MUSCAT -- The opening ceremony of the 14th edition of the Oman International ELT (English Language Teaching) Conference, organised by the Language Centre of Sultan Qaboos University, commenced yesterday under the patronage of Dr Abdulmunim bin Mansour bin Said al Hasani, Minister of Information. This year's conference is focusing on bridging traditions and innovations in English language teaching. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Saleh al Busaidy, Director of the Language Centre at SQU, said that the current technologies undoubtedly give more possibilities for communication and interaction. "However, there is a lot to learn before we can confidently say that these innovations have made an impact on learning.
Many of us are battling to keep up with the technological advancements. By the time we learn how to use something we find that something else has come up. With the increasing reliance on computers and the internet, we need to educate our students about the best practices so that they avail from the endless opportunities these innovations provide for learning", he said. Last year, the Language Centre at SQU in collaboration with some private colleges and universities in Oman hosted the first Peer Tutoring Symposium. This symposium served as a venue for students who worked as peer tutors in their respective institutions. 'Peer tutors' refers to students, normally senior ones, who help other students in learning.
Dr Busaidy said that the peer tutors show extraordinary commitment and passion for work in helping their fellow students. "We strongly believe that these peer tutors are the future teachers, and indeed innovators and leaders. This year, we are having the second symposium. A range of sessions and workshops have been scheduled for this one day event" he said. "The Language Centre Director congratulated his colleagues at the Tutorial Centre at SQU for organising the symposium. Khalfan al Kemyani, Conference Chair, said that the two-day conference features 88 presentations that will discuss 35 sub themes derived from the main theme "bridging traditions and innovations". These presentations include two plenary speeches, four poster presentations, 57 paper presentations, 21 workshops and four certified workshops.
Commenting on the theme of the conference, Al Kemyani said that we always talk about the newest and the best method of teaching and the newest and the best way of learning. "While this is true and we need to strived find this newest method, it should be based on history and tradition to a certain extent. Innovations are at least partly based on some of our traditions. Some of the learners still practice traditional learning . Yet new and more innovative methods might sound very helpful to others. With the new invasion of technology and mobile devices, there is also a third dimension for learning that we do need to pay attention to. With the traditional method and the new innovative method, technology can play a major role on both sides" he said.
In the first key note address Prof Mark Pegrum from the University of Western Australia, spoke about "principles and practices of mobile learning". His presentation surveyed recent trends in mobile technologies and outlined types of mobile learning and agendas of mobile learning which are seen around the world. On the second day, the second keynote speaker Dr Susan Barduhn from SIT Graduate Institute Brattleboro, Vermont, USA, will deliver a talk on cohort based learning.
© Oman Daily Observer 2014
