My Online Schooling is a virtual portal founded in the UK with the aim to improve educational possibilities for the youth. Recognising the fact that pupils learn in different ways, the team at My Online Schooling chose an alternative pathway to the traditional one-size-fits-all approach.
Providing a full-time British education online to children of school age, My Online Schooling works on the belief system that all young people deserve access to a quality education.
My Online Schooling opened doors for pupils worldwide to study the highly regarded English National Curriculum, as well as to receive International GCSE and A-Level qualifications to show for the same.
In keeping with its initiative to further reach to students worldwide and highlight the importance of online learning for the future of education itself, My Online Schooling will now anchor a virtual event titled Accessing British Education in the Gulf Region, to be hosted this Thursday, November 11, at 6pm, Dubai time.
"During the virtual event, we will discuss the changes in education post-pandemic and the role that digital innovation will have in 21st century education. We will also cover the global desire for blended learning amongst international schools and the benefits of a hybrid model of in person and online education.
The virtual event will host Tom Crombie, Founder and CEO, My Online Schooling, among other select panelists from the sector, and will look at education as a whole in the Gulf, why the UK curriculum is revered, and the different options and ways that parents can harness technology and bring education to their children.
Crombie, a former teacher and school leader, studied at the University of Glasgow and latterly, the University of Edinburgh where he embarked on his PGDE in Primary Education. His teaching career started in Scotland, before embarking on a five-year adventure to live and work in New Zealand.
Crombie spent five years at ACG Sunderland in Auckland as a teacher and Curriculum Leader where his passion for using innovative technology in the classroom began. He returned to the UK in 2016 and embarked on the project to establish My Online Schooling with a view to providing an online internationally accessible, inclusive, and innovative education to young people across the globe
The event will also spotlight the current state of education in the GCC, online education/schooling, how the public shifted their mind to online schooling post pandemic, and the future of education.
In an exclusive interview in the lead-up to the event, Crombie highlights some critical facets about the virtual event as well as pertinent points on the relevance of online education as remote access became a thing with the rise of Covid, and how remote learning is slowly coming to being viewed as the new normal for the education sector in the wake of the pandemic.
What is the virtual event being hosted by My Online Schooling called and why do you feel an event of its kind is well timed for the education sector?
The event is called Accessing British Education in the Gulf Region. We have been delivering the British curriculum online to primary and secondary pupils for over five years now. However, post-pandemic, families are considering different options for their children's education.
Online learning is going to play a pivotal part in the future of education and My Online Schooling brings together a community of learners from all corners of the globe in one innovative and inclusive school. We have a thriving community of students from the Middle East and we look forward to discussing the power of online learning in accessing British education from the region.
How do you see students and parents in the Middle East, and specifically here in the UAE benefiting from the online event being hosted by My Online Schooling?
We currently have hundreds of students in the Middle East with the majority residing in the UAE. In early 2022 we will be the first British international online to be based in Dubai and we are excited to create more opportunities for students in the region to join our Middle East school. We are one of the world's leading online schools and we deliver the full British curriculum to primary and secondary aged pupils across the globe. Our Wellbeing and Additional Support Needs departments support any student to access our full curriculum, irrespective of their need.
What are the broad topics that are going to be discussed at the event?
We will discuss the benefits of a British education and the power of online schooling to enable students to access an innovative education of excellence. We will be talking about the changes in education post-pandemic and the role that digital innovation will have in 21st century education. We will also cover the global desire for blended learning amongst international schools and the benefits of a hybrid model of in person and online education. We will also talk about the rise of online education in the Middle East and the level of interest in British education in the region.
Who are the other spokespersons invited to share their views at the virtual event and how are they looking to enrich the discussion?
The virtual event will also host Evo Hannan and Sarah Ahmed. Hannan is passionate about design and innovation in education. Innately driven by his desire to create positive change, he has utilised his 20 years of experience to channel into projects that have made an impact across the globe, including The Agency project and Ed Talks Live, a live YouTube talk show that engages hot education topics, with guests from around the globe.
Hannan recently launched Innovation X’s first service called Vertigo, a social media agency for schools and education partners that offers a modern, streamlined approach to community engagement, growth, and communication. Hannan will be discussing the role of digital innovation as part of the future of education, and his experiences of teaching in Dubai.
Ahmed, on her part has eight years of experience as an educator. She taught in the early years, primary and secondary schools, in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. She had been living in Dubai for five years, and previously worked in outstanding British and IB schools. For the past two years in Dubai, she has been teaching and creating content online.
Ahmed has a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies. She completed her Early Years diploma from the UK, and obtained her Professional Teaching Certificate from the American University in Dubai. She is currently completing her Master of Education and her native language is Arabic, although she is also fluent in English.
Ahmed strives to provide a positive, active, constructive, challenging and meaningful learning environment for all students by creating an enjoyable and dynamic learning atmosphere. She is tech-savvy and excellent in using educational apps and technology to enrich the online learning experience among students.
Ahmed also applies 21st-century skills to fully implement effective and innovative teaching strategies while focusing on the students’ individual learning needs. She looks forward to discussing her experiences and the value of online learning in the UAE.
How big a market is the Middle East education sector for a UK-based online education portal such as My Online Schooling and why is it crucial for the brand to expand outreach in the region, especially here in the UAE?
MOS has over 1,500 learners globally and the Middle East is the fastest growing region for the school. Education in the Middle East is a huge market and access to British education is a major element of the market. MOS has grown its international student base post-pandemic and we want to ensure that all international students and their families have the support that they need during their learning journey with us.
My Online Schooling is believed to be the only British online school with international bases, currently in Edinburgh in the UK, and Perth, Australia, and with its latest branch to open in Dubai soon. For us, it is essential that every member of our community feels supported, wherever they are in the world. We have a unique Success Coordinator team who are based internationally and are there to support every parent or carer throughout their journey at My Online Schooling.
In your view, how does online schooling provide a 360-degree perspective to students in their efforts to become global citizens?
I believe that we are the world's most international school. We have pupils that join from over 90 nationalities and come together in one global community. This international perspective would not be evident in any other school. Our students study the British curriculum, however, they are empowered to be international learners through our global approach.
Is My Online Schooling hoping to host similar virtual events aimed at the education sector here in the Middle East in the coming days and months? Do you see scope for the event to be part of a series on virtual education events that benefit the regional student community?
My Online Schooling is excited about the prospects of becoming the first British online school to be based in the Middle East when we set up in Dubai in early 2022. As a result, we will be running a number of virtual and in-person events that will be of benefit to the regional community. We will have a fantastic support base in the UAE and an Admissions team that will be there to support students and their families through every step of the journey at My Online Schooling.
Join us at our virtual event, Accessing British Education in the Gulf Region, on November 11, at 6pm, Dubai time to learn more about the changing model of education. Visit https://myonlineschoolingevent.com/
