HCT-Sharjah opens Online Learning Zone

Teaching and learning at the HCT Sharjah Women's College (SWC) has taken on a very hi-tech approach with the opening of its state-of-the-art Online Learning Zone (OLZ).
The new facility, which houses over 150 Apple iMac computers and is the first dedicated centre in the region, will give SWC students the opportunity to further develop their independent learning skills through the integration of the latest technology and e-learning environments.
The college's OLZ will cater for an average of 100 students every hour, equating to almost 1000 students every day and is a further progression of the HCT's ongoing commitment to the integration of technology in the classroom, as well as the extension of e-learning environments for its 20,000 students throughout the U.A.E..
The students will complete two hours independent e-learning activities each week in the OLZ, together with blending learning in the classroom and self-guided learning exercises.
"The classroom revision and formative assessments of learning taking place in the Online Learning Zone provide faculty members with valuable data on student learning, further empowering faculty to provide greater student-centred teaching," David Carter, Supervisor of SWC's Learning Resource Centre and Educational Technology, said.
Dr. Tayeb Kamali, Vice Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology, applauded the initiative of the Sharjah Women's College's Online Learning Zone, which he said was part of the HCT's commitment to excellence in education.
HCT-Sharjah Colleges Director, Dr. Muhadditha Al Hashimi said the OLZ was an integral component of the Higher Colleges of Technology's utilisation of advanced educational technology throughout its campuses, which has seen it as a leader in educational technology integration.
Source: WAM