ITEP Portal launches e-learning tools to boost IT education

The new portal, which is available in both English and Arabic, uses smart design features to significantly improve site navigation, is user-friendly and also includes a discussion forum for IT enthusiasts.

ITEP's portal is designed to benefit everyone. The portal supports a range of people: students, teachers, trainers, parents and alumni.

For students, bilingual content is available to support the school curriculum on IT education. Students can also get free email accounts and access to online discussion forums to learn, discuss and share their knowledge of IT skills and education.

"ITEP's mission is to focus on technology to provide better education. I'm pleased to say that this portal provides the tools for our students to communicate and interact with each other to further their understanding of IT. Clearly, this portal complements ITEP's mission," says Dr Abdulla Al-Karam, Director of ITEP.

A directory of trainers is available to students as well so that they can enjoy immediate online access to trainers, to help with queries and expand their understanding of IT.

As well as providing support, the portal also provides praise with students of the month announced on the home page. Each month, four promising students are chosen for this honour, reflecting their hard work, passion and commitment towards IT education.

The portal has been designed with teachers and trainers in mind, to maximise their contribution towards IT education. The portal, as a knowledge repository, provides a central resource of online content. Educators can access a range of applications and information to help them teach, keep track of their students' progress as well as moderate student forums to provide guidance, support and valuable feedback where it's needed.

"This portal offers a tremendous opportunity for teachers as well as students," adds Dr Abdulla. "Where the portal helps students to learn, it also helps teachers to educate. This portal brings them closer to their students to support the education process."

Parents of students have also been thought of in the structure of the ITEP portal. They can apply for access to the forums on the portal, which offers them the opportunity to gain equal awareness and understanding of IT along with their sons and daughters. Parents who are more knowledgeable about IT offer a more positive home environment for students to learn.

Book reviews are readily updated on the portal, to help all users identify and find the most suitable books to help them develop their studies.

The whole content of the portal, both in English and Arabic, is written in a simple, easy-to-understand format to provide easy comprehension of courses, subjects and topics for students.

Headquartered in Dubai Knowledge Village, at the Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone, ITEP has key links with the educational sector as well as major IT and Media companies, while operating with a technologically advanced infrastructure. ITEP's strong relationship with Cisco Systems and Computer Associates for example, enable it to certify those who attend the courses it offers.

ITEP's targeting strategy has also rolled out smoothly and successfully, having started out with secondary students as the initial core audience, and capturing their interest through efforts such as summer boot camps. ITEP has extended its services to the government sector, training several government departments including the Dubai Police.