Mission

The Development and Academic Training Center at King Saud University-College of Medicine has as its overall goal the improvement of instruction quality at the University through the following:

• The technological enhancement of the teaching skills of all those who are charged with the responsibility of teaching at the University-College of Medicine including faculty, instructors, and teaching assistants;
• Access to multimedia computing systems;
• Access to special computing hardware and peripherals
• Use of special software tools and support services to enable them to develop new computer–based instruction systems for use in their classroom and laboratory teaching.
• Access to customized programs and resources designed to increase understanding of the teaching–learning process, and encourage interdisciplinary conversations about teaching and learning among all members of the College of Medicine community .

Objectives

The objectives of the center are classified under two headings:

A. Staff Training:

• To organize and coordinate workshops, seminars, and other events (i.e. inviting prominent speakers) to promote teaching excellence.
• To conduct on–job training and orientation programs for new faculty.
• To conduct customized workshops for specific academic and administrative departments.
• To organize annual competitions for Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award.
• To provide teaching resources and ideas including virtual learning, online learning, use of multimedia, and teaching technology.

B. Academic Development

• To plan a follow-up program for academic quality assurance in collaboration with faculty deans.
• To establish a virtual education and online program at the university in coordination with other universities.
• To facilitate the counseling program through the intranet access of the staff to the data available at the registration department.
• To establish a teleconferencing hall, and to plan a program to attract experts from other universities.

Selected Activities Scheduled During the Academic Year 2007/2008

• Planning for College of Medicine Instruction.
• New Trends in Teaching.
• Learning Styles and Thinking Types of Students.
• New Technology in Medicine Education.
• Evaluation of Learning and Teaching in University Education.
• Evaluation of Students' Learning at the University.
• Utilization of Statistical Programs in Research Work (SPSS).
• Portal and RIS Training
• On-Line Learning and Teaching .
• Using the Electronic Library
• Managing Academic College of Medicine Department.
• Computer-Aided Instruction.
• Evaluation of Students' Work.
• Safety Measures at Laboratories.
• Multimedia Development and Presentation.
• Development of Skills.
• Developing Effective Blackboard Utilization.
• Use of Microsoft Excel in Statistics.
• Use of Adobe PhotoShop.
• Web-site Design.
• On-Line Surveys, Quizzes and Examinations.
• Microsoft Front Page XP – 2002
• Statistics & Testing on the Internet.
• Power-Point in Teaching
• Motivating Staff for Academic Development.
• Illustrator
• Flash
• Seminars on Educational Issues:
  Interdisciplinarity, Virtual Education, etc.