Introduction
The use of multiple perspectives allowed the partnership to create a project that was beneficial to all parties: girls, teachers, and researchers. While researchers were able to implement their knowledge and calculate how research could be transformed into lessons, teachers were able to use these materials to engage girls in activities that sparked interest in them.
Additionally, the context is also important for such programs, as the participants understood the interaction between central partners (girls, teachers, researchers) and the environments/context (the lack of interest in specific subjects and socioeconomic background) (Cronin, 2014). It is a good example of an innovative collaborative partnership that used an extended school day to increase students’ interest in learning. Such partnerships in the UAE focus on the environment, culture, religion, and the promotion of education. They are frequently faith-based as religion plays an important role in the UAE.
Reflecting on the Cases
One of the major benefits of the No Idling project is its impact on health. Air pollution is related to a large number of diseases, including, for example, asthma or various inflammations (Guarnieri & Balmes, 2014). Families, teachers, and students together with community residents were able to change the situation. The project’s benefits also include increased awareness of air pollution; teachers can link current problems and issues to school curricula.
It also helps students be more independent and understand how the community can be changed through action. It is an example of civic involvement, where civic activities focused on problem-solving in the community, and community partners were able to find support for their projects. Civic engagement is actively supported in the UAE, and community issues are resolved via discussions and volunteering. Group work and memberships are important aspects of community lives in the UAE.
Conclusion
Schools, teachers, and universities have a similar aim: they raise awareness of issues that students and their families might not see. Developing their awareness can result in “pro-environmental behavior change” later (Winter & Cotton, 2012, p. 783). Students can engage their parents in pro-environmental activities, and parents can introduce other members of the community to these issues, thus impacting the whole community.
In the UAE, promoters indicate that both careful messaging and relation to religious views are essential because pro-environmental activities (i.e., “going green”) are seen as a religious duty (Aswad, Al-Saleh, & Taleb, 2013). In my opinion, both religion-based and secular activities are equally effective in addressing various environmental issues.
References
Aswad, N. G., Al-Saleh, Y., & Taleb, H. (2013). Clean energy awareness campaigns in the UAE: An awareness promoters perspective. International Journal of Innovation and Knowledge Management in MENA, 2(2), 131-56.
Cronin, C. (2014). Using case study research as a rigorous form of inquiry. Nurse Researcher, 21(5), 19-27.
Guarnieri, M., & Balmes, J. R. (2014). Outdoor air pollution and asthma. The Lancet, 383(9928), 1581-1592.
Winter, J., & Cotton, D. (2012). Making the hidden curriculum visible: Sustainability literacy in higher education. Environmental Education Research, 18(6), 783-796.