Job Discussion Forums

[Noor]

Some interesting information from a recent article in The National, including this tidbit.

For the academic year 2008-2009, enrollment in the UAE's three institutions of higher education (Zayed University, the Higher Colleges of Technology and UAE University), was 13,315. However, fewer than 10,000 actually showed up at school. Nearly a quarter of students with seats disappeared.

http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090713/NATIONAL/707129844/1133

[veiledsentiments]

Well... since it says that 62% of those approved were female, the answer for most is probably that their family decided that they couldn't go... the family may decide that marriage is the better option... or the girl may fail to have the confidence to attend.

For the boys, many of them just can't be bothered with attendance... those from the rich families with businesses don't think all this hard work is needed.

I don't find the number surprising at all.

VS

[one bird]

[veiledsentiments]

I don't have an easy answer to how I was able to motivate students. Often it comes down to just treating them like adults and making them aware of why I think they should be serious about their studies. It is a constant battle in Foundations English courses because they often don't understand how low their language level is or why they are having to study it. (a very good question BTW... and they need to ask their own national leaders about that one). Because of mostly teaching writing, it meant that I got to know the students better... both through their writings and through my use of one-on-one work on individual problem areas. Perhaps it was just proving to them that I cared about their success and was willing to help them in my spare time if they were willing to do the work. (many of these employers make you hang about the facilities much of the day, so it was more fun and rewarding to work with the students informally than gossip in the teachers' lounge. )

Once they get to content courses, a big hurdle has been passed. This is more of a question for other Engineering professors. One problem that comes up for content teachers is that in many of the universities, their school-leaving exam is what decides their major, not their interests. The top students normally go to medicine with Engineering getting the next tier... so not everyone there wants to be there. They will be your problem students. Sometimes, one ends up meeting with fathers and department heads to get the family to let the son change majors... for instance, move down to science rather than engineering.

No easy answer to your question I'm afraid.

VS

[helenl]

And in some of the HCT colleges, supervisors and directors decide which program to place students - depending on resources available rather than student interest or ability in the area.

[veiledsentiments]

I always found it so odd that students had so little input into what they wanted to study. Of course, they are in a free system whereas we are paying big bucks. To a certain extent, I have to say that with many of the women students, it is rather moot as they will never be in the workplace anyway. And, the ones that will are usually savvy enough to swan in and demand the major that they want... and usually construct a good argument as to why. (followed quickly by their three best friends who MUST be with them...)

Even in Egypt, at AUC, where students do pay a lot of money and get to choose their majors, there was little or no counseling for the students as to what they should study. There were large number of students majoring in Economics that I got to know because they ended up being subjects in my thesis. There are few jobs in that field anywhere... yet AUC was pumping out a hundred or so grads each year... Cairo U was pumping out thousands of them. And they got to become clerks in the corner shop or drive a taxi. No one had ever mentioned to them the difficulty of finding work... or what fields offered the best chance of getting jobs after graduation. Perhaps they should have thought of that as soon as they studied the chapter on supply and demand? ... and switched over to accounting?

When I was in Oman, the majority of students seemed to be majoring in Science. How many scientists does a little country like Oman need? None of them planned to teach it... so where do they go after graduation? I suppose that it was just included because it went along with the engineering and medical department that did have an obvious goal. It wasn't until after I left there that a business department was opened. I would have thought that should have been one of the first majors rather than waiting 7 or 8 years. That said, SQU has developed quite efficiently when one considers the time frame...

Baby steps...

VS

[carlen]

edit

[veiledsentiments]

I know exactly what you mean Carlen... it is very frustrating business...

VS