Motivation

  At the beginning of the Spring 2022 semester, E-Learning Supervisor, Mohsin Raza Khan, delivered an e-learning practitioner certification course open to all faculty members. The importance of instructional design training and an enhanced learning environment for students is well known to all colleges of the university. "The focal point of the two-week practitioner course was to ensure alignment between assessments and learning outcomes. Fifty-eight faculty members registered in the course, and nearly half were able to complete it on time successfully. E-Learning Deanship Training Manager, Ali Alaosi, was instrumental in ensuring smooth delivery of the course, and we thank him for his support," said Khan.   The primary objectives of the course were to improve student learning, engagement, interaction, and quality learning. These objectives were solidified by the core foundation of the program that participants would be able to: Create content items to present a variety of learning activities to enhance student learning. Deliver authentic assessments to evaluate student knowledge in a variety of meaningful ways. Use Blackboard communication tools to promote interactions between the student and instructor, the student and course content, and the student and peers. Effectively utilize Blackboard Collaborate™ tools to increase student engagement by providing a means to share and create knowledge. Date: 2/9/2022 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  At the beginning of the Spring 2022 semester, E-Learning Supervisor, Mohsin Raza Khan, delivered an e-learning practitioner certification course open to all faculty members. The importance of instructional design training and an enhanced learning environment for students is well known to all colleges of the university. "The focal point of the two-week practitioner course was to ensure alignment between assessments and learning outcomes. Fifty-eight faculty members registered in the course, and nearly half were able to complete it on time successfully. E-Learning Deanship Training Manager, Ali Alaosi, was instrumental in ensuring smooth delivery of the course, and we thank him for his support," said Khan.   The primary objectives of the course were to improve student learning, engagement, interaction, and quality learning. These objectives were solidified by the core foundation of the program that participants would be able to: Create content items to present a variety of learning activities to enhance student learning. Deliver authentic assessments to evaluate student knowledge in a variety of meaningful ways. Use Blackboard communication tools to promote interactions between the student and instructor, the student and course content, and the student and peers. Effectively utilize Blackboard Collaborate™ tools to increase student engagement by providing a means to share and create knowledge. Date: 2/9/2022 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  In October 2021, E-Learning Supervisor, Mohsin Raza Khan, delivered an e-learning practitioner certification course open to all faculty members. The importance of instructional design training and an enhanced learning environment for students is well known to all colleges of the university. "The two-week practitioner course is part of a university-wide strategy to provide the knowledge and skills needed to capitalize on one of the fastest-growing areas of education while creating captivating learning experiences for students. Around 60 faculty members participated, and we really focused on how to leverage some of the tools that can be used to increase social interaction, which is often missing in an online or remote environment," said Khan.   The primary objectives of the course were to improve student learning, engagement, interaction, and quality learning. These objectives were solidified by the core foundation of the program that participants would be able to:   Create content items to present a variety of learning activities to enhance student learning. Deliver authentic assessments to evaluate student knowledge in a variety of meaningful ways. Use Blackboard communication tools to promote interactions between the student and instructor, the student and course content, and the student and peers. Effectively utilize Blackboard Collaborate™ tools to increase student engagement by providing a means to share and create knowledge.   Of noteworthy mention, in March 2021 and concurrently with the e-learning practitioner course in October 2021, Mr. Khan also delivered the Applying the QM Rubric workshop (APPQMR), which is offered by the Deanship of E-Learning in partnership with QM. "Dozens of workshop participants successfully completed 10 modules. They learned more about the QM rubric and annotations. We really focused on the importance of having measurable course and module objectives." Director of Instructional Design, Abdullah Zubain, said: "The APPQMR course is also a prerequisite for anyone looking to obtain the QM peer reviewer certification. I thank Mohsin, our women's campus QM coordinator, Safa Al-Shehri, and our training manager, Ali Alaosi."   