SEC move to encourage research among students

Source:Gulf Times
THE Education Institute of the Supreme Education Council (SEC) has announced it is starting work on two major projects to support and develop scientific research skills among students and teachers of independent schools, research clubs for students and action research for teachers.
Director of the Education Institute, Sabah al-Haidoos said the initiatives would go a long way in developing scientific and research skills among students. She said children, covered by the project, would have their abilities in research developed substantially after acquiring necessary skills from the programme.

The projects, she said, would help children carry out scientific research work along with their school curriculum, much more systematically, practically and effectively.

She said initially the projects would be implemented in select schools, but children of more schools would be brought under its purview in the coming months.

The focus of the projects would be on six disciplines, namely English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Arabic, and Islamic studies.
Speaking later, co-ordinator of the scientific research skill development project, SEC, Dr Gene Jongsma recalled that the institute recently established a number of training courses for students, titled Developing Young Researchers.

Jongsma said the hands-on-training courses, are held under the leadership of Chancellor at the Open University in the United Kingdom Mary Kellet and himself. He explained that the proposed programme contained a series of 12 lessons to guide students on how to learn a variety of research principles, acquire inquiry skills, collect and analyse data, and how to report research.

As part of the course, students need to complete an independent research project, he said.

Jongsma said the SEC aimed to encourage teachers to become more reflective and influential among their students through their work.
“By conducting action research projects, teachers explore topics of interest in an effort to improve their teaching and enhance the professional climate of the school,” he said.

The SEC expert said teachers at select schools received customised training in action research and been mentored on how to start their own projects. Those attending the advanced curriculum training workshops received introductory training in action research and are required to complete projects as part of their course requirements. This year, more than 100 teachers are conducting research covering the six identified disciplines, said Jongsma.

The research skills development project, aims to enhance critical thinking, problem solving and investigative skills among students as well as improve teachers skills and competencies in guiding student research and conducting their own professional research.
The project, he said, has four strategic initiatives:
1. Maximising the development of critical thinking, problem solving, research skills of students within the context of the curriculum standards.

2. Increase the opportunities for students to learn about and engage in research outside the classroom.
3. Develop teachers who have the knowledge, skills, and disposition to engage in research to improve their teaching practices and their school communities.

4. Build community support for research and provide forums for disseminating, sharing, celebrating and rewarding student and teacher research.

Besides Sabah al-Haidoos, and Jongsma, SEC assistant director Khalid al-Harqan, communications manager Nawal al-Shaikh, education advisor to the institute Steven Patten, professor and vice chairman of the paediatrics department at Weill Cornell University Dr Ahmed Tibi, co-ordinator of the masters programme at Qatar University Nancy Allen and Education Institute research co-ordinator Turfa al-Nuaimi also spoke about the forthcoming projects.