Fraunhofer-GesellschaftCeBIT 2013
e-Learning goes mobile
e-Learning has become a fixture in continuing education courses. However, students not only prefer to learn at home, but also to have access to course materials while on the go. At this year’s CeBIT, the Fraunhofer Academy exhibits how this is already conveniently possible today, using an easy-to-operate iPad app. With the new version, lecturers in particular will find it even easier to upload digital content.
The Fraunhofer Academy – a facility of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft for external training and continuing education programs – will exhibit a new version of its learning app, the “iAcademy,” at this year’s CeBIT from 5 to 9 March (Hall 9, Booth E08). The education experts specifically improved the user interface of the editor so that now, it is even easier for lecturers to prepare new digital curricula. Additional new functions include sound effects and the ability to apply password protection to individual course materials. The iPad app can be downloaded for free at the app store, and enriches the Academy’s presence and the e-learning offerings.
“‘Blended learning’ is one of the hot topics in learning and continuing education. The term signifies a form of learning that links together the advantages of conventional in-person events and virtual learning. Through our app, interested parties can take advantage of the digital curriculum in a way that‘s even more independent of place or time. Just download once, and you can upload the course materials anytime, anywhere,” says Dr. Roman Götter, managing director of the Fraunhofer Academy, which brought the app to market jointly with partner Ziemann.IT in November last year.
Competition chooses the best digital learning content
Lecturers can conveniently prepare their own digital course materials using the editor software. A theoretical guideline and a digital template provide orientation, and allow videos, simulations or images – optimally adapted to the remaining content of the course program – to be integrated. “The lecturers can operate the editor conveniently and easily. The optimized design of the user interface will lower the ‘digital inhibition threshold’ even further. In any case, the feedback has so far been highly promising,” as Eva Poxleitner of the Academy relates. One writer competition – promoted by Ziemann.IT – is intended to choose the best uploaded course materials. “It starts on February 25th. Further details about it are available on the homepage, www.iacademy.mobi,” Poxleitner adds.
In addition to the new version of the “iAcademy” app, the Fraunhofer Academy will exhibit its five learning programs from the fields of “Information & Communications” at CeBIT: Roberta® Teacher Training, Software Engineering, Information Security (TISP), Software Architecture and Usability Engineer. Visitors to the exhibition booth E08 in Hall 9 can test – and program – Roberta®, the learning robot, live. Roberta® uses the fascination with robots to convey the natural sciences, technology and computer and information sciences to schoolchildren in an exciting and practical manner. The course at the Academy conveys to teachers how to handle methods that have been tried and proven for over ten years and currently being used in five European nations.
The Fraunhofer Academy is a facility of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft for external training and continuing education programs. The Academy offers degree programs, certificate courses and seminars to technical and management professionals, based on the research activities of the Fraunhofer institutes in cooperation with selected and renowned partner universities, colleges and academies.