Delivering on the life skills students need now —critical thinking, creativity, communication and cross-cultural collaboration— is a global challenge. So we convene students, teachers and education leaders from our QFI-supported communities along with our partners’ networks to enhance teaching and learning the core attributes of global competency. This ethos also frames how we think about our programming and teacher educational opportunities, and how we work with each other at QFI. We call this theme that links our programs with our broader mission– “Connected Communities.”
We believe better understanding of Arabic language and about Arab societies and cultures in engaging learning environments connects learners with the world around them in new and exciting ways. We also believe that regular convening of educators across geographic boundaries benefits them and ultimately their students. So we participate in and bring our communities together at events such as the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages’ (ACTFL) Annual Convention and World Languages Expo, QFI-supported Arabic Teacher Council meetings, the Middle East Outreach Council’s (MEOC) annual meeting and workshop, at the Salzburg Global Seminar, and the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) biennial summit and programming.
Since we face the challenge of knowledge-sharing within the QFI network and with the wider language and cross-cultural education community, we are always looking for appropriate technology innovations that meet teachers’ and learners’ needs. There is a particularly acute need to ensure innovative solutions reach resource-challenged communities. To respond to this challenge, QFI is growing a portfolio of digital platforms and virtual exchange opportunities aligned to our program areas and activities. The platforms allow teachers new ways to access training, share lessons learned and best practices with a broader audience, and participate in cross-cultural exchanges that expand the global awareness of their students. Virtual exchanges also create new opportunities to connect students and teachers with other peoples and cultures in the Arab world.
