Dubai students to design schools of future

Students from 30 schools in Dubai will put their creative minds to task, and design schools of the future. With Lego blocks and innovative smart apps, teams will build school models for the year 2030.

“Since they spend maximum time in the school, it was only apt that they design it,” said Hind Al Mualla, Chief of Creativity, Happiness and Innovation at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). “It will be interesting to see what they come up with.”

“All participating schools will be sent a kit, and they can also download the app to create the models.”

Once the creations are finalised, they will be displayed at the KHDA office and judged by a panel of experts.

This initiative is part of the UAE Innovation Week, where students, educators and parent community come together to discuss and share new ideas.

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Dr Abdulla Al Karam, director general of KHDA, said, “We live in a world where the ambitions and expectations of people are continuously changing. To meet and exceed these expectations, we have to come up with innovative ideas. The UAE Innovation Week marks a major step forward in our journey to achieve the goals set out in UAE Vision 2021.”

Students from 30 schools will be divided into groups of three. Each will use Lego Education StoryStarter set by Atlab to build primary school of future. The students will also use the kit with an iPad to build a model school that reflects exactly how they would like their school and learning environment to be.

“Our motive is to bring in the culture of how to think, design and plan new innovation during this week. This will inspire kids to acquire 21st century skills, along with creative thinking and teamwork,” said S Senthil Kugan, general manager of Atlab, a technology-based learning solutions company.

Innovation, Hind Al Mualla added, is based on collaboration and the ability to fail. “We want them to create fearlessly. It’s OK to fail but they will learn from it.”

The KHDA has also opened up a 35-feet shipping container outside their office in Dubai International Academic City, where they will display all the creative works of the students. “It’s interesting to see what they have created with recycled goods.”

The feedback, she added, from the kids has been encouraging.

KHDA will also showcase innovation in education by providing a space for ideas and projects in a 35-foot shipping container outside the KHDA office. The innovation container will house some of the best projects crafted by student makers – who will also be visiting the container to learn from each other and share ideas.

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