For two days in a row, the International workshop for e-learning at Al Kharj and Hotat Bani Tamim was held for the third time respectively on this year 1437H. The workshop was sponsored by Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Asimi Rector of PSAU. In this year, the workshop was distinguished by its main speakers Steve Weller Professor of E-Learning at the University of Plymouth in the UK, an international specialist in e-learning, and Dr, Mohammad Al Kahtani Dean of IT and Distance Learning. It was titled “Learning Tools in The Digital Age- the Challenges and the Opportunities”. Both speakers delivered their vision regarding e-learning opportunities and challenges. Then, Dr. Abdullah Jumaa Vice-Rector delivered a speech about the e-learning importance in the university. He pointed out to the key role of the deanship in activating the transformation from the traditional learning into the blended learning, which will achieve the university’s vision regarding e-learning programs.
The first session was held in the VIP training Hall at the University City in Al Kharj, while the second session was held at Business Administration Theater in Hotat Bani Tamim. The first session witnessed the presence of more than 40 faculty members. For two hours, Ph.D. Weller delivered a summary of his experience in this field due 40 years of experience. Then, Dr. Al Kahtani delivered a presentation discussed three topics the current e-learning status at the university, number of users and the active colleges. The statics were brought from a system developed by the deanship. He discussed success factors of e-learning like manpower investment through holding training courses , motivating the faculties financially and morally and conducting international workshops. The first session was concluded by honoring the most active faculties on the e-learning system. The honored faculties received well-developed laptops delivered by Dr. Jumaa.
Names of the honored faculties:
- Dr. Mohammad Javid/ Pharmacy College – Al Kharj.
- Dr. Mahdi KhamaKhim/College of Computer Sciences and Engineering– Al Kharj.
- Dr. Ahmad Salama/ College of Engineering– Al Kharj.
- Dr. Isam Abdul Hameed/College of Computer Sciences and Engineering– Al Kharj.
- Dr. Ameen Qedah/ College of Engineering– Al Kharj.
- Dr. Othman Hejazi /College of Computer Sciences and Engineering– Al Kharj.
- Dr. Mai Hassan/ College of Sciences-Aflaj.
- Dr. Nessrien Mohammad/College of Sciences and Humanities-Al Kharj.
The second session witnessed the presence of all the faculties of College of Business Administration in Hotat Bani Tamim, besides the presence of Dr. Khalid Otaibi Dean of the College. He presented the workshop through a presentation about the activation of the e-learning system “Blackboard”. The presentation included the awareness and training program executed by Deanship of IT and Distance Learning in cooperation with college. The program trained a number of faculties to be trainers for their colleagues. It leads to increase the reliability of the system and to announce the dean’s award for excellence. The award depends by 70% of it on the system activity “Blackboard” by the faculty members, which led to put the college of Business Administration among the top three colleges in activating the system “Blackboard”. The other top colleges are College of Engineering in Al Kharj and College of Computer Sciences and Engineering. In addition, the session witnessed intensive presence the college’s students benefit from Ph.D. Weller experience, to discuss their graduation projects and to deliver their queries regarding education in the UK.
