The New Educational Technologies Unit (UNTE) at Saint-Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) participated in a two-day scientific conference organized by the Francophone University Agency (AUF).

The second day of the conference focused on "Digital Transformation and Governance", which was also adopted as a strategic axis. The intervention made by Ms. Wadad Wazen head of the UNTE targeted the anchoring of digital transformation through an active participatory approach of the various stakeholders at the university. In other words, the intervention focused on USJ's experience with distance education and the focus groups that were made with teaching staff in 2020 and students in 2021, to discuss change, its acceptance and the importance of engagement especially after digital transformation.

Durant sa présentation, Mme. Wazen s’est attardée sur les travaux de la Commission de développement des outils logistiques et pédagogiques de l’enseignement en ligne créée et présidée par le recteur de l’USJ, Professeur Salim Daccache s.j. en juin 2020. Le but de cette Commission est d’élaborer un nouveau plan d’action numérique avec la participation de toute la communauté et la première étape était d’organiser des groupes de discussion pour les enseignants et les étudiants afin d’établir une synthèse de leur expérience avec l’enseignement à distance.  Ainsi, l’université a pu évaluer les pratiques qui ont été mises en place, préciser lesquelles étaient réussies et déterminer aussi les défis et les obstacles rencontrés tout en prenant en considération les propositions et recommandations des personnes concernées pour améliorer les techniques de l’enseignement à distance.  

Intervention of Mrs. Wazen

The New Educational Technologies Unit (UNTE) at Saint-Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) participated in a two-day scientific conference organized by the Francophone University Agency (AUF).

The second day of the conference focused on « Digital Transformation and Governance », which was also adopted as a strategic axis. The intervention made by Ms. Wadad Wazen head of the UNTE targeted the anchoring of digital transformation through an active participatory approach of the various stakeholders at the university. In other words, the intervention focused on USJ’s experience with distance education and the focus groups that were made with teaching staff in 2020 and students in 2021, to discuss change, its acceptance and the importance of engagement especially after digital transformation.

During her presentation, Ms. Wazen dwelt on the work of the Commission for the development of logistical and pedagogical tools for online teaching created and chaired by the rector of USJ, Professor Salim Daccache s.j. in June 2020. The purpose of this Commission is to develop a new digital action plan with the participation of the whole community and the first step was to organize focus groups for teachers and students in order to establish a summary of their experience with distance education. Thus, the university was able to evaluate the practices that have been put in place, specify the successful ones and also determine the challenges and obstacles encountered while taking into consideration the proposals and recommendations of the concerned people to improve teaching techniques for distant learning.

Intervention of Mrs. Wazen