Student-friendly classrooms ‘vital for learning’ (23/02/2008)

Student-friendly classrooms ‘vital for learning’

By Bonnie James
ASPECTS such as student-friendly architecture and furniture design, overlooked often, are vital components of interactive learning, the ideal method of education, a visiting expert in innovative educational techniques has said. “Theatre-style classrooms are not suitable and they should either be circular or hexagonal so that all students could sit around the teacher for best results,” Prof Marmar Mukhopadhyay told Gulf Times in an interview.

 
The director of Educational Technology and Management Academy (India), and consultant to organisations including Unesco, Unicef, Commonwealth of Learning, World Bank, and British Council was in Doha to attend Unesco’s Regional Conference for the Arab States on Mid-Term Review for Education for All, which concluded on Thursday.
Explaining that furniture design was a key element in creating a conducive environment for learning, Prof Mukhopadhyay who has held a host of positions in India and abroad, recalled that he once cut the legs of chairs in a classroom to bring them to a comfortable height in proportion to the tables.
“A child tracking system, which we introduced in thousands of schools in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and learning management system are essential tools which augment effective learning,” he maintained.
The child tracking system database has exhaustive personal and background information on each student that could give insights into possible causes if he or she fails to come to school and prompt teachers to do the necessary
follow-up.
The learning management system keeps track of the strengths and weaknesses of the students and is a ready source of information for teachers to ensure remedial action whenever needed.
Prof Mukhopadhyay, a trainer, speaker, rural social activist, a former chairman of National Open School, New Delhi, and a long-time member of the Indian Planning Commission’s working committees, suggested that curriculum development should be brain compatible.
“The problem with today’s curriculum is that the child feels a foreigner as it does not fit in with the brain map that he or she has developed over five or six years of life,” he observed.
This happens because a child’s brain map is based on his or her background and upbringing about which the curriculum designers, who mostly rely on general ideas or principles rather than specific examples or real events, have no clue.
On the basis of the finding that children who attend more classes are better performers, Prof Mukhopadhyay once experimented by introducing special programmes in music and sports at a school resulting in a reduction in the dropout rate from 49% to 17% in three years.
“The extra-curricular programmes to be introduced have to be selected according to the local or regional tastes or preferences to ensure that the package is really attractive for children,” he stated.
A former vice president (Asia) of International Council of Distance Education, Oslo, Norway, Prof Mukhopadhyay, stressed that teachers should be good communicators too, apart from having a good knowledge of the subject.
“The present day teacher training is focused on cognitive competence alone whereas emotional competence is a crucial factor for better links with students,” he said.
Referring to the problems faced by the Arab region in the educational sector, Prof Mukhopadhyay was of the view that there is a lack of highly trained individuals who could guide others.
“The Arab countries also have to create and generate knowledge, and children should learn to discover knowledge and make it a habit so as to stop depending on imported knowledge,” he added.

Silicon Valley guru prescribes recipes for success (29/5/2008)

