The first virtual forum for teachers of information technology (IT) in private schools began in Oman.
The event was held by the Ministry of Education, represented by the Directorate-General of Private Schools, under the patronage of Dr Ali bin Salim Al Shukaili, Director-General of the Directorate General of Private Schools, in the presence of Dr Khadija Bint Ali Al Salamiyah, Assistant Director-General for Educational Affairs at the Directorate General of Private Schools.
The two-day forum targets information technology teachers in private schools in all the governorates, of which about 100 participants attended the first day.
The virtual forum was held with the aim of presenting scientific papers on e-learning, blended learning, and distance education, in addition to presenting the most important initiatives, programmes and applications employed by teachers of IT for private schools.
This is to contribute to raising the students' achievement level, to move forward in harmonising the current educational work, exchanging technical expertise and skills, spreading the culture of self-learning.
The forum also aims to keep pace with the skills of the twenty-first century and the Fourth Industrial Revolution and raise the efficiency of IT teachers in line with Oman Vision 2040.
The programme of the first day included the speech of Dr Ali Al Shukaily in which he said: “This forum comes in line with the current stage of education, which witnessed a qualitative shift in the use of many and varied technological and digital mechanisms and tools during the distance education process.”
“This type of education has been imposed as a result of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic but contributed to developing the technical knowledge aspects of the student, the teacher and the parent alike in a large and remarkable manner,” he added.
This forum abounds with many rich and varied working papers that offer strategies, tools and multiple programmes that contribute to supporting the teacher with the necessary knowledge in various aspects of distance education,' he said.
“These initiatives also express the sincere efforts made by the teacher in the educational field to provide enjoyable interactive learning for the student, and to overcome the challenges that accompanied this type of e-learning,” Dr Ali Al Shukaily added.
Ahmed Al-Mayahi, a supervisor of an IT course at the Directorate General of Private Schools, presented the speech of the team organising the virtual forum stating the goals of this forum.
“This forum aims to present and share educational initiatives and papers in distance learning and its advantages, in addition to presenting modern skills related to distance learning and self-learning coupled with modern technologies and clarifying the challenges facing the teacher when applying distance learning,”he said.
“These initiatives have been prepared by those concerned with private schools in different educational directorates seeking to empower the teacher with skills and knowledge, raise his efficiency and enrich him with information about the most important modern strategies and initiatives in the field of distance education, the mechanisms of their application, in addition to the exchange of experiences among teachers,” he added.
The forum includes over the course of two days, 15 papers presented in four main themes, namely: blended learning, distance education strategies, artificial intelligence and the Internet of things, and active learning applications (interactive).”
The first day consisted of four sessions where the first session contained three papers. The first paper was titled (Distance Education Strategy) presented by Maha Abdul Hafeez Al-Wahaidi, a teacher of information technology at Al-Mawhiba Private School.
The second paper titled (types of E-Learning) presented by Ahmed Fikri Attia from Sarh Al-Elm Private School.
The third paper came under the title (Technology Strategies for Classroom) presented by Jawaher bint Hilal Al-Handaliya from Oman Private school.
The second session contained two papers, the first was titled (Technology Applications in Active Learning) presented by Safaa Bint Obaid Al-Zuabiya, a teacher supervisor of individual skills in the North Al-Batinah Governorate, and the second was titled (Explanation of the Socrative Program for Electronic Tests) presented by Moza bint Saeed Al-Yaqoubia from Ajyal Al-Dhahirah Private School.
The third session included two papers, the first entitled (Educational platforms) presented by Jamila bint Abdullah Al Malikiyah from Baraem Al Iman Private School, and the second paper titled (Distance Education Strategies) was presented by Suad bint Abdullah Al Shehia from Dar Al Maaref Private School.
The first day of the first virtual forum for teachers of information technology for private schools concluded with the fourth session, which included three papers.
The first paper came under the title (Class Point Tool) and was presented by Thuraya bint Nasser Al-Maamariah from Al Buraimi Private School.
The second paper was titled (Distance Education Strategies in light of the Corona Covid-19 Pandemic) presented by Shamsa Bint Abdullah Al-Fahdia, from Al-Baynah Private School, and the third paper was titled (Class Management in Distance Education) presented by Jihad bin Mahmoud Shebel from Al-Ghubra Private School.
It is worth noting that the activities of the first virtual forum for IT teachers for private schools is continuing its sessions on Thursday.