Qatar is well ahead of other Arab nations in technological readiness and innovation – a consequence of the nation’s committed investment in digital and technological infrastructure.
Doha: In the field of education, technology, and innovation comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities – for learners as well as educators. Doha Learning Days (DLD) will begin tomorrow as a platform to put these and other issues into focus.
With a thought-provoking theme of UnLearn, ReLearn: What it Means to be Human, DLD will be a six-day experiential learning festival to be held until November 19, organised by the World Summit for Innovation in Education (WISE) – a Qatar Foundation initiative – and co-curated with over 50 local and international organisations and innovators.
Each of the partner organisations at DLD represent an innovative learning paradigm, helping to creatively disrupt traditional approaches and answer the central question posed by WISE this year: ‘What do we need to Un-Learn and Re-Learn in order to thrive?’ Organisations like ibTECHar, Brain Education Middle East, Geek Express Doha, and GoCode Qatar will showcase their approach to how such relearning begins.
A proud homegrown startup, ibTECHar Digital Solutions believes that education is contextual, serving different purposes in helping a society transform and develop. “The ability of individuals to transfer their knowledge into economic value is vital, and at ibTECHar, we focus on shaping the right mindset, skills, and know-how to do so,” said Nayef Al Ibrahim, founding partner and CEO of ibTECHar Digital Solutions.
Their inspirational Chairman, Khalid Aboujassoum, was the first Qatari winner of Stars of Science in 2012; and they were recently selected by The World Economic Forum as one of the 100 startups in the MENA region shaping the fourth Industrial Revolution.
Presenting ‘Tinker with Science’ at DLD, ibTECHar hopes to share their concept of a turnkey solution – content, equipment, training, and management approach within education and its importance in minimising barriers to innovation.
When it comes to unlearning and relearning, Mohammed Abu Zeinab, Regional Director of Brain Education Middle East (BEME), argues that, “If you want real change, it should involve the brain because any actual change in habit is a very neurological process. Brain education takes us to education 2.0.”
A regional chapter of a global network, Brain Education has close to 40 years of cumulative research and experience in the field of health-science. A TEDx speaker and passionate advocate for mental and physical well-being.
Tied to the theme of relearning is providing access to engaging education that responds to technological change to even the youngest. And this theme is reflected in the work of Geek Express Doha, an edu-tech hub making programming accessible for learners as young as five. “Our tech programs use a project management-based approach, so kids not only learn to program, but also how to communicate with each other, and to present what they are going to build or design. Studies support the fact that 85 percent of your financial status is built on your ability to communicate, negotiate, and deliver the project,” said Geek Express’ CEO, Nader Kassir.
Geek Express teaches programming for ages 5-17, starting with the basics, to coding and using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to building algorithms and using deep learning to analyze facial expressions. They will run a competition at DLD for contestants to build or design a science or engineering-based creation using their proprietary MakerBoxes. Presenting a new definition of literacy, GoCode Qatar’s mission is to inspire the present generation to become the future digital innovators of the world.
Qatar is well ahead of other Arab nations in technological readiness and innovation – a consequence of the nation’s committed investment in digital and technological infrastructure, according to the latest Global Competitiveness Report by the World Economic Forum.
