Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar holds a second CS4Qatar for high school students

The daylong developmental workshop was designed to teach high school students about Computer Science and how essential it is to everything we do.

"CS4Qatar is about introducing students to computer science concepts such as problem solving; creating animation using a programming language; and the world of networks such as the Internet," says Majd Sakr, Ph.D., Computer Science professor at Carnegie Mellon Qatar.

"These basic skills plant the seeds for these students to understand the world of Computer Science and become creative thinkers no matter what field they end up choosing".

CS4Qatar consisted of three sessions. One was on Computer Science Puzzles.

In this session, students learned how to analyze and then creatively solve computer science-related puzzles that helped them practice basic problem solving skills.

In the second session, Programming With Alice, students used an object-based 3-D graphics-authoring environment to learn computer science programming principles.

The third session was an Introduction to Networks. In this workshop, students learned how networks such as the Internet are developed and operated.

"Technology is a critical element of our lives," says Sakr. "Innovation comes from interest and need. If we start interesting students in technology at an early age, the chance of them becoming innovators is greater. And the more innovative they are, the better Qatar will be."
The CS4Qatar program was held twice for high school teachers in 2007. A session for students was held in February and the demand was so great that this second session was added.

Participating schools in CS4Qatar included: Al Andalus, Al Bayan Educational Complex for Girls, Al Eman Secondary Independent School, Al Istiqlal, Al Wakra Independent Secondary School for Boys, Al-Resala Secondary School for Girls, Amna Bint Wahab, Doha College, Doha Independent Secondary School for Boys, Global Academy International, Khalifa Independent School, M.E.S Indian School, Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Al Manna, Omar Bin Al-Khattab Scientific Secondary School, Qatar Academy, Raba'a Al Adawia High School and The International School of Choueifat.