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) ranking at the lowest position.
Proficiency in physics problem-solving is crucial for mastery of the subject and fostering innovative solutions. Yet, high school graduates in the Sultanate of Oman display only average competence in this skill. There is a need to provide students in grades 9-12 with more opportunities to engage with real-world physics problems. To address this, a hybrid module based on Gold Standard Project-Based Learning (PjBL) has been developed. This module, adhering to Merrill's First Principles of Instruction and the Cognitive Apprenticeship framework, is designed to enhance cognitive learning and problem-solving skills specifically for Omani students. It integrates significant problem-solving components into physics instruction using authentic tasks tailored to students' proficiency levels. The module was implemented in a grade nine physics curriculum focused on renewable energy topics. The study involved one physics teacher and 30 students from the Musandam educational governorate, utilizing a single-group pretest and posttest quasi-experimental design to assess the module's effectiveness. The analysis, conducted using a t-test, indicated substantial improvement in both cognitive learning and problem-solving abilities among students. Consequently, this PjBL module, when implemented in a hybrid environment, holds promise for broader application in educational institutions, engineering colleges, and vocational schools to enhance students' physics problem-solving skills.
Proficiency in physics problem-solving is crucial for mastery of the subject and fostering innovative solutions. Yet, high school
graduates in the Sultanate of Oman display only average competence in this skill. There is a need to provide students in grades 9-12 with
more opportunities to engage with real-world physics problems. To address this, a hybrid module based on Gold Standard Project-Based
Learning (PjBL) has been developed. This module, adhering to Merrill's First Principles of Instruction and the Cognitive Apprenticeship
framework, is designed to enhance cognitive learning and problem-solving skills specifically for Omani students. It integrates significant
problem-solving components into physics instruction using authentic tasks tailored to students' proficiency levels. The module was
implemented in a grade nine physics curriculum focused on renewable energy topics. The study involved one physics teacher and 30
students from the Musandam educational governorate, utilizing a single-group pretest and posttest quasi-experimental design to assess the
module's effectiveness. The analysis, conducted using a t-test, indicated substantial improvement in both cognitive learning and problem
solving abilities among students. Consequently, this PjBL module, when implemented in a hybrid environment, holds promise for broader
application in educational institutions, engineering colleges, and vocational schools to enhance students' physics problem-solving skills.
This study investigates the preparedness of school students in grades 9-12 to engage in physics project-based hybrid learning within the Sultanate of Oman. Using survey methodology, the research employed the online learning readiness scale and self-directed learning readiness scale following an evaluation of the questionnaire’s reliability. A total of 383 physics students participated in the electronic survey conducted across 11 educational governorates in Oman, and descriptive statistics were employed for the analysis. Most participants, predominantly from grade 9, were situated in the Muscat Governorate, consistent with the targeted research population. The findings indicate a generally moderate level of readiness among school physics students (grades 9-12) for engaging in project-based hybrid learning. The study enhances the comprehension of student readiness dynamics amid evolving educational methods, specifically in physics project-based hybrid learning in the Sultanate of Oman.
Texts and instructional pictures are widely used for facilitating students’ understanding of complex content, especially in science subjects. International large-scale assessments repeatedly reveal differences in students’ science achievement between countries. Since text-picture material (TPM) plays an essential role in science education, it is reasonable to investigate TPM-related distinguishing characteristics. In general, teachers need professional competences such as attitudes, motivational orientations, and self-regulatory skills for supporting student learning. It is plausible to assume that this also applies for teaching and learning with TPM. This article reports on comparisons of (a) Omani and German science teachers (country comparison), and (b) German science and language teachers (domain comparison). In a cross-sectional design, data was collected from 450 secondary school teachers. Structural equation models revealed country-specific and domain-specific differences in teachers’ TPM-competences. This study contributes to the body of research on teacher professionalism in different cultural settings, providing implications for teacher education.
