Intel partners with EDC to develop electronic textbooks
2013-07-29 02:27:34
On July 26 in Hanoi, a Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony took place between Intel Vietnam and the Educational Electronic Book Joint Stock Company, Vietnam Education Publishing House (EDC) to cooperate in developing and promoting the application of ICT solutions to improve the quality of education in Vietnam.
Under the agreement, EDC and Intel Vietnam will collaborate to deploy the Classbook electronic textbook technology platform on devices using Intel processors. The product targets not only the Vietnamese education market but also other countries in the region. The two units will also coordinate research and development activities for ICT solutions applied in future classroom and school environments, as well as promote and encourage the application of Intel products and solutions in Vietnam's education system.
Mr. Mai Trung Cang, General Director of Intel Vietnam, stated: “Technology brings positive changes to many aspects of daily life, and education is one of the areas where we most want to see such changes. Although each country has its own economic conditions and development levels, we believe that what technology can bring to education in other countries will also be effective in Vietnam. Regarding electronic textbooks, which are a concern for many countries, Intel cooperates with EDC to introduce the Classbook solution on Intel processor platforms for the Vietnamese market and other markets in Southeast Asia.”
According to Mr. Pham Thuc Truong Luong, Director of EDC: “Intel and EDC, a member of Vietnam Education Publishing House, share a common goal of introducing new teaching and learning methods using information technology into schools. Intel's global education tablet has many advantages in both hardware and pre-installed applications. We look forward to cooperating with Intel to localize this device, turning it into an effective learning support tool for Vietnamese students.”
With 16 years of operation in Vietnam, Intel is not only known as one of the leading multinational technology corporations but also as an organization with many pioneering ideas and investments in education and human resource development.
Intel's key initiatives and activities in Vietnam include: the Intel Teach program, which has trained over 80,000 teachers to effectively apply ICT in teaching; programs promoting universal Internet and computer access, such as the “Computers for Life” program, which brought computers and the Internet to 24 remote provinces in Vietnam; the “Smart Computers – Successful Businesses” program; workshops on business advantage solutions through ICT application in small and medium enterprises; and a program introducing ICT-related fields to 700,000 small and medium enterprises in Vietnam.
In particular, through the global program called World Ahead, targeting developing countries and communities, Intel has closely collaborated with the Vietnamese government and businesses to build a world-class ICT infrastructure, enhance and expand access to broadband-connected computers, and train more teachers to effectively use technology in education.
EDC, a member of Vietnam Education Publishing House, has the main function and task of researching and developing solutions for providing electronic textbooks, digital materials, teaching resources, software, applications, digital content products, and reading devices for educational purposes nationwide.
On June 26, EDC officially introduced to the public the first electronic textbook product in Vietnam, named Classbook.
Classbook comes pre-installed with a full set of textbooks and supplementary books for the general education program from grade 1 to grade 12. During the device's usage period, users can update all reprints of these books for free. Additionally, Classbook features over 20 supplementary applications for various subjects, suitable for different age groups.
Not limited to the content of traditional textbooks, the Classbook electronic textbook also supports editing and integrating expanded multimedia content for lessons and provides functions that allow students to interact with lesson content.
In particular, Classbook helps students self-assess their understanding of lessons or test their proficiency in various subjects. The computer-based multiple-choice testing mechanism with automatic scoring and timing allows students to take practice tests or exercises and then self-correct. More importantly, results are recorded so parents can monitor their children's progress.
In addition to on-device content, Classbook users can connect to the online book store and the Classbook Store application (http://classbook.vn/), which provides a digital education library including textbooks, supplementary books, teacher's books, reference books, soft skills books, etc.; learning applications and expanded resources for subjects such as simulation experiments, teaching materials, exam question banks with solutions, test preparation materials, and learning resources. With an open model, content on Classbook Store will be created and shared by publishers, content providers, online education services, and most importantly, the teacher community.
For the teacher version, Classbook allows users to access additional reference materials, books, and lectures via memory cards to support the teaching process.
Aiming to develop high-tech devices as specialized learning tools for education, Classbook can be applied from grade 1 to grade 12, reaching nearly 15 million general education students in Vietnam, contributing to enhancing and expanding knowledge acquisition. Moreover, the Internet connection control mechanism and installed application management integrated into Classbook also help schools and parents feel more secure about their children's use of the device.
During the pilot phase, Classbook was introduced in nearly 400 general schools in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, and Da Nang. Many students and teachers have decided to use the product.
Hong Nhung