Understanding family involvement in the education of emirati college students in the united arab emirates (Uae)

Abstract

Studies conducted in Western contexts show that understanding family involvement in education, one form of intergenerational communication, is crucial to enhancing student performance. Rapid economic growth in the non-Western context of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since nationalization in 1971 enabled a transition from a traditional agriculture-based society to a technologically advanced knowledge-based society in about 40 years. Federally funded postsecondary institutions employed mostly expatriate instructors and used English, not Arabic, as the medium of instruction. Most parents had little or no education. The study investigated family involvement in education focusing on cultural expectations and influences exerted on Emirati college students to enable educators and policymakers to create policies promoting retention and student success. Data was collected from 1173 students using an online bilingual survey and from 30 randomly selected guardians using a telephone survey. After a demographic section, the online student survey asked students to rate their agreement to statements related to family involvement using a four-point Likert scale. Composite indicators were constructed by assigning weightings to student responses and calculating the weighted averages in each category corresponding to demographic factors and the constructs of the study: Enablers, influences, and engagements. Findings indicated that although Emirati families were genuinely interested in their college students' success, parents did not necessarily understand the commitment of time and effort needed to succeed. Various demographic factors were linked to students' high and low performances. Older siblings provided academic support. Family involvement varied in type and scope by gender of the student.