The Effectiveness of the Educational Programs of the European Union in Developing the Palestinian Higher Education "the Erasmus+ Program as a Model"

The study aims at identifying the degree the educational programs of the European Union affect developing the Palestinian higher education. This study focuses on the most successful and widespread program, which is the Erasmus + program as one of the European Union programs in supporting and developing the higher education in Palestine and improving the opportunities of employment for the alumni of Palestinian universities, as well as measuring the effectiveness of the program in encouraging the mutual development in human resources among universities. The analytical descriptive approach, based on data collection, is used in this study to analyze the current reality of the participation of universities in the program depending on the objectives of the current study. The main results of the study were as follows: the Erasmus+ program has a great role in developing the Palestinian higher education, and it has a positive impact on the international recognition of the Palestinian universities, as the program paved the way for the establishment of strong and varied partnerships between the Islamic University and partner countries in the European Union. Furthermore, there was a great turnout of the students towards the program, as a result of the program’s role in qualifying the student for work and employment.

THE SUDDEN SHIFT IN DISTANCE EDUCATION IN PALESTINIAN UNIVERSITIES: TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION

This study aimed to identify the types of technical support provided by Palestinian universities to teachers in distance education in the light of the Covid-19 crisis. It examined the possibilities of developing technical support and qualifying teachers that can be provided by the information and communication technology center in there in order to improve the quality of distance education from the teachers' point of view. The researchers used the interview as a tool for the study, and the results obtained were analyzed using the grounded theory in qualitative research. The results showed that the support provided to them was the result of psychological, professional and social motives that affected the phenomenon, and the researchers recommended the need to train teachers on the use of distance education, and the demand for it and the use of applications in education, and the study also recommended that teachers improve their attitudes towards distance education‎.

أثر الإخلال الوظيفي على الأداء الوظيفي في الجامعات الفلسطينية الخاصة بقطاع غزة

ملخص: هدفت الدراسة التعرف إلى مستوى الإخلال الوظيفي وأثره على الأداء الوظيفي في الجامعات الفلسطينية الخاصة بقطاع غزة، وذلك من وجهة نظر الإدارة العليا، وباستخدام المنهج الوصفي التحليلي، وبالرجوع للأدبيات السابقة، تم بناء استبانة تكونت من (30) فقرة موزعة على (5) مجالات، وهي (الإخلالات التنظيمية، والإخلالات السلوكية، والإخلالات المالية، والإخلالات الجنائية، والأداء الوظيفي)، وبعد التأكد من صدقها وثباتها، تم تطبيقها على عينة مكونة من (102) موظف وموظفة، وقد توصلت الدارسة إلى أن مستوى الإخلال الوظيفي كان منخفضاً، وأن مستوى الأداء الوظيفي كان مرتفعاً، كذلك وُجِد أثر ذو دلالة إحصائية للإخلال الوظيفي في الأداء الوظيفي، وأظهرت النتائج عدم وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية بين متوسطات درجات تقدير أفراد العينة لمستوى الإخلال الوظيفي والأداء الوظيفي تُعزى إلى متغيرات (الجنس، والمؤهل العلمي، والمسمى الوظيفي)، ووجود فروق تعزى لمتغير سنوات الخدمة لصالح ذوي الخبرة الأكثر من 10 سنوات، وفي ضوء تلك النتائج أوصت الدراسة بضرورة تنظيم ندوات إرشادية للعاملين حول اللوائح والأنظمة والقوانين المالية والإدارية التي يجب على الموظفين الالتزام بها، ووضع مدونات أخلاقية لضبط سلوك الموظفين عبر توضيح الإخلال الوظيفي والجزاءات التأديبية المناسبة. الكلمات المفتاحية: الإخلال الوظيفي، الأداء الوظيفي، الجامعات الفلسطينية الخاصة، قطاع غزة. Abstract The study aimed to identify the level of career deviation and its impact on job performance in the Palestinian universities of the Gaza Strip, from the senior management’s point of view, using the descriptive and analytical approach. Concerning the previous literature, a questionnaire was built, which consisted of (30) items distributed into (5) areas, namely (organizational breaches, behavioral breaches, financial breaches, criminal breaches, and job performance), and after making sure of their validity and consistency, it was applied to a sample It consists of (102) male and female employees. The study found that the level of job replacement was low, the level of job performance was high, and there was also a statistically significant effect of career deviation on job performance, and the results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the average scores of the sample members’ grade levels on the levels of career deviation and job performance to variables (gender, academic qualification, and job title), and the existence of differences attributable to the years of service variable in favor of those with more than ten years of experience. The study recommended the necessity of organizing guidance seminars for workers about the financial and administrative regulations, rules and laws that employees must abide by, and developing ethical codes to control employee behavior by clarifying breach of employment and appropriate disciplinary sanctions. Keywords: career deviation, job performance, private Palestinian universities, Gaza Strip

أداء القيادات الأكاديمية ودورها في تحقيق متطلبات التميز التنظيمي للجامعات الفلسطينية من وجهة نظر أعضاء هيئة التدريس

ملخص: هدفت الدراسة التعرف إلى مستوى أداء القيادات الأكاديمية ودورها في تحقيق متطلبات التميز التنظيمي للجامعات الفلسطينية من وجهة نظر أعضاء هيئة التدريس، وباستخدام المنهج الوصفي، والرجوع للأدبيات السابقة، تم بناء استبانة اشتملت على (54) فقرة موزعة على (5) مجالات، هي: (أداء القيادات الأكاديمية، والتميز في تقديم الخدمة، والتميز في الهيكل التنظيمي، والتميز المعرفي، والتميز التكنولوجي). وقد أظهرت نتائج الدراسة أن مستوى أداء القيادات الأكاديمية في الجامعات الفلسطينية كان مرتفعا، وأن درجة توافر متطلبات التميز التنظيمي في الجامعات الفلسطينية كانت مرتفعة، كذلك وُجدت علاقة ارتباطية موجبة ذات دلالة إحصائية بين أداء القيادات الأكاديمية في الجامعات الفلسطينية، ودرجة توافر متطلبات التميز التنظيمي في الجامعات الفلسطينية، ومن أبرز توصيات الدراسة ضرورة عقد دورات تدريبية متخصصة للقيادات الأكاديمية. الكلمات المفتاحية: القيادات الأكاديمية، التميز التنظيمي، الجامعات الفلسطينية. Abstract The study aimed to identify the level of academic leaders and their role in the requirements of organizational distinction for Palestinian universities from the point of view of faculty members, and by using the descriptive approach, and with reference to the previous literature, a questionnaire consisting of (54) items distributed into (5) fields was conducted, namely: (Performance of academic leaders And distinction in service provision, distinction in organizational structure, technological distinction, and technological distinction. The study found that the performance level of academic leaders in Palestinian universities was high, and the degree of availability of organizational excellence requirements in Palestinian universities was high. Also, a positive correlation relationship with statistical significance was found between the performance of academic leaders in Palestinian universities, and the degree of availability of organizational distinction requirements in In light of these results, the study recommended the necessity of holding specialized training courses for academic leaders.

درجة ممارسة القيادة الريادية لدى العاملين الإداريين في جامعة الأزهر بغزة وعلاقتها بالبراعة التنظيمية لديهم

ملخص: هدفت الدراسة التعرف إلى درجة ممارسة القيادة الريادية لدى العاملين الإداريين في جامعة الأزهر بغزة وعلاقتها بمستوى البراعة التنظيمية لديهم، وذلك من وجهة نظرهم، وباستخدام المنهج الوصفي الارتباطي، والرجوع للأدبيات السابقة، تم بناء استبانة تكونت من (41) فقرة موزعة على (6) مجال، هي: (الإبداع، والرؤية الاستراتيجية، وتحمل المخاطرة، والمبادأة، والاستغلال، والاستكشاف)، وبعد التأكد من صدقها وثباتها، تم تطبيقها على جميع الإداريين في جامعة الأزهر وعددهم (208) موظفاً وموظفة وقد تم استرداد (189) استبانة بنسبة استرداد (91%)، وقد توصلت الدراسة إلى أن درجة ممارسة القيادة الريادية لدى العاملين الإداريين كانت “مرتفعة” وبوزن نسبي (76.3%)، ومستوى البراعة التنظيمية لديهم كان “مرتفعاً” أيضاً، وبوزن نسبي (78%)، كذلك وُجدت علاقة ارتباطية موجبة ذات دلالة إحصائية بين درجة ممارسة القيادة الريادية لدى العاملين الإداريين في جامعة الأزهر ومستوى البراعة التنظيمية لديهم، ووجود أثر لممارسة القيادة الريادية لدى العاملين الإداريين في تحسين مستوى البراعة التنظيمية لديهم. الكلمات المفتاحية: القيادة الريادية، البراعة التنظيمية، الجامعات الفلسطينية. Abstract The study aimed to identify the degree of entrepreneurial leadership practice among administrators at Al-Azhar University in Gaza and its relationship to their level of organizational ambidexterity, from their point of view. The approach of the study was the descriptive / correlational approach. By referring to previous literature, a questionnaire was prepared consisting of (41) items distributed on (6) aspects: (creativity, strategic vision, risk tolerance, initiative, exploitation, and exploration) The researcher applied it after being sure of its validity and stability to all members of the study population: (208) male and female administrators at Al-Azhar University . (189) questionnaires were obtained from (208) distributed questionnaires, with a (91%) recovery rate. Results of the study showed that the degree of leadership practice among administrative workers had a “relative weight” of (76.3%), and their level of organizational ambidexterity had a “relative weight” of (78.0). A positive correlation was also found. Statistical significance between the degree of entrepreneurial leadership practice among administrative workers at Al-Azhar University and their level of organizational ambidexterity was also found. Moreover, results of the study also showed that practicing leadership among administrative workers improved to some extent their level of organizational ambidexterity. Keywords: Entrepreneurial leadership, Organizational ambidexterity, Palestinian universities.

