Zayed University recently hosted its maiden 4th Annual World Blended Learning Conference, organised jointly by the Zayed University Centre of Academic Innovation and the International Association of Blended Learning for the first time in the Middle East.
The conference presented an opportunity to exchange experiences in the field of integrated education. It included 86 workshops and panel discussions, conducted by 90 speakers and experts from 18 countries.
Dr. Agnieszka Palalas, President of the International Association for blended learning, said, "It is a great opportunity to bring students and professors to the region to exchange experiences on this new educational pattern, which we have been developing and publishing over the years in cooperation with many academic institutions and universities from around the world."
"It is our 4th international conference, the first was held four years ago in Kavala Greece, followed by a conference in Toronto Canada, then before reaching UAE this year, we stopped by Polish capital, Warsaw."
Dr. Mohammed AlZakari, President of the Arab Open University, said, "We participated in this conference to showcase the experience of our university as the first university in the region to adopt this method of modern education."
Dr. Christina Gitsaki, a Scientific Research Coordinator at the Zayed University Center for Educational Innovation, said, "The conference brought together teachers and experts in the blended learning education, which is meant to blend traditional teacher roles in classrooms with virtual classrooms and e-lessons."
The conference discussed the benefits and features of blended learning education, which promotes flexible and active education by integrating individual and cooperative activities and projects instead of the traditional educational means. It also highlighted a student's potential to employ more than a single method of learning and chose the appropriate one based on his or her abilities and skills, among many electronic and traditional methods.
The event was held at the Zayed University Conference Center in Dubai.
|