Silicon Valley guru prescribes recipes for success

By Bonnie James

ALLOW a lot of decisions to be made at the lowest management level. This was one of the key messages that Silicon Valley icon and Apple Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak gave at the QSTP TECHtalks – The 2008 Conference yesterday.
The ‘computer geek turned cult icon’, who helped shape the computing industry with his design of Apple’s first line of products, held the audience captive with a keynote address that highlighted the secrets of his success.
The inventor of the first ready-made personal computer, who collaborated with marketing genius SteveJobs in 1977 to launch Apple from a garage, also gave a fascinating narrative of his experiments combining computer circuitry with a regular typewriter keyboard and a video screen, which resulted in the Apple I.
“I had a natural talent in mathematics and loved electronics when I did it,” Wozniak, who retired from Apple in 1985, later told Gulf Times, tracing the evolution of his growth.
Earlier, he told the gathering that not having resources could make one, like in his case, think of how to do things in an inexpensive way.
“I am a strong believer in repetition,” said the recipient of America’s highest honour for leading innovators, the National Medal of Technology from President Reagan in 1985, while observing that he has redesigned his computer over and over again.
But what Wozniak, now 58, considers really important in inventors and innovators is that they should have that urge to do something new.
“You have to really believe in yourself and that your ideas are good for the world,” said the former designer of scientific calculators at Hewlett-Packard, which turned him down five times when he broached the concept of making a personal computer.
Having passion (in the work one does) is worth a lot more than money, and having the drive will lead one to find the resources, he said while recalling that he wrote the entire code for developing Apple II by hand.
Wozniak’s advice to managers was not to control everything tightly from the top.
“Make sure your employees are dedicated and have passion. Allow lot of decisions to be made at the lowest management level. Let them build. Like at Google, allow them to try their own ideas,” he said.
Inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 2000, Wozniak urged all potential entrepreneurs, inventors and innovators to never try to do average work. “Always aim for excellence,” he stated.
Asked if he would consider taking up some project in Qatar Science & Technology Park, Wozniak told Gulf Times he would strongly think about it.
“I am trying to develop a start-up company to work on a couple of different projects I have in mind,” he said.
Wozniak also expressed appreciation for the vision of Qatar’s leadership to invest in education, research, and science and technology.

Souq pigeons in a flap (24/4/2008)

Souq pigeons in a flap
By Bonnie James

THE captivating sight of hundreds of pigeons soaring into the sky from their favourite feeding ground in the Souq area could soon become a fond memory as construction work is set to begin there.The dawn-to-dusk gathering of the feathered friends, to feast on an abundant supply of grains from bird lovers, has been a a major attraction for several years.
The first warning sign that the pigeons would have to move from their original haunt came some weeks ago when the parking lot of the old mosque was cordoned off in preparation for building work.
Bird lovers were quick to shift the pigeons’ feeding ground to the adjacent open area, which is larger than the parking lot.
This open area, behind a row of buildings that were demolished some months ago as part of the ongoing development plans, is barricaded from three sides now.
Though vehicle traffic across the ground has been blocked, pedestrian movement is allowed for now, allowing people to deliver grain for the pigeons.
An expatriate, who was seen emptying a bag of grain on the ground at noon yesterday, said he used to do so whenever he came to the Souq area on business.
“Before leaving this area, I would buy some grain from a shop over there and give it to the pigeons. The sight of these birds rushing to peck at the grain warms my heart,” he said.
There are many individuals, some with their families, who visit the Souq area regularly to feed the pigeons.
“It is an enchanting scene to see the birds taking off when they sense some disturbance and return after some moments,” one such person recalled.
Though no official word could be obtained as to when construction would begin in the area, Gulf Times has learnt that it could be any day.
A bird lover expressed the hope that the authorities concerned would try to attract the pigeons to open ground near Souq Waqif, only a few hundred metres away.
“A big flock of these beautiful birds flying in and out of a busy commercial area is a welcome sight any day,” he added.

Standing ovation for wheelchair wonder (6/5/2008)

Standing ovation for wheelchair wonder

By Bonnie James

 ONLY one graduate received a standing ovation yesterday at the inaugural graduation of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar.
The student honoured was Anirban Lahiri, an Indian who fulfilled his ambition to study computer science at a Western university despite being confined to a wheelchair due to spinal muscular atrophy (Kugelberg disease) for several years.
Led by HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the entire audience stood up applauding when CMUQ dean Charles E Thorpe came down from the stage to present the Bachelor of Science diploma to Anirban.

