GESS Talks Webinar 24- Digital Literacy Unlocking Potential with Coding

Taking place on Wednesday 20th March at, 16:00 GST / UAE 12:00 UK. This webinar is focused on exploring coding and related topics such as digital literacy skills and teaching methods. We'll delve into different aspects of coding, its practical applications, and effective teaching strategies. Join us as we discover valuable insights to enhance your approach to teaching.

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                Speakers: 

 

Chairperson: Philippa Wraithmell, Author & Education Consultant, EdRuption

Philippa is an award winning (innovation in learning) educator and Author, her book the digital ecosystem is the first book globally to support educators understand every aspect of digital education.

She has specialised in digital strategy, teaching and learning and change leadership in schools, for the past seven years. Philippa has extensive experience in developing policy for government entities and individual school groups, as well as bespoke frameworks for schools globally and as a Subject Matter Expert, even writing white papers for school groups in Asia and the Middle East.

In addition, Philippa is an Apple Distinguished Educator, supporting apple with reviews and regional projects.  Her app design project went from being a small school community project and is now rolled out emirate wide as a national coding UXUI design project in both English and Arabic.

Philippa is keen to ensure that all school know their “why” in using digital learning and all students have access to be able to unlock their own future. Philippa works alongside small EdTech partner groups, testing and trialling new and emerging technologies which will benefit students learning.

Having taught for 15 years, 7 in the Middle East and the UK both primary and secondary with a focus on STEAM, Design Technology & Computer science.  She regularly reviews international awards for sustainability, environmental awareness & digital innovation.

She is passionate about positive school leadership, integrating meaningful technology and above all safeguarding in schools. This year sees her launch her own consultancy EdRuption.


Marcos Muller Habig, Acting CEO, 42 Abu Dhabi Coding school

Marcos Muller Habig, Acting CEO of 42 Abu Dhabi, is the visionary leader driving the growth and success of the UAE capital’s innovative and disruptive coding school that offers a unique peer-to-peer, gamified learning methodology. With a wealth of experience in technology and a deep understanding of its transformative power, he is committed to empowering the next generation of digital leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators. Additionally, Marcos is recognized as a mentor of entrepreneurship, guiding aspiring entrepreneurs through their journey towards building successful ventures.

Prior to joining 42 Abu Dhabi, Marcos held various leadership roles at Mubadala, where he was responsible for managing a portfolio of commercial contracts valued at AED 320M. He was also actively involved in mentoring and coaching younger professionals to help them realize their full potential and reach their career goals.

Driven by a commitment to excellence, Marcos has been instrumental in building 42 Abu Dhabi’s strong partnerships and networks with leading companies including Mubadala, Department of Energy (DoE), Department of Government Enablement (DGE), Abu Dhabi Police, MOI, Microsoft, and BEACON RED.

With Marcos’ leadership and vision, 42 Abu Dhabi continues to expand and attract top talent from all over the world, offering a unique and innovative approach to coding education and preparing students to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Hannan Moti Co-Founder & CEO, iCodejr

London School of Economics graduate, Hannan is the co-founder & CEO of iCodejr; GCCs biggest online coding academy for school students. iCodejr is the region's 1st to offer Web 3 programs, focused on getting students ready for the world of tomorrow. With over 13 years experience in Finance with leading institutions such as JP Morgan, Barclays, Trafigura & Fiserv, Hannan co-founded iCodejr to bridge the gap between the lack of coding in the school curriculum to what students are learning in other parts of the world. Our vision at iCodejr is to empower every child with the power of coding, and to supplement this vision Hannan has also co-founded Code Battle (codebattle.tech), a non-profit initiative where students from schools across UAE compete to showcase their coding skills. Code Battle has partnered with the government during UAE Innovation month for 2 years in a row, and the Sharjah government to conduct several hackathons over the last 2 years. Hannan is an avid golfer, and plays regularly at the Emirates Golf Club, when he isn't teaching or building iCodejr & Code Battle.

Zaineb Mahdi Director of Innovation & Digital Technology across GEMS Wellington Group & Assistant Headteacher

Zaineb Mahdi joined GEMS Wellington International School in August 2017 as a Computer Science teacher. She then progressed to Head of Computer Science, then an Assistant Headteacher, as well as the Wellington group lead for Innovation and Digital Technology. She started her career at school in East London, England, in 2009, and enjoyed the creativity of teaching and loved exploring new classroom experiences to get the best out of her students. During her career, her passion for Computer Science grew as she delved into the world of coding and robotics. At WIS, we have a huge community of students who are interested in AI, Data Science, Robotics, Coding, and Cryptocurrency. Student leadership is a huge strength at WIS, and she has enjoyed watching her students grow their ideas from planning to pitch/prototype. She loves sharing her passion with others and enjoys networking with other educators around the world.