Doha: Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) hosted a two-day educational event focusing on deploying, integrating, and adopting Google Apps in Pre-University Education.
The event took place in the Liberal Arts & Sciences Building in Education City, attended by over 200 education professionals and 20 Google instructors from all over the world. It reinforced QF’s desire to unlock human potential by offering the best and most innovative form of academic curricula to stimulate the provision of a knowledge-based economy in Qatar, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030.
Operating under the umbrella of Pre-University Education, QF schools are leading adopters of Google Apps For Education (GAFE); a collaborative and integrated communication platform which complements educational needs in the classroom.
Rwdah F Al Suwaidi, IT Project Manager, Pre-University Education, said: “This is the second year the AppsEvents Summit featuring Google Apps For Education has been held in Qatar. It demonstrates QF’s role in the field of global education and assists the country’s overall development, contributing to an enriched knowledge-based economy.
“This helps position the country as a hub of academic excellence, dedicated to hosting prominent professional educational events, which attract leading professionals from around the region and the rest of the world.” The event featured keynotes and breakout sessions on the authentic integration of multiple technological constructs with pedagogy, such as ‘Gamification’, which uses online gaming programmes to engage students. It offered educators the chance to explore Google technology, and provided an overview of opportunities and threats posed by advancing technology.
James Sayer, Event Organiser and Director, Google Apps Events in Asia, said: “An integral part of the educational achievements of QF includes the commitment to incorporate cutting-edge technology into the classroom. QF school educators and technology team members are some of the most experienced GAFE integration specialists in the region. We had over 100 QF teachers in attendance. The event is also invaluable as it brings together regional educators to discuss the progression of technology in Pre-University Education, providing a framework for best practices in Qatar.”
As a keynote speaker and Google Certified Innovator, Brian Farrell, a Canadian who has previously participated in Google Apps events in Japan, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai, said: “Events like these are great for teachers to focus on teaching methods in a challenging and opportunistic technology environment.
Google Apps provides teachers with endless possibilities, which have the potential to transform the classroom and make valuable connections with influential social and cultural constructs, extending the world of learning to outside the school gates,” he added.
The Peninsula
