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Businesses in the educational sector operate in an ever-changing, tech savvy, digital centric market.  Leading academic bookseller Van Schaik Bookstore has embraced the challenge with their innovative offering, SmartSWOT a digital learning solution, that links to a mobile app filled with curriculum-based resources, and brings textbook publishers, educators and learners onto one interactive platform.

 

“SmartSWOT is a digital learning ecosystem that goes beyond the e-Textbook experience.

In a nutshell, it is a digital learning solution based in an app, that enables blended learning – classroom teaching supported by digital technology and resources to be used at home,” says Stephan Erasmus, MD of Van Schaik Bookstore.

 

Students install the SmartSWOT Learning App on a device of their choice at home (mobile phone, tablet or computer). The app comes with prepackaged learning resources as per the curriculum, in the form of digital books. The student’s school has the additional option to administer homework, tests and publish further learning resources through the app.

 

“SmartSWOT offers an unparalleled learning experience – it enhances learning with rich resources, fun, creativity and innovation – it’s the future of integrated, interactive learning,” says Erasmus.

 

“This product is an inevitable evolution of our product offering – Van Schaik as a business took a strategic decision to evolve with the times and was the first bookstore to introduce an aggregated e-Textbook platform to South Africa, which has allowed us to gain a deeper understanding into how e-Textbooks are used by and affect students, academics, institutions and publishers. SmartSWOT evolved out of these insights.”

 

Erasmus says that SmartSWOT is largely based on the e-textbook concept, but takes it much further: “The SmartSWOT app hosts content from top publishers, and in an e-textbook format offers learners an interactive learning experience that can be customized according to specific courses and institutions’ needs, and can be bundled with other institutional content.”

 

Project leader Melvin Kaabwe says that institutions have embraced SmartSWOT, because it supports student learning in such an accessible way:

“Students can easily buy their prescribed e-textbooks and recommended e-books on vanschaik.com or their nearest physical Van Schaik Bookstore on campus. Once they have downloaded the SmartSWOT app, they have access to their e-textbooks and more e-learning material upon login. After the initial login, all the contents are available for offline use.”

 

 “Teachers and lecturers can use the app to monitor student progress as the app has the ability to track students through self-marking quizzes and assessments, as well as analytics on student progress.

 

“Facilitators can upload notes, examples and assessments.  They can also enrich the content via media tools, including embedded videos, audio, animations and 3D graphs. It allows for one-to-one teaching, digital assessments, as well as the ability to track students’ progress. SmartSWOT will also allow students to contact facilitators and to hold group discussions with their peers.”

 

Kaabwe says that the app is designed to be user-friendly and encourages interaction: “Students will be able to access their textbooks on and offline, as they only need to connect to Wi-Fi to download new content. The new platform allows students to make hand-written notes, while also allowing them to highlight and save certain sections. Textbooks will come alive with animations, widgets and exercises allowing students to do virtual experiments and practical assignments or partake in workshops.”

 

Bianca Le Cornu, Programme Manager and Creative Arts Lecturer at the Pearson Institute of Higher Education says the app is a natural progression in a technology-based learning environment: “The app is a great alternative (or addition) to existing LMS systems; allowing learners to engage in blended learning activities is one space, in close proximity to their learning materials. Furthermore, the after-sales service is top notch.”

 

Van Schaik offers additional support through their call center at sharecall 08600STUDY or internationally +27123665400, and offers on-site support including DTP services, content origination and customer services.

 

The app is available for download on: https://www.vanschaik.com/smartswot/

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