NMoQ, QU conclude future teachers workshop

The National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) and Qatar University’s College of Education concluded a two-day workshop aimed at introducing future educators to practical methods of incorporating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) into their classroom teaching through museum-based learning. The event, part of the ExxonMobil STEAM Festival, convened 36 undergraduate education students, including those in training for or engaged in school-based teaching practice.

The workshop, titled "Discovering STEAM Learning at NMoQ," explored how the museum's approach to connecting Qatar's heritage, collections, and cultural knowledge can effectively integrate with STEAM education. Participants engaged in hands-on activities, workshops, and discussions, learning how museum-based knowledge can supplement classroom teaching, enhance curriculum delivery, and offer novel ways for pupils to grasp STEAM concepts using objects, narratives, and locales.

Nadya al-Saleh, Director of the ExxonMobil STEAM Festival and Acting Deputy Director of Learning and Outreach at NMoQ, emphasized that museums can extend education beyond traditional classroom settings, offering teachers and students the chance to link curriculum subjects with real-world objects, heritage, and experiential learning.

The program aimed to provide future educators with firsthand experience of NMoQ's learning activities, enabling them to grasp the rationale behind these educational strategies and contemplate adapting them for their own teaching environments.

Alshaima Alyafei, Section Head of Learning Support at Qatar University’s College of Education, highlighted the university's commitment to experiential learning, innovation, and community engagement through its collaboration with NMoQ. The partnership enabled students to integrate theory with practice, cultivate a profound understanding of interdisciplinary STEAM education, and explore transforming classroom concepts into engaging, hands-on learning experiences.

Additionally, the workshop underscored the National Museum of Qatar as a vital educational resource that augments teaching and learning beyond the classroom.

The workshop further showcased collaboration across Qatar’s education ecosystem, linking academics, future teachers, museum learning specialists, and industry experts. The ExxonMobil STEAM Festival, supported by ExxonMobil Qatar’s research arm, ExxonMobil Research Qatar (EMRQ), will continue through 28 November at the National Museum of Qatar.

Activities within the festival include navigation workshops, a Silk Road board game, and storytelling sessions that connect STEAM concepts with navigation, traditional boats, and Qatar’s heritage.