Successful Story
Case one: Kindergarten with franchised schools
The biggest kindergarten in Taiwan, which is well known for its TV program, idols of children and branding. They extend their business through the permission of franchises. However, along with the rapid expansion of the franchised kindergartens, they are aware that it becomes difficult to control the teaching quality; especially when young teachers easily come and go. Six years ago, they introduced 55″ touch monitors to each classroom and consigned us to make the teaching contents.
The first step for us was to study their textbook and teacher’s manual. We also spent some time consulting with senior teachers in their group in order to better understand what they expected and what they were worried about.
They have four major courses: Mother language, English, Math, and Science, which all need conversion from paper book to digitalized content. There were a few things to consider during the conversion:
- The interactive whiteboard tool operation must be as easy as possible.
- The content needs to be interactive and games should be designed as well to increase the learning fun.
- Teachers should be encouraged to be innovative and creative to develop their own teaching ways by means of the software we provide.
Once we came to the final agreement, we started the conversion in a year. Training began soon after the digitalized contents and equipment were ready. Currently the digital teaching is naturally one part of their teaching modes. Kids were all happy and used to learning new things via multimedia teaching materials. Teaching quality is also well controlled now.
Case two: Textbook publisher
Textbook business in Taiwan is open for any book publishers if they agree to follow the course guidelines offered by the ministry of education. The market is so huge that no doubt many publishers pour money in good quality books in order to take some parts of the market share at annual book selection events. However, this is definitely not an easy game for them to outpace these aggressive competitors.
The digitalized teaching contents attached with textbook for teachers to use in the classroom has been a usual practice. Today, nearly every classroom has an interactive whiteboard or touchscreen in Taiwan, it brings a lot of convenience and also change the teaching habits. There are so many digital articles but does digital publishing just convert traditional paper into the electronic data and displayed on the screen? Will digitalized teaching contents be too fascinating to focus on the core essence of the teaching purpose? Will the digital renovation take away the best parts of the teaching tradition and heritage?
While every textbook publisher is trying everything possible to make powerful digital contents, we are on the contrary trying hard to find how to blend the tradition and the advantages of technology.
One of the textbook publishers came and worked together with us to bring up a new concept of digital teaching, in which 70% of the contents would be made ready for teachers but 30% left for teachers to make. We design a software tool for teachers to easily collect, edit, and re-assemble every multimedia stuff to add into the e-textbooks. We call this job the pre-lesson preparation. Thus, the e-textbook would be fully customized by themselves and be one of their own assets for future use.
We hope that every teacher can benefit greatly by digital teaching and furthermore improve the teaching effectiveness. Above all, every student can learn with fun and regard learning as a happy experience in their life. Whereas, teachers also need to avoid heavy dependence on what we provide and lack the motivation of upgrading their level. 30/70 ratio gives teachers the chance to grow up and control well their own unique teaching way.
Case three: Hardware manufacturer
Thanks to the rapid improvement on the touch technology, the human-machine interaction becomes much easier than before. Ranging from big size TV to small size mobile device, touch is already a usual feature without any highlighting. However, when hardware manufacturers feature all machines the touch functionality, an interesting question occurs and bothers the users the most: How to make use of these devices in the classroom by teachers and students?
Software and content design therefore become the first priority in the manufacturer question list.
These hardware can be touch screen/TV and tablet PC; the former one is mainly used by teachers and the latter by students. How to connect TV and the Tablet pcs? What else devices are needed? What is the limitation? the cost? What should the User Interface look like? and, the most important issue: what’s for?
Apparently there is no answer for these manufacturers since this is the territory away from their experience and know-how. Nobody can accept that there is no answer because every customer deserves a sound solution not just a device.
We therefore have many opportunities working with manufacturers to figure out a final solutions for their dear customers. Of course, these solutions can best power their hardware and create the best user experience. These solutions may be called “smart classroom”, “e-schoolbag”, or just “interactive whiteboard.” Our knowledge and experience in content design, software development, and hardware enable us to act as the bridge between the users and the manufacturers.
Case four: foreign language institute
English is the compulsory course for all K-12 students so there are many private language cram schools. This is always a booming sector in Taiwan education market because learning English after school has become a must for students. This is also true for China market, where good English has been regarded as a basic ability for a higher education or job position.
English learning is usually divided into 4 categories: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. All English textbooks must involve these four sections. There are several good reasons for the business owners to adopt digital teaching. First, it is not easy to hire native speakers as the teachers. Even hired, native speakers do not mean a qualified English teacher. To speak well doesn’t mean to teach well. Second, these local English teachers who have professional teaching training are relatively easy to find. They surely cannot pronounce nicely and properly as native speakers do but digital contents for pronunciation, phonics, video, and all multimedia materials can readily aid local teachers to implement a full class. The result is even much better than what foreign teachers do. Third, if there is digital teaching solution, foreign teachers can be guided how to teach without missing the points or falling behind the teaching schedule.
Digital teaching is widely applied to language class nowadays. It gives not only precise pronunciation but more elements are included, such as KARAOK, games, melody, fun activities, auxiliary information, etc.
Case five: A learning APP
China provides a vast market for every new education related idea to try. However, the opportunity usually means great risk and challenge. The market is so huge that speed becomes a main concern for those who want to seize as more customers as possible in short period.
What is the quickest way to approach your targeted customers when mobile phone is everywhere? For every content provider, paper books took the job to deliver “contents” to their readers. But it is the past story now. To deliver contents now can let APP do it instead. The range of APP on mobile phone covers almost every field in human life from books, games, business, medical, fortune teller, etc. The imagination of APP seems no boundary and it brings an amazing convenience to everyone.
A start-up company in China owns a full set of kindergarten textbooks but has a headache of how to let parents know it and use it. We turn their textbooks into the APP type and post it on Android and iPhone APP store for downloading. They work with a milk company to give buyers coupons in which they can find a serial number to officially open the APP.
The cost of a APP is certainly nothing compared to a full set of paper books so it becomes popular among parents and further to spur the purchase of milk. A win-win business strategy is hence on the go.
The APP carries many features that a book cannot do. For example, the animation, the sound, the game, etc. Prompt update also defeats the rigidity of the paper book. It goes without doubt that 4G connectivity plus free wifi will soon widely be deployed. So why not turn your books to APP?
Case six: How to start digital teaching for a school? Let's talk in advance before we set off.
Digital teaching became prevalent in many Asian countries around 10 years ago. Advocates asserted that it was the revolution of education and pushed government to support by “budget”. In fact, many schools were panic when budget arrived because they were also requested to prove the effect in the meanwhile.
As a matter of fact, education can’t just change upside down just because we have nice equipment, content, and new technology. Digital teaching is also not a magic wand. People are easy to ignore that the core of the education is “human” and the main characters in this scenario are teachers and students.
Why do teachers and the school principal feel panic? They will be forced to learn all these new things and not sure what will be the result. Moreover, they are afraid of the maintenance of these expensive machine. They need to take the responsibility. In addition to hardware, software and content are another challenges. When people are asked to get familiar with new things, the resistance and pressure is understandable.
Hence, with around 10 years experience in this field, we know how to move ahead with school teachers step by step. We know what they will encounter and what they expect when they start off. We know what the practical goal is and the reasonable timetable for a great change.
We will not tell teachers that everything is going to be all right if they accept what we prepare for them. On the contrary, we would like to listen to them and exchange ideas with them before any solutions. We believe that nothing can be changed if they are not ready.
So, let’s talk in advance. Forget about hardware, software, and any solution. Let’s define your own digital teaching together!