Technical glitches and problems with the University’s Wifi at a symposium focusing on the role of Open Education Resources (OERs) and Information & Communication Technologies (ICTs) in developing the education of Egyptian Public Schools brought home the challenges that tech-based education must overcome. The event was delayed for about 45 minutes due to technical difficulties that arose from the lack of translation headphones for the Arabic speaking participants. The symposium, which is also co-sponsored by United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s Cairo Office in the Regional Bureau of Sciences in the Arab States, in collaboration with the Graduate School of Education (GSE), looked at ways that teachers can incorporate new communication tools in their classrooms. A paper survey regarding the use of technology in classrooms was distributed to the audience members to explore how often they use technology in the classrooms, the challenges they face with it and the benefit it brings to the class. As the typical public school classroom often lacks facilities, OERs can be accessed freely for teaching and learning. “We look at building the capacity of teachers and to raise awareness on important educational…
