AL-Bairaq

Final event for "I am Discovering Materials" 2nd cycle; Fahad Al-Attiya, Chairman of the QNFSP, Abdulrahman Al Mannai, Manager of RasGas, Saad Al-Kuwari, CEO (TASWEEK), sponsor representatives and AL-Bairaq students

AL-Bairaq (Arabic: البيرق‎[1]) is an outreach program targeting high school students. The idea behind AL-Bairaq is to offer the high school students the opportunity to connect with the research environment in the Center for Advanced Materials (CAM) at Qatar University, located in Doha, Qatar.[2] AL-Bairaq is a young youth development. It does so by engaging the high school students in scientific activities which enhances their skills, motivation, and interest and guide them in their future career. AL-Bairaq's learning system adopts curriculum integration. Its modules cover a blend of academic disciplines including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM fields), in addition to language and beauty of science.[3]

Final event for "I am a Researcher", 4th cycle; Sheikh Abdulla Al-Thani, Vice President of Education, Qatar Foundation; Dr. Tidu Maini, Executive Chairman of QSTP, Qatar Foundation; sponsor representatives and AL-Bairaq students
UNESCO Visits Al Bairaq
Final event for "Science in Sports", first cycle; Shk. Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, secretary general of QOC, sponsor representatives, and AL-Bairaq students
Final event for "I am a Researcher", 6th cycle; Dr. Mohammed Al Hammadi, Minister of Education and Higher Education, Shaikha Al-Misnad QU President, sponsor representatives, and AL-Bairaq students

The AL-Bairaq program aims to link learning and fun, which motivates youth to join it. It doesn't depend on ready prepared lessons but makes the students partners in the learning process. AL-Bairaq also gives the students the freedom to discover their own abilities and skills. AL-Bairaq engages students and increases motivation with project-based learning, encourages students to solve authentic problems, and inquires them to work with each other as a team to build real solutions. In addition, AL-Bairaq provides interactive approaches, utilizing social media means such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube to unlock young people's potential to communicate their ideas, and to display their resulting products.[4][5][6] [7][8][9]

AL-Bairaq is a non-profit educational project; any student at a Qatari secondary school (independent and international), regardless of gender, nationality, socio-economic status, or special needs, is eligible to participate. Faculty members train and mentor the students and help develop and enhance their critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. Students, in teams, formulate their own research questions related to materials science; build a research plan; investigate, using state-of-the-art technology and scientific instrumentation; and report findings in a public forum, evaluated by representatives from business and industry.[10][11][12][13][14][15]

AL-Bairaq sponsors are UNESCO, RasGas, Maersk Oil, Shell and Qatar Petroleum.

AL-Bairaq includes four tracks: I am a Researcher, I am Discovering Materials, Science in Sport, and Solving Problems.

Students during "I am a Researcher" track
Students during "I'm Discovering Materials" Track
Students during "Science in sport" track
Students during "Solving Problems" track
The Effect of Fear on Humans' Vital Signs (Al-Wakra Museum Group)

Name

"Al-bairaq" refers to a flag-bearer, the soldier who carries a flag during war. AL-Bairaq is a symbol of courage, defiance and victory. Students are considered the soldiers of the project who carry the flag of science.[16]

I am a Researcher

This track is designed to stimulate students' curiosity about science through experimenting with different materials in laboratory setting under professional supervision and guidance. "I am a researcher" offers high school students in Qatar a unique opportunity to get involved in real research conducted at the Center for Advanced Materials (CAM) and other departments in Qatar University. It is an opportunity to work with the university professors and professional researchers in portions of their current research so that students would be able to manage their own hands-on research projects.[17][18][19][20][21]

Final event and competitions

In the "I am a Researcher" tracks, students demonstrate their understanding of the scientific concepts as well as their ideas and thoughts via PowerPoint and other presentation tools. They present in a public forum and their learning and work are evaluated by a jury from business and industrial organizations. In addition to research activities, and as complement to them, “I am a Researcher” track include many science and art competitions where participants in their groups will be candidates for winning one of our multiple and various prizes. Winners will be selected, based on pre-defined criteria, by a panel of experts formed from our sponsor companies in addition to major business and industrial organizations in Qatar. Competitions include:

I am Discovering Materials

"I am Discovering Materials" is one of the most important tracks in the AL-Bairaq program. It aims to introduce the students to variety of topics in materials science in an exciting way. These modules are all built around a common structure, where four or more related activities introduce an important topic in contemporary materials science. Through these activities, students learn about the topic by investigating key features of the materials that are the focus of the module. Then students use what they have learned from the activities to participate in a design project. This project aims to inspire students to design, test, and build their own product that uses the materials which are the focus of the module.[22][23] One example of students' projects is the conversion of carbon dioxide into methanol.

Generally, the "I am Discovering Materials" track gives the students an opportunity to understand the world around them in a way they have never experienced before. With their participation, students are encouraged to discover the interconnections between science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM fields) and society. In other words, they are encouraged to make a direct connection between what they are learning in class and their everyday lives. Moreover, this track inspires the students' creativity through the design projects assigned to them.

Final event and competitions

In the semi-final and final events, students compete for several prizes and competitions. The competing candidates are evaluated by a selected panel of judges from different scientific, business, and industrial organizations. Competitions include:

Science in Sport

"Science in Sport" is involved in all areas of sport from timing, distance measurement, materials technology, and performance monitoring. The inspiration of science is found in every aspect of sport materials, and the technology is frequently working on better production for sports materials. Bringing the interest of the students in sports through technical aspects of science themes, may include design, materials, mechanics, dynamics, math, and engineering, to create sports materials using different simple materials.[24][25]

Final event and competitions

In the final event, students are evaluated by a selected panel of judges from different companies and institutions. The participating groups compete for prizes in the following categories:

Solving Problems

Through this track, students learn how to solve a problem through a simulation of a problem. They have the freedom to solve it under the supervision of the AL-Bairaq team.

Results

The effects of AL-Bairaq on the secondary school students are supported by the results of a research carried out in Qatar, which concluded that the advanced learning environment resulted in the improvement of the students’ ability to acquire and retain new knowledge. Furthermore, the advanced learning environment had a direct positive impact on students’ attitude towards research, and students gained positive attitudes towards work as well.[26]

AL-Bairaq at Wise 2015

AL-Bairaq was named a 2015 WISE (World Innovation Summit of Education) Awards Finalist. It was chosen by WISE among six projects shortlisted for their innovative solutions to education, adoption of cutting-edge practices, and their positive social impact.[27][28]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.almaany.com/home.php?language=arabic&lang_name=%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A&word=%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%82
  2. ↑ "Campus Life Newsletter | Qatar University". Qu.edu.qa. 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2014-06-30.
  3. ↑ http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/research/CAM/dmsprogram/albiraq_news/alj_nursery_to_researchers_at_qatar_university.pdf
  4. ↑ "Welcome to Al-Bairaq World". Qu.edu.qa. 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
  5. ↑ "About us". Qu.edu.qa. 2014-03-03. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
  6. ↑ "Supreme Education Council - News Details". Sec.gov.qa. 2013-12-01. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
  7. ↑ Source: UNESCO Office in Doha (2012-02-20). "UNESCO Doha office collaborates with Materials Technology Unit (MTU) at Qatar University on AL-Bairaq World | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization". Unesco.org. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
  8. ↑ "Noora Al-Thani". WGSI.org. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
  9. ↑ http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/research/CAM/dmsprogram/albiraq_news/shn_aims_to_simplify_the_concepts_of_scientific_research_for_school_students_qu_launches_project_al_bairaq_for_the_discovery_of_materials_science.pdf
  10. ↑ http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/research/CAM/albairaq/about_us/vision_and_mission.php
  11. ↑ http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/research/CAM/dmsprogram/albiraq_news/alj_al_biraq_program_video_on_al_jazeera.pdf
  12. ↑ http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/research/CAM/dmsprogram/albiraq_news/ufuq_qatar_university_launches_project_al_bairaq_to_discover_the_materials_science.pdf
  13. ↑ http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/research/CAM/dmsprogram/albiraq_news/ufuq_100_students_of_the_secondary_level_participate_in_the_discovery_of_materials_science.pdf
  14. ↑ http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/research/CAM/dmsprogram/albiraq_news/alanba_qatari_program_for_young_researchers.pdf
  15. ↑ "QU official takes part in Equinox Summit". Moneyhub.net. Retrieved 2014-06-30.
  16. ↑ http://www.almaany.com/home.php?language=arabic&lang_name=%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A&word=%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%82
  17. ↑ "I am a Researcher". Qu.edu.qa. 2014-03-03. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
  18. ↑ "Al Bairaq holds workshop for high school students". The Peninsula Qatar. 2014-05-11. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
  19. ↑ http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/research/CAM/dmsprogram/albiraq_news/alj_honoring_al_biraq_students.pdf
  20. ↑ "الشرق - انطلاق برنامج "أنا باحث" في جامعة قطر". Al-sharq.com. 2014-02-24. Retrieved 2014-06-30.
  21. ↑ "جريدة الراية - جامعة قطر تكرم الفائزين بالدورة السابعة من "أنا باحث"". Raya.com. Retrieved 2014-06-30.
  22. ↑ "I am discovering Materials". Qu.edu.qa. 2014-03-03. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
  23. ↑ http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/research/CAM/dmsprogram/albiraq_news/alj_qatari_program_for_young_researchers.pdf
  24. ↑ "Science in Sport Media". Qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
  25. ↑ http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/research/CAM/documents/Alarab.pdf
  26. ↑ http://www.ejes.eu/images/issue/vol.1/no.3/4.pdf Al-Ghanim, K.A; Al-Maadeed, M.A and Al-Thani, N.J (Sept. 2014) : Impact of Innovative Learning Environment Based on Research Activities on Secondary School Students' Attitude Towards Research and Their Self-Efficacy, EJES, 1(3), 39-57
  27. ↑ http://www.wise-qatar.org/al-bairaq-qatar
  28. ↑ http://www.wise-qatar.org/wise-awards-2015

External links

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