QCRI presents 'Mother-Child Tech Fun' with Hamad Bin Jassim Centre

Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI), part of Hamad Bin Khalifa University, recently hosted “Mother-Child Tech Fun” in collaboration with the Hamad Bin Jassim Centre (HBJ Centre) for K-12 Computer Science Education at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q). The event is an annual initiative by QCRI’s Creative Space, which is a full programme of activities that highlight technological innovations and promotes an understanding of robotics, artificial intelligence, coding, as well as other areas of the computer science and computer engineering disciplines, especially among younger learners. The outdoor event, held at QCRI’s research facilities recently, welcomed close to 150 participants. The event created a fun and stimulating environment that fuelled the curiosity of the mothers and their children, up to nine years of age, about how technological innovations work and are created. QCRI and HBJ Centre’s hands-on computer science activities included programming, robotics, and coding-based games. Each activity was designed to challenge the parents and children to work together and apply computational thinking creatively. Ikram Zidani, creative space co-ordinator at QCRI, said: “We were delighted to partner with the HBJ Centre to create a positive learning experience where mothers could engage with their children. These events offer a good foundation for advanced learning. They also teach young learners leadership and creative thinking to use their tech know-how and navigate problems. Beyond career choices, these skills are essential in a world run by technology and artificial intelligence.”Nour Elhouda Tabet, computer science outreach co-ordinator at HBJ Centre, said: “Programming and computational thinking are almost essential skill sets for our youth today, and it was delightful to see mothers and children immersed side-by-side in these activities. Computer science education is a key element in Qatar’s human development, and we appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with QCRI on this initiative to encourage young learners to pursue this field.”