The aim of this study is to explore the use of cooperative work by science teachers. Quasi-experimental research design was used. This study was carried out in academic year of 2010-2011 at Basic Education schools in Oman. The sample consisted of 25, male (N=12) and female (N=13) science teachers working in 5 Basic Education schools. A 4-point of 39 statement scale observation checklist was developed to find out the extent to which teachers were applying collaborative work effectively. Findings reveal that teachers either followed the traditional seating arrangements, or just placing students in groups without any cooperative learning strategies. Findings also indicated no statistically significant difference due to the teacher’s gender in the way collaborative work is applied in co-schools.
Like many other countries where the standard of living is rising, the Sultanate of Oman is facing a potentially serious increase in what are now termed 'lifestyle' diseases. These include diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and various forms of cancer. The lifestyle factors that contribute to these diseases are poor diet and limited exercise. A school gardening project being implemented in Oman is intended to improve educational outcomes across the curriculum in the short term but also dietary outcomes in the longer term. If successful the project will be expanded to a much larger number of schools in Oman. In a country that imports much of its fruit and vegetables there are also potential, long-term economic benefits in encouraging the local production of these food items. This article reports on the rationale behind this project and its overall conceptualization and design. The project is funded through the Oman Research Council.
The aim of the current study was to investigate students’ mind wandering while reading different types of textual narrations (macroscopic and submicroscopic) in chemistry. Another goal was to determine the relationship between mind wandering and students’ reading comprehension. The participants were 65 female ninth grade students in Oman. Using a computer screen, participants were required to read about sodium chloride. A probe-catch procedure was used to measure students’ mind wandering. Half of the slides presented textual narrations at the macroscopic level and the other half presented narrations at the submicroscopic level. We gave the students a paper and pencil reading comprehension test at the conclusion of the reading task. The findings indicated that participants’ mind wandering while reading submicroscopic textual narrations was significantly higher when compared to reading macroscopic textual narrations. Also, there was a significant negative relationship between mind wandering and reading comprehension for both macroscopic and submicroscopic textual narrations. Implications and future research are discussed.
Computer and information technology can be used so that students can individually, in groups, or by electronic demonstration experiment and draw conclusion for the required activities in an electronic form in what is now called "e-lab". It enables students to conduct experiments more flexibly and in an interactive way using multimedia. It helps them to achieve electronic practical training, skills, and tendencies. This paper focuses on describing the design and procedures of a nation-wide research project financed by The Research Council and conducted to measure the effectiveness of the e-lab on Omani students' acquisition of practical abilities and skills. The research project, in particular, examines the effectiveness of the e-lab in science teaching, the skills acquisition, and basic education students' appreciation of classroom environment. It also aims to know the students' attitudes towards the use of e-Lab technology and its employment. The paper will draw prospective recommendations for the field work derived from literary evidence.
This classroom observation study explored how science teachers (N = 22) teach for creativity in grades 5–10 in Oman. We designed an observation form with 4 main categories that targeted the instructional practices related to teaching for creativity: questioning strategy, teacher's responses to students' ideas, classroom activities to support creativity, and whole-lesson methods that foster creativity. An open-ended survey was also designed to explore participants' justifications for their instructional decisions and practices. The findings indicate that the overall level of teaching for creativity was low and that participants' performance was the highest for teacher's responses to students' ideas category and the lowest for classroom activities to support creativity category. We observed that a teacher-centered approach with instructional practices geared toward preparing students for examinations was dominant and that these science teachers were bound to the textbook, following cookbook-style activities. Participants believed that they did not have enough time to cover the content and teach for creativity and that they were not prepared to teach for creativity. Based on these findings, we recommend that programs be developed to prepare science teachers to teach for creativity. One of the fundamentals of the nature of science is that scientific knowledge is a product of human creativity and imagination (Aydeniz & Bilican, 2014; Urhahne, Kremer & Mayer, 2010). Scientific ideas and major breakthroughs such as theories, laws, hypotheses , models, equations, and other visual representations are products of scientists' plausible reasoning, imagination, and creative thinking—constructed, not found or discovered in a traditional sense (
The book introduces the development of science education in the Arab Gulf states and presents a critical analysis of current issues and concerns in educational research in science education. The key purpose is to provide some perspectives on the state of science education in Gulf and to share experiences with international scholars about the impact of the innovations and reforms implemented in science education in Arabian Gulf. But Science Education in the Arab Gulf States also intends to present new visions and to make suggestions and recommendations about the contribution of science education to prepare students in the knowledge age.
