Maker Majlis, a platform under the College of Islamic Studies (CIS), collaborated with Earthna to deliver workshops during the “Teaching and Learning Forum 2022” on October 9. It was organized by Qatar Foundation (QF)’s Education Development Institute.
Under the theme Learning for Action and Community Service, the forum aimed to establish service action as integral to the learning process and essential to preparing future generations to address societal, ecological and community needs, both locally and globally.
To align with this goal, Maker Majlis and Earthna used Lego Serious Play methodology to connect principles of service learning to the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It was an opportunity for teachers from schools across Qatar and QF to learn more about the Eco-Schools Program, the largest global sustainable schools offering of its kind. To connect their experiences with the program’s goals, participants reflected individually and collectively on their understanding of education, sustainable development, as well as nature and the environment.
Ms. Ruba Hinnawi, Technical Lead at Earthna, kicked off the session by introducing the Eco-Schools Program as an impactful tool to achieve education for sustainable development. It encourages young people to engage in their environment by giving them the opportunity to actively protect it. This was followed by a second workshop delivered by the Maker Majlis team of Dr. Evren Tok, Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of Innovation and Community Engagement; Dr. Seda Duygu Sever Mehmetoglu, Post-doc; as well as Bayan Khaled, Alina Zaman, and Ikram Sellami, Research Assistants.
Dr. Tok facilitated the workshop, which delved into the educators’ teaching styles and how they could achieve the goals of a successful eco-school that embeds environmental values into the lifestyles of students. Dr. Mehmetoglu spoke on CIS’s collaborative project with the College of Public Policy, “SDG Education and Global Citizenship in Qatar: Enhancing Qatar’s Nested Power in the Global Arena”. She highlighted connections between the project, with its aim to create inclusive, multi-stakeholder, coordinated educational spaces, eco-schools, and the workshop ideals.