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In conversation with... Mohamed Al Maskari, Managing Director, Ibtikar Edu Tech Solutions. GESS Dubai 2017 Silver Sponsor.

We are pleased to announce Ibtikar Edu Tech Solutions as a Silver Sponsor for GESS Dubai 2017. We have been talking to Mohamed Al Maskari, Managing Director of Ibtikar Solutions so you can find out a bit more about our Silver Sponsor and the exciting world of Education Technology.

Firstly, we are delighted to announce Ibtikar as Silver Sponsor for GESS Dubai 2017. For anyone who doesn’t know, please can you tell us a bit more about what you do and the exciting projects you are working on at the moment?

Ibtikar is a UAE based consultancy company specialising in innovative design and technology-based solutions and services. We cater to all education sectors, private and government, and partner with clients on a personal level to develop products, services and solutions tailored to their specific educational needs.

Our goal is to be active participants in the advancement of educational opportunity, experience and delivery, elevating knowledge and learning to the highest levels, supported by strong company values that promote collaboration, lifelong learning, innovation and trust. We are currently working on our own Ibtikar eReader platform and a Design & Technology Curriculum for K4-11.

This is your first time exhibiting at GESS Dubai, what do you see as being so unique about the education sector in the UAE / Middle East and what do you hope to take away from the show?

The education sector in the UAE is unique in that it is a vibrant and rich, multi-lingual education system, with diversity across public, private local and private international schools, accommodating a variety of curriculum systems. Ibtikar is excited to participate in GESS this year. We hope to access key decision makers from across the education sectors in the Middle East and present ourselves as a provider of innovative, technology-based, education solutions for a modern and diverse learning environment.

Education Technology is becoming more prominent in classrooms across the world, what are the biggest trends you are noticing?

Walking into a classroom today is very different from walking into a classroom ten years ago, the many advances in educational technology have created a drastic change in teaching and learning with the classroom becoming a virtual learning experience. Students are able to access information quickly and easily without needing to leave the classroom to do research. Educational technology can be defined as any digital device that aids or enhances student learning, such as; smart boards, tablets and laptops, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, cloud-based technologies, and the massive open online courses (MOOC).

What would you say to a teacher or institution who are potentially nervous about employing Ed-Tech tools in their classroom over traditional methods?

Technology is a central part of our everyday lives, so of course it should be a key aspect of education, in order to prepare students for the real world and their future careers, where they will most likely be using technological devices. Using Ed-Tech tools can help close the gap between student and teacher, as it allows the teacher to deliver more personalised learning, making classrooms a more collaborative environment that delivers positive educational outcomes.

As you have already mentioned, the classroom is a very different place to what it was 10 years ago. What piece of Ed Tech would you love to have been able to use when you were a student and why?

3D printers because they add a new dimension to the classroom environment by integrating the process of developing an idea, creating a design and producing a tangible product, into the education experience, bridging the gap between what students learn in theory and what exists on the ground.

Finally, Ibtikar would like to introduce you to Edison, the latest robotics teaching aid. Make sure you find time to meet Edison on the Ibtikar stand at GESS Dubai 2017.

As a leader in innovative technology, Ibtikar acknowledges that robotics technology plays an increasingly prominent role on the world stage, and in the education arena; as such Ibtikar has secured the rights to be the sole distributor of the Edison Robot to the GCC.

Edison, is a palm-sized, bright orange, programmable robot with a suite of sensors that is suitable for students of all ages.  Edison introduces students to programming and robotics, it is the perfect teaching and learning robotics for STEAM activities and is a scalable way for students to create more complex robots as their skill and understanding develops.

Ibtikar’s highly motivated team, consisting of multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural professionals with diverse experiences and backgrounds, is working towards enriching the robotics education experience, through customised robotic kits and complimentary curriculums for K-11.

Ibtikar promotes innovation, encouraging students to problem solve and critical think in STEAM oriented projects; solving real world problems, collaborating and applying their learning to finding solutions to technological challenges.