Sami Samra

This paper aims to introduce the good practices of the reoriented course of ‘Problems of the Society’, while discussing the impacts of the course on the student teachers and the learning outcomes they gained. The study used a mixed method design which consists of two parts, quantitative methods by using a pre-post sustainability questionnaire and qualitative method by analyzing the students’ written answers of open-ended questions. The data were collected from 3rd year student teachers of the School of Education who participated in the reoriented course. The findings suggest that the reoriented course was effective in helping the student teachers understand sustainability, having positive attitudes towards sustainable development, achieving a number of professional and social learning outcomes that benefit them in their careers as teachers.

The purpose of this research was to investigate and develop an effective assessment tool to measure and evaluate course learning outcomes. Course learning outcomes from four different departments in the Faculty of Humanities at a private university in Lebanon were examined and revised according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. The learning outcomes were mapped with the program learning outcomes which were also linked to the program educational objectives of the appropriate majors. After which, the assessment process took place. This paper used a case study approach with accumulation of the data dating back to the 2014/2015 academic year, as well as survey methodology to further understand the Faculty instructors’ attitudes and experience in utilizing an assessment guide that was prepared by the Faculty Outcomes Assessment Committee. This article details the aforementioned processes in three phases, establishing criteria, setting an assessment strategy, and testing the implementation of such str...

This paper reports on a study entitled Reorienting University Curricula to Address Sustainability (RUCAS), carried out in collaboration with a Tempus-European Commission funded project on the issue of raising sustainability awareness in university students. RUCAS aims at involving university students in sustainability issues through introducing such issues into regular course curricula. The study presented in this paper is the final product of one of the work packages required by RUCAS. It involved second-year university students taking a course in rhetoric and argumentation as a general education requirement over a period of one semester. The first part of the paper analyzes students’ background, interests, linguistic proficiency, and major. Secondly, it describes a specific group “good practice” assignment on a sustainability issue of the students’ own choosing, to address Grade 6 children. This is followed by reflections from the 6th graders, their teachers, the school administrators and the university students themselves. Finally, the paper concludes with the implications of carrying out such activities and recommendations for further applications of good practice in raising awareness of sustainability in university students and their commitment to the community around them. Keywords: Curriculum, Pedagogy, Community Service, Sustainability

This paper reports on a study entitled Reorienting University Curricula to Address Sustainability (RUCAS), carried out in collaboration with a Tempus-European Commission funded project on the issue of raising sustainability awareness in university students. RUCAS aims at involving university students in sustainability issues through introducing such issues into regular course curricula. The study presented in this paper is the final product of one of the work packages required by RUCAS. It involved second-year university students taking a course in rhetoric and argumentation as a general education requirement over a period of one semester. The first part of the paper analyzes students’ background, interests, linguistic proficiency, and major. Secondly, it describes a specific group “good practice” assignment on a sustainability issue of the students’ own choosing, to address Grade 6 children. This is followed by reflections from the 6th graders, their teachers, the school administrators and the university students themselves. Finally, the paper concludes with the implications of carrying out such activities and recommendations for further applications of good practice in raising awareness of sustainability in university students and their commitment to the community around them.
Keywords: Curriculum, Pedagogy, Community Service, Sustainability

The mosaic nature of the Lebanese society is typically reflected in its school system, both public and private. This paper studies the various factors and characteristics featured in a multi-cultural school environment. It attempts at identifying the problematic areas of cultural conflict arising mainly from student and teacher backgrounds. It also examines the ways the national curricula and textbooks address cultural issues. Finally, this paper attempts at suggesting ideas that can be implemented to foster a healthy school environment that caters for the variety and the richness as reflected by the school community.
Keywords: diversity, multiculturalism, schools, school administrations

Promoting human rights involves the full awareness of the rights and duties of all parties involved. The classroom is perhaps one of the nuclear units—the family being another—where these rights can and should be implemented, fostering a democratic atmosphere to enhance the teaching-learning process. Although both classroom parties, the students and the teacher, are usually cognizant of the basics of human rights in general, many classroom practices either ignore or sometimes intentionally abandon them. This paper will identify such areas in the classroom where human rights are not respected as they are supposed to be. It will focus on the duties alongside the rights of both students and teacher. It will also attempt to show how the implementation of the rights and duties of all concerned will improve classroom management, and thus lay down the necessary foundation for a more efficient learning environment.

Schools are perhaps one of the most essential elements of forming character in a society. Their role transcends educational pedagogy to cover the instilling of human morals and values in their students. Giving lip service to these morals and values is scarcely enough for reaching the goal of preparing students to become effective positive members of the society. In this paper, the author presents some democratic principles that were implemented in a K-12 school in Lebanon during his tenure as school principal for three years, and how such implementation led to positive changes in the general school culture.