The Bachelor of Arts in English program is expanding its educational resources to serve more members of the community and is committed to continuous improvement in all academic programs. E-learning is a vital component of both objectives and a vital tool for educational development at the university and other educational institutions throughout the Kingdom. Date: 10/14/2021 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  In October 2021, E-Learning Supervisor, Mohsin Raza Khan, delivered an e-learning practitioner certification course open to all faculty members. The importance of instructional design training and an enhanced learning environment for students is well known to all colleges of the university. "The two-week practitioner course is part of a university-wide strategy to provide the knowledge and skills needed to capitalize on one of the fastest-growing areas of education while creating captivating learning experiences for students. Around 60 faculty members participated, and we really focused on how to leverage some of the tools that can be used to increase social interaction, which is often missing in an online or remote environment," said Khan.   The primary objectives of the course were to improve student learning, engagement, interaction, and quality learning. These objectives were solidified by the core foundation of the program that participants would be able to:   Create content items to present a variety of learning activities to enhance student learning. Deliver authentic assessments to evaluate student knowledge in a variety of meaningful ways. Use Blackboard communication tools to promote interactions between the student and instructor, the student and course content, and the student and peers. Effectively utilize Blackboard Collaborate™ tools to increase student engagement by providing a means to share and create knowledge.   Of noteworthy mention, in March 2021 and concurrently with the e-learning practitioner course in October 2021, Mr. Khan also delivered the Applying the QM Rubric workshop (APPQMR), which is offered by the Deanship of E-Learning in partnership with QM. "Dozens of workshop participants successfully completed 10 modules. They learned more about the QM rubric and annotations. We really focused on the importance of having measurable course and module objectives." Director of Instructional Design, Abdullah Zubain, said: "The APPQMR course is also a prerequisite for anyone looking to obtain the QM peer reviewer certification. I thank Mohsin, our women's campus QM coordinator, Safa Al-Shehri, and our training manager, Ali Alaosi."   The Bachelor of Arts in English program is expanding its educational resources to serve more members of the community and is committed to continuous improvement in all academic programs. E-learning is a vital component of both objectives and a vital tool for educational development at the university and other educational institutions throughout the Kingdom. Date: 10/14/2021 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  On Wednesday, the English Club held its 4th lecture of the Spring semester. The guest speaker was Faculty of Languages and Translation Asst. Professor Dawood Mahdi. Dr. Mahdi is also the Head of the Academic Guidance and Counseling Unit. The subject of the well-attended event was the art and science of translation.   First, Dr. Mahdi explained many of the misconceptions about the disciplines of translation and interpreting languages. He noted that many people believe that translation is merely converting individual words from one language to another. 'Languages have diverse structures and conventions. Interchanging literal meanings of words between languages is not a method for effective communication' said Dr. Mahdi. He further noted that languages are rich in idioms, metaphors, and figures of speech. In these cases, literal translations simply do not work. Similarly, in many languages, individual words have multiple meanings. Therefore, rudimentary translation will often be in error.   Dr. Mahdi also reviewed some less common misconceptions about translation and interpreting. Some people believe that any bi-lingual person can translate/interpret the two languages. Dr. Mahdi explained that translation is a specialized discipline that requires advanced training and practice. He also explained that there are sub-specialties even for those who are skilled general translators. For example, translating in the fields of law, medicine, engineering, etc. require specialized knowledge of those fields. Another misconception is that translating and interpreting are the same. Dr. Mahdi noted that interpreting requires the language specialist to work in real time, which is extremely difficult even for those fluent in the languages. Finally, he noted that some people erroneously believe that translators do not need dictionaries or other reference material. 'Reference materials are the tools of the trade for professional translators' said Dr. Mahdi.   Later in the program, Dr. Mahdi told the students that which is required to be a successful translator/interpreter. 'First and foremost one needs to be fully committed to the target languages' he said. Translation also requires intensive training and many hours of consistently practicing the craft. Dr. Mahdi also stressed that translators must be scrupulously committed to accuracy and approach the profession with honesty and integrity.   In response to a question by a Level 1 student, Dr. Mahdi discussed the FLT general course progression. He explained that our BA program focuses on the major skills in the first 4 levels, then moves to three fields; namely, Linguistics & Applied Linguistics, Literature and Translation.   The attendees thanked Dr. Mahdi for his enlightening and informative presentation. Date: 2/26/2019 Source: Dr. Charles Forman

