When students struggle at school and allocate little time for homework, a reasonable assumption is a lack of motivation – or the unwillingness to study. This pushes schools and parents to focus on incentivising the child to work harder. Recent research suggests that differences in the productivity of time spent on homework are potentially far more important, implying a fundamentally different remedy. Gaining a precise understanding of the science of student performance is critical for the success of the educational reforms under way across the Arabian Gulf.
When I was a child, I enjoyed playing soccer, but I only did so casually. I avoided the hundreds of hours of regimented drills that must be put in by someone who seeks to become a professional player. This ensured my career lay away from the green grass of soccer fields.
To an onlooker, there are at least two possible explanations for my failure to become the next Lionel Messi. The first is that I lacked the motivation to put in the necessary hard work. Or, that I lacked the ability and knowledge needed to transform my hours on the training field into a career as a professional soccer player.
From the perspective of the Arab Gulf countries, replicating such studies in local contexts can play a significant role in educational reform
The same line of thinking can be applied to students who struggle at school while spending less time on homework than their more successful peers: do they lack motivation, or is homework an unproductive enterprise for them?
To a struggling student, the return on each hour of self-learning may be meagre compared to the high yield experienced by star students. The steps needed to improve a student’s motivation – such as helping them appreciate the importance of doing well at school or improving their self-confidence – are very different from other interventions that may be required to make a student’s self-study more productive. Understanding the cause is critical for prescribing the correct remedy.
And there are parallel case studies in other fields. Take the Arabian Gulf, for example, and the economies that are undergoing transformations. There is a need for policy decisions that quickly deliver improvements before income from hydrocarbons falls.
Accordingly, understanding the underlying factors contributing to student success is a priority. This need is accentuated by studies of the relationship between human capital and economic growth: for an economy to thrive, one must not simply focus on the average or best students – even the weaker ones must improve: like a chain, an economy is only as strong as its weakest link.
The problem for educators in the Arabian Gulf and elsewhere is that it is very difficult to accurately diagnose the cause of a student’s struggles. How does one measure motivation and homework productivity reliably and discern the role played by each of those factors? This challenge has led to educators taking a more qualitative and one-size-fits-all approach, with a presumption that for many students, low motivation is a chronic cause of underperformance.
New research presents an alternative path. Christopher Cotton, professor of Economics at Queen’s University, Canada, and his colleagues gathered precise, student-level data for more than 1,600 students in the Chicago Public Schools system over several years. Critically, they were able to manipulate determinants of motivation, for example, by paying students to do their homework, and observed exactly how homework time was spent and how students benefitted.
The study’s key conclusion is that contrary to conventional wisdom low motivation was not the primary cause for the underperformance of students. Instead, students who struggled spurned the opportunity to do homework that would improve their grades primarily because the productivity of such time was so low, in contrast to the high returns on homework realised by better-performing students, which is to say, better grades.
Professor Cotton and his colleagues also identified solutions to the problem. Beyond the role that high-quality schools play, the researchers demonstrated productivity improves when homework is broken down into distinct, structured learning tasks with clear feedback.
For example, the online platform required students to solve five of six problems correctly per task. This structure made effort more effective, reduced time wasted and increased learning. Moreover, the judicious use of financial incentives – in the form of payments for correctly solved homework tasks – accelerated the process of learning and hence improved productivity, with lasting positive effects on a student’s performance.
From the perspective of the Arab Gulf countries, replicating such studies in local contexts can play a significant role in educational reform. Such an approach not only ensures that what worked in Chicago can work in this region, it can also equip educators and scholars with the advanced research methods needed to study this issue and related ones with the necessary rigor that can sometimes be elusive in the Arabian Gulf region.
Should the Chicago study’s findings materialise in the Gulf, the lesson is clear: motivating students matters, but making their study time work harder for them matters even more. A shift in focus towards productivity-based interventions could be the difference between cosmetic reforms and a genuine leap in educational performance.
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The Land between Two Rivers: Writing in an Age of Refugees
Tom Sleigh, Graywolf Press
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Scoreline
Syria 1-1 Australia
Syria Al Somah 85'
Australia Kruse 40'
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 13', Kroos 28')
Barcelona 1 (Mingueza 60')
Red card: Casemiro (Real Madrid)
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THE SPECS
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Top speed: 250kph
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: Dh146,999
Results
6.30pm Madjani Stakes Rated Conditions (PA) I Dh160,000 I 1,900m I Winner: Mawahib, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
7.05pm Maiden Dh150,000 I 1,400m I Winner One Season, Antonio Fresu, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Maiden Dh150,000 I 2,000m I Winner Street Of Dreams, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8.15pm Dubai Creek Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,600m I Winner Heavy Metal, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.50pm The Entisar Listed I Dh250,000 I 2,000m I Winner Etijaah, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
9.25pm The Garhoud Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,200m I Winner Muarrab, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
10pm Handicap I Dh160,000 I 1,600m I Winner Sea Skimmer, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
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Isle of Dogs
Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber, Ed Norton, Greta Gerwig, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson
Three stars
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
