Experts say IT to transform education in Mideast (page 1 of 2)

While businesses are being transformed through relentless IT developments, driven by competition and revenue targets, the business of learning is at a relative standstill, according to Education Reform Consultant Nafez Dakkak, who explains that we may have to wait for a generational shift before we see innovations take hold.

"Unfortunately, change is very slow and the school system is always a lagger in responding to these things. If you think about it this way, students already use technology in different shapes and forms with iPhones, tablets and computers at home. At school they might only have one computer-based lesson a week, instead of interacting with the same devices and rich media."

When it comes to the business landscape the Middle East is varied enough, but the challenges associated with entrepreneurship and innovation are compounded within the 'slow moving' education sector, Dakkak tells AMEinfo.

"It's one of those sectors where the end user of your [technology] product is not the person who makes the purchasing decision. So you have to really convince the parents and the principals of the best way to move forward."

Some months ago Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammad, launched an initiative to distribute 14,000 iPads across the emirates in an effort to integrate smart devices across various subject areas; a trend that mirrors the evolution of interfaces outside of the classroom.

It's a smart step, but since young males comprise only 30% of university attendance, it's clear further work must be done. Aside from digitising textbooks and turning to typing, what scope is there to further enhance learning, particularly for men?

"The next stage of evolution is making the content much more interactive," says Dakkak, which in a basic way software now enabling students to collaborate and share documents, similar to Google Docs, but one of the latest concepts being piloted in the US is game based learning.

An entire curriculum can be implemented into a game, of sorts, with some collaboration from game designers, so that by the time you reach the last 'level' you've covered various subject areas and fulfilled key learning outcomes.

Aside from being a gimmick to enhance engagement, albeit a potentially positive one, the gamifying of education facilitates project based learning that amalgamates different subject areas, meaning that lessons may no longer need to be taught in distinct time slots.

Instead of dividing a timetable into maths, science and English, you can work on a single project where you develop skills in all those areas, explains Dakkak, who is preparing to work as an education reform advisor in the region.

He considers Jordan's policymakers as 'trailblazers' relative to the rest of the region and a local firm, Rubicon, are already making mental arithmetic more compelling with their video game 'Math Mage'. Such games can also transcend a traditional classroom environment, being made available online, through downloads or via mobile applications.

A similarly ambitious project, pioneered by The Khan Academy, is the concept of 'flipped learning' where the teacher provides online video to give an outline of the learning content prior to the lesson itself.

Students can watch the video at their own convenience and as many times as they want, free to repeat certain parts they may struggle with and pause for additional research. It is then when they enter the classroom that they are expected to complete the assignment, with the teacher present to assist and respond to queries.

Can we expect to see such bold innovations in the Middle East?

"It will take some time, at least on a public education level," says Dakkak.