Sharjah webinar links 105 schools

A disabled student clears a doubt with Marwan Anwar Shwaiki during a webinar organised at the Sharjah Science Museum as part of the Innovation Week. - Photo by M.Sajjad

As part of the innovation week a webinar for students linking 105 schools across the UAE was organised on Tuesday at the Sharjah Museum in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Sharjah Education Council, Sharjah Museums Department (SMD) and Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme (MBRSLP).
The webinar organised to coincide with the nationwide campaign to make a culture of innovation a defining element of UAE society, the event linked students with an astrophysics and astronomy expert.
In the first of a series of webinar sessions to be held at Sharjah Science Museum, students including ones with special needs participated by listening and directing questions to an astrophysics expert, unlocking a new universe of knowledge exchange between the museum and the smart learning schools.
Ayesha Saif, Secretary-General of the Sharjah Education Council said: "Stronger cooperation amongst education stakeholders in the UAE is vital to achieve the nation's objectives and attain the goals of UAE Vision 2021. UAE Innovation Week is an extension of this goal and we are proud of our consolidated efforts with the Ministry of Education to make innovation in education a reality."
Through the use of interactive live streaming, students from 105 different schools including Al Amal School for Deaf Students, part of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, participated with simultaneous interpretation provided to students with hearing impairment. The webinar also featured Marwan Anwar Shwaiki, Planetarium Director in Sharjah Centre for Astronomy and Space Sciences.
Commenting at the event, Marwan said: "We have the technology and the best possible support to initiate a fundamental shift in how we can shape the lives of our students and produce the UAE's next generation of scientists. Teaching students about astronomy and space - how big the universe is, how small our planet is and how unique mankind and other species are - will prepare the new generation of students, of different cultures, to accept each other and live in harmony and peace."
Earlier in the week Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Program and Sharjah Museums Department signed a MoU to strengthen its efforts to make the vision of a knowledge centric, learning-driven population a reality.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com