AMMAN – Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Knowledge Forum (TAG-KF), a member of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global (TAG.Global), participated in an online panel session organized by TechWorks, one of the Crown Prince Foundation’s initiatives, under the title “Learning through Practice – Integrating Digital Manufacturing into Education”. The panel was attended by a number of education, industry, business and innovation experts from several countries.
Director of the Unified Admission Coordination Unit and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Mohannad Al-Khatib, inaugurated the panel, which was moderated by Mr. Fadi Daoud, TAG-KF executive director and TAG.Global Education and Youth consultant.
During the session, speakers discussed the gaps that exist in the current educational system as a result of traditional teaching methods, while, on the other hand they revealed how digital learning could positively contribute to sharpening students’ technological and personal skills, in addition to improving their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Lecturer and researcher at the Department of Mechanical Engineering in North Texas University, Dr. Hassan Qandil, underlined the importance of industrial projects in filling the labor market gaps, touching upon the reasons that kept the Jordanian universities behind by adopting funded or guaranteed industrial projects. At the same time, he urged universities to embrace digital manufacturing, calling for the establishment of Fab Labs (or digital fabrication laboratories),; which are as important as traditional laboratories.
Meanwhile, Eng. May El-Dardiry, who is interested in business and innovation field and a TEDx spokesperson from Egypt, gave a presentation entitled “The Impact of Digital Manufacturing and Experimental Learning”. She outlined what schools and universities need for building Fab Labs. That is, in addition to the requirements for building a digital manufacturing culture at schools, referring to the importance of preparing responsible teachers to teach such techniques and methods.
Eng. Ala'aaldin Al-Khawajah, Sager Drone Academy team leader, delivered a presentation on the inclusion of digital manufacturing skills in educational curricula, underlining the extent to which digital manufacturing approaches differ from traditional ones. He went on to discuss the importance of including digital manufacturing in education with the aim of creating a ‘generation of manufacturing’ and ‘digital thinkers’.
Founder & CEO at InnoTech in Oman, Eng. Othman Al Mandhari, talked about the contribution of digital manufacturing skills in closing the gaps in labor markets, explaining how the Fab Labs could contribute to science and technology education, engineering and mathematics.
TechWorks is a digital Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab) and one of the Crown Prince Foundation’s initiatives. Through its modern devices and equipment for 3D printing and prototype digital manufacturing production, it provides support to Jordanian youth innovators and strengthen the innovation system in Jordan.