An effective feedback mechanism in GCC schools is paramount for its successful functioning. It is the cornerstone of the learning process and helps to ensure that students are able to reach their full potential. An effective feedback mechanism should be designed to ensure that teachers can provide a timely, accurate and relevant response to student progress. It also helps the students to understand their progress better and make the necessary changes to excel by focusing their efforts accordingly. This mechanism establishes clear expectations from students. This can be done by setting specific goals for each student. Once goals are established, regular feedback helps keep them motivated and on track to achieving their goals. One popularly used method is called the ‘Feedback Sandwich’ where you ‘compliment, correct and then compliment again.

A good feedback mechanism should involve everyone in the school system. It should invite timely and relevant feedback from the teachers, staff, students and even the parents. This will help the school to identify all the areas of improvement, both in the teaching and administrative practices. The feedback must also be timely and consistent. It should be collected on a regular basis to ensure that all the issues are addressed in a timely manner. The feedback received should be properly analysed and action should be taken accordingly. Comments that are written below the grade aid in a better understanding of the evaluation. This will help to identify the areas of improvement, and to devise strategies to effect necessary changes within the education system. The response should also be shared with the teachers and staff to help them understand the students better and ensure that they take corrective actions. It is important that a safe and supportive environment for discussing feedback is created so that students feel comfortable and they take things seriously. Finally, the feedback should be used to reward the staff and teachers who have taken the necessary steps to improve the school. An effective feedback mechanism and positive reinforcement in Middle East schools can be a great tool to improve the educational system and help students reach their full potential by striving for excellence.

Schools in Dubai believe firmly in the fact that having a good, constructive feedback system that works both ways, encourages students to be more accountable for their actions. Additionally, a healthy critique of the student’s attitude and behaviour will help to foster a sense of responsibility in the students and the overall development of the students.

An AWARD-WINNING online platform Code Monkey now excites their students about learning how to code. It is specially designed for schools, homes and clubs; imparting lessons on languages like CoffeeScript and Python that use block-based and text-based coding through an engaging game-like environment. It provides the correct guidance every step of the way. Code Monkey’s content is aligned with the UAE school curriculum and refreshed with current standards regularly. Its enjoyable online challenges not only hone coding skills but also develop logical reasoning, computational thinking and collaboration with peers. With Code Monkeys dashboard feature, you have student solutions, creations and curriculum management at a glance making it very easy for students, parents and teachers alike to conduct, take part in or review lessons. Parent Access to child progress allows them to review their child’s creations and monitor his progress. Through the dashboard, teachers can focus on areas that require better efforts on behalf of the students and design lessons accordingly. Code Monkey recognizes that feedback is essential to the learning journey of the student and endeavors to provide it on things being done correctly as well as incorrectly.

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Eating healthy fruits and veggies helps the child grow physically and even mentally. To encourage good habits at an early age, children need to be taught what is right for them and what isn’t. Deciding to choose an apple over a slice of pizza, is vital to understand before one gets habituated to junk and then develops obesity in childhood. Healthy foods provide the correct nutrients and are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, to meet the prerequisite dietary needs of growing adults. We’ve heard dieticians encourage us to eat fruits and veggies of different colors so that our plate looks colorful, just like a rainbow.

Learning about Fruits & Veggies the traditional way:

Flashcards: This is the most classic method used by most preschools in Dubai and other regions. A realistic version of the fruit or veggie is printed on the flash card and the teacher keeps repeating the name of what it is until the child finally recognizes the difference between brinjal and broccoli.

Pretend Play:

Remember your play date with tiny farm animals and a doctor’s kit? Children also love to invite friends over for dinner and have a meal together, which is made in their make-do kitchen. Teachers can set a theme of the month and convert classrooms into a veggie garden and a fruit orchard. We guarantee everyone will love to explore the thematic classroom and quickly learn the names of a variety of plants and their edible products.

Home Garden:

Backyard gardening is fun, and it teaches us the concept of ‘farm to fork’. The process of how fruits & veggies are grown gets kids excited and they realize how important it is to not waste food. This hands-on technique is an excellent starter and may even motivate students to become modern agriculturists in the future or explore food science as a career opportunity.

Foodie of Fruits and Vegetables by Matatalab

Code to your heart’s content while learning about the names of veggies and fruits. It’s simple, yet fun for children and teachers can use this game as an icebreaker in the classroom or during circle time.

Instructions: Code the MatataBot to reach the designated fruit or veggie.

For 3 to 4-year-olds

Interact with students and discuss the names of fruits such as strawberries, grapes, and bananas, alongside others vegetables such as pumpkin, carrot, and beetroot. Allow kids to choose their favorite sticker. The Matatalab trainer will now place the sticker on the map. The MatataBot is positioned 2-3 squares away from the sticker and the child is invited to code. In just 2-3 moves the Bot will be able to navigate itself to the assigned sticker and children will feel a sense of accomplishment! Kids enjoy this game to the fullest and most schools in the UAE subscribe to Matatalab as one of their teaching aid.

For 4 to 5-year-olds

Increase the difficulty of coding, as children are now geared to take up more challenging assignments. Let the child get a chance to choose a color of his or her choice and find the corresponding fruit and vegetable sticker. For example: if the child chooses a peach color, then the fruit selected will be a peach and if red color is selected, then the red color capsicum needs to be picked. The child is free to choose more than 1 fruit and vegetable. Now with the help of the teacher, place the veggie and fruit stickers on the map and position the MatataBot 2-3 squares away. Invite a group of children or an individual child to code. Group work is encouraged, as it helps build 21st-century skills such as team-building and fosters a spirit of collaboration, which is encouraged by schools and learning centers in the Middle East, including GCC regions. Children use their navigation skills to move the MatataBot left/right, to reach the first sticker and then the second sticker. This activity stimulates creativity and also deepens the thinking capacity of the child.

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Computer technology has reached every household and even kids in IB Schools across the Middle East and other regions, are being introduced to the wonders of PC, Web 2.0, cloud computing, and other such trendy topics. What not can you do with coding? Intelligent programmers are changing the way we work and communicate, to achieve maximum efficiency, at reduced costs. Learning to code has become as simple as learning ABC, thanks to Coding Platforms like Code Monkey, which is pretty well-known in the UAE. This award-winning tool is appreciated by over a million users and has changed the way students approach coding.

Our dear Planet Earth is currently facing issues such as; global warming due to increased pollution and deforestation. Forests are being cut down to make tall buildings for the ever-growing population. Is there a solution to combat this problem?

Well, technology alone cannot solve such a grave problem, but it can definitely contribute towards making our planet Earth a better place to thrive in.

Through this article, we aim to highlight some of the environmental problems that can be tackled via technology, in an endeavor to give a gift of a greener planet to our future generations.

What is Green Technology and how does it work?

Green technology is the only sensible way forward. It basically includes the production of technology that is in sync with the environment and causes less or as good as no hazards to the surroundings. Responsible engineering ensures our natural resources are intact and the raw materials used in manufacturing, do not negatively impact the climate. The idea of green technology is to protect the remaining resources and reverse the undue harm already done to the environment.

Artificial Intelligence and machine learning provide a vast gamut of opportunities to develop newer technologies that are more sustainable and gentler for our planet. Let us look at some of them.

Electric Vehicles

Vehicle emission is a never-ending problem that affects cities and urban development. In the year 2020, only passenger cars accounted for about three billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, across the world, including the GCC region. The answer to this is a quick ‘switch to EVs’. Electric Vehicles are retrofitted with more energy-efficient engines and the harmful emissions are nearly zeroed down. Fossil fuels like petrol and diesel are eliminated, as the battery can be charged on electricity and it is also a cheaper option. Solar panels can be used to provide the required energy to power up the EV car batteries, thereby proving to be even more advantageous. The Electric Vehicle Sales Market is projected to reach 15,070.2 vehicles by 2027 in Dubai and UAE markets.

Sustainable Farming

It is indeed a mammoth task to feed 8 billion people! This puts a lot of pressure on agriculture and farming, thereby leading to adopting some unreliable sources to increase yield quickly and earn some bucks. However, now that technology has become a hero, it is being integrated into farming activities to practice the ethical growth of food crops. Smart tractors, GPS technology, and the use of crop management systems are being used increasingly to avoid the usage of harmful fertilizers and thereby save lives. It also improves livestock and the yield of milk production, thereby benefiting the owner. Technology and farming, therefore, are a perfect match made in heaven. AgTech in GCC regions is especially a challenge due to the arid conditions, depleting groundwater levels, and harsh temperatures. However, the government is making fruitful efforts in the right direction to improve the condition and set an example for other regions.

Robots that help make the planet Greener

There is a Robot that can monitor the seabed and tell us what the condition is down under. Collecting samples of oxygen can help researchers find a solution to maintain ecological balance for the underwater world. The pipe crawler Robot can enter the sewage pipeline and find any defects or leakages within. This saves many lives of men who would have to do the hard work of entering the sewage system and manually clean up the blockages. Waste was usually dumped into landfills and left to rot without any monitoring. The new Waste Recycling Robot is now a superhero that is saving lives. It helps in the segregation of matter as per; plastic, glass, and metal, and then streamlines the recycling process. Now that we have seen how Technology integration is making the world greener and saving us from getting completely doomed, it is best to understand and educate our children in time, so that they can grow up into responsible citizens and use the appropriate technology to foster a healthy living.

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The world has always been inching towards the electronic and automation age. The COVID-19 pandemic has fast-tracked it ever so smoothly that it is predicted that within the next decade, over 50% of jobs will be automated. Cities like Dubai have always been highly digitalized, hence you will find the use of robots highly prevalent and slated to increase exponentially.

It may be said that learning programming or Coding is an integral part of the future and will be considered to be one of the most desired skills resulting in the highest-paid jobs all through the UAE. Learning to code allows you to control the robots. You can create and bring to life your ideas while learning other useful skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration. Robotics can be started as early as 6 years says Robotify, an award-winning online robotics platform. Students simply have to create an account that will give them access to multiplayer platforms which present real-life challenges in extraordinary virtual environments. They can learn coding in an easy, fun and accessible manner as Robotify is an in-browser application and so does not require the purchase of additional software or hardware. The Robotify platform’s use is advocated by many schools in the GCC as it is affordable and accessible. Parents must try to give their children coding lessons to facilitate the progress of the next generation.

Man has been using tools for thousands of years. They have evolved from rudimentary implements to simple machines to today’s highly articulated robots. There is an ever-increasing number of robots being used in the industrial sector. They work right alongside humans, aiding in, assisting with and sometimes even taking over their tasks. Robots are even used in therapy sessions for children.

However, the Middle East is also of the opinion that robots are taking over your jobs and they will only contribute to unemployment. Initially, they only replaced the heavy lifting but now are making forays into tasks like logistics, driving and even inventory management. It cannot be denied that they are a looming threat to low-skilled and middle-skilled workers.

On the other hand, it is considered that automation may have a negative impact on only some labor segments and a positive impact on others where they can create more jobs, lower production costs, increase productivity and be consistent in quality. It would be prudent for the working class to now strive for higher-skilled, higher-paying jobs while being skilled and educated enough themselves to fill those roles. For example, the menial tasks of sorting, transporting or stock-piling etc., can be left to the robots, while the tasks that require higher skills such as quality checks etc can still be completed by humans.

Productivity growth is what business is all about. Low pricing, maximum output and quality of labour all contribute to total factory productivity (TFP). The Middle East invests highly in the training of its labour and the output-capacity of its machines, computers and robots. The synergies of all these factors result in an efficient business model. Hence, remaining up-to-date with the latest technology is paramount for them. Robots are consistently making the hardware part of the TFP efficient. All other factors remaining constant, it will still lead to more productivity growth. Productivity growth is further linked to GDP growth. Analysing data from over 15 years showed that across 17 countries, the increasing use of industrial robots raised the annual GDP growth by 0.36%.

There will always be two sides to this story but the role and positive impact of robotics in the future cannot be denied.

