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UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

Faculty of Education

Course Code: EDU 702 – Research Methodology

Lecturer: Dr Johan @ Eddy Luaran

Article Review Assignment

EFFECTIVENESS OF INSTITUTIONAL PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC

SCHOOLS IN THE EASTERN REGION OF SAUDI ARABIA FROM THE

PRESPECTIVE OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

Plagiarism Declaration

I/we declare that, apart from properly referenced quotations, this report is my/our own work

and contains no plagiarism; it has not been submitted previously for any other assessed unit on

this or other degree courses. I/we understand the consequences if I/we breach this declaration.

Name: AZLIN BT AZLAN PHILIP KINJAWAN

Std. No: 2013500509

Email: azlinhjazlan@yahoo.com.my

HP: 019-5864113

Signature ……………………………………………..

Date of Submission: ________________________

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Contents 1. An Overview of the Study ......................................................................................................................... 3

2. Description of Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 3

2.1 Objective of the Study and Its Importance ......................................................................................... 3

2.2 Research Questions ............................................................................................................................ 4

2.3 Operational Definitions ....................................................................................................................... 4

2.4 Limitations of Study ............................................................................................................................ 4

2.5 Population and Sample of Study ......................................................................................................... 4

2.6 Research Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 4

2.7 Variables of the Study ......................................................................................................................... 5

2.8 Findings of the Study........................................................................................................................... 5

3. Evaluation ................................................................................................................................................. 5

4. Discussion of Implications ......................................................................................................................... 6

References ..................................................................................................................................................... 7

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1. An Overview of the Study In the current context of educational challenges, it is affirmative that school administrators play their

significant role in contributing to the effectiveness of school performances. Over the past decades, the

most applicable role for school administrators is to oversee priorities on the approaches of establishing

excellent institutional culture.

In this study, Dr. Fathi Mohamed Abu Nasser of King Faisal University explores the effective

administrative approach aimed at improving the educational process and assisting in promoting the

performance of educational institutions which refers to schools in particular.

Schools in accordance to the researcher considered as an important basic educational institution,

thereby creating a benchmark demanding a mission in achieving the desired goals and objectives. It is

therefore evident that intelligibility in approach of its management and determining course of actions

become the backbone to the success of the school.

The researcher highlights that the core of this study is basically to comprehend the level of effectiveness

of institutional performance in government schools in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. It is further specified that

there were a number of weaknesses and imbalances in school performance, particularly in secondary

schools, which qualify students for higher education as well as the labor market. This according to the

researcher further creates the need for strong and effective approaches in school management and

leadership. This statement is further supported by Orloski (1984), who outlined the five direct

responsibility of school principals: strong leadership, providing the appropriate atmosphere, school

emphasizes in skills learning, teachers expectations and providing performance monitoring system.

Taking all the criteria and elements of school performance into thoughtful consideration, this study

places faculty and provides a pertinent gap as it is entirely relevant to the area of educational research I

am going to explore further which deals with the practices and leadership aspects of the Malaysian

School Inspectorate (Jemaah Nazir dan Jaminan Kualiti), Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia.

2. Description of Methodology

2.1 Objective of the Study and Its Importance

As stated earlier, this study aims at identifying the degree of effectiveness of institutional performance

in secondary schools in the Al-Ahsa province from the standpoint of school administrators. Moreover,

the study also presents the selection of various variables related to school principals namely

qualification, school, experience and the number of training courses. Additionally, this study further

aims at providing more data to the Ministry of Education of Saudi Arabia to assist narrow down

weaknesses and shortcomings in attempting to deal it before it gets out of control. The researcher also

pointed out that the importance of the study lies in being one of the comprehensive studies in this field.

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2.2 Research Questions

In the researcher’s attempt to explore his survey, the study sought to answer the following questions to

provide adequate answers to his research objectives:

i. What is the estimated degree of effectiveness of institutional performance in government

schools in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia from the standpoint of school administrators?

ii. Is there a statistically significant difference in estimating the degree of effectiveness of

institutional performance in government schools from the perspective of school

administrators due to changes, qualifications, experience and the number of training

courses?

These questions are relevantly considered to be comprehensive as claimed by the researcher as they

pose significant maxims in his effort to seek and investigate the level of effectiveness of institutional

performance.

2.3 Operational Definitions The researcher highlights and presents operational definitions of three major variables in his study

namely:

i. Effectiveness : The ability of schools to achieve their envisaged objectives in accordance

with the strategic planning, school leadership, organizational climate.

ii. Performance : The school performance of work and duties assigned to it to achieve the

desired objectives un the areas of strategic planning.

iii. Institutional Performance : Schools’ performance of duties through group individuals in

order to achieve the objectives in the areas of strategic planning.

As seen, all these key items correspond with the aim and questions that this study wish to explore and

discover.

2.4 Limitations of Study

It is specified by the researcher that the study is limited in estimating the degree of effectiveness of

institutional performance in Ahsa Government Male Secondary Schools, Saudi Arabia, during the Second

Semester of 2008/2009.

2.5 Population and Sample of Study

The population refers to the targeted group of which in this particular study includes public school

principals of Al-Ahsa province for the academic year of 2008/2009. Relatively, the sample consists of 90

public school principals, 85% of which was randomly selected from list of school principals.

