News

COVID-19 has challenged instructors to find new ways to engage their students, to provide them with top-quality distance learning, and to boost their social and emotional wellbeing. There is also a pressing need to update the content of their online courses and the teaching methodologies they employ, to ensure the efficient and effective transfer of their valuable knowledge. In this context, Naseej Academy hosted an online webinar entitled “Learning Professional Communities: Concept, Objectives and Impact of Digital Transformation”, on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., Makkah local time. 

The webinar was moderated by Prof. Dr. Khaled Mostafa Malek, Professor of Information Technology, Helwan University. Dr. Malek stressed that instructors need a space – a learning professional community – where, in addition to sharing resources and lesson plans, they can come together to share their views, stories and knowledge.

Dr. Malek emphasized the need for instructors to engage with their peers in e-professional learning communities in order to monitor their own need for professional development. The restrictions on face-to-face education necessitated by the ongoing pandemic make such communities even more essential if instructors are to keep up with the speedy flow of information and the rapid changes occurring in every aspect of life. 

The webinar was attended by educational institutional administrative staff, tertiary, and pre-tertiary faculty, and those interested in learning professional communities at large. The audience expressed their appreciation of Dr. Malek’s thoughtful and knowledgeable presentation, and participated in a vigorous discussion of the issues raised.

Dr. Malek encouraged the webinar participants to create robust internal and external learning communities where instructors can benefit from collaborating and cooperating with their counterparts to enhance their common learning experiences.  

Dr. Malek is a Professor of Information Technology, Helwan University. He has supervised and assessed several M.A. and Ph.D. dissertations at universities in Egypt and the Middle East, and peer-reviewed research papers published in conference proceedings and academic journals. He is also a team member of Helwan University’s partnership project, which aims to promote peer-learning communities in collaboration with the American University in Cairo, Ain Shams University, Alexandria University, University of Northampton and University of Leicester in England, the Irish University of Limerick, and the German Martin Luther University. Dr. Malek attended a number of courses and workshops at the University of Northampton and University of Leicester in England.