The Impact of Activity Based Learning on Students Achievement

1.1 Overview of The Chapter

This chapter outlines background information for this research, including information about education system in Oman and activity based learning strategy. It also addresses the problem statement and the aim of the research. Then research question and research hypothesis were outlined. The last two parts of the chapter articulate rationale and overall structure of the study.

1.2 Background and Motivation to The Study:

1.2.1 Education System in Oman

Oman is an Arabian Gulf country, shares borders with Saudi Arabia from the west, United Arab Emirates from the northwest and Yamen from the South. Oman population was estimated 4.74 million in 2017. According to United Nations (2010), there has been an accelerated evolution in Oman from a poor country to a very wealthy country. Started from 1970 when His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said led the Sultanate. The view of Sultan Qaboos from the beginning was to boost the country away from its isolationism by exploit the natural resources of the land and prepare will trained educated human resources. To ensure the development of the economy and provide a good honourable life for all Omani citizens.

One of the most important field his majesty focused on was Education, because he realized its vital role in prosperity of the country. In the field of education, Oman’s education system witnessed a rapid development. There were only 3 schools in Oman in 1970 most of its cadre were expatriates. Currently, the numbers of schools in Oman are 1148 as announced by the ministry in the 2018/2019 academic year, the vast majority of teachers are Omani teachers (Alshikri 2019). There was high percentage of illiteracy in 1970, around 66% of adults in Oman were illiterate (AlMaskari et al. 2016). After Sultan Qaboos ruled Oman, the school becomes free and mandatory for every child in the country. There were two training centers launched in 1975 to provide specialized

teachers for the increasing numbers of schools. Later, many education collages and institutions were opened to prepare more specialized professional Omani teachers. All children in Oman get free access to basic education, 100% of them progress to post basic education. World Bank in 2001 reported  that  education  system  in  Oman  has  a  rapid  development  from  1970  to  2000  as unprecedented by any other country (Al Balushi & Griffiths 2013).Education management in Oman is highly centralized, Ministry of Education is authorized to take the majority of decisions. The visions and plans of the Ministry of Education formulated in parallel with the 5-year National Development Plan which address the aims and projects of the country in those 5 years. Take in consideration  the  timeframe  of  the  accomplishment  process.  The  responsibilities  for  each department and their targeted tasks are precisely specified.

Education system of schools in Oman is Basic Education system was first implemented in 1998 to replace the old general education. To emphasize student-centred and activity-based learning pedagogy rather than teacher-centred and passive learning pedagogy. According to AlMaskri, et al. (2016) the central style of basic education system is activity-based learning. Also, hands on tasks integrated to provide Active classroom. The Basic Education is intended to provide (Al Shabibi & Silvennoinen 2018, p.40):

“1. Integration between theory and practice, thought and work, education and life.

2. Comprehensiveness in developing the aspects of personality.

3. The acquisition of self-learning skills in the context of lifelong education.

4. The inclusion of the values and practices necessary for mastery and excellence in learning and teaching.

5. The means to meet the needs of human development in the context of comprehensive social development.”

Basic program starts from grade 1 to grade 10 divided into 2 cycle, first cycle consists of grade 1-4. All teachers in cycle 1 are females, boys and girls taught together in this stage. The second cycle starts from grade 5 to grade 10. The schools of second cycle are different from the school of the first cycle where all students are single sex. Schools of boys are taught by male teachers only and there are female teachers teach in girls’ schools. After cycle 2 all students progress to post- basic stage (grade 11 & grade 12) which is equal to high school in other countries. There are elective and mandatory subjects in this stage, whereas all subjects in basic stage are mandatory. At the end of 12th year students who pass get general diploma certificate. Table. 1.1 and table. 1.2 compare between the structure of old general education systems in Oman until 1998 and the structure of current basic education system.