Qatar Foundation Concludes First 'Innovation in Teaching Week'

Qatar Foundation’s (QF’s) inaugural ‘Innovation in Teaching Week’ has come to a close. The cross-university event saw lecturers and deans from QF’s partner universities, as well as guest speakers, come together to explore innovative teaching methods and the future of learning.

The gathering enabled faculty within Education City to share insights on how to build innovative teaching and learning ecosystems that address the needs of learners in a complex and fast-changing world. Some of the topics included: ‘Technology in the Classroom: An Active Learning Approach’, ‘Learning with Databases in the Humanities: Using Evernote in the Classroom’, ‘The Pedagogical Value of an Image’, and ‘Learning How to Learn: Powerful Mental Tools to Help you Master Tough Subjects.’

Omran Al-Kuwari, Acting CEO, QF, said: “We are delighted with the feedback we have received from our inaugural ‘Innovation in Teaching Week.’ This initiative is set to become a regular platform that facilitates and promotes meaningful discussion among faculty of universities within Education City, and encourages the sharing of expert knowledge and best practices, which, in turn, can be incorporated into classrooms across campus.

“Innovation is the cornerstone of QF’s objective to pursue new knowledge. This program underscores the value of collaboration in Education City’s multidisciplinary education ecosystem - an ecosystem that strives to nurture students and empower educators,” Al Kuwari said.

As part of the event, guest speaker Barbara Oakley, Professor of Engineering at Oakland University, Michigan, spoke about her personal learning journey, discussing how people can change and grow, no matter their age or stage of life.

Mary Dedinsky, Director of Journalism and Strategic Communication Program, and Associate Professor in Residence, Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q), said: “It’s extremely useful to bring together faculty who are trying to solve the same problems—a lot of ideas result from these gatherings. We are able to learn about things that could be helpful to our students other than the ‘tried-and-true’ teaching methods.”

The inaugural event concluded with the announcement of ‘Education City Innovation in Teaching Grant’ (ECITG), a yearly grant designed to encourage, recognize, and reward educators across Education City who wish to implement creative and innovative pedagogical approaches in the classroom.

Nominated ECITG projects will be showcased at national and international education forums through multiple formats, including the World Innovation Summit for Education and international academic journals.

The ‘Innovation in Teaching Week’ talks took place Georgetown University in Qatar, Texas A&M University at Qatar, NU-Q, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, and Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar.