Future Transformation Zone
What does the future of education look like? How can new and evolving technology be integrated within the classroom? These sessions will explore the latest technological advances, trends and thinking and showcase the latest innovations in education. Covering all aspects of education and demonstrating best practice to improve and enhance teaching and learning. Hear from expert speakers and discover the latest trends.
SUN 14 NOVEMBER
10:30 - 10:50Adapting to new ways of teaching (Post COVID) with Google Workspace
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Paul Crossley | Education Director and Founder, Learn IT Academy (Google Education Partner)
11:05 - 11:25The rise of the virtual schoolhouse
Post-COVID, more and more schools are exploring the power, purpose and potential of virtual reality in their classrooms. However some more innovative institutions are taking things as step further and looking at transposing the entire school experience into the Metaverse. In this session, VR expert Steve Bambury will dive into what benefits a virtual campus can offer as well as some cutting edge examples from around the world, including the launch of the first VR Campus in the MENA region by New Media Academy - a project he spearheaded personally.
Language : English
Topic : VR / AI / Robotics
Speaker:
Steve Bambury | EdTech Consultant
11:45 - 12:05Looking beyond the logos to teach digital resilience to our school communities
I bet in the last two years, you proved to yourself that you are a lot more digitally flexible than you realized. With your new found bendiness, I am sure you have noticed that there are certain skills that you have honed to ease your workflow and communication that are essential for your students to learn too, regardless of their device or software preference. So, break down the barriers between software and hardware providers! This talk will cover 4 skills that are essential to explicitly put into your teaching (and daily life), so that your students can develop their digital resilience and learn how to transfer skills that are essential for their study success, and beyond.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Linda Parsons | Innovation Lead, Al Futtaim Education Foundation
12:20 - 12:40Robotics is not just for competitions and STEM. It’s for the entire school curriculum!
Language : English
Topic : STEAM
Speaker:
Rob Widger | Global Education Director, Shape Robotics
12:55 - 13:15Role of Blockchain and Digital Currencies in the Smart Economy
Change is the only constant the world witnesses, and it is certainly inevitable. Toward the end of the 1990s, the information technology phenomenon had the world tied together, and the Internet has surely revolutionized the world. Considering it is only 20 odd years old, here comes another paradigm shift in the form of Internet of value or data technology. The economies around the world are considering, what may be the end of the largest Financial Intermediaries, The Banks! It was a fearful thought but so were the palm tops, where the tech gurus predicted that everyone will be walking around with a computer in their hands. The thought was scrapped by many, but it became a reality sooner than it was predicted.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Prof. Asma Salman | Blockchain Developer and Professor of Finance, American University in the Emirates
13:30 - 13:50Using Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)on Microsoft's educational community platform for professional development for teachers in Oman under Covid-19
The study measures the effectiveness of e-courses MOOCs on the Microsoft Learning Community in the professional development of teachers in Oman during the Covid-19. The study sample consisted of 180 teachers. It was applied in March 2020, and the reliability factor o was (0.966). The Findings showed: that teachers ’satisfaction with the use of e-courses in the Microsoft Community in the professional development of teachers in each field of study was very high. There are statistically significant differences at the level of significance (α≤0.05) in the degree of teacher satisfaction with the use of e-courses due to the gender variable in favor of teachers (male). There are no statistically significant differences at the significance level (α≤0.05) in the degree of teacher satisfaction due to the educational qualification and the years of experience. The study recommended widespread use of online training courses from Microsoft's Learning Community in teacher professional development.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Dr. Ali Almatari | Head of Department of Educational Technology, Ministry of Education, Oman
14:05 - 14:25Lessons learnt with EdTech and building a strategy moving forwards
Al would talk about the lessons we have learnt with the adoption of EdTech over the last 30 years, in particular during Covid, discussing effective ways to implement educational technology, measure impact, build a digital strategy and ensure the right, research informed approaches are adopted moving forwards.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Al Kingsley | Academy Chair & EdTech Author, Hampton Academies Trust and Richard Barnes Academy
14:40 - 15:00Are you and your Edtech partners ready for the next generation of technology?
