Educational apps exhibited in Delhi Book Fair
How about a talking pen that would read out to your children? Or what about clicking a picture of a difficult lab experiment and understanding it using a free app?
Such innovative technologies to aid educational learning are being exhibited at the ongoing Delhi Book Fair.
Based on the concept of augmented reality, integration of digital information with live video, MBD Group will be launching a free application 'Nytra' in December, 2014 for class 11 and 12 students.
'Our content team has identified tough lab experiments and theories that children find different to understand.
'So, in these books, on selected topics students will be able to use this app and understand the concept behind it through a well-explained video,' Praveen Singh, business development head, print and digital, MBD Group, told IANS.
'All they need to do is click a picture of the topic they want to understand, the app will take a few seconds to download the information from the 'cloud' and they will get the video in seconds,' he added.
This app will be supported by all major software platforms like Android and Windows and children can download it free-of-cost. It caters to Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics branch of studies.
According to Monica Malhotra Kandhari, senior director of MBD Group, the publishing houses foray into technological world was a 'logical progression'.
'We have developed this app after much thought-process,' Kandhari told IANS.
'Children should make the best use of their device by using such applications that can give them some real-time information,' she added.
Such clever use of technology is attracting many school children and parents to exhibiting stalls at the Delhi Book Fair, where around 250 publishers and distributors from different parts of India are exhibiting books.
Savita Tewari, divisional manager of Grolier, an international firm that focuses on in-home learning products, is promoting 'talking pens' and 'interactive games' for children aged between 2-8 years.
The talking pens spell out vocabulary, alphabets, small sentences for children once they put the tip of the pen on any part of the letter. This in a way, Tewari emphasised, allows children to learn on their own in an interactive manner.
'There are quizzes, search boxes and hidden information in these books. All a child has to do is to put the pen on the box or text. It will just start talking,' Tewari told IANS.
However, these skill-enhancement books come in a set that would comprise of different books depending on the age group. The pricing of a set begins at Rs. 1,150.
Chandani Mehra, mother of a 10-year-old, is impressed the way technology and publishers are joining hands to improve standards of education and teaching in India.
'Today's children are so quick with technology that it is a good idea to combine technology and education and make learning fun for children,' Mehra, a visitor at the fair, told IANS.
However, she was quick to add that India will still take some time to 'reach a stage where technology becomes a complete part of education.'
The Delhi Book Fair ends Aug 31.
IANS
==================================