Qatar’s coral reefs in peril, warns expert (18/5/2008)

Qatar’s coral reefs in peril, warns expert

By Bonnie JamesQATAR’S beautiful coral reefs are in grave danger of disappearing due to indiscriminate scuba diving and fishing activities, a researcher has warned.“Some scuba divers are using spear guns in the reefs and killing any fish that come their way,” Qatar University’s Environmental Studies Centre (ESC) director Mohsin al-Ansi told Gulf Times in an interview. While spear guns are banned in coral reefs all over the world, Qatar does not have specific legislation in this regard, he explained. “Some of these divers have even uploaded videos of ‘their catch’ on YouTube and this is such a shame on Qatar,” the researcher stated. During trips in the Qatari waters in the only dedicated research vessel in GCC countries, al-Ansi and his team had come across several shocking examples of rampant destruction of marine wealth. “A coral reef takes hundreds of years to grow and if the damage inflicted by human beings is coupled to the problems including high water temperature, we will see nothing later,” al-Ansi lamented. Referring to a video from Qatar on YouTube, he recalled seeing a scuba diver showing off as many as 30 grouper (a kind of fish) he caught with his spear gun. “How many would he eat, one, may be two, and the rest is discarded,” al-Ansi said while pointing out that grouper could not be found in the Bahraini and Kuwaiti waters and the same fate could befall Qatar. The researcher pointed out that coral reefs are equivalent to jungles on the land. “It is not only fish that gets life from the reefs, but thousands of different marine life forms,” he said. Asked if lack of awareness could be a reason for the use of spear guns, al-Ansi stated even educated people did that. “Some friends have told me that they would like to come along on my sea trips with their spear guns,” he maintained. Even the artificial reef balls, deployed by the ESC around Qatar, are not safe, when the ‘reckless’ scuba divers come to know about them. Some fishing boat operators also do extensive damage to the marine wealth, though Qatar stopped trawling since 1992, al-Ansi charged. “They deploy hundreds of metal traps, very long drift nets, and multi-lines with thousands of hooks, catching everything, collecting what they like and discarding the rest,” he said. Metal traps move with the current and hit against the reefs, damaging them. Drift nets, measuring up to 6km, scoop up fish indiscriminately, and the multi-lines also do the same. “Qatar and Oman are the only countries in the Gulf exporting fish, but the authorities concerned should think whether Qatar really needs the revenue from this export,” al-Ansi suggested. The researcher was of the view that the fact that Qatar has surplus catch for export is indicative of excess fishing. The anchors deployed by fishing boats are also damaging coral reefs and oyster beds. “We could substitute the traditional anchors with mooring buoys and floating anchors,” he observed. Qatar needs stringent laws, that are enforced effectively, to protect its marine environment and they should not be delayed any further, al-Ansi added.

Grieving Qatari girl’s heart-rending letter opens QU writing workshop (30/1/2008)

Grieving Qatari girl’s heart-rending letter opens QU writing workshop

By Bonnie James

“Dear Mom, This is the first time I am writing you a letter since you died. It is hard to remember that you are not with me,” the opening lines of Qatari girl Hissa al-Marri’s ‘free writing’ piece caused a sudden hush to fall over the audience.
When the youngster poured her heart out, describing how deeply she is missing her mother, who was her best friend, how lonely she felt at her graduation day, and that she is trying to be strong always like her mother, the listeners sat with rapt attention.
By the time Hissa finished reading, at the launch event of ‘Writing as Self-Discovery’ at the women’s campus of Qatar University (QU) yesterday, there were several moist eyes in the audience.
The Mass Communication graduate’s ‘letter to her mother’, who passed away in 2006, was an excellent example of the inherent talent hidden in everyone to do ‘free writing,’ described as writing spontaneously.
Hissa, who is now working for QU, and her friend Noura al-Suwaidi, a Banking and Financial Studies student of QU, are among those who have benefited from the writing workshops led by Carol Henderson, a writing coach from North Carolina, US.
“If 95% of Americans could write in a second language like these women, the world would be a better place,” remarked Henderson, an award-winning columnist who has written extensively for national magazines and newspapers in the US and Canada.
The weekly workshops, organised by QU’s Student Affairs Department and co-sponsored by the US State Department’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) small grant programme, run till February 14.
“The process of writing does not have to be an ordeal. If you can tell a story to someone then you can write, all you need is to put the pen to paper and let the words flow,” the coach said.
Henderson, who has conducted writing workshops at universities, church groups, prisons and other institutions, recalled that she has not found anyone who could not write.
“If you think you have nothing to write, write about nothing,” she said while pointing out that was the reply she gave to a student who told that she did not have any topic to write on.
Speaking about how the workshops are benefiting her, Noura al-Suwaidi said that now she has the ability to express her ideas better.
US embassy’s public affairs officer Joey Hood described the workshops as an example of ‘soft diplomacy’ that helps the American people to connect to people around the world.
“Projects like this stimulate people’s thinking and creativity and help build a civil society,” he said.
Hood also revealed that work is on to establish a children’s parliament, under the MEPI umbrella, in association with the Qatar Childhood Centre.
QU’s educational consultant Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar and library director Dalia Gohary also spoke.

