Assessing the State of Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation in Gifted Education in UAE Schools

Fostering a culture of Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation (ICI) for gifted students in the UAE is crucial for the nurture of national talent. This study, using a mixed-method research design, looked at ICI opportunities in mainstream classrooms from the educators' perspective, and mainly f...

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محفوظ في:
التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
المؤلف الرئيسي: ALHAFI, LUBNA OMAR SULEIMAN (author)
منشور في: 2025
الموضوعات:
الوصول للمادة أونلاين:https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/3246
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author ALHAFI, LUBNA OMAR SULEIMAN
author_facet ALHAFI, LUBNA OMAR SULEIMAN
author_role author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Dr Tendai Charles
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv ALHAFI, LUBNA OMAR SULEIMAN
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025-08-11T12:39:59Z
2025-06
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 23002382
https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/3246
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv en
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv gifted education
imagination
creativity
innovation
ICI
mixed-methods
UAE schools
Renzulli ICI Index
teacher perceptions
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Assessing the State of Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation in Gifted Education in UAE Schools
Mixed Method Research
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Dissertation
description Fostering a culture of Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation (ICI) for gifted students in the UAE is crucial for the nurture of national talent. This study, using a mixed-method research design, looked at ICI opportunities in mainstream classrooms from the educators' perspective, and mainly focused on understanding ideal versus actual practices and challenges. The Renzulli ICI Index questionnaire was given to 72 teachers, along with semi-structured interviews with 12 educators and leaders across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah. The findings revealed a significant gap between the educators' high ideals for ICI-supportive practices and more moderate actual implementation. This discrepancy was primarily attributed to systemic challenges, including insufficient specialised teacher training, curriculum and time constraints, resource limitations, and standardised testing pressures, rather than a lack of value for ICI. Educators' personal commitment, however, was crucial in sustaining current ICI practices. Notably, no statistically significant differences in perceived ICI opportunities were found based on the school type, innovation focus, emirate, grade level, or subject, suggesting widespread challenges. The study underscores the need for targeted professional development, clearer policy implementation, and supportive leadership to bridge this ideal–actual gap. Key recommendations include enhancing teacher training in ICI pedagogies, fostering a creative risk-taking school culture, providing adequate resources and curriculum flexibility, and strengthening school–authority collaboration. Understanding these complexities can help create more effective environments for nurturing gifted students' creative potential, contributing to the UAE's knowledge-based economy. This research adds to the knowledge on gifted education in the UAE, offering practical implications for schools.
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spelling Assessing the State of Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation in Gifted Education in UAE SchoolsMixed Method ResearchALHAFI, LUBNA OMAR SULEIMANgifted educationimaginationcreativityinnovationICImixed-methodsUAE schoolsRenzulli ICI Indexteacher perceptionsFostering a culture of Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation (ICI) for gifted students in the UAE is crucial for the nurture of national talent. This study, using a mixed-method research design, looked at ICI opportunities in mainstream classrooms from the educators' perspective, and mainly focused on understanding ideal versus actual practices and challenges. The Renzulli ICI Index questionnaire was given to 72 teachers, along with semi-structured interviews with 12 educators and leaders across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah. The findings revealed a significant gap between the educators' high ideals for ICI-supportive practices and more moderate actual implementation. This discrepancy was primarily attributed to systemic challenges, including insufficient specialised teacher training, curriculum and time constraints, resource limitations, and standardised testing pressures, rather than a lack of value for ICI. Educators' personal commitment, however, was crucial in sustaining current ICI practices. Notably, no statistically significant differences in perceived ICI opportunities were found based on the school type, innovation focus, emirate, grade level, or subject, suggesting widespread challenges. The study underscores the need for targeted professional development, clearer policy implementation, and supportive leadership to bridge this ideal–actual gap. Key recommendations include enhancing teacher training in ICI pedagogies, fostering a creative risk-taking school culture, providing adequate resources and curriculum flexibility, and strengthening school–authority collaboration. Understanding these complexities can help create more effective environments for nurturing gifted students' creative potential, contributing to the UAE's knowledge-based economy. This research adds to the knowledge on gifted education in the UAE, offering practical implications for schools.The British University in Dubai (BUiD)Dr Tendai Charles2025-08-11T12:39:59Z2025-06Dissertationapplication/pdf23002382https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/3246enoai:bspace.buid.ac.ae:1234/32462025-08-11T12:40:48Z
spellingShingle Assessing the State of Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation in Gifted Education in UAE Schools
ALHAFI, LUBNA OMAR SULEIMAN
gifted education
imagination
creativity
innovation
ICI
mixed-methods
UAE schools
Renzulli ICI Index
teacher perceptions
title Assessing the State of Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation in Gifted Education in UAE Schools
title_full Assessing the State of Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation in Gifted Education in UAE Schools
title_fullStr Assessing the State of Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation in Gifted Education in UAE Schools
title_full_unstemmed Assessing the State of Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation in Gifted Education in UAE Schools
title_short Assessing the State of Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation in Gifted Education in UAE Schools
title_sort Assessing the State of Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation in Gifted Education in UAE Schools
topic gifted education
imagination
creativity
innovation
ICI
mixed-methods
UAE schools
Renzulli ICI Index
teacher perceptions
url https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/3246