The workshop was inaugurated by Prof. Ali Al-Karmi, Vice-President of the Hashemite University, in the presence of Prof. Majid Marian, Vice President of the University. Dr. Al-Karmi emphasized on the importance of the educational technology and its role in developing the national higher education system and making its outputs more responsive to the needs of the labor market.

        He added that the Hashemite University is keen to keep abreast of technological developments and to build the capacities in the field of information and communication technology. He also pointed out that the University is keen on developing educational plans and programs and enhancing the environment of innovation, entrepreneurship and research and development.

      

  Dr. Jihad Alaeddin, Dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences, confirmed that the university has taken great steps in spreading the culture of e-learning among faculty members. She also pointed out that the college is continuing within the Hashemite University's plan to transform a number of courses into electronic courses. She gave a detailed presentation of the academic and administrative procedures taken by the university administration to develop the education and achieve the goals on which the university was built and to secure the requirements of work, research and the educational process.

 

The aim of the workshop, according to project manager at the Hashemite University, is to "modernize teaching methods in higher education" and to introduce modern technology in the educational process in partner universities based on the experiences of European countries participating in the project.

Al-Khasawneh said that the EU-funded project known as "METHODS" includes a number of Palestinian, German, Spanish, Italian, British, Bulgarian and Danish universities as well as Jordanian universities. The seminar discussed the needs of Jordanian universities for training programs in assessing the current situation, existing practices in education, and the need to develop rapid learning models through the introduction of ICTs.

       

 Prof. Ahmed Al-Salaymeh (project manager) said that the project is to establish a training center with smart classrooms equipped with advanced technological teaching equipment, a teaching room equipped with the latest equipment and modern means to record lectures, and training the faculty members in these departments to use the equipment and how to employ this technology In the educational process, and the development of electronic teaching materials in Jordanian and Palestinian universities under the supervision of European universities partner. Al-Salaymeh added that planning for the establishment of a training center and smart classrooms will be completed soon, adding that two smart halls will be established at the Hashemite University.

       

 The workshop discussed the importance of the of Flipped Learning in the educational process and its role in transferring students from the stage of recieving to innovation, interaction and thinking. Dr. Atef Abu Hameed presented lectures on problem-based learning and intelligent teaching methods presented by Prof. Dr. Jibrin Attieh and Dr. Thaer Ghbari. 

Microsoft Company participated in a presentation on e-learning tools and education technology.

        It is worth mentioning that the project "Modernization of teaching methods in higher education" is one of the Jordanian projects that won the Erasmus Plus program in the field of capacity building for employees and students in higher education. At the end of the workshop, a discussion session was held to answer the audience's questions.