QU-YSC enhances ICT knowledge of students

Qatar University Young Scientists Centre (QU-YSC) has prepared and presented several courses and workshops in a programme dedicated to information and communications technology (ICT) for students at different academic levels.

The centre launched the programme in 2020 to provide participants with 21st-century skills by improving their capabilities in the field of ICT, developing their creativity and using these skills as a lifelong learning tool.Accordingly, the centre developed a training programme for high school students in mobile applications development, and specialists delivered several interactive workshops to teach programming languages over several months."Although these workshops were implemented virtually using modern learning methods, their output was great. For example, a group of students was able to make an application that helps chemistry students solve all chemical equations easily, and another application that helps visitors of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 to learn about the most important tourist attractions in Qatar, which will guarantee them a distinct experience in Qatar," QU said in a statement. QU-YSC also offered high school students a programming workshop for digital games, which lasted for five months. Through it, the students learned to develop games using programming languages. The students were able to apply what they learned in designing and making educational digital games. Another group of participants in the smart sensor workshop were able to learn the basics of programming using the language to make smart sensors with important realistic applications, such as the ultraviolet ray sensor that warns and reduces skin cancer.The centre also developed workshops for preparatory students, in which they learned the basics of the programming to design a platform that enables users to develop applications. The workshops were implemented virtually and lasted a month. These were characterised by strong outputs for several applications.Primary school students also had a share of the centre's workshops in the field of ICT, with introduction of the Arduino programme. What distinguishes this programme is the integration of the field of electronics with the foundations of programming to stimulate the creative thinking of students, as the students built various projects using sensors and programming. Students acquired logical thinking skills that enable them to be creative and develop solutions to all contemporary problems.Prof Noora al-Thani, director of QU-YSC, stressed the expansion of the centre's aspirations with regard to ICT programmes, "after the great success that was witnessed through the projects of the participating students".The development of the proposed programmes and the provision of the latest programmes and tools to implement them is one of the priorities of the centre, in an effort to attract the largest number of Qatari youth to acquire basic skills that will open up various paths and horizons for them in thefuture, the statement added.