HCT Strengthens Mobile Technology Integration with 2nd Mobile Learning Conference

Higher Colleges of Technology 2nd Mobile Learning Conference

The Higher Colleges of Technology ( HCT ), the UAE’s largest higher education institution and a member of the International Association for Mobile Learning, showcased its leadership in the integration of mobile learning and technologies in education, when it hosted its second Mobile Learning Conference at the HCT -Dubai Men’s College today.

The one-day conference, held under the theme of Towards a Smarter City, will see hundreds of educational and technology experts from the Higher Colleges of Technology and other UAE-based institutions gather to discuss, share and deconstruct ideas, developments and best practices relating to mobile and technology-based learning in the United Arab Emirates.

The learning forum is a continuation of a series of highly successful instructional and collaborative training and instructional events that took place over the 2012/13 academic year, which involved the UAE’s federal higher education institutions. It follows on from the HCT ’s highly successful mLearning Festival held in December 2013.

The guest speakers, whose expertise lies in mobile learning, include:

    Dr Rick Van Sant, Senior eLearning Strategist for Blackboard
    Dr Mohamed Ally, Athabasca University
    Dr Jan Herrington, Murdoch University
    Dr Ke Zhang, Wayne State University
    Sharifa Hajjat, DWC and founder of the Arab E-Learning Academy

Dr Mohamed Ally from Athabasca University will discuss his latest book on mobile technologies while Dr Jan Herrington of Murdoch University will speak on her area of expertise, being authentic e-Learning. Dr Ke Zhang of Wayne State University will share her research findings in collaborative technology.

Dr Tayeb Kamali, Vice Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology , said the second mobile learning conference continued the forward momentum of mobile learning and technology integration in higher education.

"The Higher Colleges of Technology have achieved so much in the field of mobile learning and the integration of the mobile technology into our teaching and learning pedagogy. This dedication to mobile technologies demonstrates our ongoing commitment to excellence in education, which has a strong focus on successful student learning outcomes in technology and innovation," Dr Kamali said.

"We are very proud of our commitment to providing our students with a technology-enhanced learning environment equipped with cutting-edge devices and practices, so that they can enter the workforce with the skills, knowledge and confidence to succeed in this increasingly technology-focused world," he added.

In keeping with the concept of those previous events, this conference will provide an occasion for educators to share their experiences and ideas, through conversations, case studies, workshops and panel discussions about using mobile technology for teaching and learning.

It featured over forty, 45-minute interactive workshop sessions throughout the day which were centred on the integration of the mobile technology into teaching and learning and will involve detailed case studies, workshops, demonstrations and panel discussions.

The sessions were designed to share ideas and experiences surrounding teaching and learning with mobile technology. Some of the session topics included:

    Microsoft: Mobility & Education: Re-imagining the classroom
    Independent Learning Centres Expanding Digital Literacy Across the Curriculum
    Integrating Mobile Technology Seamlessly Into Your Lesson Planning and Course Delivery
    Zondle - Game-Based Learning in Action
    Using Engaging Apps with Your Students to Make Them Active Learners
    Business Simulation for Mobile Devices
    E-book Apps and Designing
    Supporting Struggling Students Using Mobile Technology
    How to Use Instagram in Language Classes
    Utilizing Education’s Complete Digital Mobile Solutions in the Classroom

second Mobile Learning Conference is organise with a big contribution from Watani, Khalifa Fund, DELL, Blackboard, Edutech, Echo 360, nearpod, Softchalk, Articulate Storyline, Vanerum, Convergent, K12, Oxford University Press, Clarity, McGraw Hill-mheducation and Microsoft.