Visiting US student revels in ‘experiencing’ Qatar (13/10/2005)

Visiting US student revels in ‘experiencing’ Qatar

By Bonnie James BRENDAN P Geary, a youngster from the US who landed in Qatar just over a month ago on a Fulbright student grant, is finding his experiences in this part of the world quite enlightening. “I have found Qataris to be very friendly and helpful, if not different from my previous interaction with Arabs, who have been primarily from Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan,” he told Gulf Times in an interview. Affiliated with the University of Qatar (QU), where he is conducting one of the primary modes of his research, Geary is also a student of the Arabic programme for non-native speakers, offered by its College of Arts and Sciences. “I am conducting a political-economy study of the natural gas sector in Qatar in order to garner a practical as well as theoretical understanding of how natural resources have influenced current business-government relations and how these relations are affecting and will affect Qatar’s regional and global political position,” he explained. As part of his research methodology, the Fulbright Student Grantee is auditing some classes on the modern history of Qatar and on the industrial development of the country. Geary is not new to the Arabic language or the region. “I first started studying the language when I lived in Jerusalem in the spring of 2000,” he recalled. The youngster was spending a semester abroad through the University of Notre Dame, where he was an undergraduate student. During his stint at Bethlehem University, Geary took history, political science and language classes. It was from Georgetown University in the US that he graduated with an MA in Arab Studies in May 2005. “There, I gained proficiency in Arabic and focused my academic studies on the economics, politics, and security studies of the Gulf,” Geary said. Asked about his experiences at QU, the student researcher stated the institution is offering pertinent classes and relevant contacts that would provide the necessary information for his project. “The academic environment is very enthusiastic and I have found the professors supportive,” said Geary, who intends writing about his findings, as well as enrol in a US law school programme to study international and energy law. Referring to his experiences so far, the young researcher observed that the cultural differences between the Khalij (Gulf) and the Mashreq (region of Arabic-speaking countries to the east of Egypt) present themselves daily. “These provide an extremely interesting sociological vantage point for the non-Arab, who has had minimal contact with the Arab world,” he maintained. Geary clarified that he tries not to place a value system on his experiences, but rather try to look at his experiences in Qatar and the Arab world from several different perspectives, including the Western academic, the foreign expatriate, and the culturalist. For more than 57 years, the US government-sponsored Fulbright US Student Programme has provided American youngsters with an unparalleled opportunity to study and conduct research in other nations. It is the Institute of International Education (IIE), in co-operation with the US State Department and the J William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, which provides the grant. Fulbright student grants aim to increase mutual understanding among nations through educational and cultural exchanges while serving as a catalyst for long-term leadership development. The grants afford graduating seniors an opportunity to test their abilities, interests and professional plans through a research project and related study abroad or by spending a year teaching English abroad. The US Student Programme awards approximately 1,000 grants annually and currently operates in over 140 countries worldwide.