TERP UPGRADES A-BOOKS AMID LOCKDOWN
NORWAY-based technology company TERP has upgraded its educational solutions for maritime universities to manage the distance learning during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
TERP Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Leiv Kåre Johannessen said universities and schools around the world were searching for ways to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.
“By implementing a-books (adaptive books), you already have a contingency plan in place in the event of a new lockdown. In that case, it will just be a matter of temporarily moving more of the education out of the classroom and on to the distance learning platform,” he said.
“The actions we see, necessary to cope with the corona pandemic will shape the future of education. The current situation forces us to find new ways to teach,” Johannessen added.
The a-books developed by TERP have additional features, such as forums to facilitate communication and
discussions between teachers and students, as well as augmented reality (AR) to allow simulation cases.
Johannessen said that by June, they would be able to set up classes and distribute content and assessments to maritime students.
“AR will serve as a supplement to simulator lessons in maritime education. By implementing a-books, you already have a contingency plan in place in the event of a new lockdown,” he said.
What they do now is not just about responding to the pandemic, it is also about shaping a new and better future. Schools and universities have to decide if they want to be a part of it.
When the a-books concept was developed, it was essential to make it work in areas without reliable internet connection. He said most solutions for distance learning include video meetings.
However, in areas without reliable high-speed internet, video is not an option. The video can be a supplement, but you need more reliable technology to serve as the pillars of distance learning system.
With their technology, students can use a-books offline. Students only need to be online from time to time to synchronize the a-books app with the cloud.
“The a-books technology has already been utilized by universities for several years. What is new is that we make it available for schools and universities so they can publish the content they have developed themselves,” he said.
TERP is currently preparing videos about how schools can convert their PowerPoint presentations and handouts into a- books and include additional material and assessments.
TERP technology allows teachers to build their content piece by piece. When they add new material, all students will have the updates next time they are online.
GENIVI FACTAO