06-11-2019

Oman Observer

Muscat: The Ministry of Education launched the new educational platform, on the sidelines of the second day of Oman Science Festival 2019.

Shaikh Mohammed al Toobi, Advisor of the Ministry of Education, said: “The new educational platform comes as a substitute to the educational forum working since 2002. The project comes from the need to keep up with the new technological developments to create an interactive environment on a large scale to disseminate and communicate information to the largest segment of our students and all employees of the educational process and society in general.” The second day of the festival began with a discussion session under the title “The Role of STEM in Promoting Learning in the Light of the Fourth Industrial Revolution”.

The discussion session included five papers presented by various institutions. Mark Langley from STEM Centre at York University in UK, presented the first paper titled “Supporting STEM Education: How Rolls-Royce and the STEM Ambassador network effectively engages primary and secondary education with STEM industries, leading to a wider benefit to society”.

Siham al Saidi, a teacher from Al Batinah North Governorate, presented the second paper titled “STEM Oman: Omani Experience of STEM Programme”. The third paper came under the title: “An Introduction to Makers Oman” presented by Dr Peter Mason from Makers Oman. Dr JP Keener Director for Mathematics, Science and STEM programme in the State of Florida in US presented a paper titled “In Search for the Perfect STEM”. Paul Landers presented the last paper titled “The Potential of 5G to Transform STEM Skill Development”.

The festival also saw a second discussion session in the afternoon under the title “Supporting and Promoting Science and Innovation” and it included four papers. The first paper came under the title “Science and Innovation in a Changing World” delivered by Erick Jacquemyn, a leading expert in science centres, innovation centres and interactive scientific museums. Dr Daniel Glaser, a neuroscientist and founding director of Landon Science Fair presented the second paper.

Dr Charles Troutman, visiting researcher at Cornell University and former director of the Ithaca Science Centre in New York, presented the third paper titled “Brain Science: The Key to Success in the 4th Industrial Revolution”.

The fourth paper came under the title “The National Strategy for Research and Development 2040” presented by Dr Jameela al Harthiya, Project manager of the National Strategy for Scientific Research and Development 2040 at the Research Council. — ONA