Background: This study is about Abu Dhabi high school students' interest in science in different contexts. The survey was conducted in connection with the international project, the Relevance of Science Education (ROSE). The sample consists of 5650 students in public and private schools. A structural equation model (SEM) is developed to capture the links between the various constructs. The model hypothesize that students' future job expectations have several significant determinants or constructs related to their interest in science, out-of-school experiences, attitude toward science, opinion about science class, and opinion about environmental challenges. Exploratory factor analysis of each of the original ROSE dimensions provided the factors and constructs for the SEM. Summated scores of factors are used for the SEM analysis. Results: Constructs with the highest total effect are "my science class," "my attitude toward science," and "my interest in science." Both "my out-of-school experiences" and "my opinion of environmental challenges" have low direct effects. In this study, descriptive statistics of items are presented, and the implications for curriculum development, teacher professional development programs, and other education strategies in Abu Dhabi are discussed.

Background: This study aimed to identify motivation and home influence factors that predict reading literacy achievement of grade 4 students in Abu Dhabi It drew on the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2011 data, which placed Abu Dhabi students' results substantially below the international benchmark of 500. Methods: Selected items from the PIRLS 2011 student and home questionnaires were analyzed in a regression model fitted using the IEA International Database (IDB) Analyzer software (version 4.0.20) to determine the effects of student intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation, reading self-efficacy, and home literacy environment on reading achievement. Results: Results from multiple regression analyses showed that student's reading self-efficacy was the strongest predictor of student reading achievement, while a number of home context variables made significant and independent contributions. However, two variables that are widely claimed as key to the success of reading development and achievement, intrinsic reading motivation and parent involvement in learning, were shown to have either no or negative association with student reading achievement. Conclusions: The findings affirm the important contributions of student self-efficacy, extrinsic motivation, and home literacy environment to the reading achievement of Abu Dhabi's 4th graders, which supports the design of a comprehensive and enabling literacy promotion strategy and program that integrates individualreaders, the school, and home literacy environments. Possible explanations of the observed relationships between intrinsic reading motivation, parent involvement in learning, and reading comprehension in the context of Abu Dhabi was also discussed.

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The employment of expatriate teachers is explored here through the perspective of their organisational commitment. Drawing on the results of a public school teacher survey conducted in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in 2014, this study used a multilevel framework to investigate the effects of teacher characteristics, school environment, and district level human resource management policies and practices on expatriate teachers’ school commitment. The results of the three-level model revealed that while teacher level attributes remained strong predictors of their school commitment, the social and organisational environment of the school greatly contributed to the organisational commitment of expatriate teachers. Interpersonal support within the school community and supportive work climates were crucial for expatriate teachers to build and sustain their commitment. Nationality was found to moderate the relationships between several workplace factors and teacher school commitment.

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