Programme boosts teachers’ research skills

Muscat: A research project led by Dr Ruqaiya bint Hassan al Haddabi from the Ministry of Education has introduced a specialised training programme aimed at enhancing the research capabilities of social studies teachers through ethnographic qualitative research methods, strengthening the connection between education, local culture and community knowledge.
The project, titled “The Effectiveness of a Proposed Training Programme Based on Ethnographic Qualitative Research Methods (Interview as a Model) According to the Theory of Cognitive Stocks to Develop the Knowledge of Social Studies Teachers in the Second Cycle of Basic Education in the Sultanate of Oman Using Ethnographic Qualitative Research Methods,” is one of the winners of the 12th National Research Award, organised by the Research and Innovation Authority, in the Education and Human Resources field under the Young Researcher category.
The research team consisted of Dr Ruqaiya, Prof Saif bin Nasser al Maamari, and Dr Ihab Mohammed Amara. The project placed strong emphasis on capacity building, as the training programme involved 30 male and female social studies teachers from Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, representing a meaningful and impactful sample.
The project aimed to train social studies teachers in ethnographic qualitative research methods, which are closely linked to the nature of social studies as a discipline concerned with culture, history and the lived experiences of communities. Prior to designing the programme, the researchers analysed training programmes offered to social studies teachers between 2015 and 2020 and conducted interviews with a sample of teachers. This analysis revealed the absence of specialised training in ethnographic research methods and confirmed the need for a targeted programme.
Based on these findings, a proposed training model was developed combining both theoretical and practical components. The theoretical aspect included training sessions introducing participants to ethnographic research, its principles, and its main tools such as interviews and observation. The practical aspect required trainees to conduct field visits to Unesco-listed heritage sites, including Falaj Al Khatmain and Bahla Fort, where they interviewed community members who possess cultural knowledge and lived experiences related to these historical locations.
After completing the programme, participants undertook an assessment measuring its impact on their knowledge of ethnographic qualitative research methods. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed training programme in developing teachers’ knowledge in this area. Another key finding indicated that no ethnographic-based training programmes had been provided to social studies teachers during the period from 2015 to 2020.
The project’s idea and outcomes have been shared through participation in academic conferences as well as through workshops conducted in schools, contributing to raising awareness among educators and practitioners. The study has also been published in the Journal of Arts and Social Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University. During conference participation, the project attracted interest from researchers seeking to explore the theoretical foundations of the cognitive stocks approach and its applications in education.
The study recommends integrating the proposed training programme into pre-service teacher education curricula due to its strong role in linking local culture with educational practice, and encouraging training bodies at the Ministry of Education to adopt the programme to develop teachers’ knowledge and skills in ethnographic qualitative research methods.