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Doha
Beating 250 schools around the world, Qatar Academy for Science and Technology (QAST) won the Teaching and Learning Initiative prize at the International Schools Award 2020 in London, for its unprecedented approach to education.
The school was selected as one of the top 35 finalists, and was the only school in Qatar to have been nominated for this prestigious award.
The competition had 10 categories of which the Teaching and Learning Category had the maximum number of applicants and finalists. QAST, part of Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Pre-University Education, was honoured for its approach to addressing Qatar’s Grand Challenges through its unique and highly effective curriculum structure titled ‘CRISP’, which stands for Collaborate, Research, Innovate, Synthesize and Present.
The innovative high-school, which focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), was established in 2018 by QF to offer a unique education that equips students with the qualifications and the experiences they need to access some of the world’s leading universities while finding solutions to current global challenges.
“I am delighted that our approach to empowering our students with the knowledge and skills they need to find solutions to the challenges we all face has been recognised so soon in our development,” Dr Gregory Moncada, director at QAST, said.
The team at QAST has developed a unique approach, which uses real world challenges within the context of their studies. Students are given challenges which they solve in teams over a six to eight-week period before presenting their solutions to key stakeholders. This enables students to begin using their academic knowledge and practical skills to solve real problems for a real audience from day one at the school.
“It is high praise indeed to have gained this level of recognition for our unique approach to truly embed real-life skills within a rigorous academic programme,” said Vaughan Lewis, curriculum coordinator.
As the only QF school to offer both A level and AP qualifications, QAST sits in a unique position within the QF community. It is able to provide a viable alternative to the International Baccalaureate, which Principal Sam Abrams believes embraces the best of both IB and A levels.
The team behind QAST includes passionate educationalists, parents and innovators. Their unique model is based on many years’ of research into how young people learn.
Working alongside neighbours at QF, including leading universities such as Texas A&M University at Qatar and Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, the school has more than just a building; it has an innovative and progressive network of support, facilities and knowledge.
A key element to the model is the use of mastery grading. It is a method of assessment designed to empower students to master their skills in order to apply their knowledge, rather than simply regurgitate detail for an exam. The QAST model also removes the need for iGCSEs, which are regularly under scrutiny as to their value for students who are intent on progressing to university as universities don’t recognise them.
Rather, students from ages 14 to 16 work on what they call CRISP themes, which are tailored projects designed to solve a specific grand challenge Qatar and the world is facing right now, such as water security, food security and cyber security. In their final two years, the students work on intensive internships with businesses and thereby gain not only the academic knowledge they need for success in their pre-university A level and AP exams, but real-world experience.Qatar Academy for Science and Technology beats 250 schools to win the award
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23/01/2020
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