Maramedia Publishing this week unveiled a new digital learning solution for education in SA.
The company says that out of 24 500 government schools, reportedly more than 20 000 do not have libraries, science laboratories or computers. Teachers lack preparation material and experience disjointedness due to teaching from numerous textbooks from different publishers, as well as having to seek additional information from a variety of sources.
“We identified that there was a need for the integration of quality content and set out to create a standardised teaching solution,” says Gideon van Niekerk, CEO of Maramedia.
Maramedia's Curriculum Assessments Policy Statement-compliant school manuals are a combination of textbooks, study guides and workbooks.
Digital conversion
The company says it recognises that the convergence of technology and content is an extremely powerful educational tool. It has re-engineered its printed manuals into complete digital manuals, to offer an interactive learning experience.
The manuals are available across several platforms. They can be downloaded on Android- and Apple-enabled tablets or obtained on pre-loaded external memory cards, meaning that learning can still take place even where there is no Internet or WiFi access.
“This solution, therefore, addresses the South African context and bypasses some major challenges. Despite this offline functionality, users can still access the Internet and use integrated online functionality to their advantage.”
The company adds that through the use of a cross-platform digital application, the tablets can be used by teachers to project the content onto whiteboards or smartboards in the classroom. The digital content mirrors the learners' printed manuals.
“This convergence of content plus the intuitive interface of the tablets could be the key to the greatest revolution in education in the last century. The digital manuals also mean that our children will have the most advanced learning experience in the world,” says Van Niekerk.
Transformative agent
He says key elements of the digital manuals are that they are fully interactive, engage all the senses and offer full colour. “Colour has been proven to help the retention of information. The content is device-agnostic, meaning that it works with any IT solution, and can be integrated with all modern information and communication technology classroom tools.”
“The Maramedia content is one of the most advanced rich media experiences I have seen on smart devices,” says Google SA new media specialist Brett St Clair. “Linking the digital world to textbooks is great as learners not only need to master digital, but the real world is integral to a well-rounded education.”
Maramedia's director of R&D, Dion Kotz'e, says portability of tablets and external memory cards means education can take place anywhere and not necessarily in a classroom.
Samsung acknowledges the continued evolution of technology in the classroom. It says its ultimate vision is that both teachers and students embrace technology, not only as an integral part of the educational experience, but as a truly transformative agent to traditional learning.
Paulo Ferreira, head of enterprise mobility at Samsung SA, adds that, through partnership with Maramedia, the company hopes to integrate Samsung Galaxy tablets into classrooms across the country.
Real comprehension
Maramedia says the interactive material means learners will be transformed from passive recipients of information in a static format (textbooks) to active participants.
“Research shows it is through visual representation and interaction with content that real comprehension takes place. If you don't engage learners and make them participants, you lose them,” explains Kotz'e.
The interactive digital manuals include photo galleries, animated diagrams and pop-up windows with explanations and additional content.
“Imagine being able to see how liquids, solids and gases behave - how they vibrate or collide; swiping over a mountainous landscape and seeing it change from an aerial photograph to contour lines,” says Maramedia.
It adds that the interactive digital platform connects learners to the world and encourages further research in their own time.
Affordable tablets
“Over the last 20 years, the education sector in SA has seen the least improvement and advancement compared to other sectors such as mining, banking or industry,” says Van Niekerk.
“The uptake of technology has also been very slow. The advent of computers, Google and e-mail has changed how information is accessed and shared. However, these advancements have not been implemented across the board and subjects are still being taught as they always were.”
Maramedia says within 10 years' time, textbooks will have been replaced by advanced interactive digital manuals. “A variety of tablets, even the most well-known brands, have become very affordable.”
Van Niekerk explains that digital manuals could prove far more cost-effective than their printed versions. “The inherent potential of a limitless library, additional applications and a digital science laboratory in learners' pockets, represents added value that cannot be matched by static textbooks, several per subject, which need to be purchased every year.”
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