Students of Jebel Ali School in Dubai interact with their counterparts from Makini School in Nairobi.
Dubai - The life-size digital classroom session saw students of both the countries sitting face to face as if in a classroom together.
Published: Sat 9 Jul 2016, 9:41 PM
Last updated: Sun 10 Jul 2016, 9:00 AM
Over 140 students from the UAE and Kenya recently engaged in live, face-to- face interactions through immersive digital experience that removes boundaries and bridges time-zones and cultures.
As part of its efforts to inspire youth to consider careers in technology, Cisco brought together students from Jebel Ali School in Dubai with their counterparts from Makini School in Nairobi, Kenya, through Cisco Telepresence.
Aligned with Cisco's vision of 'changing the way we work, live, play and learn,' the immersive digital experience provided the students an opportunity to engage live across continents to share insights into their daily lives while gaining first-hand access to the latest technology.
The students (of UAE and Kenya schools) connected with each other through Cisco's TelePresence video technology at the company's offices in Dubai, UAE and Nairobi, Kenya. They were excited to interact with their cross-continent counterparts in real time through a vivid and true-to- life experience as if everyone was in the same location.
Students from both sides gave insightful overviews on what living in a vastly different country was like, including the different chores their typical day entails. This stimulated questions and a lively interaction in which some UAE students decided to flaunt their knowledge of Swahili and an impromptu recital of the well-known Kenyan "Jambo Bwana" song took place.
Teachers from both sides moderated and ensured everyone got to speak and ask questions.
On their part, the Kenyan students made a presentation on Kenya - its location, neighbouring country, types of homes, food, Big 5 in animals, Nairobi being the only Capital city with a National Park etc.
The UAE students wanted to know what their counterparts liked, disliked, how they spent their free time, what they liked doing etc. The favourite question from the Kenyan side was on the Burj Khalifa, which the UAE students happily answered, sharing details of the building.
"Today's session really left an impression on the students as it allowed them to share their experiences and culture with others thousands of miles away. It was like a school trip to Kenya, and then we're back by lunch!" said Jennifer Foote, teacher at Jebel Ali School.
"The impact can be seen in the energy of the students, the quality of discussions that took place, and the different kind of information that they have retained from students of their age about how life and communities truly are thousands of miles away."
Den Sullivan, head of software, Cisco EMEAR, said: "Our aim is to inspire eager young minds and illustrate the power of technology and connectivity. It's incredible to see the kind of ideas this generation is able to come up with once you spur their imagination and open their eyes to the possibilities. It was exciting to hear how they view IoT from unconventional, fresh perspectives," Den added.
saman@khaleejtimes.com
iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
