Examining the Benefit of School Inspection on Teaching and Learning: A Case Study of Dubai Private Schools

Abstract

School inspection is one of the most challenging aspects in education; it represents an approach of accountability in teaching and learning. Moreover, school inspection provides policy and decision makers with accurate information about the current state of education in their respective institutions. The main purpose of this study is to examine and determine the benefits of school inspection on teaching and learning in Dubai-based private schools, and to give some recommendations into how to effectively conduct school inspection that would positively influence teaching and learning. The research used a mixed-method approach. Questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussion and documents were used to collect data. This research was based on four private schools in Dubai with a total of 37 participants comprising 2 inspectors, 4 head-teachers and 31 teachers. The findings show that school inspection has a significant role in school improvement, especially in teaching and learning. Teachers acknowledged that the feedback provided by inspectors informed teaching and learning practice. However, school inspection also has a negative impact on teaching and learning; for instance, it forces some schools to show activities they have never done before. Moreover, the school inspection reports and recommendations, in some cases, are superficial and are not related to the school context; moreover, they often do not show teachers how they can respond to criticism in the reality of their teaching practice. Nevertheless, the relationship between inspectors and teachers is not that positive, especially in some subjects, such as Arabic language and Islamic Studies.paper is just a sample template for the prospective authors of IISTE Over the decades, the concepts of

Keywords: teaching and learning, accountability, report, feedback, school inspection; school self-evaluation.