This study aimed to investigate the impact of using the integration approach between science and math on acquiring the skills for solving scientific problems for fourth grade students of Basic Education in the Sultanate of Oman. The study sample consisted of 117 fourth grade students selected from one Basic Education school. The sample was divided into two groups: an experimental group, which consisted of 59 students who studied scientific activities integrated with mathematical knowledge and skills through the teacher guide which was designed specifically for the purpose of the study. The second group was the control group, which consisted of 58 students who studied the same activities through the conventional method of teaching. The experimental group students were taught by a cooperating teacher who had received training on how to employ the integrated activities. Both groups studied the same topics for eight weeks during the second semester of the academic year 2008/2009. To answer the research question, a posttest for scientific problem-solving skills with a reliability value of (0.88) was prepared and administered for both groups. Results revealed that there was a statistically significant difference at (α = 0.05) between the two groups in scientific problem-solving skills in favour of the experimental group. The study also showed that there was a statistically significant growth of scientific problem-solving skills in the experimental group. Accordingly, the study recommends training students to use integrated activities which require implementation of mathematical skills and processes in order to solve scientific problems in science.
The current study explores the effectiveness of involving students in environmental
science projects for their environmental knowledge and attitudes towards science. The
study design is a quasi-experimental pre-post control group design. The sample was 62
11th-grade female students studying at a public school in Oman. The sample was
divided into two groups: an experimental group (N D 34) which conducted five
different environmental-based projects for two months and a control group (N D 28)
which studied using the traditional methods. For the purpose of study, two instruments
were designed: the Environmental Knowledge Test (EKT) and the Science Attitudes
Survey (SAS). The results indicated that students’ involvement in environmental
projects had a statistically significant positive impact on their environmental knowledge
and science attitudes. The experimental group significantly outperformed the control
group in both instruments. The results also indicated that the projects that made the
most impact were those that required students to produce enjoyable and unusual final
products such as a documentary movie, a school-wide campaign, and school-wide
environmental exhibit. This promising result is what distinguishes the current study: that
PBL could be implemented with few resources, inside the school building and within
the assigned time by the official teacher guide for the undertaken topics.
The current study, undertaken in the Sultanate of Oman, explored twelfth
grade students’ common misconceptions in seven chemistry conceptual
areas. The sample included 786 twelfth grade students in Oman while the
instrument was a two-tier test called Chemistry Misconceptions Diagnostic
Test (CMDT), consisting of 25 items with 12 items incorporating visual
representations and eight items used sub-microscopic representations. In
addition, nine items required participants to study the visual diagram(s) in
order to answer the questions. The results confirmed several misconceptions
that had been identified in previous studies, as higher percentages of the
misconceptions were recorded compared to the findings of previous studies.
Misconceptions receiving the highest percentages were associated with
combustion, chemical equilibrium, and electrochemistry. The results also
indicated that twelfth graders had a difficulty dealing with visual test items.
These findings are serious alerts to the practice of chemistry education at
the secondary level in Oman. Recommendations are given to improve the
teaching of chemistry by taking research-diagnosed misconceptions into
account when designing instructional materials and classroom activities.
