New trends in physics teaching, v.4; The ... - unesdoc - Unesco

New Trends in Physics Teaching IV
The teaching of energy in Qatar
N.H.A. GALIL
The University of Qatar was opened in 1972 starting with two faculties of Education, one for
men and one for women. After that, faculties of Science, Arts and Languages, Social Sciences,
Islamic Religion and Law, and lastly a faculty of Engineering for men was opened in September
198 1. Further expansion is planned when the University moves to permanent buildings in 1982.
The educational ladder in Qatari schools has 6 primary grades, 3 preparatory and 3 secondary.
From grades 1 to 10 all children, boys and girls, study the same subjects with home economics
as an extra subject for girls. At grade 1 1 students have to choose to major either in sciences or
literature. Those who major in sciences drop the study of social sciences and concentrate on
mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and earth sciences, while those who choose to major
in literature concentrate on social sciences (geography, history, philosophy and sociology) but
still study applied sciences and applied maths at the rate of 2 periods per week for each. Both
divisions follow basic courses in Islamic Religion, Arabic and English Languages.
TEACHING ENERGY IN QATAR1 SCHOOLS
Energy is not taught in the schools in Qatar as a separate course, but as a principal theme that
integrates many diverse concepts in science. It extends throughout the science curriculum from
grade 1 to grade 12.
Energy as a topic is not only related to sciences, it also relates strongly to economics, civics,
political sciences and other fields of social studies. It can also relate to mathematics to make
abstract knowledge clearer to children. Unfortunately, the curriculum development process in
Qatar did not take the holistic form which is normal procedure in most third world countries,
where the emphasis and priority are given to a particular domain of knowledge on the assumption
that it is most nearly related to the developmental needs of the country. This is the situation
with science education and is one of the reasons why we read about so many innovatory projects
in this field.
It is unfair to discuss energy education in isolation from the aims of science education and the
approach adopted in its design which determine the weight and role of energy in that design. The
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