2.6 Research Methodology

This study utilizes questionnaire that has been developed and it includes 32 paragraphs in accordance

with the Likert Five-Point Item in assessment of the degree of institutional effectiveness from the

viewpoint of Al-Ahsa public school Principals. Moreover, performance paragraphs are distributed over

three areas. It is pointed out by the researcher that instrument stability factor scored 0.92 in agreement

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with Cronbach’s Alph which tested the reliability of the research instrument used. Furthermore,

reliability of tools also had been verified by using internal reliability method.

2.7 Variables of the Study

The study employs Independent Variable which focus on experience as well as the number of training

courses. What is more, Dependent Variable is also used which consists of the degree of effectiveness of

the institutional performance in Al-Ahsa public secondary schools.

2.8 Findings of the Study

The findings of this study are directed with regards to the two research questions discussed earlier. With

respect to the research questions addressed by the researcher, it is safe to conclude that there were no

significant differences in the institutional performance due to qualification as well as experience.

Based on these findings, various substantial conclusions are thereby drawn by the researcher. First and

foremost, the researcher concluded that effective administration should include planning, organization,

follow up, evaluation, development and changing process. He added that school effectiveness can be

measured by the positive atmosphere and cooperative action-oriented, in addition to providing a

system feedback and evaluation system in place. This is strongly supported by Orloski (1984) who

outlines the five constituent of effective principles in managing schools namely strong leadership,

appropriate atmosphere, skills learning, teachers’ expectations and performance monitoring system.

In short, the researcher further stressed that the concept of effectiveness of the school depends very

much on the organizational unit, and that it is expressed in the form of school output, measured in the

light of the average achievement of students (Mamari, 2004)

3. Evaluation In aiming to investigate the institutional performance in secondary schools, suffice to note that the

relevance as well as the accuracy of this study is clearly established by the researcher. This is due to the

fact that the researcher focuses on investigating and understanding the level of effectiveness of

institutional performances within the perspective of school principals, who hold the optimal power in

the pursuit of achieving the school determined objectives.

It is also discovered that the study has adequately addressed its objectives and the two significant

research questions posed managed to provide the desired answers in this study. The use of Likert Five-

Point item to assess the degree of institutional effectiveness in particular, is pertinent in terms of the

method selected in this study which is seen to employ the quantitative method of research approach. In

other words, the questions has proven to be appropriate to measure what the researcher wanted to

know and explore. Also, the utilization of questionnaire by the researcher in his attempt to elicit answer

for the research questions is deemed valid as the instrument and tool stability were carefully tested

conforming to the Cronbach’s Alph method of testing the internal consistency of test questions.

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In the same manner, it is also important to note that the researcher managed in accomplishing the

establishment of the significance of the research questions in estimating the degree of effectiveness of

institutional performance in government schools. This is proven in the researcher adoption of

appropriate variables such as qualification and job experience. Additionally, in determining the impact

of scientific qualification variable, Levene’s Test which aims to assess the equality of variances for a

variable calculated for two or more groups had been used to detect statistically significant differences in

estimating the degree of effectiveness.

As educators, it can be clearly concluded that given the methods of data collection and analysis of this

study, the researcher managed to come up with reasonable conclusion in getting accurate answers for

his two efficacious research questions.

Nevertheless, in the light of methodological accuracy and suitability, the researcher might also explore

the possibility of using qualitative approach in gathering data from respective schools principals. This is

based on the fact that some of the research tool and item might require respondents to express their

free own opinion as well personal insights as experienced individual school leaders. Thus, offering the

researcher variety of data and input to address issues in his study.

4. Discussion of Implications From my own point of understanding and view, the outcome of this research not only support the

notion for school administrators to strategically overcome the number of weaknesses and shortcomings

in their institutions, but also suggest that more attention should be paid in narrowing down those

imbalances. This implies that schools should focus more in developing appropriate intervention

programs in line with the mission of the Ministry of Education. This study further recommends that

school principals be subjected to intensive training programs for improvements. For future study, the

researcher suggests that this study be carried out in female students school in the same area. Both

theory and findings of this study indicate that proper thought and planning in educational management

should not be taken lightly as this will drive the institutions to develop a long term strategies that makes

the most of the diverse perspectives in educational management and leadership styles.

As a novice researcher, the overall structure as well as main argument and theory exhibited in this

research paper provide a beneficial insights on the appropriate research approach and methodology to

be employed in conducting an educational research of my own. Such informed decision will further

assist in forming accurate and meaningful philosophical assumptions that I will bring in my own research

in the near future.

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References

1. Blair, E. E. (2010). QUALITATIVE EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH: READINGS IN REFLEXIVE METHODOLOGY AND TRANSFORMATIVE PRACTICE/RESEARCHING SOCIAL CHANGE: QUALITATIVE APPROACHES. Harvard Educational Review, 80(3), 417-426. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezaccess.library.uitm.edu.my/docview/756745110?accountid=42518

2. Nasser, F. M. A. (2009). EFFECTIVENESS OF INSTITUTIONAL PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE EASTERN REGION OF SAUDI ARABIA FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS. College Student Journal, 43(4), 1228-1237. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezaccess.library.uitm.edu.my/docview/236555334?accountid=42518

3. Orlosky, D. E., McCleary, L. E., Shapiro, A., & Webb, L. D. (1984). Educational administration

today. Columbus OH: Charles E. Merrill