Does Managing Courses Using Course Learning Outcomes
Improve Education Quality? A GCC Study
Firas Rifai1 Nasser Taleb2 Loay Alnaji2*
1. Department of Business Administration. Al-Zaytoonah University, Amman, Jordan
2. Al Ain University of Science and Technology, Al Ain, UAE
Abstract
Quality education is the main goal for all universities that strive to succeed and compete in the market. To ensure
quality, universities must be able to provide its students and staff with services and tools to help them excel in their (educational) career. Measuring quality of education is not an easy process. Different universities use different techniques to help them determine whether or not their students are getting the proper education. One of the most common ways used in the west is the use of Objectives. Departments place course and program objectives that it works on to ensure that the student is familiar with so that the student can compete in the market after graduating. Universities in the Gulf are no different. Their focus on program learning objectives stems from the ministry of education through all levels of management. This paper sheds light on the process used to ensure quality of education at Al Ain University in United Arab Emirates by providing course material focused purely on Course and Program Learning Outcomes. This paper tries to answer the following questions:
• Does focusing on Course Learning Outcomes help students better manage their course material?
• Does focusing on Course Learning Outcomes improve course quality?
• Does focusing on Course Learning Outcomes help boost student trust in course materials?
• Do using online tools create a better learning environment?
Keywords: Program Learning Outcome, Course learning outcome, Quality management
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
The Role of Business Incubators in the success of Entrepreneur Startups
A field study in the Jordanian economy
Dr. Firas Rifai – Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan
Dr. Abdul Sattar H. Yousif - Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan
1- Abstract
The portion of small businesses in most Arab countries is very high and it is, almost, account for about 80% of the whole businesses in the national economy. Thus, the effect of small businesses on the growth and development of the national economy and business sustainability is very high .Therefore, decision makers at all levels in the national economy have to pay extra attention and support to small businesses specially in the early startup stages (Seed stage), which are , usually, very critical and could lead to failure. Business Incubators are an effective body to perform the task of supporting small businesses during that critical stage. Business incubators could provide new (entrepreneurial) startups with all necessary aid that they need during their startup stages, in term of, business knowhow, material suppliers, equipment required, consultancy, location selection and layout and financial support. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of business incubator on the success of entrepreneur startups. A questionnaire was used to collect the required data. All the population of business incubators in Jordan were covered in this study (19 organizations nationally). Findings show that Incubators financial advice and services and its technical and administrative policies have a significant influence on the success of entrepreneur startups in Jordan.
Key Words: Business Incubator, advice, polices, and startup.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
The German Dual Vocational Education and Training System
Evaluate the transfer into the Jordanian educational System
Firas Rifai, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan – Amman/Jordan, frifai@gmail.com
Abstract
Almost all countries over the world are suffering a high levels of unemployment between the young people. In Jordan the unemployment rate is about 25%. Main problem is that the majority of the young people are choosing the academic way for their career and ignoring the vocational way. In Jordan there are about 76 thousand high school students finishing their study and start searching for a job. The labor market can definitely not absorb all these new graduates. In The same time there is a clearly lack in the vocational labor market.
Think globally act locally is a wise approach that can adopt in the whole world. This approach is open for everyone, every firm and every country to get benefits from other’s knowledge and experiences. However, we can get benefits from cultures, which are different from our culture. We can understand the general rules and direction of other cultures and adapt them according to our national and special culture, conditions and circumstances. Through this paper the author tries to evaluate the transfer of the German “Dual Vocational Training System” into the Jordanian educational system.
To solve this problem the researcher aims to make the vocational career usable for young people. The researcher tries to evaluate the transfer of the German vocational training system into Jordanian educational system. Depending on the German system, Researcher prepared and distributed a questionnaire to a sample of respondents of many Jordanian large companies in order to verify the acceptability of the system and its contribution to the reduction of youth unemployment.
Key terms: Training, dual vocational education and training system, youth employment
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
The Entrepreneurial Factor in Universities
Case Study: Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan
Dr. Firas Rifai1
1. Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Al-Zaytoonah
University, Amman, Jordan
Correspondence: Dr. Firas Rifai, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences,
Al-zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
Tel: 00962-797 26 10 86. E-mail: frifai@gmail.com.
ABSTRACT
All knowledge-based entrepreneurship has stood out as the major factor for economic growth, development, job creation and competitiveness. Today we are dealing with new important production factors such as Know-How (Knowledge) and a highly qualified human capital. Universities play an important role in both: knowledge-producer and knowledge-converter into action. This new and important role of universities, to become a catalyst in their area, requires universities to introduce the entrepreneurial aspect in both managerial and academic levels. Teaching and Research are the main activities of all classic universities. Taking the research activity creates the question: what happened with all published researches and their results and recommendations? The quick answer is, mostly nothing. This unused knowledge became dead knowledge and unusable with the passage of time. This gap between knowledge and practice is referred to as the Knowing-Doing-Gap. Universities have to add the entrepreneurial aspect in order to ensure that a portion of the knowledge produced has the chance to be successfully implemented in society. This study aims to identify activities and efforts Al-Zaytoonah University is taking to contribute to minimize the Knowing-Doing-Gap.
KEYWORDS: Entrepreneurship, Catalyzer, Knowledge Society, University. Knowledge transfer.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
THE EFFECT OF MANAGEMENT POLICY & PROCESS ON ADOPTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP ASPECTS BY JORDANIEN UNIVERSTIETIES
Dr. Firas Rifai1 / Dr. Abdul Sattar H. Yousif2
1. Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Al-Zaytoonah
University, Amman, Jordan
2. Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Al-Zaytoonah University,
Amman, Jordan
Correspondence: Dr. Firas Rifai, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences,
Al-zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
Tel: 00962-797 26 10 86. E-mail: frifai@gmail.com.
Abstract
This paper aims at exploring the role of the university managerial systems and policies in the process of implementing the concept of entrepreneurship and innovation by Jordanian universities. A questionnaire was used as a means of data collection. Seven Jordanian universities were chosen from both governmental and private sectors and 320 questionnaires were distributed to a random sample of managerial staff of these seven universities.
The resulting data was carefully viewed, audited and statistically analyzed using the most appropriate statistical tests. The outcomes and results of the statistical analysis clearly indicated that the three independent variables (i.e. The university managerial process related to conducting the entrepreneurial concept implementation problems and obstacles, the university general managerial and financial policies and managerial staff awareness of entrepreneurial aspects) had a positive impact on both dependent variables individually and collectively (i.e. university expansion and the consolidation of university competitive advantage).
Keywords: University Managerial Process, University Policy, Entrepreneurship Aspect
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Solving the financial barriers of new innovative startups in Jordan
Dr. Ahmad Siam1 / Dr. Firas Rifai2
1 Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Al Balqa University, Amman, Jordan
2 Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
Correspondence: Dr. Firas Rifai, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan. Tel: 00962-797 26 10 86. E-mail: frifai@gmail.com.
Abstract
In this study, the authors aimed to examine the role of the informal financial sector financing new innovative startups projects. It is popular that the formal financial sector including banking and other financial institutions always try to avoid financing new innovative startups especially in their early stages where the risk is classified as very high.
This study was based on descriptive analytical approach with reliance on statistical instruments in order to test the hypotheses of this study. Thus, 120 survey questionnaires were distributed over the study’s sample. One hundred of those questionnaires were retrieved and used for the analysis. Results revealed that there are many barriers for financing new innovative startups, and that the formal financial sector, including banking institutions, tends to avoid financing new innovative startups especially at the first phases. This study contained implications and recommendation for academics and practitioners.
Keywords: New innovative Startups, Informal Financial Sector, Funding, Banking, Business Angels.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————