Analysis of Partnerships Between Universities and Schools in Education

This report delves into the critical role of partnerships between universities and schools, particularly in the context of Saudi Arabia's education system. It examines the need to transfer successful models from Western countries to attract international students and foster cultural exchange. The report reviews the existing literature, highlighting the importance of collaboration, shared decision-making, and teacher development. It explores the effectiveness of such partnerships in promoting research, improving teacher expertise, and enhancing the economic prospects of local schools. The report also discusses relevant theories like cultural difference and expectation theories, along with the mixed research methods used to gather data. It emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural differences and providing equal opportunities for learning. The findings suggest that partnerships can facilitate better articulation between university courses and placements, promote research collaborations, and improve the overall quality of education. The report also references programs like STEP and EDITE, along with networked learning communities in the UK, as examples of successful school-university partnerships. The conclusion stresses the need for Saudi Arabia to adopt these models to enhance its education system.

Running Head: A Partnership Between Universities and Schools (Reality and Requirements)
A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES AND
SCHOOLS (REALITY AND REQUIREMENTS)

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A Partnership Between Universities and Schools (Reality and Requirements)
Table of Contents
Research problem.......................................................................................................................3
Literature review........................................................................................................................3
Research method........................................................................................................................5
Reference list..............................................................................................................................7

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A Partnership Between Universities and Schools (Reality and Requirements)
Research problem
In western countries, partnership between schools and universities are being
supported by the education system. This aspect is helping those countries to attract foreign
students. According to Silbert (2016), modern students are getting attracted to the education
systems of first world countries than developing countries like Saudi Arabia. This aspect is
preventing the growth of Saudi Arabia's education system. Due to this reason, it has become
essential to transfer the experiences of western countries to this country for attracting more
international students. On the other hand, Waitoller & Artiles (2016) have mentioned that
lack of communication between schools and universities, is preventing the cultural mix
between students from different cultural backgrounds. Bonding between schools and
universities in Saudi Arabia can help to improve this condition. As a result of this
partnership, the education system will be able to earn more revenue and it effectively
contributes to the economy of the country.
Literature review
Importance of transferring experiences of western universities to Saudi Arabia
Cornerstone of school and university partnership is collaboration, shared decision
making and improving the learning of teachers (Burton & Greher, 2007). If partnerships are
well thought-out and planned, then the number of success can be achieved. Forming
partnerships with western universities can increase the bulk of research and improve the
effectiveness of teachers in the classrooms. As contradicted by Miskolc-Hejőkeresztúr &
Halasz (2016), western universities can also play the role of mentor and effectively share
educational experiences in Saudi schools. Informal guidance, supervision, and feedback can
be received from western universities. In addition, they can guide about classroom
management strategies. Representatives of western universities can participate in schools and
develop a stronger association between theory and practice.

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A Partnership Between Universities and Schools (Reality and Requirements)
Positive experiences like the Stanford teacher education program (STEP) can be
shared through forming partnerships. As opined by Silbert (2016), the STEP program helps
in the process of clinical placements of teachers and help in achieving future teacher leaders.
This program is year-long and supports classroom placement. Moreover, experiences from
other education programs like EDITE can also be shared that helps to develop teacher
professionalism improves teacher education. Waitoller & Artiles (2016) stated that networked
learning communities in the UK can also be set as an example of school-university
partnerships. This western program is about collaboration of school clusters with universities.
Thus, this has facilitated the sustainable development of the education process. These
experiences can be shared with Saudi to improve the overall learning and teaching facilities.
Effectiveness of partnership between schools and universities
Successful partnership between school cluster and universities helps in better
articulation between university courses and placements (Kenny et al. 2016). Proper
partnerships can help to promote research collaborations between schools and universities.
Thus, the level of education can be improved. Maheady, Patti, Rafferty & del Prado Hill
(2019) argued that proper collaborations between schools and universities can help obtain
assistance regarding achieving approval for conducting research in schools. Hence, both
students and faculties can achieve a wide area to practice research and bolster their
knowledge level. Teachers can also improve their expertise, and utilize opportunities to gain
professional development. This includes resources provided by universities and technical
guidance. Economics of local schools can also get improved significantly especially in
backward communities (Murtagh & Birchinall, 2018). Partnerships can be a soft and cuddly
process of establishing relationships between professionals for achieving desired educational
objectives. Proper collaboration can help to achieve Saudi schools' best practices in learning
and teaching.

