Jordan's Ministry of Education and IBM join to launch IBM TryScience Programme in Jordan

His Excellency Dr. Khaled Toukan, Jordanian Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Takreem El-Tohamy, general manager IBM Middle East, Egypt, and Pakistan signed a Document of Understanding (DoU) to establish a framework for collaboration between IBM and the Ministry to implement new technologies for teaching science in Jordan's schools: the IBM TryScience Programme.

"We are delighted to be working together with the Ministry of Education in introducing the TryScience Programme in Jordan," said Takreem El-Tohamy, general manager IBM Middle East, Egypt, and Pakistan. "It is an exciting programme that allows students to have access to worldwide science resources, and develop important skills in researching and problem solving. TryScience breaks down the physical barriers that keep students from experiencing new and different challenges."

"This is a great programme and ties in directly to our commitment to work together with innovation leaders in the introduction of new and valuable connected learning initiatives," said Dr. Toukan. TryScience is a unique tool for teachers to spark children's interest in learning science.

The IBM TryScience programme reinvents science learning and offers innovative ways for students to gain access to and discover the science presented by the top museums around the world.

Through the TryScience website, www.TryScience.org, children in Jordan can access a variety of science-rich activities such as interactive experiments, multimedia adventures, virtual "field trips" to science centres and seeing the world through live web cameras. The programme recreates the interactive experience of an on-site museum visit and provides hands-on science projects that children, parents, and teachers can undertake, whether they are at home or in school. It has guidelines for teachers and parents on how to use the site's resources.

TryScience is the product of the partnership among IBM Corporation, the New York Hall of Science, the Association of Science-Technology Centres and science centres worldwide. It aims to motivate young learners to try out concepts and activities for themselves by offering them an entertaining environment where they can explore all kinds of scientific phenomena and employ a hands-on approach, while learning scientific principles

"IBM's TryScience resources will be included in our curriculum to enable young students to have easy and instant access to worldwide scientific information which will help in developing their knowledge and nurture their curiosity," said Dr. Toukan. We are proud to be the first in the region to implement the new Arabic version of TryScience.