Coordinator: Prof. Said Aldhafri / College of Education 

Abstract:

Like other research groups’ ultimate goal is to enhance the research activities that promote their effective output within SQU and across Oman, this research group also aims to achieve this goal through conducting a number of studies and developing a significant insight into the growing body of research regarding two main issues: Motivation of both learners and teachers and the parenting styles. This group includes one coordinator and five members who are specialists in educational psychology. It is also done in cooperation with the Ministry of Education (MOE). Thus, two members of the group are from MOE while the rest are from SQU.
This group lasts for five years (the registration might be renewed for another 5 year-term). It is planned to conduct at least 25 research within the five years. Five research papers are going to be written during the first year as well as organizing a conference at SQU, while five studies will be conducted in each following year. The group is also planning to ask for a funded project from SQU. According to the proposed studies to conduct, different qualitative and quantitative data collection methods are going to be used. As for the qualitative reserach, observation, focus group and individual interviews might be used to obtain the needed data. Questionnaires and experiments are common methods that might be used in conducting quantitative research during the initial five years. 
It is expected that this research group will have practical benefits not only for the group members (as researchers) through developing their research skills, knowledge, and abilities, but also for the community as a whole. This group has the potential to raise students, teachers, and parents’ awareness of these proposed issues which eagerly hoping to play a key role in promoting the learning outcomes. Additionally, the research activities may help in reviewing and developing the important decisions made by the policy makers at SQU and MOE through taking into account the findings of the studies, conferences, and projects conducted by the research group.
Some future steps might be needed in both the short-term and long-term. For example, there might be a need for additional studies, resources, issues, members and funded projects during the initial period of the group research. Moreover, some guidelines and group plans might need to be changed. Some changes of how the findings will be communicated and transferred into actual practices may also occur by adding; for example, a number of workshops, trainings, programs, or competitions that foster the positive impacts of establishing this group research.