Happiness and subjective well-being are interesting topics for search and study. The perception of happiness differs from one person to another; however, happiness can be defined as a general feeling that people feel and share. The United Arab Emirates puts forth great efforts to achieve happiness amongst people who live in it. In aligning with the Happiness Meter that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched , this research study aims to measure the level of happiness among higher education students and its relationship with their academic success during the lockdown period of COVID—19. Exploring whether the happiness level predicts students’ success and if a gender-based difference in the feeling of happiness and well-being resides. The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) was used to conducting this research project. Simple linear regression and t-test for independent samples were used to achieving the purpose of the study. Data analysis revealed that higher education students in the UAE have high levels of happiness and academic success; the students’ happiness levels were found to be correlated to their academic success. T-test demonstrated that there was no gender-based difference in the happiness level among the students of higher education settings.

Several higher education institutions recommended active learning many decades ago. In many fields, artificial intelligence (AI) has turned out to be a dominant aspect of people's lives. One of the fields that welcome AI is education. AI can play a crucial role in active learning, which is a teaching method that encourages students to take an active role in their learning process. Active learning can involve a wide range of activities, such as problem-solving, group discussions, and self-reflection. This quantitative research paper aims to explore students' engagement and perceptions of patterns of embracing AI tools and their relationship to student learning outcomes. A diverse sample of 355 students from a highly reputable university in the United Arab Emirates participated in the research study (UAE). Descriptive Analysis and Correlation Coefficient were used to achieve the paper's objectives. Findings uncovered students’ high engagement level in classroom activities, and they perceived AI tools as useful and effortless, which promotes their engagement and attention inside classrooms. Furthermore, the results demonstrated the existence of a positive association between students' perceptions of embracing AI and student engagement in the learning environment. However, students’ learning outcomes have a non-remarkable association with student engagement and their perception of AI patterns. The study's findings suggest embracing and promoting AI applications in classrooms to keep students engaged. This study's use of Neutrosophic sets offers a fresh way to approach the problem of ambiguity when evaluating students' opinions and performance in relation to AI technologies. Neutrosophic sets, a mathematical framework designed to manage uncertainty, provide a sophisticated way to understand how students' complicated interactions with AI operate. This integration promises a more comprehensive and flexible educational paradigm and is a trailblazing method of negotiating the complexities of active learning in higher education.

Self-efficacy forms a major factor that influences many life aspects, as a result, it has been researched by many psychologists and educators worldwide from different perspectives. Embracing the context of Bandura’s Self- efficacy Theory as a theoretical framework, this quantitative empirical research paper introduces an overview of the role that self–efficacy plays in shaping higher education students’ academic achievement among a diverse group of college students. The diverse group comprises 374 students who took part in this research study and responded to the General Self–efficacy Scale (GSE) to disclose the perception of their self-efficacy and the ability to perform the required academic tasks. Multiple analysis techniques including Descriptive analysis, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, t-test for independent sample, and Simple Linear Regression were conducted to achieve the paper’s objectives. Data analysis demonstrated a strong positive correlation between students’ general self–efficacy and academic achievement. Moreover, students’ self–efficacy was found as a significant predictor of students’ academic achievement. Findings indicated that no gender-based differences in students’ general self-efficacy among higher education students. The discoveries of this research study can be implemented in instructional designing, curriculum development, and college counseling services to promote students’ academic achievement.

Mathematics is an important subject that plays a crucial role in constructing mental discipline among students. There has been a great focus on investigating students’ attitudes toward mathematics in higher education settings. The current study is aiming to explore the factors that affect attitudes toward math among higher education students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Math Attitude Questionnaire MAQ was adapted from Prokop et al. to fulfill the study objectives. Gender and math course levels were the proposed variables that could influence students’ attitudes toward learning mathematics in six different dimensions. Data analysis demonstrated that higher education students in the UAE show a positive attitude toward math in most MAQ dimensions. The T-test for Independent Sample revealed that gender does not affect students’ attitudes toward learning mathematics. Moreover, the ANOVA test revealed that mathematics course levels have a significant impact on students’ attitudes toward math in the six dimensions of MAQ. The math instructor and equipment dimensions were found to have a significant effect on students’ attitudes among the students taking advanced math courses. The findings of this study could benefit the higher education system in the context of enhancing mathematics teaching and assessment.

Promoting Multicultural Education in the Middle East: Perception and Practice

Purpose: As there are many Arab students seek to earn an international degree, this research article aims to explore the factors that influence Arab students' adaptation to the foreign cross-culture of the USA and how it is related to their academic achievement. Exploring these factors will introduce different insights into the effectiveness of adaptation and studying in a foreign country and earning an international degree. Besides, this study contributes to the body of knowledge of international higher education by including Arab students as a less-researched group. Arab students' adaptation process is explained in terms of the Cross-cultural Adaptation Theory (Kim, 2001).Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative research study was conducted using a focus group discussion (FGD). Multiple face-to-face interviews were conducted to obtain data from the participants. Participants were divided into four groups, each female group contained nine participants and each male group contained seven participants. The researcher explained to each group independently about their perception, beliefs and attitude toward earning international degrees, the adaptation to the host culture and their academic achievement. The researcher carried out five FGDs for each group. Each interview continued for 60 minutes in length. All participants received a consent form. The discussions were audio-recorded and then transcribed.Findings: Arab students are a group of enthusiastic learners; however, their feelings of homesickness enable them to develop overwhelming sorrowful emotions, howbeit their communication with their ethnic group facilitates the adaption and acceptance of the host cultures, which requires quite some time to adjust to new surroundings. Arab students are recognized with high academic achievements; nevertheless, they require prolonged periods to complete course assignments. American society gives international students a warm welcome; this may encourage other Arab students to consider earning an American degree and prepare themselves for this intercultural transition.Research limitations/implications: This is subjective qualitative data; some limitations need to be addressed when interpreting the findings. Participants are English as a Second Language (ESL)learners, which may influence their word choice during the discussion. Interesting future research could be related to designing an assessment model to evaluate the academic achievement of ESL in different methods that focus on their achievement motivations and communication skills.Practical implications: Based on the findings, professors can integrate the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to help multi-cultural students to learn and earn an international higher education degree.Social implications: Higher education institutions can offer more social multi-cultural opportunities to include multi-cultural students and develop their social skills to facilitate the adaptation process to the new host culture.Originality/value: This qualitative research study represents an original work of the researcher, and it has not submitted elsewhere. All research ethical codes were followed by the researcher and participants. There is no fund for this research project.