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The Gulf Comparative Education Symposium, sponsored by the Dubai School of Government and with support from the Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research,  was an educational conference that explored the intersection of the public and private in education in the GCC. In the GCES 2011 Proceedings, each paper investigates a different element of education, including educational technology tools. Keep reading for a snippet of some of our favorite ideas!

Who: Ken Volk

Says: Technology Education is More Than Just Computers

As the Outreach Manager at the Masdar Institute of Science & Technology, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Volk takes a critical look at what Middle Eastern governments envision “technology” to mean. He argues that in this day and age, to be technology literate means much more than just knowing how to use computers. He encourages the UAE to have a wider concept of technology and for schools to embrace more materials and processes that will enable them to creatively problem solve.

What do you have to say: How would you define technology in the 21^st century?

Who: Anna Batchelder

Explores: Education 2.0: Using Social Networking Tools to Promote Teacher Professional Development in Ras Al Khaimah

Our own Anna Batchelder, CEO and co-founder of Bon Education, presents the case of the Ras al Khaimah Teachers Network and 21^st Century Teaching and Research Program to illustrate what ICT tools and social networking can do for the realm of teacher collaboration. Through a series of policy recommendations, Anna provides orientation for education stakeholders attempting to promote ICT-based education development.

Think with us: What other ways can social networking be used to enhance teaching and learning processes?

Who: John C. Weldman

Talks About: Linking Higher Education Reform to Labour Market Demand in the Gulf States: A Slippery Slope?

As mentioned in some of our previous posts, the Middle East and North Africa region has rapidly increasing youth populations. The growing numbers continue to put pressure on the education systems. Ultimately, job markets find it difficult absorbing the vast numbers of graduates that emerge each year out of university. Weldman looks at ways in which the Gulf can improve employment by catering market demands to educational supply.

Food for thought: How can technology be used to improve youth employment?

Above is just a sampling of the many ideas that  were shared at the symposium that took place March 16-17, 2011 in Ras al Khaimah, UAE.

Stay tuned for updates.

Keep Calm and Learn On,

Nora

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The full interview can be viewed above, but for those of you looking for just a taste, here is the rundown:

As an education technology consulting firm, the Bon team spends about half of our time in schools throughout the Middle East zeroing in on teacher programming. Ultimately, our goal is to seamlessly integrate technology into the classroom to promote learning and engagement.

The other 50% of our time is spent on research and product development. At Bon, we are passionate about creating products that spice up the world of education and empower both students and educators to become self-directed learners.

Alongside both non-profit and for-profit organizations in the Middle East, Bon has led the campaign on digital literacy skills. It all started when the Batchelders arrived in the Middle East and took note of the increased government spending across the region, supplying schools with WiFi and computers. They noticed a weakness in the system: teachers and students were granted access to technology, but few knew how to use these tools…

A few brainstorms later, a proposal was issued to the UAE Ministry of Education to work on a teacher training program on ICT use in schools and “poof,” Bon Education was created!

Bon is continually growing and learning from our co-educators. Do you have any ideas that can socially empower those living in emerging markets? Talk to us!

Keep Calm and Learn On,

Nora

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The University of Michigan’s digitalculturebooks is a publishing agency that looks to distribute innovative pieces regarding new media studies. In the book, Hacking Teaching professors have a go at redefining the education process. One of the most striking segments explores the weaknesses of the standard essay.

Mark Sample and Kelly Schrum argue that essay writing conforms students, turning them into narrow minded and rigid thinkers. Provoked? I think that’s the point, but more so, their point is a good one.

How often do professors succumb to “testing” their students by having them regurgitate the main arguments in a textbook? By doing so, we rob students of their ability to think creatively and outside of structured paradigms.

Limitations do not stem solely from essays. Standardized tests so commonly found in the Middle East such as Jordan’s Tawjihi exam or Egypt’s Thanaweya Amma exam essentially expect students to memorize state handbooks in order to be granted admissions into an elite public university.

By no means do I wish to denounce essay writing in its entirety. Essays are excellent tools for assessing a student’s retention and organizational skills. Unfortunately though, they do not effectively gage a student’s ability to collaborate or think creatively. We cannot simply dismiss writing – writing is one of the most classic and sacred forms of communication. We can though innovate writing. (more…)

Reality:

Many educators in the world…

• Don’t receive sufficient teacher training.
• Have little or no ongoing professional development.
• Work in schools that suffer from chronic lack of funding.

Vision:

What if edu-passionate volunteers from around the world banned together to…

• Build an open licensed, free, multilingual virtual school of education driven by the principles of peer learning.
• Facilitate the free exchange of knowledge and ideas between educators in a context that positively transforms teacher and student practice, learning and engagement.
• Codify existing educational best practices into a series of experiences that provide foundational knowledge of how to be an effective teacher.

