Job Discussion Forums

[Imdramayu]

Is it OK to conduct Action Research (or more professional research) about classes that one is teaching in in universities in the UAE?

This was mentioned in another thread http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=90169 but I wanted to continue in another thread.

I am planning to start a doctorate (PhD or EdD but PhD would be more useful in the long-run, methinks) AND teach in a univ in UAE. How is research encouraged in these universities? Is management OK about research done in their classroom? I've read books about Action Research done in Gulf classrooms http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/zs_sec_document.asp?CID=287&DID=8814 and it looked OK.

[veiledsentiments]

You would need permission and I expect that there would be restrictions on what kind of research... it would certainly need to fit into their curriculum. You probably wouldn't be able to change the coursework or course goals to fit your topic.

VS

[It's Scary!]

Plus, the fact that any Action Research in a Gulf classroom would immediately "let the cat out of the bag" and reveal the kind of "uneducating" that goes on there.

Thereby exposing the whole charade!

It's death by misadventure!

[helenl]

HCT has definitely refused at least two PhD candidates requests to use HCT student data as part of their research.

AUS is probably your best bet as they are the only real university in the country - someone else mentioned AUD but I'm not familiar with them.

As for the other universities, I would suspect either (a) you would be refused, but it never hurts to ask or (b) their data is not exactly on a par with their home campuses - standards might be lowered or even bent in order to get students through.

[veiledsentiments]