Learning establishments and governments need to push suppliers to make the most of the latest technology as other industries are doing! In some ways technology is moving faster than education is taking this great enabler onboard. Data is the next big thing and this can deliver so many insights for Teachers, Head teachers, Parents and everyone who has an interest in learners progress. To support the increase in demand for individual learning, in a world where anytime anywhere learning will become more and more important, everyone needs to expect more and drive more demand for these latest technologies.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Nicholas Finnemore | Founder & Director, Finnemore Consulting Ltd
15:15 - 15:35Maker Learners: Learn to Make to Learn
For the successful implementation of Maker Ed in schools there is a specific type of technology integration that needs to happen. I call this 'Maker Learning'. I will describe some of the classroom activities that I have designed to bring more maker education into my science curriculum. I will share how I have used Arduino, Python programming and craft to teach important concepts in the STEAM subjects. To close I will briefly discuss a structure for implementing the language and tools of computational thinking, before addressing its potential for transforming the way we use technology to facilitate inquiry lead learning for all subjects.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Anthony Copeland | Middle School Curriculum Coordinator, Fairgreen International School
15:50 - 16:10Enhancing data tools for student engagement
The presentation will be about our transition from a single MIS school to an MIS group of schools and how we are using the tools and the data to analyse and increase our support for students onsite and online in these challenging times.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Jim Stearns | Deputy Principal / Head of Secondary School, Victoria International School of Sharjah (VISS)
16:25 - 16:455 reasons social media can transform your school
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Evo Hannan | Founder, Innovation X
MON 15 NOVEMBER
10:30 - 10:50The change from G-suit to Google Workspace, what has changed New Workspace tools for blended learning
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Paul Crossley | Education Director and Founder, Learn IT Academy (Google Education Partner)
11:05 - 11:25How NFTs and Blockchain will Disrupt Education
Do you know what an NFT is? Do you understand how blockchain works? In this unique session, Steve and Jeremy will share their journey into the world of NFTs in 2021 and expand on ways that this incredible, cutting-edge technology could be harnessed within the education sector to disrupt and transform existing systems.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speakers:
Steve Bambury | EdTech Consultant
Dr. Jeremy Williams | VP of Community, Monax
11:45 - 12:05A new model for the future of learning
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Adam Masters | Computing Teacher, JESS (Arabian Ranches)
12:20 - 12:40Who said motor skills can’t be enhanced in an e-learning setting?
Topic : Early Years
Speaker:
Nicole El Sayegh | Occupational therapist / Trainer
12:55 - 13:25How to use the distance learning experience to improve your face to face teaching methods
Based on our own successful experience of distance learning in Al Dhafra Private schools, I will discuss and share many ways to get the best benefits from such an amazing experience to be implemented and integrated in the daily face to face teaching experience. I will also mention all the required modifications needed to achieve the best blending for both experiences together. Additionally, I will enlighten the remarkable results such as enriching the teaching and learning process that for sure will lead to better education.
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Maram Hamarshe | Grade 3 teacher, Al Dhafra Private schools, Abu Dhabi.
13:40 - 14:00Teachers as Citizen Developers
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Faisal Ali Al Balushi | Chairman, Omani Society for Educational Technology
14:15 - 14:35K12 AI-Ed R&D and Policy Governance
AI technologies are fast changing, public and private sectors have been prioritizing AI-related initiatives across various domains in many countries, including the UAE. However, R&D efforts have to be made to understand the application value of AI-technologies in education, especially K12 education; public policy-makers have to take into account both AI methodologies and core domain knowledge in order to come up with governance structure that best serve public and private interests. This presentation focuses K12 AI-Ed R&D, industry examples, future directions, and discussions on policy-making implications.
Language : English
Topic : VR / AI / Robotics
Speaker:
Xin Miao | Lead researcher, Alef Education/Harvard Graduate School of Education
14:50 - 15:10Robotics and A.I. - 20 Minutes that Change Everything
Language : English
Topic : Curriculum
Speaker:
Dennis Kambeitz | Founder / CEO, Robots.Education
15:25 - 15:45Edtech - Challenges, Failings & Responsibilities
EdTech helped dramatically with the challenges of the last 18 months but didn’t deliver on the hope/aspirations that it may have promised. As we look to the future of education, how does edTech fit into the overarching challenges that face education? EdTech continues to promise a transformational experience, but is it actually meeting the promises that it makes? With a future that is seemingly framed around Big Data and AI, edTech needs to step up more than ever to meet its potential - and more than that, it must support educators to effectively and responsibly improve the learning experience.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Craig Shotland | CEO, Matific
16:00 - 16:20Change and innovation using technology
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Brijesh Karia | Chief Operating Officer, Singhania Education
16:35 - 17:00Enhancing the Online Proctoring process through Digital safeguard mechanisms
Innovation has been our vision at DPS Sharjah! And our mission, to endeavour to facilitate every possible opportunity that will foster such creativity in our students. The culture of the school is such that if there is a problem, there is a solution! And ‘Dipsites’ need to find it! As an educator, I firmly believe that “You can teach a student a lesson for a day, but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, it will be a lifetime of learning”. This is the key to modern-day education…where we encourage creativity and exploration of ideas and facilitate the channel for innovation from a very young age! Today the field of education has embraced innovation, and this has radically altered the process of learning across all levels.
