Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Program (MBRSLP) has announced a massive rollout mission of a Professional Development scheme for all principals and deputy principals across all of its educational institutions, currently consisting of 202 schools in the UAE. This follows on from the successful completion of a pilot study, with educators across UAE smart schools, which was delivered by world trained and experienced professionals in strategic leadership in ICT.
The underpinning objective of the new program, tailored specifically for education leaders in UAE schools, is to improve the outcomes for learners and the community through effective strategic leadership of ICT. Effective April 2016, following a detailed schedule, remaining Cycle 2 and Cycle 3 principals will be able to take part in the training session organized in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Education in select cohorts across the UAE.
As part of the training, MBRSLP has launched a unique initiative "Smart School Transformation Framework", after a successful trial period in 2015. The framework, a first of its kind in the region, is a core pillar of the Program and has been specifically tailored to suit educational institutions in the UAE under the supervision of international world renowned experts. The holistic framework offers schools the tools to assess the effective application of technology across all of its 202 schools. It provides a self-managed framework to educators to empower them in their ICT journey and allows them to design suitable roadmaps to achieve goals for technological advancement. The "Smart School Transformation Framework" focuses on core elements which cover leadership aspects, curriculum and resourcing learning, learning teachers and teaching, student and family context, assessment and student progress and operational provision and management.
In line with the Program's core principle to continuously improve, there is a strong focus on self-review, evidence and research base models and practical delivery to ensure impact for students and teachers. Through the training, education leaders will be able to establish effective monitoring and evaluation skills to support the effective use of ICT. Additionally, principals will act as change agents to promote the effective use of technology across their schools and will encourage and stimulate early adopters to integrate technology in their instructional practices.
The Leadership Development program aims to enable school leaders to understand the strategic role of technology, equip their schools with effective practices and approaches and advance student learning through the use of the latest technologies.
With every academic year, the Program will proceed according to a systematic plan to absorb more students and schools until it reaches all UAE government schools by the year 2019. To date, the Program includes 202 schools, 6,825 teachers and 34,570 students across the UAE. As the Program progresses, regular updates of all its elements including technology devices, teaching methodologies and supporting platforms will be made available.
