Saudi Gazette LEARNING several academic disciplines at once in an interactive and practical way is a new direction initiated by the Saudi Ministry of Education. One program named "Mathematics Is Our Life" just concluded a three-month interactive gallery offering video games, sports, robot devices and building stations. The program was organized by the Jeddah Science Center (JSC), a public entity under the umbrella of the Ministry of Education's recently founded science centers. Established a little over a year ago, the Jeddah Science Center partners with private entities to host programs using the internationally renowned STEM method, consisting of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. "The exhibit featured models of real life objects where participants can learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics at once," JSC's public relations officer Jamila Bawazeer told Saudi Gazette. Learning to shoot a football in a goal requires mathematical calculations to know the angles, she says. Similarly, merging more than one discipline at once is needed in real life such as building towers. Answering the timeless question of whether students will ever need mathematical concepts learned in schools, supervisor of program partnerships Ayman Al-Harbi said such activities shows how math is used in daily life. The program helped spark creativity and highlighted the unlimited abilities of students to think broadly and consider math beyond a classroom subject, according to Al-Harbi. In addition to the technologies of NASA and civil engineering, the exhibit displayed the achievements of Islamic pioneer scholars and prominent personalities in the Middle East. The center registered more than 12,500 visitors in the summer program in the past three months. Dubbing itself as an incubator for future scientists, the center aims to shift the perception of science in the Kingdom's applied education by hosting other activities throughout the year.