The purpose of the current study is to examine whether different types of chemical representations
(macroscopic vs. submicroscopic) stimulate meaning construction differently. The sample included 152 pre-service
science teachers in Oman. The instrument included a diagram of the reaction of sodium in water and asked
participants to explain how heat transfers from the water around the sodium piece to the thermometer and how it
causes the mercury level to rise. Two different versions of the diagram were designed: macroscopic and
submicroscopic. The two versions of the instrument were distributed randomly to participants. A rubric was
designed to evaluate participants’ explanations at the submicroscopic level. The results show that participants who
received the submicroscopic diagram statistically outperformed those who received the macroscopic. These
findings indicate that 1) adding submicroscopic details to the macroscopic experimental sketch encourages
students to think at the submicroscopic level; and 2) students do not spontaneously think at the submicroscopic
level.
The purpose of the current study is to compare high and low achievers in science and mathematics in terms of their spatial ability and Working Memory Capacity (WMC), and to compare male and female learners’ performance in both these two cognitive abilities and their science and mathematics achievements. The sample consisted of 102 ninth graders in Oman. To estimate participants’ spatial ability and their WMC, the Water Level Task (WLT) and the Digit Span Backwards Test (DSBT) were used. The results indicated that both science and mathematics high achievers significantly outperformed low achievers in terms of spatial ability and WMC. In addition, females out-performed males in WMC, while males outperformed females in spatial ability. There were no significant differences between the two genders in terms of their achievement in science and mathematics.
The current study compared different learners’ static and dynamic mental images of unseen
scientific species and processes in relation to their spatial ability. Learners were classified into
verbal, visual and schematic. Dynamic images were classified into: appearing/disappearing, linearmovement,
and rotation. Two types of scientific entities and their related processes were
investigated: astronomical and microscopic. The sample included 79 female students from
Grades 9 and 10. For the purpose of the study, three instruments were used. The Mental Images
by Guided Imagery instrument was designed to investigate participants’ visualization of static
and dynamic mental images. The Water-Level Task was adopted to estimate participants’ spatial
ability. The Learning Styles Inventory was used to classify participants into verbal, visual and
schematic learners. The research findings suggest that schematic learners outperformed verbal
and visual learners in their spatial ability. They also outperformed them in their vividness of
microscopic images; both micro-static and micro-dynamic images; especially in the case of
appearing/disappearing images. The differences were not significant in the case of astronomical
images. The results also indicate that appearing/disappearing images received the least vividness
scores for all three types of learners.
Keywords: Dynamic images; Static images; Spatial ability; Appearing/disappearing
dynamic images; Linear-movement dynamic images; Rotation dynamic images; Verbal
learners; Visual learners; Schematic learners; Learning styles
The purpose of the current study is to explore the impact of associating animations with concrete
models on eleventh-grade students’ comprehension of different visual representations in organic
chemistry. The study used a post-test control group quasi-experimental design. The experimental group
(N = 28) used concrete models, submicroscopic animations of molecules and chemical reactions to
study an organic chemistry unit in their textbook. On the other hand, the control group (N = 22) used
concrete models only. To assess students’ comprehension of different visual representations in organic
chemistry, a test called the Organic Chemistry Visualisation Test (OCVT) was designed and administered
at the end of the study. The results indicated that the experimental group significantly outperformed the
control group. Students in the experimental group, with the help of animations, were able to view
multiple representations simultaneously, rotate molecules and inspect them from different angles, and
comprehend the characteristics of organic molecules such as connectivity, chirality, bond angle,
stereochemistry and the spatial arrangement of atoms within molecules. It was observed that the
students in the experimental group were excited to navigate between different types of representations
of the same molecule and to check whether they predicted its configuration (e.g. three-dimensional,
two-dimensional or Fischer Projection models) correctly. Also, students were able to view more
complex molecules using animations rather than concrete models. Limitations of the study and
implications for teaching, learning, and further research are discussed.
