AMMAN (JT) - Her Majesty Queen Rania on Wednesday followed up on progress achieved so far in equipping public schools with technology and tools to facilitate the learning process under the Jordan Education Initiative (JEI).
During a visit to Al Shaffa Bint Awf Secondary School for Girls in Jabal Nazif, the Queen got a first-hand look at the use of the technological applications introduced to the institution.
A total of 750 grade 7 to 12 students are enrolled in the school, which was established in 1994. The school employs 31 teachers and 10 administrative staff members.
The Queen attended a class in the science lab, where the teacher and the students used the interactive "smart" whiteboard connected to a computer.
Asking the students about the benefits acquired from the new technology installed at their school, the Queen also addressed the importance of technological teaching aids that were introduced to schools in talks with JEI Executive Officer Haif Bannayan and the school principal Manal Qadoura.
Under the initiative, 100 Discovery Schools were equipped with technological infrastructure, in cooperation with the public and the private sectors, to upgrade teachers' and students' skills.
The Queen also checked on several classes where the teachers were using the latest technology.
In one class, where the students were divided into groups, the teacher was using technology to deliver an Arabic language lesson.
In another classroom, the Queen attended part of a mathematics lesson, delivered by one of the teachers who benefited from the training programme conducted by the initiative in cooperation with Harvard University.
She also attended part of an English language lesson, which was presented via the interactive board and where students were interacting with the sound and the visual images.
The Queen exchanged ideas with the teacher and the students on the teaching technique and how it enriches the curriculum and presents it in practical manner.
Checking a room that the school hopes to transform into a "creativity" centre to benefit students, teachers and other local residents, the Queen expressed interest in providing the facility with computers and video equipment.
During its second stage, the initiative is working closely with eight of the 100 Discovery Schools that have already been equipped with computers and other teaching technology to boost their use of the technology, through advanced scholastic programmes, according to Bannayan.
The mission is being implemented with the support of the Arab Development and Education Reform Company and Microsoft.
© Jordan Times 2008