It’s Happening:

Using Web 2.0 and Social Media to Encourage Deeper Learning from Bon Education on Vimeo.

Now get involved:

• Check out the Peer to Peer University School of Education Pilot. For example, view “Using Social Media to Promote Deeper Learning,” “Differentiated Instruction,” or “Student Engagement”.
• What if we expanded this pilot into a Global Teaching Certificate Program? What practical educational experiences (or courses) would need to be created to help multinational cohorts of pre and in-service educators become phenomenal teachers?

Help think through the tricky details:

• Design—How do we design a program whose requirements are realistic and practical for all involved?
• Accreditation—Do it? Dump it? Redefine it? Teaching certificates vs. badges? FYI – Many school principals, parents and students don’t want “certified teachers” per se, they want “great teachers”. Great teachers come with and without certification.
• Sustainability—How do we sustain a program run by 99% volunteers?
• Marketing—How do we get volunteer curricula writers, course facilitators, coordinators and teachers from mountains of Oman, to the valleys of China to the beaches of the Seychelles to get involved?

From one P2PU School of Ed fan to another,

Anna

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In the thought-provoking words of Ali Carr-Chellman, video games are not a cause, but a symptom.

In this short and enlightening TED Talk, Carr-Chellman explores the world of gendered education by examining how boys are academically lagging behind their female counterparts. Worldwide, boys are getting expelled more frequently then girls, are being placed in special education more regularly than girls and have a higher likelihood to become diagnosed with ADD and other attention disorders. This talk points to the ability of games to reverse these setbacks. Schools all around the globe at times will face resource deficiencies; by incorporating play and games more into the curriculum, we can ensure a more sound education system.

Agree or disagree? Find this talk to be completely whack or worse, boring? Either way, let us know your thoughts below and share with us interesting lectures that have inspired you!

Check back on our site during the month of September and October for the latest on play therapy and game-based learning.

Keep Calm and Learn On,

Nora

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Think of an augmented reality as the glaze on a Krispy Kreme donut – thin, barely visible but transforming the otherwise bland tasteless dough into a little sweet spectacle. As defined by the 2011 Horizon Report, AR refers to “the addition of a computer-assisted contextual layer of information over the real world” creating a “reality that is enhanced or augmented.” Simply put, it is when technology takes an element to a more engaging level.

This notion of blending information with the real world has already transformed the forefront of the business, technology, marketing and entertainment world. Adidas has already introduced their first AR sneaker, while BMW has been using AR to market their Z4 model.

Augmented Reality Browsers, such as Layar, work to essentially label the real world by gathering information from online resources as the user scans the scene in front of them. Students using such a tool could instantly pull up historical facts other information regarding famous landmarks.

AR is dynamic. As an active not passive technology, students can make textbooks come alive and turn academia into a fantasy world. Google Sky Map is a prime example of the educational application of AR. Students studying astrology can simply point their phone to the sky and soon discover the name and facts regarding the constellation. Even more so, those studying medicine can use augmented reality to “enhance visualization, plan operations and train medical staff in various procedures.” Such a technology could do wonders for environments lacking sufficient tangible resources to train students in the medical field.

As the digital world continues to cross paths with the real world, education evolves lifting students out of the seats of the classroom into an engaging realm of interactive learning. Step aside from your computer screen and delve into reality.

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Nora

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For edtech enthusiasts in the audience, here are a few blogs, online publications and resources to add to your radar.

Good.is

Good things make the world go round. At a loss to where all the good has been hiding? Check out Good.is, a site that looks to push the world forward with positive thinking. We’re digging education editor, Liz Dwyer’s pursuit of edtech issues. Her boldly fun topics take readers out of the black and white headlines and into the world of Twitter essays and Skype classrooms.

These are good: Columbia Business School Only Wants 200-Character Application Essays; Skype’s New Education Platform Connects Classrooms Around the Globe

The Middle East Educator Magazine

In recent months, the Middle East has made itself comfortable, gracing the covers of magazines and newspapers on a day-to-day basis. When you’re tired of politics, head to The Middle East Educator Magazine for the latest on education and development in the Arab world. Each monthly issue puts forth international and local education news briefs that keep education fans in the loop of MENA developments.

Got a minute? It’s all you need. Explore: Islamic countries turn focus to science and technology innovation; Jordan Education Initiative

GeSci

ICT? Emerging Markets? Education? Sounds like our kind of discussion. GeSci, founded by the United Nations Information Communications Technology force, is dedicated to providing emerging markets with ICT tools that will assist in enhancing education systems. Curious to find out about their successes, downfalls and general experiences? So are we.

Pass the technology driven solution: Report Reveal Status of the Knowledge Society in Africa; Haiti ICT in Education Summit

Education for Global Development

In a battle for human development Education for Global Development is a blog that explores issues regarding international education development. Enjoy reading about the latest tech projects? Have a knack for private industry in emerging markets? Don’t really know what your interest is, but know you want to follow the latest and greatest in ed development? Look no further.

