Under the patronage of Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Asimi Rector of PSAU, Deanship of IT and Distance Learning organized its second international workshop for e-learning. The workshop contained three sessions held in the main headquarter in Al Kharj and in Aflaj and Wadi Addawasir headquarters. It was held in the period from 18/7/1436H Corr. 17/5/2015 to 3/8/1436H Corr. 21/5/2015. It was titled “a Model for transforming from Traditional Education to Blended E-learning Environment”.
Furthermore, the workshop hosted each of the French Prof. Alan Sentini Director of Innovation and Business Development Solutions, former Dean in Hamdan bin Hamad Smart University in Dubai, and the American Prof. Mohammad Ahmad International Expert in E-Learning and Training, Consultant in the program of Higher Education Development in Egypt in cooperation with European Union, former Professor in Wisconsin Milwaukee University in USA.
In the presence of Prof. Abdul Aziz Hammed Vice-Rector of Postgraduate Studies and Scientific Research, and Dr. Abdullah Jumaa Vice-Rector, the workshop concluded its third session in the main headquarter in Engineering College Theater. The third session included on honoring the remarkable faculty members in activating the e-courses through the E-Learning Portal. It also included the inauguration of the services of E-Learning System Statistics. The service enables college deans in the university to review rates of e-course activation through Blackboard System for their affiliated faculty members based on specific indicators set according to their vision of required development.
After the opening of the concluding session by verses from the holy Quran, Dr. Mohammad Al Kahtani Dean of IT and Distance Learning delivered a speech thanking Rector for his sponsorship to the deanship’s projects and especially for this workshop. He also welcomed the Vices-Rector, Deans and Faculty Members, who attended this event. Then, Dr. Al Kahtani displayed a presentation about the e-learning development in PSAU began by the installation and operation of e-learning infrastructure and ended by future expectation for the university’s transformation to adopt a blended model that depend on e-learning solutions.
Moreover, Dr. Hammed delivered a speech on behalf of Rector thanking the deanship’s efforts, then, he praised the visiting professors and asked them to cooperate with university’s community. He also asked for expanding the employment of e-learning solutions.
The session was concluded by honoring the remarkable faculty members, who have high access percentage in their courses and students activity with courses. In addition, those faculty members have designed the content and the courses lists. They also depending on e-exams and e-homework. They activated the course forums and communicated with the students through announcements and SMS services.
The honored faculty members were handed Laptops as encouraging reward. Then, the third and final session concluded by taking photos with the visiting professors, audience, honed faculty members and the team of IT and Distance Learning Deanship.
