The US election is not about popularity alone
Within the next few days, the winner of the US presidential election will be announced. Vice-President Kamala Harris and former US president Donald Trump are the contending candidates, and either one...
Why literary awards still matter
The 2024 Nobel Prize in literature was awarded to South Korean novelist and short story writer Han Kang. The Noble Prize committee, in its remarks on the award, said that Kang was awarded for her...
‘Learning to learn’ is the new goal of education
We are all familiar with the new challenge facing high school and university students: what are future jobs? What specialisation will be in demand for the next couple of decades? What careers will...
Women writers in Oman thrive amid growing readership
As Omani Women’s Day is celebrated this week, on October 17, the contribution of women to the economic and cultural life of Oman will be noted by many. Another very significant feature is the role...
Theatre remains relevant in the age of mass media
It has literally been a dramatic week in Oman. The 8th Omani Theatre Festival just concluded at the Oman Convention Centre and Salalah is hosting the Dhofar International Theatre Festival 2024. To top...
Translation offers chances but also faces many challenges
As International Translation Day is celebrated on September 30 every year, this is an opportune time to reflect on the role of translation in our networked world and the opportunities and challenges...
Social media can become a useful teaching tool
There is no getting away from social media today. The dependence on it is so much that various governments worldwide are seriously taking steps to curtail its use among youngsters below 14 years. ...
Digital devices vs textbooks: Research remains divided
With the ubiquitous presence of digital devices in every home, their use in education is naturally the subject of much debate. Devices like tablets, laptops and even mobile phones carry all the...
The benefits of value-based education
As the new academic year begins this week, calls to introduce value-based education in primary, secondary, and higher education sectors are being renewed in many parts of the world. This is an...
Public spaces provide many learning opportunities
WE often turn to textbooks for book knowledge. However, time and again, the burden of carrying textbooks on children’s backs has been discussed and different suggestions made. Although there are...
Studying abroad offers students unique opportunities
The latest group of Omani school leavers are now ready to go foreign universities to pursue their further studies. Based on their final grades and personal preferences, these students will soon be...
Multilingualism is an imperative skill today
The recent announcement that Chinese would now be taught in Omani public schools serves as a reminder of the benefits of multilingualism in the 21st century. Research has shown that knowledge, if not...
Interactive fiction builds necessary skills
“You are standing on a vast empty field with a single boarded door and a mailbox next to it.” Thus begins one of the most popular games of all times, ‘Zork’, a text-based adventure game or...
Academic excellence is not the only criteria of success
As students now confront the results of their final exams and prepare for the next steps in their academic career, many are left crestfallen as they may not have got into the institution or course of...
Reading critically is becoming a crucial skill
THE internet is full of supposed facts - The world is flat, climate change is not real, aliens are taking over the world and much more. Most of this is passed off in very authentic sounding language...
Travelling without stepping out can be a learning experience
As the cool breeze of Salalah stands in stark contrast to the searing heat in northern Oman, many across the country are opting to spend a few days in the lush verdant beauty of Dhofar. But not all of...
How storytelling thrives in a digital age
THE recent award of a gold medal to Omani storyteller Thamana Al Jandal at the Morocco storytelling festival is an encouraging sign of the survival of an ancient tradition. As the festival organisers...
How to embrace one’s uniqueness to stand out
This is the time of year when results of schools and colleges begin to be released. Throughout the summer, students face a barrage of class results, entrance exam results and also news of admissions...
How success in education needs to be re-defined
For students worldwide, success only means one thing: marks or grades. It is the only way to understand where a person stands vis-a-vis their class or their cohort. In life outside education,...
‘Learning by Doing’ should be encouraged at home
As the long summer forces families to mostly stay indoors and young children are even more often seen in front of a digital screen, parents worry about their children forgetting all that has been...