Award Recognizes Education Implementation of the Year
The Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR) and the Supreme Education Council (SEC) jointly received a 2009 ACN Arab Technology Award in the category of Education Implementation of the Year for their innovative Knowledge Net (K-Net) program, a three way portal that connects students, parents, and teachers any time, day or night.
The awards, presented on 19 October 2009 at a ceremony in Dubai, recognize outstanding work in utilizing technology to advance a business's or organization's mission. 16 ACN Award Technology Awards were presented across a variety of critical sectors. The awards are presented by Arabian Computer News and sponsored by ITP in association with Leviton. More information about the awards is available at: www.itp.net/acn-awards.
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K-Net Recognized as the Year's Best Educational Implementation
"K-Net is a powerful tool for schools to help enhance the learning process and better engage parents, teachers and students not only in the classroom, but also at home. This award is truly a recognition of the progressive thinking of the SEC, teachers and school administrators here in Qatar in integrating technology into the learning process to the benefit our students," said Dr. Ghadah Omar Fakieh, e-Education Manager at ictQATAR.
The SEC and ictQATAR first launched K-Net in 8 schools in 2005/2006. The program has expanded to 37 independent schools with more than 40,000 users nationwide. With personalized single sign-on and password protection, all members of the education community obtain immediate, private access to information and communication applications that allow the sharing of information and consistent interaction with just a few clicks.
Those logged into K-Net can review lesson plans, grades, study guides and homework assignments, all while communicating directly with their peers through chats and discussion boards. Users also have access to a virtual online library and resources center. The latest school news, school events and important school announcements, such as closings or holiday schedules, are also readily accessible through the portal.
ictQATAR recently implemented phase II of K-Net to improve the experience for all users and support student achievement. New features included a teacher's section that allows teachers to collaborate and exchange lessons and experiences, and a section for parents that provides direct access to student and school data. Additional training was also provided to teachers to help them better integrate the benefits of K-Net into their teaching.
