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 The days of teachers standing in front of their classroom lecturing students as they write furiously in spiral-bound notebooks are over. Today students and teachers have literally the entire world at their fingertips with the click of a mouse. Math, science, reading and history come to life in the classroom in ways that at one time were not imaginable. Technology has arrived in Qatar’s Independent Schools and it is there to stay.
On March 15 at the Sheraton Doha Hotel, the SEC will hold a symposium to discuss the opportunities technology presents in education. Illuminating Learning with Technology will bring together education policy makers, teachers, government officials, parents, administrators and international experts who aim at being at the forefront of innovation in the classroom.
“Qatar’s Education for a New Era initiative recognizes the prominent role technology will play in moving the education system of this country forward,” says Nawal Al-Sheikh, Director of Communications at the SEC.
“This symposium brings together experts from the region and around the world to discuss innovative ways to incorporate technology into teaching and learning.
We know many powerful ideas and actions will come out of it.”
Ron D. Owston, professor of education and founding director of the Institute for Research on Learning Technologies at York University, Canada, will deliver the keynote address. Dr. Owston is a leading scholar on technology in education, program evaluation and teacher development. He has conducted major research on children’s use of computers and the World Wide Web in learning, as well as researching innovative pedagogical practices using technology in schools in 29 countries.
“The Supreme Education Council recognizes the importance and true power of integrating technology into the very framework of the country’s education system,” says Dr. Owston. “It is an exciting time in the world to see the rapid innovations in technology that will help students learn in new ways. It is a privilege to be able to share my thoughts and learn the views of so many experts at this symposium.”
Dr. Owston will also moderate a panel discussion during the symposium, allowing diverse voices to be heard on the topic of technology in education. Nancy Law, director of the Centre for Information Technology and professor at the University of Hong Kong, will participate in the panel discussion. Dr. Law is an expert on evaluation of ICT policies and implementation of educational innovation, as well as the design, development and use of digital technology to support innovative educational pedagogies. Also participating in the panel will be Mohammed Al-Ansari, director of e-Education at the Supreme Council for Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR) and Ayoub Al-Ayoub, Lecturer, Department of Law at Kuwait University and Qatari teachers - Hasan Al-Muttawa from Qatar Technical School and Hiyam Ibrahim from Al-Wakra Preparatory School for Girls.
The panel will discuss many of the most pressing issues dealing with technology in education, including: the promise of technology in education and its importance; building a web-based learning environment; web-based teaching and learning; integrating ICT effectively in teaching and learning; development of ICT policies to support educational innovation; and building online teacher communities.
The symposium will mark the forth anniversary of Qatar’s ambitious educational reform initiative. Last year’s symposium tackled the issue of developing creativity in students and was attended by more than 900 people.
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