  On Wednesday, the English Club held its 4th lecture of the Spring semester. The guest speaker was Faculty of Languages and Translation Asst. Professor Dawood Mahdi. Dr. Mahdi is also the Head of the Academic Guidance and Counseling Unit. The subject of the well-attended event was the art and science of translation.   First, Dr. Mahdi explained many of the misconceptions about the disciplines of translation and interpreting languages. He noted that many people believe that translation is merely converting individual words from one language to another. 'Languages have diverse structures and conventions. Interchanging literal meanings of words between languages is not a method for effective communication' said Dr. Mahdi. He further noted that languages are rich in idioms, metaphors, and figures of speech. In these cases, literal translations simply do not work. Similarly, in many languages, individual words have multiple meanings. Therefore, rudimentary translation will often be in error.   Dr. Mahdi also reviewed some less common misconceptions about translation and interpreting. Some people believe that any bi-lingual person can translate/interpret the two languages. Dr. Mahdi explained that translation is a specialized discipline that requires advanced training and practice. He also explained that there are sub-specialties even for those who are skilled general translators. For example, translating in the fields of law, medicine, engineering, etc. require specialized knowledge of those fields. Another misconception is that translating and interpreting are the same. Dr. Mahdi noted that interpreting requires the language specialist to work in real time, which is extremely difficult even for those fluent in the languages. Finally, he noted that some people erroneously believe that translators do not need dictionaries or other reference material. 'Reference materials are the tools of the trade for professional translators' said Dr. Mahdi.   Later in the program, Dr. Mahdi told the students that which is required to be a successful translator/interpreter. 'First and foremost one needs to be fully committed to the target languages' he said. Translation also requires intensive training and many hours of consistently practicing the craft. Dr. Mahdi also stressed that translators must be scrupulously committed to accuracy and approach the profession with honesty and integrity.   In response to a question by a Level 1 student, Dr. Mahdi discussed the FLT general course progression. He explained that our BA program focuses on the major skills in the first 4 levels, then moves to three fields; namely, Linguistics & Applied Linguistics, Literature and Translation.   The attendees thanked Dr. Mahdi for his enlightening and informative presentation. Date: 2/26/2019 Source: Dr. Charles Forman

  On the 19th of February, the English Club conducted another student workshop. The guest speaker was Mohammed Al Fuad. The topic was 'Becoming an Exceptional Student'. At the outset, Mr. Fuad told the students that they are all so fortunate for their opportunity to study at King Khalid University. He encouraged students to go after their dreams. Mr. Fuad reminded the students to see opportunities in setbacks and to follow their own path to success.   Mr. Fuad then said that the title 'Student' is in no way trivial. Everybody in attendance agreed that being a student is difficult. Burdensome course loads, complex material and never-ending exams challenge each pupil. Mr. Fuad noted that being a serious student requires hard work and dedication. He explained that consistency is key. 'Good habits make for good students. Plan your work and study times, and then stick to those plans' he stated.   The faculty are there to both teach and guide the students towards academic and career success. However, each student is responsible for his own path and the consequences of his actions. 'The teacher will help navigate, but the student is the driver' he noted. In sum, each student is ultimately the master of his own education.   Mr. Fuad asked the participants to serve as role models. Not every student is well motivated and dedicated to academic success. Mr. Fuad told the group 'It is your duty to try and help those students who suffer a motivational deficit. Do whatever you can to help them see the light'. He further explained that a successful academic career will help make them successful men'. Finally, Mr. Fuad gave examples of past university students who overcame adversities and succeeded in school and in their careers. Date: 2/19/2019 Source: Dr. Charles Forman