Worth the Read: Opening Education Data: EdStats Unveils StatPlanet an Interactive Mapping Tool from World Bank ‘Apps for Development Winner; Are Alternative Pathways into Teaching Bad for Students?

MobileActive.org

Trying to make the world a better place? Head to MobileActive.org – you’ll find like-minded people, doing like-minded things. As a global network of individuals who are craving to make a social impact through the use of mobile technology, these blogs acutely explore the nexus of technology and developing education initiatives.

Take a Peek: From Somalia to the UK, 24-hour Audio News Coverage via Mobile; Mobile Games for Education and Development: What is the Score?

Have a publication to add to the list? We welcome your comments and suggestions below.

Keep Calm and Learn On,

Nora
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Technology has done wonders for the world of medicine in both developed and emerging markets. In an effort to fuse the teachings of the health-conscious with the world of academia, I have compiled three undoubtedly game-changing health initiatives and shown how they can be tailored to enhance education systems.

HealthMap: As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, the pace at which disease and information travels has become expedited. With international jet travel no longer being seen as a luxury, an infectious disease or new virus has the ability to bounce between Thailand, the UAE and the USA within the span of twenty-four hours. Even more so, Facebook and Twitter have helped make communication instantaneous. HealthMap merges these concepts as it automatically monitors news sites, government data sites and eyewitness reports to pinpoint on an interactive map, new patterns of outbreaks. With a few clicks, one can find out about the most recent death rates in Chad or the rate of occurrence of a virus in Mexico, all while engaging users in what the site describes as “participatory epidemiology.”

Teching out the teachers: Imagine if school systems across the world were engaged in an online platform where educators and education officials could sync up their most recent developments, setbacks or ideas regarding schooling? Through automated fine-tuning, one would discover the most relevant and recent advancements, from their Twitter account to their Global Education Collaborative homepage, in one live and interactive interface.

Cell Phones as a Lifesaver: In a partnership with the United Nations Foundation, The Vodafone Foundation has invested almost $28 million in order to revamp health clinics throughout emerging markets. Doctors and nurses no longer have to succumb to using out-dated administrative and research facilities. Doctors can now access data regarding immunization rates, vaccine supplies and the likelihood of an outbreak by pushing a few buttons on their cell phone. Doctors can also use EpiSurveyor, the software used to download the health surveys, to make a verdict regarding childbirth. The EpiSurveyor helps provide doctors and hospital administrators with important documentation that assists in making crucial, life-saving decisions.

What the Minister of Education has to say about this: Pulling up a student’s academic history with a few swipes and clicks on my cell phone? I’m in. What could be more adequate in gauging the academic level of a student or dodging the bureaucracy of paperwork and mismanagement of paper files? Wireless Generation has caught on to the idea – creating mobile technologies that help teachers track reading and math levels of their students.

Digital Villages: The telecom giants of Kenya are changing the health landscape of the country. Safricom and Telkom Kenya have recently unleashed an electronic infrastructure that looks to connect Kenyans living in rural areas to doctors in urban cities. The 800 digital villages, which they hope will soon become 5,000, sync up patients with e-health services and small medical clinics through video conferencing equipment.

Eduvillages: So by using ICT to make the world, or in this case, the country a smaller place, digital villages help combat many of the common problems faced in emerging markets. By creating a digital videoconference network, students can attend school from the comfort of their home, leaving ample time to perform familial obligations. Take a look at  P2PU’s efforts!

So there you have it. The world of edutech merges with e-health; just what the doctor called for.

Know of any other health initiatives that could inspire education systems? Shoot us a comment!

Keep Calm and Learn On,

Nora

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1. Pick a word to describe your classroom culture as it is.
2. Now select a word to describe your classroom culture as you’d like it to be.
3. Ask your students to do 1. and 2.
4. Reflect.
5. I think you know what you need to do.

When a classroom’s “default” culture stinks, it gets…

Boredom. Dropouts. Apathy.

When a classrooms’s “default” culture rocks, it gets…

Delight. Energy. Determination.

Culture matters. The stories we tell ourselves about our surroundings matter. Culture influences the stories we tell. Stories influence the culture we create.

Lesson to educators and learners (especially online educators and learners)…

Be the artists of your own culture and let the stories you wish to hear sing.

Just as we are deliberate about platforms, standards, curricula, methodology and assessments, it is time to be more thoughtful, imaginative and deliberate about education culture here, over there and everywhere.

Imagining…

Anna

P.S. Thanks to Anil Dash (A Blog About Making Culture), Henry Jenkins (Confronting the Challenge of Participatory Culture), and my yoga instructors at Zen Yoga for inspiring my recent thoughts and activities on the artistry of educational culture.

P.P.S. Have thoughts about educational culture? Leave a reply below.

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