81,000 teachers accomplish distance learning skills

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

More than 81,000 certificates have been awarded so far to the participants of ‘How to Become an Online Tutor in 24 Hours’ and ‘Design an Online Course in 24 Hours’ courses, launched by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU), Dubai, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, UAE.

The University’s courses have received an overwhelming response with over 92,000 participants from more than 60 countries registering for the two free online e-courses, which are available in English and Arabic.

The success of the two courses titled ‘How to Become an Online Tutor in 24 Hours’ and ‘Design an Online Course in 24 Hours’ led to 6,300 discussion sessions, with more than 81,000 certificates distributed so far.

Educational professionals from the UAE topped the list with 63,355 certificates, followed by Kuwait and KSA with 1657 and 1523 certificates respectively. The new courses have been attracting increased number of participants from more than 60 countries, including, in addition to the UAE, Kuwait and KSA, USA, India, Bahrain, Egypt, Oman, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia and Morocco, among others.     

The two new courses are offered online for free in Arabic and English. The first course, titled ‘How to Become an Online Tutor in 24 Hours,’ focuses on several themes namely online education technology landscape; online learning management tools; communication tools; and production and content creating tools. The second course titled ‘Design an Online Course in 24 Hours’ focuses on the skills needed to design online educational courses and the designing and planning of online lessons using advanced educational tools.   

Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and General Security in Dubai and Chairman of HBMSU’s Board of Governors, pointed out that the UAE offers the world a great model that is capable of redefining the education system and enabling it to respond efficiently and effectively to emerging global changes and challenges.

He added that preparing academic professionals to lead education in the digital era remains at the forefront of the UAE’s strategic priorities in order to ensure easy access to quality education. This kind of education will prepare younger generations to achieve academic excellence at the global level and will contribute to shaping the future of the country in line with the insightful vision of our wise leadership.

As schools and universities across the country started the first day of distance learning on Sunday (March 22), His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said, “Schools are closed, but education will never stop. The UAE is the most well-equipped nation for smart learning.”

Attending a virtual class offered by UAE teacher Amal Nasser Zaid on the first remote school day, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum reaffirmed that the educational process across the UAE schools will continue with the highest degree of efficiency as the world faces global coronavirus, COVID-19, outbreak that prevented over half of the world’s student population from going to school.

He said, “Learning continues at a distance, and from anywhere, because education is the main driver of the development of nations.”

In a message to students, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, “Never stop learning. Education shapes life and whoever stops learning, stops living.” He added, “We heavily invested in smart learning over the past decade, and today, we are witnessing the fruitful results.”

He noted, “The UAE has one of the most advanced digital infrastructures in the world and the region’s best smart learning systems. Our growth and progress have no limit.” He said, “We are facing a new challenge in our journey of development and we will overcome it like we did with previous challenges. We will emerge even stronger because we collectively believe that the word impossible does not exist in the UAE’s dictionary.”