On May 6, 2016, Ms. Roula Chehab, Microsoft Lebanon’s Public Sector and Education Account Manager and Microsoft Lebanon’s Country Manager, Ms. Hoda Younan met with key people from the Evangelical Schools in order to discuss E-Learning and to present technology. At first, Ms. Younan led the subject by raising several critical points:

  • For Microsoft, technology in education and in schools is crucial, as youth, children and adults have a growing interest in technology. It is becoming one of their daily drivers.
  • Technology will help teachers, students and administrations to improve what they do in schools and other educational institutes.
  • The Ministry of Education has already started introducing E-Learning in schools and educational institutions. However, it is the establishments’ job to continue what the Ministry has started and move forward. In fact, several private and one public school have made important steps towards E-Learning and they have done so with success.

Afterwards, Ms. Roula Chehab highlighted numerous key ideas in her talk:

  • E-Learning is only successful once the educational system is reformed.
  • Schools must have a vision, build policies, implement the vision and policies and most importantly, they must secure the infrastructure and software’s.
  • Introducing technology (E-Learning) is essential for development, employability of future generations and economic growth.
  • Schools must provide students with a system of education whereby they can learn anywhere (mobility) mainly through devices like tablets.
  • Teachers can also learn to flip the learning process whereby they engage students in learning prior to coming to class through E-Learning.
  • One of the key elements that makes the transition to E-Learning essential and affordable is the concept of clouds. Students can easily access information through the cloud system and applications such as Office 365.
  • Having no capital investment is a big advantage. The user will only pay as he consumes. The only major investment is to get good Internet connectivity.

Dr. Nabil Costa, Secretary General of the Association of Evangelical Schools in Lebanon, ended the session by providing information regarding the cost of good connectivity and the culture among parents and their support for E-Learning.

This gathering was crucial in order to familiarize E-Learning in Evangelical Schools. In our fast forwarding world, individuals are becoming increasingly dependent to technology. And us, as teachers, leaders and managers, must take advantage of that in order to improve the system in our schools for students and learners.