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A Partnership Between Universities and Schools (Reality and Requirements)
Many western universities are focusing on including different linguistic courses to
their syllabus to help students to learn different languages of other countries. This aspect is
making them able to communicate with other international students. As mentioned by Silbert
(2016), this approach has a positive impact on the learning of students. This experience of
western culture must be transferred into the education system of developing countries.
Related theories
Western countries are trying their best to attract international students as they want to
improve the culture of their education system. The following theories can help to understand
the needs of transferring western education experiences.
Cultural difference theory: According to this theory, many students fail to ensure
good academic performance as their home environment has not educated them about other
cultures. As mentioned by Kenny et al. (2016), teachers, sometimes, do not understand the
differences between culture home and education culture of students and its impact on their
learning. Partnership between schools and universities can help teachers to understand this
fact and they will be able to encourage students to learn about culture and language of other
countries of the globe.
Expectation theory: This theory is postulating that teachers expect less from students
of certain ethnicity. Murtagh & Birchinall (2018) have said that teachers align their style of
teaching with their expectations which may have a great impact on the education of students.
However, in western countries, the majority of teachers believe in equality. Transferring this
teaching approach can help to improve the education system. Partnership of schools and
universities can help to understand the global trend of providing equal opportunities of
learning to all students.
Research method

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A Partnership Between Universities and Schools (Reality and Requirements)
This research is focusing on the mixed research method for getting a reliable outcome
at the end of this study. Both primary qualitative and primary quantitative methods of data
collection are appropriate for this research. As mentioned by Alavi & Hąbek (2016), a mixed
research method can help to collect and analyze authentic results and at the end of the
research, a reliable outcome can be ensured with the help of this research method. In this
study, a questionnaire is helping to collect data from students. This process may help to
understand the insight of students regarding the importance of transferring experience of
western countries to the education system of Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, it is important
to review the perspective of Drs of Universities of Saudi Arabia regarding this context.
Interviews of Universities’ Drs are helping this research to understand Drs’ viewpoints on the
positive side of transferring western experiences.

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A Partnership Between Universities and Schools (Reality and Requirements)
Reference list
Alavi, H., & Hąbek, P. (2016). AdDressing research design problem in mixed methods
research. Management Systems in Production Engineering, 21(1), 62-66. Retrieved
from: https://www.degruyter.com/downloadpdf/j/mspe.2016.21.issue-1/mspe-10-01-
2016/mspe-10-01-2016.xml
Burton, S. L., & Greher, G. R. (2007). School-university partnerships: What do we know and
why do they matter? Arts Education Policy Review, 109(1), 13-22. Retrieved from
https://search.proquest.com/docview/211009085?accountid=188056
Kenny, J., Hobbs, L., Speldewinde, C., Jones, M., Campbell, C., Gilbert, A., ... & Redman, C.
(2016). Establishing school university partnerships to teach science-does what worked
for us work for you. Proceedings of ESERA 2015—Science Education Research:
Engaging learners for a sustainable future, 31, 2029-2040. Retrieved from:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anna_Windt/publication/308928297_Teaching_
Abilities_of_Prospective_Teachers_at_the_Beginning_of_the_Practical_Phase_of_Te
acher_Education/links/57fce98908aef0731c01f6a7/Teaching-Abilities-of-
Prospective-Teachers-at-the-Beginning-of-the-Practical-Phase-of-Teacher-
Education.pdf#page=114
Maheady, L. J., Patti, A. L., Rafferty, L. A., & del Prado Hill, P. (2019). School–University
Partnerships: One Institution’s Efforts to Integrate and Support Teacher Use of High-
Leverage Practices. Remedial and Special Education, 40(6), 356-364. Retrieved from:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0741932518812689
Miskolc-Hejőkeresztúr, K. I. P., & Halasz, G. (2016). School-university partnership for
effective teacher learning. Retrieved from:
http://halaszg.ofi.hu/download/May_13_Issues_paper.pdf

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A Partnership Between Universities and Schools (Reality and Requirements)
Murtagh, L., & Birchinall, E. (2018). Developing communities of practice in school-
university partnerships. Teacher Education Advancement Network Journal, 10(1), 85-
95. Retrieved from:
http://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/3876/1/Murtagh_DevelopingCommunities.pdf
Silbert, P. (2016). In schools, In community implementing a university-school partnership at
the University of Cape Town. South African Journal of Higher Education, 29(3),
262–278. doi: 10.20853/29-3-499
Waitoller, F. R., & Artiles, A. J. (2016). Teacher learning as curating: Becoming inclusive
educators in school/university partnerships. Teaching and Teacher Education, 59,
360-371. Retrieved from:
http://www.indigo.lib.uic.edu:8080/bitstream/handle/10027/21461/Teacher
%20Learning%20as%20Curating.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=n