Konan University and Fujitsu Begin Field Trial of Smart Education for Collaborative Learning
21 November 2014 - 10:16AM
JCN Newswire (English)
Enables effective education with livelier discussions and
creativity within groups
Konan University and Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced
the development of a prototype learning-support service. It runs on
top of a place-based services platform(1) developed by Fujitsu
Laboratories that enables people gathered in a particular place to
link their devices and other equipment together for screen sharing
and collaborative work. A classroom-based field trial using these
technologies (the "smart education") began in November 2014.
In the field trial, tablets used by the teachers and students will
be automatically linked together, and also linked with projectors
and other equipment in the classroom, to automatically distribute
or remove lecture materials, to promote collaborative learning in
groups, to monitor the pace of educational progress, and to share
group work on big screens. The field trial will verify the
effectiveness of these functions.
Based on the results of the field trial, Konan University will
study the most effective ways to use ICT in the classroom, while
Fujitsu Laboratories aims to expand the use of this platform beyond
education at the primary, secondary, and college levels, to
corporate conference rooms and for customer service in retail
stores.
Background
By providing students with a cutting-edge educational environment,
Konan University aims to cultivate the people who have abilities
and skills that will carry society forward into the next
generation. Rather than just emphasizing a conventional curriculum
focused mainly on the classroom, it is important for students to
actively participate in their own education, take the initiative in
their learning, and enhance their capabilities through individual
discoveries and experiences. To create such a learning environment,
the university is building a novel system, not yet seen in other
universities, which seeks to make full use of PCs and other IT
equipment. It is also promoting the use of ICT both in the
classroom and in campus life.
Fujitsu Laboratories has developed a place-based services platform
(announced in April 2014) that enables the quick development of
services, provided in a specific location, that can connect people
to people or people to equipment. This technology enables
information-sharing between devices carried by people congregating
in a given location, and also helps people connect their devices to
equipment at the location with no prior setup, making collaborative
work more efficient. Fujitsu Laboratories envisions applications in
a number of sectors for this technology, including group education
in schools, providing product information to customers in stores,
or displaying product information on big screens.
Overview of the Field Trial
1. Purpose
In recent years, the widespread use of tablets has sparked interest
in the use of ICT in educational settings, but there has yet to be
widespread adoption, as educators seem to be looking for effective
ways to use ICT. Fujitsu Laboratories and Konan University's
Education and Research Center for Information Science are
conducting this field trial to determine the effectiveness of
instruction using ICT. The field trial is using Fujitsu
Laboratories' place-based services platform in Konan University's
classes.
2. Time period
November 2014 to March 2015 (planned)
3. Locations
At Konan University's Nishinomiya campus (nicknamed "CUBE," in
Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture) and Okamoto campus (in Kobe, Hyogo
Prefecture).
4. Trial description
In the field trial, teachers and students will connect their
tablets, projectors and other equipment in the classroom, to create
the following services (Figure 1).
Educational-support services
- Automatically distribute and remove lecture materials
- Collaborative learning in groups
- Monitoring pace of educational progress
- Sharing class work results on big screens
- Class questionnaires
Fujitsu Laboratories has developed prototypes of general-purpose
applications and functional modules, which can be used for a wide
range of purposes, and which run on top of its place-based services
platform. Using these will enable the quick development of
educational-support services for use in the educational
environment.
In addition, this field trial will verify what educational outcomes
result from the use of these services (such as whether people speak
more in class and whether they speak on a wider range of
subjects).
Future Plans
Based on the results of the field trial, Konan University will
study the most effective ways to use ICT in the classroom. Fujitsu
Laboratories will also study the outcomes of the field trial,
including how they might fit in with the Learning Project of
Tomorrow(2), which is being pursued by the Fujitsu Group, and plans
to expand the adoption of this platform beyond education at the
primary, secondary, and college levels to a variety of other
settings, such as corporate conference rooms and customer service
in retail stores.
(1) Place-based services platform
A platform technology that makes it possible to quickly build
services for exchanging information between devices and equipment
at a given location. See April 15, 2014, press release:
www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2014/0415-01.html
(2) Learning Project of Tomorrow
Project for supporting instruction using ICT in ordinary
classrooms, inside and outside Japan, at the primary and secondary
level. See October 16, 2014, press release:
www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2014/1016-01.html
About Fujitsu Limited
Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication
technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology
products, solutions and services. Approximately 170,000 Fujitsu
people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our
experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with
our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated
revenues of 4.4 trillion yen (US$47 billion) for the fiscal year
ended March 31, 2013 For more information, please see
www.fujitsu.com.
Source: Fujitsu Limited
Contact:
Fujitsu Limited
Public and Investor Relations
www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/
+81-3-3215-5259
Copyright 2014 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.japancorp.net
Fujitsu (LSE:FUJ)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2024 to May 2024
Fujitsu (LSE:FUJ)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2023 to May 2024