Investigating the pedagogical practices of EFL writing teachers in Palestinian universities: A cognitive-ecological perspective

<p>Teacher cognition studies are rare in the Palestinian context, as is also true in other contexts where English is taught as a foreign language. This study draws on theories of second language writing and teacher cognition to investigate the interplay between EFL writing teachers’ cognitions and their pedagogical practices. It employs a qualitative design involving multiple case studies to explore how the pedagogical practices of twelve EFL writing teachers working in Palestinian universities are shaped by their cognitions and contextual factors. Data were collected across the nine-month academic year through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, stimulated-recall interviews, and review of documents. A multiple case study research design was used, and constructivist grounded theory informed data analysis. Data were transcribed, coded, and analysed through the development of 12 case reports which were reconstructed into three clusters of cases. The cross-cluster analysis generated a cognitive-ecological model to explain teachers’ choices favouring different pedagogical approaches to teaching EFL writing. Results reveal that teachers’ cognitions about the nature of EFL writing, about teaching and learning writing and about themselves as EFL writing professionals influence their pedagogical practices. The findings also accentuate the role of ecological contexts as a mediating force influencing the interaction between cognitions and practices. These ecological contexts include classroom social and physical contexts, institutional context, broader educational context, and global community discourse. Classroom social and physical contexts were identified and perceived as the most significant barriers to teaching writing, while gaining access to the global community discourse was viewed as the greatest facilitator for adopting recommended practices. Teachers’ cognitions about professional self also determine the weight assigned to the different ecological contexts, thus determining reactions to perceived ecological challenges. This may explain why teachers working in the same context under the same conditions teach differently. Some implications of these findings include the importance of encouraging EFL writing teachers to reflect on pedagogical cognitions and practices relevant to their working contexts as well as the need for introducing recommended models of teaching EFL writing in tertiary institutions. Other theoretical and professional contributions are addressed, and potential for further research is highlighted.</p>

Investigating the pedagogical practices of EFL writing teachers in Palestinian universities: A cognitive-ecological perspective

<p>Teacher cognition studies are rare in the Palestinian context, as is also true in other contexts where English is taught as a foreign language. This study draws on theories of second language writing and teacher cognition to investigate the interplay between EFL writing teachers’ cognitions and their pedagogical practices. It employs a qualitative design involving multiple case studies to explore how the pedagogical practices of twelve EFL writing teachers working in Palestinian universities are shaped by their cognitions and contextual factors. Data were collected across the nine-month academic year through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, stimulated-recall interviews, and review of documents. A multiple case study research design was used, and constructivist grounded theory informed data analysis. Data were transcribed, coded, and analysed through the development of 12 case reports which were reconstructed into three clusters of cases. The cross-cluster analysis generated a cognitive-ecological model to explain teachers’ choices favouring different pedagogical approaches to teaching EFL writing. Results reveal that teachers’ cognitions about the nature of EFL writing, about teaching and learning writing and about themselves as EFL writing professionals influence their pedagogical practices. The findings also accentuate the role of ecological contexts as a mediating force influencing the interaction between cognitions and practices. These ecological contexts include classroom social and physical contexts, institutional context, broader educational context, and global community discourse. Classroom social and physical contexts were identified and perceived as the most significant barriers to teaching writing, while gaining access to the global community discourse was viewed as the greatest facilitator for adopting recommended practices. Teachers’ cognitions about professional self also determine the weight assigned to the different ecological contexts, thus determining reactions to perceived ecological challenges. This may explain why teachers working in the same context under the same conditions teach differently. Some implications of these findings include the importance of encouraging EFL writing teachers to reflect on pedagogical cognitions and practices relevant to their working contexts as well as the need for introducing recommended models of teaching EFL writing in tertiary institutions. Other theoretical and professional contributions are addressed, and potential for further research is highlighted.</p>