Saudi Arabia is embracing education technology innovation in the ‘new normal,’ enabling the changing role of the teacher, creative collaboration, and social distancing in the classroom. Epson technology is helping to support this shift, and the global technology brand will be at the Saudi Education Technology Summit 2020, running from 10-11 November 2020.

Children across Saudi Arabia are being educated via adapted lesson plans and leveraging existing platforms in new ways, which may better equip them for their working futures.

A previous study run by Epson[1] asked experts about the expected changes ahead for the future of the education sector. At that time, 78% of those experts and peers that Epson spoke to, believed that technology would challenge the traditional way of doing things in education.

While the research was not related to COVID-19 when it was conducted, many of the respondents’ predictions about the impact of technology on education have come to fruition having been sped up by the impact of the pandemic. This is a time of massive transformation, driven by necessity, leveraging available solutions. It’s likely many educational establishments will identify opportunities for positive change as we emerge from the current crisis.

Educational technologies that can deliver positive change both in classrooms and remotely include interactive display solutions, education document cameras, and business inkjet printers.

"This is a time of massive transformation in education in Saudi Arabia, with Saudi Vision 2030 providing the roadmap for educational innovation," said Jason McMillan, sales director, Epson Middle East. "The Saudi Education Technology Summit is an ideal platform for educational establishments to understand how the latest technologies can support social distancing in classrooms, drive interactive learning and collaboration, and save printing time and costs."

During the virtual event, Jason McMillan will present on "Re-shaping the Future of Education with Epson" on Tuesday, 10 November at 12:20 pm. Epson is the event’s Platinum Partner.

The changing role of the teacher

Among the respondents, 70% expected teachers to shift away from solely imparting knowledge to guiding students through learning, 64% said information and analytical skills would become the focus of education, and 71% agreed blended learning would make education more dynamic and teachers more efficient.

Creative collaborative

Augmented reality, and collaborative technologies, such as interactive projection enabled by the types of products Epson already supplies into schools and education establishments, are expected to enable and encourage more dynamic educational content, according to 70% of those in our study. Epson’s innovative educational collaboration solutions include the EB-1485Fi interactive display solution and the ELPDC21 education document camera.

Similarly, 60% believed that that a collaborative education trend would have a positive impact on the sector. Collaborative learning technology was also predicted to level the playing field for students, with 62% believing it would enable each student to learn in their own way.

Student centric solutions

Today, students of all ages are expected to motivate and educate themselves (or with the help of parents), interpreting and implementing remote lessons and learning content at home.

According to 57%, meta learning (where students are more responsible for their own learning) would become the new norm, expected to have a positive impact on the education sector.

Hybrid learning being explored

As educational institutions exploring the option to reopen to in-person learning, it’s important more than ever to follow the social distancing guidelines. Epson display solutions, with scalable and high-res projection displays, support safe schooling by allowing students to be seated 2 meters apart ensure all students can see the screen clearly even those at the back. With scalable screens up to 155″, Epson display solutions offer a more flexible solution than flat panels.

They will also have significant printing needs. Administrators need to print official documents, teachers need to print and copy lessons and worksheets, and students need to print and scan assignments. Epson is seeing strong Saudi demand for WorkForce Enterprise and WorkForce Pro RIPS business inkjet printers.

For more information and to register for the event, visit: https://saudiedutech.com/.