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Patterns are all around us! The honeycomb pattern of your fancy jewelry box is formed by joining hexagons together, and the mosaic pattern on your floor mat was conceptualized by using a mixture of squares, triangles, and circles, to design this wonderful piece of art. Appreciating patterns all around us is such a pleasurable experience. Then why do we not like to study the basics of it in school?

What is a Pattern?

In Math, patterns are not limited to shapes and figures. The subject goes broader and deeper by including number patterns, geometric patterns, and Fibonacci patterns. Basically, it is the observation of repeated objects or numbers, that the child can identify and continue the same sequence, to form some meaning out of it. Patterns can therefore be finite or infinite, as one can continue forming patterns in the same sequence until asked to stop. Before we understand the different types of patterns in detail, let us highlight some benefits it brings to the student.

How Learning About Patterns Helps

Patterns are a pre-Math concept and even toddlers in kindergarten across GCC regions are encouraged to play with patterns and discover their own potential.

• Arranging colors, letters, and shapes, helps children make predictions about what next. They become better observers and start to think deeply.
• In some way or the other, patterns convey the message that every day we must follow discipline, to lead a fulfilled life. Kids learn it is important to have a bath before going to school, spend 15 minutes reading, and pray before bedtime. All our daily rituals follow a pattern and learning it at an early age can improve the student’s productivity in school and build fine character traits.
• Logical thinking can be established by practicing patterns. As students get comfortable with the topic, they get accustomed to using analytical thinking and come up with a solution to any problem they face in life or while studying. This habit instills confidence and improves the self-esteem of students. Most early learners in UAE are trained to think logically, at as early as 3+ years of age.
• Creativity is fostered, as once they learn the sequence, they will be in a position to recreate the same and build new patterns from scratch. Being creative at an early allows trying out new ideas and bring them to life.

Different Types of Patterns

Number Patterns

This is the most common type of pattern taught to children. As the name suggests, numbers are made to follow a certain pattern and based on this a certain sequence is made.

The Different kinds of number patterns are as follows:

Arithmetic Pattern

Arithmetic equations like addition and subtraction, have to be applied to guess what is the common link between the numbers laid down.

Example 1:

78 – 83 – 88 – 93 – 98 ____?

Can you guess the next number in this pattern? The way to solve it is to look at all the numbers carefully and then find a link that binds them. In the above example, the numbers are increasing by +5, and so the last number in the sequence will be 103, because 98+5 = 103.

Example 2:

Let’s take another example as follows.

6 – 9 – 12 – 15 – 18 – ___?

As we can see that the numbers are increasing by 3 and therefore the answer will be 18+3 = 21.

Such fun Math pattern exercises can be practiced using the Mathletics platform. This online tool is being used by Schools across the Globe, including US, Australia, and the Middle East. The pedagogy is designed keeping in mind the IB School’s curriculum and the practice lessons are pretty fun to solve via gamification.

Geometric Pattern:

To guess a geometric pattern, one needs to be fluent with multiplication and division. Finding it hard to get your child to memorize tables? Well, simply switch to Mathletics, and find interesting study material that will motivate students in Dubai to learn tables quicker.

Example 1:

7, 14, __, 28, ___

As we can see, this is the 7 times table and the missing numbers are 7×3 = 21 and 7×5=35.

Example 2:

256, 128, ___, 32, 16 The above sequence is in descending order, so the values keep decreasing progressively. Here we know that the numbers must have been divided by 2.

256/2 = 128

128/2 = 64

64/2 = 32

32/2 = 16

Fibonacci Pattern

This name sounds funny to pronounce. However, it requires great mental dexterity to identify and then solve the pattern equation. In this type, the two previous numbers are added to form a sequence and that’s how you get the third number in the link.

Example 1:

3, 1, 4, 5, 9, 14, ___? In the above example; 3+1 = 4, 4+1 = 5, 5+4 = 9, 9+5= 14, and 14+9 = 23.

Now that you have kind of understood the importance of having to study Mathematical patterns, you can buy books, search the net, or subscribe to Mathletics to practice this with your child at home and at school.

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