The Middle East is adapting to digital teaching methods, and will be among the fastest growing communities in the world to invest in new online learning technologies, panelists at the e-learning forum in Dubai has said. The forum, hosted by Blackboard Middle East at InterContinental Hotel in Dubai on Tuesday, brought together some of the most senior administrators and decision makers from top UAE universities and higher education institutions. Thomas Jepsen, director of sales at Blackboard, a leading education software provider that has 37,000 global clients, said the Middle East is in perfect position to embrace electronic education. “The programs here are so ambitious and the energy is so dynamic that we will see a mass swing toward e-learning in the very near future,” said Jepsen. “This will happen much more quickly than in many other regions.” The forum introduced attendees to Blackboard's learning aids, including Blackboard Collaborate, an online collaboration platform that allows institutions to provide a better overall learning experience with the addition of web conferencing tools to their online courses, increasing student interactivity and engagement. – SG
