Texas A&M at Qatar to offer online STEM learning for kids in Qatar
Published Mar 18, 2020
A new online learning program offered by Texas A&M University at Qatar will give students in grades 7-12 the opportunity to learn new skills from the comfort — and safety — of their own homes.
IDEA: Innovate, Design and Engineer an App was developed by STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) experts at Texas A&M at Qatar to allow students to explore the fundamentals of programming and mobile app development while learning from home due to school closures over concerns about the spread of coronavirus COVID-19.
IDEA participants will learn the basics of coding, algorithms and refining their ideas for a working mobile-phone app. Students will receive weekly online training sessions, and will present and demonstrate their ideas and apps remotely to a panel of experts.
The program is open to all students in grades 7-12 in Qatar. Instruction is available in English and Arabic, and will be provided via videoconference and an online learning platform. Participants will be expected to commit 4-6 hours per week. Only students who complete submission of the weekly tasks will receive a certificate and be eligible to compete for awards in the end-of-program competition.
Texas A&M at Qatar dean Dr. César Octavio Malavé said that IDEA is an opportunity for students to enhance their school learning by committing to this programming challenge.
“Texas A&M at Qatar is a leader in engineering education and in STEM in Qatar,” Malavé said. “Teaching and learning must continue during these unprecedented times if Qatar is to maintain its growth and development, and we are proud to be able to offer unique opportunities for school students in Qatar to learn and grow.”
The program begins 22 March and will run through 30 April. Interested students should apply for a spot in the program at https://stem.qa/stem-programs/idea/.