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Few studies examine plagiarism in a Middle Eastern context, specifically from the perspectives of preservice teachers. As future gatekeepers of academic integrity, preservice teachers need to understand plagiarism. This study surveyed 128 female preservice teachers in one university in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The survey explores preservice teachers regarding their understandings and reasons for academic plagiarism and their responses to particular scenarios. Findings indicate that preservice teachers have a thorough comprehension of plagiarism and suggest a lack of knowledge of citing sources, weak writing skills, a lack of time, and not knowing the research process as reasons for plagiarism. Informants' responses to six scenarios are presented to illustrate their perspectives further. Discussion addresses language and cultural issues to contextualize the study.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of neoliberalism and the accreditation of educational leadership programs in one Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country by contextualizing the accreditation process and closely examining the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) standards used by NCATE, now CAEP, to accredit educational leadership programs in the GCC. By using Habermas’ knowledge constitutive interests (KCIs) and evoking notions of floating signifiers, the paper develops an understanding of the use of Western-developed standards in a country that is different than the one in which these standards were conceived and how the discourse of accreditation standards shapes understandings and meanings of educational leadership.Design/methodology/approach A critical discourse analysis of the ELCC standards is conducted using a two-prong strategy that applies Habermas’ KCIs and evoking the notions of floating signifiers as a theoretical framework.Findings Understanding that knowledge is bounded by cultural circumstances, findings indicate that the ELCC standards contain all three KCIs, and various floating signifiers are embedded within the ELCC discourse that are problematic in a culture that is vastly different than the one in which these standards were conceived.Originality/value There are a few, if any, studies that have examined neoliberalism and accreditation in a GCC country. In particular, there are no studies that have examined the ELCC standards being used outside the USA. The research provides educators with an insight into the different forms of knowledge and understanding of the surplus of meaning of various concepts that are used within the ELCC professional standards outside the country where the standards were conceived without due regard for contextualization. The study provides discussion on how the discourse of the ELCC standards shapes understandings and meanings of educational leadership and educational leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of leaders is a high priority on the national agenda for countries around the world especially in fast-developing regions such as the Middle East. Qatar seeks to support and develop Qatari men and women in the labor force while attracting qualified expatriate workers, many of these individuals serving as leaders in various aspects of society. In particular, the increase in women as leaders in such vital fields as education raises important issues that women face in order to be effective leaders. The central focus of this research project is to explore the perspectives of Middle Eastern Women living in Qatar regarding the barriers they might face and then use Transformative Learning Theory (TLT) to produce strategies that can be integrated into educational leadership programs in order to enable women to develop complex understandings of the circumstances and structures that present barriers to leadership. The sample for this study was drawn from Middle Eastern Women living in Qatar who are in leadership positions. Forty-one participants completed a ten-question, open-ended survey posted on Survey Monkey (it was made available in both English and Arabic) regarding their perspectives on the barriers facing them as women in leadership positions. Upon completion of the data analysis, 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted based on the emergent survey themes. Findings from survey responses and interviews support previous research findings regarding barriers faced by women in the Middle East. Transformative Learning Theory is used to offer ways to prepare women for leadership, because it fosters certain emancipatory knowledge essential to personal and national development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]