(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) LEARNING IS set to become fun and interactive for students in the UAE as public schools embrace technology in a major way with the launch of the Smart Learning Initiative, a brainchild of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Tablets will replace notebooks and paper will be saved, which is good for the environment, as students learn on the go and keep pace with developments that shape their world. Soon, there will be no heavy bags to lug to school as this tab revolution takes root. Estimated to cost Dh1 billion, there will be increased involvement from all stakeholders in the education process. The integrated e-learning platform is expected to cover teachers, students, administrators and parents. This is the future of learning, with technology turning enabler, and it will be run in coordination with the Ministry of Education and the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority.
The government and its leaders believe the next phase of growth for the country will come in science and technology and this leap in education is part of a larger plan to diversify the economy from its traditional strengths in oil. It will help youth to take on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead by providing them a digital headstart in schools.
The first phase of the initiative saw 14,000 tablets being distributed on 17 campuses of three Federal higher education institutions. Initially, the programme will cover the foundation courses at these institutions where students are taught English, Mathematics and Information Technology. It is a measured approach where the objective is to get back to the basics of learning through technology.
But will early introduction of electronic learning improve overall standards in education? Sceptics may argue that digitalisation is no substitute for real learning and the pleasure of reading and writing. It took eight months for the UAE's e-learning intiative to be rolled out and the answer lies in effective implementation.
Students grow up with gadgets and apps are at the tips of their fingers. Educational apps will only add to the options on offer and are expected to go down well with this large learning fraternity. However, the bigger challenge is to help more teachers make the shift to these new classroom technologies. The good news is that some faculty have already jumped on the bandwagon and are training their fellow teachers.
The future of education is here. Appy learning.
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