STEM and Online Reading Literacy Programs in Schools of Dubai, U.A.E - An Enquiry

Dubai is a unique cross-section of the globe where different nationalities and races co-exist for employment, business, education, hi-fi life, living and enjoyment.
This book is a collection of two studies conducted in the Schools of Dubai - the first study is about the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education and the second study is about the improving English reading skills of L2 students. Good STEM education is essential for preparing scientists, engineers, and technocrats to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The first study has been conducted in the schools of Dubai to determine the interest of students in pursuing STEM education and career. The results of this study indicate that students in Dubai schools have a genuine interest in STEM. However, the lack of teachers’ commitment to the delivery of appropriate STEM topics needs to be tackled by appropriate measures. The objective of the second study is to develop a conceptual framework for testing the efficacy of an online reading tool, namely, ‘Literacy Pro’ developed by Scholastic Corporation in the USA. The conceptual framework also measures the impact of students’ performance in international English proficiency exams, such as PISA, PIRLS, TIMSS, and ASSET after they have participated in the online ‘Literacy Pro’ program. This study indicates that ‘at-risk’ students can benefit from additional online instructions or interventions.

About the Author:
Assoc. Prof. Varughese K. John, Ph.D., MBA, M.Phil., M.Com., LL.B. Educationist and Researcher in Commerce and Management during the last four decades with international experiences in Asia especially in Middle east and Far east countries. Published a scores of articles in SSRN and other high-ranking journals. Specialized in Financial Management, Management Accounting, and Banking. Currently working in the Graduate School of Business- Advanced Technology Management, Assumption University of Thailand.