His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, today launched the Digital School, an initiative that aims to provide certified online education to students across the world, primarily those belonging to underserved communities.
The first comprehensive Arab digital school will provide a personalised and flexible remote learning experience to students anywhere in the world. It will feature digital classes powered by cutting-edge technologies and Artificial Intelligence to enhance self-learning and skill development.
The Digital School, which has been launched under the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), was created primarily to empower refugees and underserved students. The initiative caters to young people irrespective of their social, economic and educational backgrounds.
The Digital School aims to reach one million students in its first five years.
During the launch event, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also inaugurated the first-of-its-kind ‘Alliance for the Future of Digital Learning’ that brings together specialised education and technology experts from all over the world to support and develop The Digital School’s systems across different implementation stages. The Alliance’s advisory board features experts from leading global universities including Harvard, Stanford, New York and MIT.
Speaking about the new initiative, His Highness said: “We aim to provide students, especially those living in refugee camps, war zones and disadvantaged communities, with the highest quality of education in the best way possible.”
“Digital education is the future. We need to adapt to the rapidly-changing educational sphere.”
“Digital learning reduces the gap between the current status of the Arab educational systems and our aspirations for the next generation. Our contribution to developing educational platforms is our real investment in the future of young people,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid noted.
His Highness also pointed out that the “Alliance for the Future of Digital Learning will help unite global efforts to create a giant leap in digital education.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum attended the launch of the Digital School at a special event held by MBRGI at Emirates Towers.
Board of Directors
His Highness also announced the formation of the Digital School Board of Directors, chaired by His Excellency Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications. Board members include Huda Al Hashimi, Chief of Strategy and Government Innovation of the UAE Government; Dr. Abdulla Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA); Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer at Dubai Cares and Member of its Board of Directors; Dr. Mohammed Qassim, Assistant Professor at the College of Technological Studies in Kuwait; Dr. Waleed Al Ali, General Coordinator of the Digital School initiative at MBRGI; and Dr. Mohammed Ateeq Al Falahi, Secretary General of the Emirates Red Crescent.
AI-driven Courses
The Digital School will blend live and self-paced virtual classes in Math, Science, Arabic, Computer Studies and English powered by interactive simulation, game-based learning, and AI-driven adaptive learning modules. Virtual classrooms will enable students to interact with their teachers and fellow learners from all over the world as well as attain a globally-recognised school certificate or credentials that will enable them to complete their university education or apply for jobs.
Using advanced learning technologies backed by learning science and artificial intelligence, the Digital School will introduce a new learning experience to students most in need. It will employ cutting-edge technologies to establish a Personal Learning Plan (PLP) that caters to each student’s needs and progress based on data-rich systems. The platform will enable teachers to support each student and monitor academic performance through a 360-degree assessment that will provide regular feedback throughout the learning process.
The Digital School will empower students living in refugee camps and marginalised communities with a rich and dynamic digital education aligned with national and global school systems.
Certified Teachers
The Digital School teachers will be selected based on their research, interpersonal, organisational and leadership skills, creativity, initiative and affinity for working with young people. A diverse set of expertise is critical to accomplish the mission of facilitating and teaching real-world, lifelong learning skills beyond traditional classrooms.
The School will set out tasks and responsibilities for teachers based on professional criteria that ensures effective learning outcomes.
The First Batch
In its initial phase, the Digital School will operate from November 2020 to August 2021 with 20,000 participating students in four countries to test adopted digital systems, content flow and suitability for each age group, as well as student engagement and response to the curricula.
The initial phase will feature three virtual classes a week over three months. The system will be further developed based on feedback and an extensive research and development process. After adjustments are made to the system, the Digital School will officially receive its first batch of students in September 2021 for the academic year 2021-2022.
Global Accreditation
The Digital School will adopt an assessment system powered by AI that supports self-learning and skill development. Students will be assessed through interactive activities, tasks and digital engagement systems. The high-tech platform will also enable teachers to keep track of each student’s progress and follow up with parents whenever needed.
The Digital School will seek digital learning accreditation from leading bodies such as Cognia, a non-profit organisation that accredits schools through the United States and internationally. It will coordinate with education ministries and relevant entities in the region to establish an accreditation model for digital education and provide curricula aligned with the national education system.
The digital credentials provided will be globally transferrable and can be added to the student’s portfolio as a proof of achievement to support future university or job applications.
As part of the Digital School ecosystem, learning centres will be established to provide internet and technology facilities that support the learning of students in remote areas. These centres will also provide digital learning labs, creative internet solutions and formal examinations that comply with each country’s laws.
Human Capital
The launch of the Digital School comes at a time when the outbreak of COVID-19 has stifled education throughout the world, leading to school closures that forced a shift to online learning. Students in developing countries and remote areas took the biggest hit for the lack of resources and learning alternatives provided to them.
The Digital School contributes to global efforts aimed at improving access to education across all circumstances, especially in societies with scare resources, weak infrastructure and shortages of teachers and schools.
‘The Digital School’ will chart new milestones for the future of global education for students that need it the most. Effective modern systems will be integrated into a future vision and approach that contributes to widening learning opportunities.