(MENAFN- The Peninsula) By Irfan Bukhari | The Peninsula
DOHA: Emphasizing the need of adopting STEM education in schools, Beverly Simmons, Board Chair of Ten80 Foundation, has lauded the environment Qatar has created to promote innovation and entrepreneurship.
STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education expert Beverly Simmons was in Doha to give the keynote address at the Grand Award Ceremony of National Science Research Competition Week organised by Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) recently. During her stay in Doha, she also did some teacher training workshops on the sidelines of the NSRC Week.
Beverly who visited Qatar under State Department's US Speakers Program also met with officials of Qatar Scientific Club, Community College of Qatar and Ministry of Education.
'I have never been in this part of the world. It was my first visit to Qatar in which I talked to teachers on STEM education and took part in a number of activities to interact with students. I am excited by seeing research work here as universities in Qatar have created an environment where people are getting entrepreneurial, she said while talking to The Peninsula.
She said that with her interaction with the teachers, she had learnt about the challenges and the opportunities being faced by the schools in Qatar.
Beverly said that STEM education was well incorporated at college level in Qatar but 'there is need to adopt STEM education at the school level.
'By adopting project-based learning in schools, we can make the kids more innovative, she noted.
She said: 'I had very good conversations with teachers on how science and math can be included in school activities. I can help them in designing and adopting project-based learning, she said, adding that her message regarding the importance of STEM education was well received by teachers.
Board Chair of Ten80 Foundation said that there were some misconceptions about STEM literacy that everything needed to be changed to adopt STEM education but it was not the fact. 'By introducing small changes in the education system and strategy, one can get desired results.
She said that she was satisfied with good atmosphere at Qatar's educational institutes. 'They can start project-based learning here. Project-based learning should also be adopted inside the classrooms apart from projects being implemented outside the regular clasroom times.
Beverly Simmons is currently Board Chair for Ten80 Foundation, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to helping students and teachers transition to 'living and working in the innovation space of the 21st century workplace.
She thinks that in a society increasingly based on innovations in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), every student is a STEM student.
Ten80 Foundation supports research proven, data-driven programs that offer project-centered curriculum with a STEM workforce development focus. The goal is to approach STEM with the same rigor and passion that our culture devotes to sports, dance, and music. Ten80 Foundation is helping K-12 schools, students, and educators overcome perceived obstacles to STEM implementation. She said that Qatar's ministry of education was also open to promote STEM literacy in the country.
Beverly praised Qatar Scientific Club (QSC) for promoting STEM in the country. 'They are doing brilliant job with wonderful workshops. All they need is to increase the number of students and I also gave my suggestions to QSC officials in this regard, she added. She said that QSC could be a great STEM center in Qatar.
Regarding National Science Research Competition Week, Beverly said that the students in the competition were well-prepared and picked very good projects. She said that entrepreneurial ecosystem in Qatar was great and the time had reached to combine STEM with entrepreneurship in academic institutions to reap maximum benefits.
Beverly said that for the project-based learning, all teachers should coordinate with one another to bring a project and then they should do brainstorming sessions with the students on that project to cultivate the desired results. 'It is a kind of team work, she noted.
She said that after her visit to Doha, she was hopeful to develop new partnerships in Qatar. 'There are many organisations which have expressed their interest to work with Ten80 Foundation. We can build bridges between STEM schools in the US and schools operating in Qatar. They can help Qatari schools in establishing STEM education systems by organizing 2-3 months capacity building programs for teachers in Qatar through their experts, she added.
To a question, she said that STEM crisis was a real thing and it was not a myth. She said that in coming times there would be plenty of those jobs in the market 'which are non-existent currently. She said that STEM does not mean creating engineers and STEM skills create professional who are less than engineers.
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