Citation
Gitsaki, C. (2021), "Editorial", Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1108/LTHE-03-2021-054
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Christina Gitsaki.
License
Published in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives. Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
It is my great pleasure to present Volume 17, Issue 1 of the Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives (LTHE) journal. This is the first LTHE volume to be hosted on the ScholarOne platform and published by Emerald Publishing, the new publisher for LTHE. This is also the first LTHE volume to be curated by the Center for Educational Innovation at Zayed University, UAE. Despite all these changes to the administration of the journal (a new platform, a new publisher and a new editor), the focus and commitment of LTHE remain unchanged: promoting and showcasing research and scholarship in teaching and learning in the higher education context in the Gulf region.
The research papers selected to be included in this issue address different aspects of teaching and learning in the Gulf from student and faculty perspectives, whereas the book reviews further extend the topics that emerge from the research papers.
The first paper by Fokiya Akhtar and Najat AlSaied presents a classroom intervention that attempted to integrate the use of mobile technologies in an undergraduate journalism course. The researchers offer unique insights into the opportunities and the challenges that mobile devices present in the higher education context and share the lessons learned from their experience. The topic of mobile technologies in undergraduate education is continued in the second paper in this issue by Kenesha Wilson and Jobila Yasmine Sy. This time the topic is viewed from the perspective of faculty, and the authors make a case for how specific frameworks can be used to effectively manage educational change and institutional attempts to implement technology-enhanced innovative approaches to the teaching and learning process.
The next two research papers address the topic of culture from two different perspectives. The paper by Tanju Deveci explores undergraduate students’ perspectives of creativity and how culture influences their views of what it means to be creative. The next paper by Michael Pazinas looks at cultural determinants affecting the decisions that faculty make when designing teaching and learning materials for their students. Both papers offer unique insights into the way culture permeates viewpoints and influences actions within the context of higher education.
The final research paper in this issue by Sadiq Sohail and Mehedi Hasan presents a tool that allows a systematic and methodical way to examine and monitor undergraduate students’ perceptions of the quality of service at their universities. The paper argues for the adoption and use of such tools by universities to ensure the provision of a high level of support to students and their learning.
The two book reviews included in this issue provide the reader with the opportunity to further explore some of the themes emerging from the research papers. The book review by Javeria Mohsin Ali Khan explores the theme of creativity and its importance in the higher education context, whereas the book review by Mariam Hariri, Jobila Sy and Simar Azzam looks at positive academic leadership, which is essential for managing educational change and creating a positive environment for faculty and students.
Finally, this issue would not have been possible without the support of the 64 peer reviewers, whose valuable insights and contributions in reviewing the papers submitted to the journal helped select the ones that appear in this issue, ensuring a high level of quality and scholarship in each of them. Their help and support are greatly valued and appreciated.
With best regards,
Prof Dr Christina Gitsaki
Editor-in-Chief
Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives
List of reviewers involved in this issue:
| Aburezeq, Ibtehal | United Arab Emirates |
| Al Hussein, Mira | UK |
| Al-Ali, Sebah | UK |
| Al-Amri, Majid | Saudi Arabia |
| Alexiou, Thomai | Greece |
| AlHafidh, Gail | United Arab Emirates |
| Alhaqbani, Ahmad | Saudi Arabia |
| Ali, Holi | Oman |
| Aljanahi, Mohammed | United Arab Emirates |
| Almutairi, Yousef | Saudi Arabia |
| Baroudi, Sandra | United Arab Emirates |
| Berdida, Daniel Joseph | Philippines |
| Churi, Prathamesh | India |
| Coombe, Christine | United Arab Emirates |
| Dandan, Sameer | Saudi Arabia |
| Davison, CJ | United Arab Emirates |
| Deraney, Philline | Saudi Arabia |
| Dickson, Martina | United Arab Emirates |
| Echchabi, Abdelghani | United Arab Emirates |
| Efthymiou , Efthymia | United Arab Emirates |
| El Gamal, Glenda | UK |
| El Massah, Suzanna | United Arab Emirates |
| El-Temtamy, Osama | Canada |
| Eppard, Jenny | United Arab Emirates |
| Gitsaki, Christina | United Arab Emirates |
| Hagler, Anderson | USA |
| Hall, Katherine Lelia | USA |
| Hamdan, Amani | Saudi Arabia |
| Harold, Barbara | United Arab Emirates |
| Hasan, Md. | Bangladesh |
| Hasan, Mehedi | New Zealand |
| Hassan, Asli | United Arab Emirates |
| Hidri, Sahbi | United Arab Emirates |
| Hijazi, Rafiq | United Arab Emirates |
| Hopkyns, Sarah | United Arab Emirates |
| Hurley, Zoe | United Arab Emirates |
| Jaafarawi, Nadine | United Arab Emirates |
| Johnson, Jason | United Arab Emirates |
| Khalele, Bacem | Egypt |
| Khenoune, Linda | Algeria |
| Khodabandelou, Rouhollah | Oman |
| King, Mick | Qatar |
| (Continued) | |