  On the 19th of February, the English Club conducted another student workshop. The guest speaker was Mohammed Al Fuad. The topic was 'Becoming an Exceptional Student'. At the outset, Mr. Fuad told the students that they are all so fortunate for their opportunity to study at King Khalid University. He encouraged students to go after their dreams. Mr. Fuad reminded the students to see opportunities in setbacks and to follow their own path to success.   Mr. Fuad then said that the title 'Student' is in no way trivial. Everybody in attendance agreed that being a student is difficult. Burdensome course loads, complex material and never-ending exams challenge each pupil. Mr. Fuad noted that being a serious student requires hard work and dedication. He explained that consistency is key. 'Good habits make for good students. Plan your work and study times, and then stick to those plans' he stated.   The faculty are there to both teach and guide the students towards academic and career success. However, each student is responsible for his own path and the consequences of his actions. 'The teacher will help navigate, but the student is the driver' he noted. In sum, each student is ultimately the master of his own education.   Mr. Fuad asked the participants to serve as role models. Not every student is well motivated and dedicated to academic success. Mr. Fuad told the group 'It is your duty to try and help those students who suffer a motivational deficit. Do whatever you can to help them see the light'. He further explained that a successful academic career will help make them successful men'. Finally, Mr. Fuad gave examples of past university students who overcame adversities and succeeded in school and in their careers. Date: 2/19/2019 Source: Dr. Charles Forman

  On January 16, 2019, there was a face-to-face 'E-Learning Practitioners Training' organized by the Deanship of E-Learning available to all faculty members on Blackboard, which is one of the premier learning management systems in higher education. E-Learning Supervisor at the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Mohsin Khan, led the online training program. In attendance were some new faculty members from various colleges and locales. Mr. Khan provided some basic instruction for those who were not familiar with King Khalid University’s learning management system, Blackboard. Mr. Khan then conducted a training session in which he focused on the flipped classroom method. 'Blackboard is a powerful tool. If utilized to its maximum capabilities, our students have better learning outcomes and benefit greatly', said Mr. Khan.   Of note, Mr. Khan introduced the standards of the internationally acclaimed and recognized Quality Matters (QM) Rubric. QM provides certification to online courses that demonstrate a commitment to creating an environment of excellence and quality. Mr. Khan discussed how these standards could be implemented in online courses.   E-Learning Training Manager, Mohammed Jarallah, thanked all of the participants for their time and attention. He noted that E-Learning is an increasingly important aspect of higher education. The university is committed to maintaining the highest standards and best practices for modern college-level curriculum. Date: 1/17/2019 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  On January 16, 2019, there was a face-to-face 'E-Learning Practitioners Training' organized by the Deanship of E-Learning available to all faculty members on Blackboard, which is one of the premier learning management systems in higher education. E-Learning Supervisor at the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Mohsin Khan, led the online training program. In attendance were some new faculty members from various colleges and locales. Mr. Khan provided some basic instruction for those who were not familiar with King Khalid University’s learning management system, Blackboard. Mr. Khan then conducted a training session in which he focused on the flipped classroom method. 'Blackboard is a powerful tool. If utilized to its maximum capabilities, our students have better learning outcomes and benefit greatly', said Mr. Khan.   Of note, Mr. Khan introduced the standards of the internationally acclaimed and recognized Quality Matters (QM) Rubric. QM provides certification to online courses that demonstrate a commitment to creating an environment of excellence and quality. Mr. Khan discussed how these standards could be implemented in online courses.   E-Learning Training Manager, Mohammed Jarallah, thanked all of the participants for their time and attention. He noted that E-Learning is an increasingly important aspect of higher education. The university is committed to maintaining the highest standards and best practices for modern college-level curriculum. Date: 1/17/2019 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation