Al Alamiah Electronics' real time e-learning project, using specially integrated solutions, meets with great success. This success opens new possibilities for carrying out similar projects throughout KSA, at over 100 colleges nationwide, and with lecturers from outside KSA.


16/10/2003
 
Saudi Arabia recently took part in a unique experiment for broadcasting educational lectures across its wide geographical territories. The process involved transmitting a simulated university lecture from the head office in Jeddah, via closed circuit monitors, to the lecture halls of the Girls Colleges Agency (GCPA) in Jeddah and Riyadh.
 
This real time, direct transmission of lectures between Riyadh and Jeddah via satellite, is part of the e-learning project launched by Dr. Abdulla Bin Ali Al Hassien, Minister, GCPA, Ministry of Education in KSA.
 
Al Alamiah Electronics, the company operating this technology, gave a detailed presentation of the various methods available for satellite transmission of educational lectures, and a demonstration of the many learning applications this technology offers which enables students to receive lectures as if they were attending the lecture face to face with their instructors.
 
Plans are on the way to replicate this highly successful experiment throughout at all 102 colleges within GCPA throughout the kingdom.
 
“In view of the Ministry of Education, GCPA, keen interest in further developing and equipping the 102 colleges throughout the Kingdom, GCPA has been planning for the real time e-learning project for the past year, studying it from every possible angle to ensure success,” commented Dr. Al Hassien.
 
Eng. Nadar Amin, General Manager, Services & Products, Al Alamiah, the company operating this project, explained that complete privacy is a vital feature of this impenetrable system, as it uses encoding and encryption technologies. Another important aspect of this system is that it is no longer necessary to have educational experts in every field in every province within KSA, as it is now possible to broadcast lectures directly from the location of the educational experts to any university or college, no matter the distance. Electronic boards have already been installed at some colleges preparing them to receive future broadcasts via satellite.
 
The execution of this project depends on establishing a real time e-learning core in Riyadh. This core will include three studios, an equipped broadcasting center for the transmission of lectures to all colleges, a center for designing the curriculum on a special website, as well as an electronic library and archives. It is also necessary to establish receiving stations at all the colleges across the kingdom so that all students may receive the lectures at special halls inside the college.
 
It is worth noting that all the practical steps undertaken by GCPA, The Computer & IT Administration, to execute real time e-learning are part of its efforts to support traditional learning methods, with the amount of 16 million riyals being earmarked for this large-scale national project for the current school year.
 
The second phase of the project involves designing the curriculum electronically, uploading it to the internet at a specially created website, and connecting it to the e-learning center. This will add extra features to experience, such as direct interaction via the internet, assisting the teaching process, encouraging the exchange of ideas between the students, or between students and lecturers, via email and related chat rooms.
 
In addition to its uses within the Kingdom, GCPA believes that it would be possible to benefit further from this technology by receiving broadcasts from outside the Kingdom, if such educational arrangements are made with external teaching bodies, or to discuss future educational agreements, as well as processing acceptance and registration procedures for undergraduate and higher education programs available at GCPA, and generally strengthening the educational position of the Agency.
 
-Ends-
 
Editors notes:
Al Alamiah Electronics, KSA
http://www.alamiah.com.sa
 
Al Alamiah Electronics, KSA, was founded in 1982, fast becoming one of the largest comprehensive integrated solutions providers in KSA.
 
The company has many branches throughout the Kingdom, and is rated 61 on the list of the largest companies in KSA, as well as being the unrivalled and largest IT company in the Kingdom.
 
The company’s main activities include IT consultations, comprehensive integrated solutions projects, internet & networking security consultations & solutions, as well as advanced for local & broad networks.
 
Al Alamiah Electronics offers the best maintenance services, the best IT qualified personnel and is the authorized dealer for many IT products in the retail & wholesale markets, which include companies such as: Dell, Extreme, Nortel, Acer & 3COM.
 
Company’s address
Al Alamiah Electronics
P.O. Box 5954 Riyadh 11432
Tel: (+966-1) 477 0106
Fax: (+966-1) 478 3984
Email: main@alamiah.com.sa
 
Contacts:
Nader Amin                          
nader@anet.net.sa                              
General Manager,
Services & Products
 
Mahmoud Sheha                 
mahmoud.shika@al-alamiah.com     
General Manager,
Projects &   
Solutions
                                                                     
Sami Saeed                           
sami@anet.net.sa                                              
General Manager,
Sales & Marketing

© Press Release 2003