Keeping this in mind, our Innovation Hub (IH) is established to nurture a collaborative community, self-directed learning, enabling physical and virtual spaces to promote creativity, and to bring an entrepreneurial and ‘giving’ culture amongst the youth. It was established keeping in mind the requirements of the 21st century skills, global perspective, joyful and experiential learning, and this would enable the ‘school as a community’ to become the hub of innovation and give students the opportunity to drive their passion beyond limits.
Schools must become incubation centers where these young innovators are facilitated the space to work on their creativity whilst pursuing their academic goals.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speakers:
Vandana Marwaha | Principal & Director, Delhi Private School, Sharjah
Aarush Rajani | Student, Delhi Private School Sharjah
TUE 16 NOVEMBER
10:30 - 10:50What will the classroom of the future look like? What we learnt from teaching during COVID.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Paul Crossley | Education Director and Founder, Learn IT Academy (Google Education Partner)
11:05 - 11:25Fast-track your digital content creation - for your students and yourself
In the modern education system, teachers increasingly expected to produce slick, engaging digital content. The problem is teachers also have a wide range of other responsibilities are are always struggling for time! In this practical session, Steve will demonstrate how to harness the free Canva platform to quickly and easily create a wide variety of digital content from social media posts to presentation decks to animations.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Steve Bambury | EdTech Consultant
11:45 - 12:05Incorporating 21st century skills in K-9 kids
Language : English
Topic : Curriculum
Speaker:
Mikin Lala | Co-Founder, LogIQids
12:20 - 12:40Using the versatility of any mobile device to interact with Fable from Shape Robotics
Most robotics can be programmed with a mobile device but Shape Robotics goes one step further by integrating the devices' sensors into the programs students create. A cool face app allows students to create social robots to enhance student motivation and interaction whilst opening opportunities for more cross-curricular work. Find out how one company is developing a true classroom-based robotics system using a magnetic system with programming in Blockly and Python.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Rob Widger | Global Education Director, Shape Robotics
12:55 - 13:15The experience of implementing an innovation fingerprint at Dibba Al Fujairah Secondary School
Members of the initiative Sheikha Al-Zyoudi - Safwah Marouf -School teachers according to projects annually
Objectives Mechanism and steps for implementing innovative projects:
The most challenges 2016-2018 Among the solutions: Achievements and competitions Future plan:
Evaluation and follow-up:
2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020
The number of students on the initiative: 16 13 17 23
Innovations applied:
3 2 4 1
The number of students in national exhibitions:
3 8 11 3
Language : Arabic
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Shaikhah-Ali AlZeyoudi | Computer Science Teacher, Ministry of Education, Dibba Al Fujairha Secondary School
13:30 - 13:50Educational technology beyond times of crisis: Implications from systematic reviews of research
The role of technology in education has been further amplified by the world having gone through the nuts and bolts of dealing with an unprecedented global pandemic. In this session, we will present lessons learned from substantive meta-analyses and systematic reviews about technology integration to help guide policy and decision makers along with practitioners as they plan for the future of education. The session will cover findings and implications from the following projects:
- Second-order M-A of technology integration since 1984–2009 across subject areas and educational levels
- Large-scale primary M-A of classroom technology integration studies in post-secondary education with follow up M-As that focus on subcollections:
– Blended learning
– Designed interaction treatments
– Pedagogical underpinnings of technology use in teacher education
- Systematic review and M-A of tablet use in educational practices – with or without a pedagogical framework – and their effect on learning outcomes
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Dr. Rana Tamim | Advisor to The Provost and Former Dean of the College of Education at Zayed University
14:05 - 14:25Machine Teaching: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Secondary School Education
There is a lot of noise around Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED). There are some amazing claims being made by those looking ahead at what AI might soon be capable of doing. How do we know if these claims are worth our attention? What does AI mean for teachers today? and How can we use it right now? How might we be able to use it in a year? Five years? This is a workshop on AI made by an educator for educators. By the end of this session you will have a working definition for AI in the context of education and you will better understand the variety of ways that AI is already being leveraged to transform learning and teaching. Towards the end of the session we will discuss which technologies are likely to appear next and their implication for learning, and we will consider how school leaders can best prepare themselves for the upcoming changes.
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Speaker:
Anthony Copeland | Middle School Curriculum Coordinator, Fairgreen International School
14:40 - 15:10A fireside chat with NFT superstar student Yasmeen Suleiman
Language : English
Topic : Digital / eLearning
Moderator:
Niall Statham | Head of PE / SLT, Hartland International School
Speaker:
Yasmeen Suleiman | Student, Hartland International School