‘Every country has to focus on education’

ABU DHABI: Qudwa, which aims to achieve greater recognition for the teaching profession, kickstarted in the Capital Saturday, focusing on the methods of ‘Teaching for Tomorrow’.

According to experts almost two-thirds of children entering primary school today will ultimately work in jobs that do not yet exist.

Due to technology enabling new methods and approaches to teaching, Qudwa 2017 more or less is focusing on ‘Teaching for Tomorrow’ that has the potential to engage, inspire and help all students thrive in a digital world.

The two-day event organised by the Education Affairs office of the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi and held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, shared key insights and best practices on empowering teachers.

Hussain Bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, UAE Minister of Education, on Saturday highlighted the country’s achievements in developing the education sector to world-class standards in a special address on Day 1 of the Qudwa 2017 Global Teachers’ Forum held at the Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi.

Jessy El Murr, producer and TV reporter at Sky News Arabia, introduced the session, which underlined the UAE’s efforts in empowering students and teachers, and establishing new paradigms in education.

Al Hammadi said: “Every country that is seeking to promote its knowledge economy has to focus on education. The role and tasks of the traditional education system are going to change, with technology becoming an intrinsic part of the education process. We need to leverage technology in the education system, similar to its use in other sectors of the economy.

“For example in aviation, pilots can learn through flight simulations which not only make it less costly but also make the learning process easier. While in classrooms, virtual labs can be provided inside tablets, providing knowledge through a network to help grow and promote children’s abilities.”

Moreover he added, “Technology is continuously developing, and we have national companies that are excelling and promoting their use. I believe we should use technology in all of its aspects – such as programming, software and virtual reality. We already have technologies out there that can be used on a sustainable basis in schools.”

He added: “Virtual Reality, for example, could easily be implemented broadly. We recently tested it, and found that it allowed some students to learn in one year what an average student would absorb in a two-year curriculum.”

Teaching for Happiness   

Daniel Lerner, Clinical Instructor at New York University speaking at an Expert Masterclass session themed ‘Positively Successful: How (and Why) to Teach a Happy Class’ on Day 1 of the Qudwa 2017 said that new teaching strategies are in the hands of teachers, and it is up to them to leverage these strategies to ensure student happiness and ultimately achieve success in the classroom.

Lerner demonstrated how teachers can use the building blocks of positive psychology to help students thrive.

The co-author of the bestselling book “U Thrive: How to Succeed in College (and Life)” said: “Throughout workplaces, from schools to businesses, the effect of higher levels of positive emotions directly impact our happiness and overall sense of purpose.”

Read more: http://gulftoday.ae/portal/ce04e52c-3a7e-4554-825e-2a3c8fad9bff.aspx