CET at SQU

CET at SQU

·    Educational technology in the Sultanate of Oman started with the establishment of the Curriculum Development Department in the Ministry of Education.

·   In mid 1980s,more emphasis was given to educational technology:

-    An Audio Visual Section was established in this Department.

·   The Department was responsible for equipping the public education schools, with audio-visual and laboratory equipment and materials.

—  It also has its own media workshop, audio-visual studio and science laboratory.

—  These are used to produce locally-made instructional materials, record televised and audio programmes for students along with experimenting and/or studying newly supplied scientific equipment.

—  The National Television and Radio contribute to this Departments’ activities by broadcasting the recorded programs for students in certain hours.

—  Other ministries, colleges and institutes involve some educational and information technology in their staff training programs.

—  The Executive Regulations of the Charter of the University set the duties for this Center.

—  The center was hesitant to implement these duties and has never interpreted them clearly.

—  Nevertheless, during 1986-1988, the Center, in an attempt to comply, followed many mechanisms such as providing workshops through an induction program for the academic staff.

—  The Instructional development Unit took the responsibility for carrying out these activities.

—   Internally, the Center also planned some self-training sessions.

—   The University has sent many of the management’s Omani staff members overseas regularly to up-date their knowledge in fields of specialization and held over their positions until their return.

—  No study has been undertaken to show if both original goals and job descriptions of the center are implemented or not.

—  The Center has a reasonable annual budget allocated by the University Central Administration.

—  Since the College of Medicine and the University Hospital are the main users of the Center’s services, the University Hospital was allowed to release a percentage of its budget to be spent to finance some of the Hospital’s own audio-visual material requirements.

—  There is an ambiguous vision as to how the Center’s staff should be employed.

—  Most of the Center’s staff are employed on ‘administrative’ grades despite the fact that almost 70% of them are in fact ‘technicians.

—  The Center has almost all the required resources with sophisticated facilities. However, the production of the Center does not correspond with the available budget, facilities and staff due to limited experiences.