The purpose of the current study was to examine the nature of the relationship between learners’ distrust of scientific models that represent unseen entities and phenomena, their spatial ability, and the vividness of their mental images. The sample consisted of 302 tenth grade students in the Sultanate of Oman. Three measures were used for this study: the Epistemologies about the Credibility of Scientific Models instrument, the Water Level Task (WLT), and the Vividness of Microscopic Mental Images. It was found that students’ distrust was greater for theoretical and abstract models such as the electron clouds, photons, magnetic lines of force, DNA, electron transfer, atomic orbits, and alpha rays. The findings also show that there was a statistically significant negative correlation between students’ distrust of scientific models and their spatial ability, as indicated by their performance on the WLT. There was a positive relationship between the distrust of scientific models and the vividness of mental images and a weak negative relationship between spatial ability and the vividness of mental images. Based on the findings, it might be plausible to conclude that as the abstraction level for scientific models increases, such as for theoretical models which lack defined structure and known details, imaginative learners’ difficulty to construct colorful and detailed mental images for natural entities and phenomena increases. It would also be recommended that learners with vivid mental images should be provided with and directed to use more spatial techniques such as computerized visualization tools and mental manipulation of 3D objects.
As we have thought about objective, fixed-response questions there have been recurrent themes of unease. In a previous paper in this journal (CERAPIE 2000,Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 323-328) we set out evidence from the literature and from our own research, that the “conventional” forms of fixed response questions had serious drawbacks. This paper offers three other types of fixedresponse questions which are designed to overcome these problems, at least in part. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2001, 2, 313-328]
Objective testing is playing a larger part in higher education. This paper sets out to look critically at this form of assessment in the light of research so that examiners can take a more informed view of the technique. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2000, 1, 323-328]
A 44-item questionnaire was designed to determine students’ views about how useful various specific actions might be in helping to reduce global warming, their willingness to undertake these various actions and the extent to which these two might be related. The instrument was administered to students in Grades 6 to 12 (N = 1532) from 12 schools in the Sultanate of Oman. The findings indicated that the majority of Omani students believe that global warming is happening now, and are concerned about it. Students are willing to undertake some actions, such as switching off unused domestic appliances, more than others, such as using public transport, despite the fact that they believe the latter would reduce global warming. Novel indices were constructed to explore the relationship between belief and willingness to act for specific actions. The findings suggest that the link between belief and willingness to act is stronger for some actions, such as increasing recycling, than others, such as using smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. This approach allows us to identify pro-environmental actions that may, in terms of effecting behaviour change, be useful to include in teaching schemes.
The purpose of the current study was to explore learners' evaluation of the credibility of scientific models that represent natural entities and phenomena. Participants were 845 students in grades 9 - 11 (aged 15 - 17 years) and 108 prospective science teachers in Oman, totaling 953 students. A survey called Epistemologies about the Credibility of Scientific Models was designed to explore participants' epistemological positions regarding the credibility of scientific models. This instrument was based on a credibility taxonomy proposed by the author. This taxonomy was composed of four epistemological levels: certainty, imaginary, suspicious, and denial; thus, it was called the CISD taxonomy. Findings revealed that natural entities and phenomena were assigned to CISD levels according to their level of abstractness. This level of abstractness is usually constructed by the most frequently used models to represent each natural entity or phenomenon. For instance, entities, which were usually represented by photographs or micrographs, such as meteors and meteorites, blood cells and bacteria, fell at the certainty level. On the other hand, theoretical entities such as electron cloud and photons had a high suspicious-denial combinational level. Some entities, with possible competing concrete-abstract parallel nature of the scientific models that represent them, had both high certainty and suspicious-denial levels. The overall students' epistemological perceptions across grade levels showed a decrease in the certainty level and an increase in the imaginary level. It might also be plausible to conclude that new, detailed microscopic and more abstract knowledge raised the suspicious and denial levels of some entities. Further research based on qualitative research methodologies is needed to explore these findings.
This study explores the mental images at the microscopic level of matter created by 22 preservice science teachers in Oman.
Participants were encouraged during a guided imagery session to construct mental images for a scenario written about the explanation
of the reaction of sodium in water. They were then asked to describe what they envisioned in their own imagination. Participants
had images that were based on textbook illustrations, modeling kits, a solar-system model, physical properties, and humanized
animations. 3D mental images represented 33.36% of participants’ mental images at the microscopic level, while images in 2D
format formed 39.15% of the overall created mental images. Several factors shaped the participants’ mental images, such as
their imaginative ability, attention mode, and the nature of their old images stored in their long-term memory. Most of the
participants experienced image transformation from one form to another as they were progressing in the GI session. This unstable
reliance on different models might indicate unorganized conceptual networks in learners’ LTM: a feature that characterizes
novices’ mental networking. On the contrary, past research has revealed that experts have more organized and sophisticated
conceptual networking. This study argued that participants lacked the homogeneous and reliable mental model of the atom that
is required to carry out advanced cognitive processes for mental exploration of chemical phenomena. The absence of this mental
model might explain the overwhelming finding in literature that many learners fail to explain and predict chemical phenomena.
The current study investigates the effectiveness of grade-ten students’ reflective science journal writing on their self-regulated learning strategies. We used a pre-post control group quasi-experimental design. The sample consisted of 62 tenth-grade students (15 years old) in Oman, comprising 32 students in the experimental group and 30 students in the control group. Both groups studied a science text unit called ‘Matter and Energy in Chemical Reactions’. Students in the experimental group were given a model for a journal, which they wrote after they finished their science lessons. They reflected on their dialogues with their teacher and classmates. They also reflected on their scientific observations, their main conclusions, their evaluation of their level of understanding of the scientific concepts presented in the lesson, their achievement of the lesson goals, and their personal feelings regarding what was taught in the lesson. The control group studied the same unit without writing reflective journals. We used a modified self-regulation strategy instrument to measure the effectiveness of treatment. The results showed that participants in the journal-writing group (experimental group) (M=3.96; SD=0.37) significantly outperformed participants in the control group (M=3.62; SD=0.28) with respect to their self-regulation strategies. The study recommends that reflective journal-writing should be encouraged by science teachers and in science textbooks.
This study describes a distance learning professional
development program that we designed for the
purpose of training science teachers to teach for creativity.
The Moodle platform was used to host the training. To
ensure that trainees would benefit from this distance
learning program, we designed the instructional activities
according to the Community of Inquiry framework, which
consists of three main elements: cognitive presence,
teaching presence and social presence. Nineteen science
teachers in Oman engaged in the training, which lasted for
36 working days. To measure the effectiveness of the
training program on science teachers’ instructional practices
related to teaching for creativity, we used a pre–post
one-group quasi-experimental design. An observation form
was used to assess and document participants’ practices.
Paired t test results showed that there was a statistically
significant improvement in science teachers’ practices
related to teaching for creativity. During the implementation
of the training program, we observed that cognitive
presence and teaching presence were the two most successful
elements of the program. The training program
involved participants in different instructional activities
which were designed to help them understand the role of
creativity in science; a wide range of instructional techniques
designed to nurture students’ creativity was discussed.
The program also provided participants with
opportunities to relate their practices to teaching for
creativity and to design and implement lesson plans geared
toward teaching for creativity. However, the social presence
element was not satisfying. Participants’ virtual
interactions with each other and their engagement in online
discussion forums were limited. This paper provides some
recommendations to overcome such pitfalls.
Although the majority of Oman's population is Arab and either Ibadi or Sunni Muslim, the country exhibits a wealth of diversity in ethnic groups and native languages. While these other groups are often small in total size, they are represented in such areas as politics and commerce in numbers disproportionate to the weight of their communities and, although distinctive, are more or less woven into the social fabric of the country. Ethnic identity seems likely to decline as the various communities increasingly mix in education, the workplace, residential areas, social functions, the military, and elsewhere. This article provides brief “snapshots” of these groups and assesses their changing status in Omani society.
The main purpose of the current study is to investigate the anthropomorphic images created by low and high spatial learners for different scientific topics. The sample included 79 ninth- and tenth-grade female students in the Sultanate of Oman. Two instruments were used: the Learners' Anthropomorphic Mental Images (LAMI) instrument, to determine the average number of anthropomorphic images created by participants, and the Water-Level Task (WLT) instrument, to classify participants as either high or low spatial ability learners. The results indicate that the generation of anthropomorphic images seems to be topic-dependent: more anthropomorphic mental images were produced for the “water transformations” topic than for the “cell division” and “journey into space” topics. In addition, dynamic interactions triggered more anthropomorphic images than static entities, and low spatial students produced more anthropomorphic mental images than high spatial students. These results are supported by previous research indicating that low spatial ability learners tend to add more details to their mental images when they visualize scientific entities and phenomena than high spatial learners. The generation of these unrealistic details during visualization might hinder conceptualization. To address this epidemiological deficiency, the study recommends that techniques that enhance spatial ability should be used with low spatial ability learners to help them focus on the spatial arrangements of the phenomenon under study and eliminate unnecessary details.
The effect of different textual versions (macroscopic (control), submicroscopic, and
guided imagery) of the explanation of a chemical phenomenon on students’
submicroscopic explanation of a related phenomenon was examined. The sample included
152 pre-service science teachers. The three textual versions of the explanation were
distributed randomly to the participants. The results revealed that students who received
the submicroscopic version and those who received the guided imagery version
outperformed students who received the macroscopic version. These results indicated that
students’ use of the submicroscopic understanding was not spontaneous and they needed
to be cued to do so. Also, the submicroscopic mean scores of all three groups were low,
and this might be an indication of a weak ability to: 1) translate between macroscopic and
submicroscopic levels of chemistry, and 2) transfer a submicroscopic understanding of
one phenomenon to another related one.
Keywords: chemistry, guided imagery, macroscopic, submicroscopic, textual narration
Dhufar, the southern region of the Sultanate of Oman, displays a tremendous diversity in its social structure, rather surprising for an area so small. While the people of the coastal plain and the inland Najd are Arabic-speaking, the mountain highlands of the region are home to various non-Arabic speaking communities. Brief descriptions of these communities are provided, as well as of other non-Arabic-speaking groups that seem to have originated in Dhufar but have moved into the northeastern deserts. Unlike the case in northern Oman, the principal boundaries of Dhufar's ethnic groups lie in language; but, as social change accelerates, this distinction may well disappear in the not-too-distant future. The Dhufar War of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as Oman's socioeconomic change since 1970, have increased physical and social mobility and blurred traditional social distinctions.
The inclusion of science literacy standards in pot-basic education science textbooks in Oman
- K Al-Bahri
Al-Bahri, K. (2011). The inclusion of science literacy standards in pot-basic education science
textbooks in Oman. Unpublished thesis, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
The effect of teaching science using thinking tools from CoRT program on critical thinking and science achievement (in Arabic)
- S M Al-Balushi
- K Al-Fari
- SM Al-Balushi
Al-Balushi, S. M., & Al-Fari, K. (2009). The effect of teaching science using thinking tools from
CoRT program on critical thinking and science achievement (in Arabic). Arab Journal of
Education, 29(1), 104-132.
Science and mathematics student teachers’ perception of their mental images types and the relationship with their spatial abilities in the light of some variables (in Arabic)
- S M Al-Balushi
- A Shuaili
- SM Al-Balushi
Al-Balushi, S. M., & Al-Shuaili, A. (2011). Science and mathematics student teachers' perception
of their mental images types and the relationship with their spatial abilities in the light of some
variables (in Arabic). Dirasat-Educational Sciences, 38(5), 1682-1698.
Students’ performance in TIMSS test in Oman: Effect of cognitive and metacognitive variables and effectiveness of an inquiry-based mobile e-formative assessment package
- S M Al-Balushi
- A Ambusaidi
- R Al-Mehrzi
- I Al-Harthy
- F Saadi
- SM Al-Balushi
Al-Balushi, S. M., Ambusaidi, A., Al-Mehrzi, R., Al-Harthy, I., & Al-Saadi, F. (2014). Students'
performance in TIMSS test in Oman: Effect of cognitive and metacognitive variables and
effectiveness of an inquiry-based mobile e-formative assessment package. Muscat, Oman: The
Research Council.
The extent of dimensions of protective education included in the science textbooks of the Sultanate of Oman for Grade (5-10) of Basic Education, and how Grade ten students acquire them
- M Al-Beraiki
Al-Beraiki, M. (2011). The extent of dimensions of protective education included in the science
textbooks of the Sultanate of Oman for Grade (5-10) of Basic Education, and how Grade ten
students acquire them. Muscat, Oman: Sultan Qaboos University.
Analyzing Omani basic education science textbooks according to the health education domains
- S Al-Hajji
Al-Hajji, S. (2005). Analyzing Omani basic education science textbooks according to the health
education domains. Unpublished thesis, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
The effectiveness of using Bayer’s strategy for direct teaching on grade eleven students’ problem-solving skills and physics achievement
- S Al-Hamidi
Al-Hamidi, S. (2011). The effectiveness of using Bayer's strategy for direct teaching on grade
eleven students' problem-solving skills and physics achievement. Unpublished thesis, Sultan
Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
The effect of using multiple intelligences-based activities on the achievement and attitudes towards science in tenth grade in Oman (in Arabic)
- S M Al-Balushi
- F Al-Maqbali
- SM Al-Balushi
Al-Balushi, S. M., & Al-Maqbali, F. (2009). The effect of using multiple intelligences-based
activities on the achievement and attitudes towards science in tenth grade in Oman (in Arabic).
The Egyptian Journal of Science Education, 12(4), 107-130.
Science teachers’ beliefs and practices of scientific argumentation
- A J Al-Harthi
Al-Harthi, A. J. (2014). Science teachers' beliefs and practices of scientific argumentation.
Unpublished Thesis, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
The effect of using inquiry iterative approach on 11th grade students’ science processes skills and science achievement in chemistry
- M Al-Jabri
Al-Jabri, M. (2013). The effect of using inquiry iterative approach on 11th grade students' science
processes skills and science achievement in chemistry. Unpublished thesis, Sultan Qaboos
University, Musca, Oman.
Analyzing grade eleven Omani chemistry textbook for the aspects of Science-Technology-Society-Environment (STSE) (in Arabic)
- N Al-Jahwari
- A Al-Badri
- A Al-Qasmi
- T Jabri
Al-Jahwari, N., Al-Badri, A., Al-Qasmi, A., & Al-Jabri, T. (2013). Analyzing grade eleven Omani
chemistry textbook for the aspects of Science-Technology-Society-Environment (STSE) (in
Arabic). University of Benha College of Education Journal, 24, 1-31.
The impact of a proposed training program in developing the critical thinking skills of physics teachers and their classroom practices
- F Al-Muqaimi
Al-Muqaimi, F. (2012). The impact of a proposed training program in developing the critical
thinking skills of physics teachers and their classroom practices. Unpublished thesis, Sultan
Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
The effect of multiple intelligences theory (MIT) strategies on achievement and attitude toward chemistry among 10th grade students in public schools
- F Al-Omori
Al-Omori, F. (2005). The effect of multiple intelligences theory (MIT) strategies on achievement
and attitude toward chemistry among 10th grade students in public schools. Unpublished
thesis, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
Science teachers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices with regards to sustainable development issues
- M Al-Saadi
Al-Saadi, M. (2012). Science teachers' knowledge, attitudes and practices with regards to
sustainable development issues. Unpublished thesis. Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
The effectiveness of using the systemic approach on organic chemistry achievement and retention among grade 11 female students
- M Al-Salmi
Al-Salmi, M. (2012). The effectiveness of using the systemic approach on organic chemistry
achievement and retention among grade 11 female students. Unpublished thesis, Sultan
Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
Science processes included in the activities of science textbooks for cycle two classes in basic education
- M Al-Sawafi
Al-Sawafi, M. (2006). Science processes included in the activities of science textbooks for cycle
two classes in basic education. Unpublished thesis, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.