We work to build long-term partnerships between Palestinian and UK educational institutions by working together in creative and innovative projects. Our work with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, UNRWA, Palestinian universities, colleges and schools focuses on supporting policy development, quality assurance, distance and e-learning and information communication technology (ICT) in Education, as well as English language development. Our current work focuses on our two large-scale projects: Connecting Classrooms and Skills for Employability and a couple of examples of our recent work are given below.
From 2005-08 we worked with the Palestinian Accreditation & Quality Assurance Commission (AQAC), with Ministries of Education and universities to improve the relevance of their HE programmes to labour markets, develop more transferable qualifications and knowledge exchange. As part of this project we brought together a network of professionals from Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt who produced common guidelines for University departments to use as subject reference standards at bachelor’s degree levels; to re-design their curriculum, develop new approaches to learning and teaching, and assess student performance against the desired learning outcomes. Each country developed two subjects (Science and Engineering) with the Palestinians specialising in Pharmacy and Business Administration.
We also worked with AQAC on the strategy for formalisation of quality units at Higher Education Institutes. A UK consultant ran workshops entitled “Intended Learning Outcomes” at An-Najah National University, Arab American University, Hebron University, Palestine polytechnic University, Birzeit University, Bethlehem University, Al-Quds Open University and Al-Quds University. He also ran a workshop for Commissioners and key officials from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Ramallah. Two co-trainers, Dr Mahmoud Al Saheb from Palestine Polytechnic University and Dr Bashar Al Sader from An Najah National University worked with him to deliver these workshops and a special one-day session was conducted for Universities in Gaza via Videoconference.
From 2004 to 2008 we worked with the Ministry of Education and UNRWA to develop teachers’ skills and confidence in using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) effectively in the classroom. We aimed to develop a community of enthusiastic practitioners able to support other teachers as well as provide a forum for policy makers and managers to discuss educational leadership in ICT. We have trained 60 teachers in the West Bank and Gaza and a further 120 teachers in the region with ministries of Education in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
After an initial needs assessment, we began our training programme in 2005 led by trainers from the UK’s Imagine Education and the Ministry. We ran intensive courses in the West Bank and Gaza, supported by Birzeit and Al Aqsa universities, which was followed with monthly face-to-face sessions for the participants. This allowed teachers from different areas to meet up regularly outside school, to share ideas and experience and access good technology.
A group of 45 teachers from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and UNRWA received ICT Moodle training in August 2008 in Ramallah. Teachers are now connected with a growing network of teachers in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria through Moodle site which is an Open Source software package designed using sound pedagogical principles, to help educators create effective online learning communities.
To know more about our work in this area please get in touch with us or please e-mail our programmes team.
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