Learners get online advantage

By Siyabonga Africa, ITWeb junior journalist

Johannesburg, 13 Jan 2009

An online educational portal, mystar, has gone live. The portal was developed by Star Schools and will include features such as e-books, mobile and online chat rooms, as well as a host of other multimedia applications.

Star Schools CEO Atulkumar Patel says the solution is a blend of flip-page technology, learner management tools, teacher avatars and application provision to provide a comprehensive educational experience. The programme cost just over R10 million over six years, and the company hopes to break even in a year, he adds.

“We didn't want to reinvent the wheel, but to use the best-of-breed and fit-for-purpose technologies already developed,” says Patel. A statement from the supplementary learning service provider says the solution is based on open source technology and can be operated on any technological platform.

The solution was developed with an understanding of learner needs and perceptions, the statement says. Mystar will be targeted at Star Schools' customer base of more than 15 000 students in grades 10, 11 and 12, with an aim of attracting more. The main subjects that will be addressed include English, mathematics, science and life skills in accordance with the DOE's national curriculum.

What's in the box?

The mystar solution will be available on CD-ROMs for computers with an Internet connection, and DVDs for students who don't have computers and would like to view the content on TV. Patel says the disks will be on sale from March and students can take out month-to-month, subject-by-subject subscriptions to access the online and mobile content.

More than 80% of the students already registered with Star Schools have cellphones, says Patel, giving impetus to create scaled down mobile content, which includes online quizzes and a glossary of definitions.

Another key feature on the CD-ROM and DVD is the e-book, which allows users to interact using flip-page technology, giving the user the impression of paging through a normal book. The e-book also features virtual teachers - who are streamed either live or downloaded for later perusal - and play the role of a classroom educator.

Users can also access chat rooms to interact with students. Patel says the chat rooms will be monitored by Star Schools' network of 100 educators to ensure the service is not being abused, and also that students are not misguiding each other in exchanging answers.