Greater use of technology and appropriate integration into the school curriculum are what school leaders and teachers want in their classrooms this year.

Technology in schools: the game changer

Ahead of its Bright Ideas conference, Global Educational Supplies & Solutions (GESS) Dubai, polled almost 1,000 education professionals across the Gulf region to determine what improvements they would like to see more of in their schools this year.“We did the survey to find out what school leaders and education professionals need to enhance the teaching and learning experience in the classroom,” said Sarah Palmer, marketing and conference director, Tarsus F&E LLC Middle East, organisers of GESS Dubai. “Technology-related teaching aids and learning tools were the overwhelming choice.”Some of the more popular tools and applications that made top of the wish list include smartboards, virtual reality (VR) headsets, tablets and smart apps as well as 3D printers.

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The 2018 edition of our popular Relocate Guide to International Education & Schools will be out soon. Packed with advice on education around the world, it is the perfect compendium for relocating families and those supporting them.

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Najda Khan, school counselor at Al Salam School, Dubai, wants to see technology being integrated more into the curriculum and sees “interactive software as key in helping teachers and students perform better.”

Helping teachers to become more innovative

Kindergarten teacher, Tayyaba Farhan Shifaz believes that more use of ICT tools and hands-on activities would help students and teachers become more innovative.Non-technology related improvements also made it to the wish list, including the development of programmes that will encourage more critical thinking for students, greater use of outdoor spaces, as well as more resources dedicated to nurturing a green environment across schools in the UAE.More than 550 exhibitors from local and international companies and brands are expected to participate in this year’s edition of GESS Dubai, including STEM Revolution Management Development Training, Connect, AVI-SPL, and Almoe, among others.

Artificial Intelligence in the classroom

Alef Education, creator of the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI)-powered transformational technology-enabled education solution, will be showcasing a VR Mars experience as part of its mission to nurture interest in STEM subjects amongst future generations, in support of the UAE’s long-term space exploration goals.“Alef’s unique edtech solution, powered by AI, and rolled out across public schools in Abu Dhabi, [enables] teachers to personalise lessons to suit students’ learning needs, while also providing detailed analytics on their efforts and progress,” said Geoffrey Alphonso, Acting CEO at Alef. “This immersive and experience-based approach to learning is exactly what we seek to showcase at GESS Dubai through a VR Mars experience.”

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The event will also include over 100 workshops and panel discussions on how to leverage current advances in technology to empower teachers and help students perform better.The Future Learning workshops include interactive sessions on STEAM, Digital technology, Special Education Needs (SEN) and VR featuring the latest insights from experts.Nathaniel Hyde, head of computing at Jebel Ali School, Dubai, will lead a presentation on App Building with the MIT App inventor, which will allow participants to create their own app from scratch.

Predicting the future learning landscape

Other sessions will focus on how teachers can innovate the learning experience through workshops from Apple Solutions Experts as well as sessions on Google’s VR applications.Stephen Cox, managing director of 21tenlearning, an education and leadership consultancy based in Dubai, will also lead a discussion on The Future of Learning – Implications for Leaders and Teachers, in which he will present the latest insights on the impact of AI and VR on the future of school buildings, environments and classrooms; as well as how teachers and school leaders can harness technology to develop the next generation of student achievers.GESS Dubai will take place from 27 February to 1 March 2018 at the Sheikh Saeed Halls of the Dubai World Trade Centre. It is free-to-attend and you can register hereFor related news and features, visit our Education & Schools section. Relocate’s new Global Mobility Toolkit provides free information, practical advice and support for HR, global mobility managers and global teams operating overseas.Access hundreds of global services and suppliers in our Online Directory  

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