YOUNG MINDS, FRESH IDEAS

TECHNOLOGY GIVES STUDENTS SPACE TO THINK OUT OF THE BOX

There was a time when classrooms were considered a fortress of traditions, governed by blackboards, chalk and piles of textbooks.

Cutting-edge technology and the subsequent need to incorporate it within our education system has broken through this fortress and paved the way for technology as a learning aid.

Imagine a lecture hall full of students in 3D glasses, observing a hologram of the human brain, or planets in the solar system. This is the reality in Dubai, where a super-highspeed fibre-optic network connects classrooms and labs and science lessons are delivered on a 3D platform. 3D learning draws student attention, and can help make abstract concepts easier to grasp. It beats watching a grainy video on a rolled-in television cart.

Unlike most schools, Our Own English High School has been built upon the principle, ‘Leading through learning’, which has set in stone, the path for a newer generation of bold thinkers with fresh ideas.

Our school has an innovation department. Headed by its captains, it has flourished in accordance with the National Agenda. Not only does it focus on providing a technologybased curriculum, but also encourages students to pursue an interactive lifestyle.

Our school has invested a lot of time and hard work in two specific segments — the Formula One initiative and Robotics.

Students aren’t the only beneficiaries. Newer methods of teaching have come up including the use of online apps to engage a larger crowd. Apps like Kahoot, Neopod and Padlet provide a safe online space for students to enthusiastically share their views as well as work towards a certain topic.

I truly believe that innovation within the realms of education supports the student fraternity to endure the trials of today and work towards those of tomorrow. While it is a work in progress, one thing is certain: our future will be nothing less than marvellous no matter the circumstances.

The real asset of any nation is in its people … and the prosperity and success of a country are measured by the standard of education available to all its citizens.” Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan