case study

Enhancing Learning Through Digital Assets: The Digital Study Guide Project

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In an age where information is at our fingertips, traditional learning resources often do not suffice in engaging and educating the modern student. Recognizing the need for blended learning materials, the Digital Study Guide project was launched to develop 24 comprehensive study guides for high school students in South Africa. These study guides integrated print content with digital assets such as videos and auto-marking assessments to create a holistic learning experience.

As the Product Owner, I was tasked with overseeing and guiding the development of these blended study guides. This role entailed collaborating with various stakeholders, including subject matter experts, media production teams, and outsourced suppliers. Additionally, I acquired new skills in developing assessments compatible with Cambridge’s digital assessment engine and played an instrumental role in producing instructional videos that supplemented text content.

Digital Assets Created

  1. Auto-Marking Assessments: Through collaboration with assessment specialists and learning about Cambridge’s digital assessment engine, auto-marking assessments were developed. These assessments saved educators time and provided immediate feedback to students, which is essential for their learning process.
  2. Instructional Videos: Understanding that different students have different learning preferences and that visual content can often clarify complex concepts, a series of instructional videos was developed. These videos were crafted following instructional design principles to ensure they were engaging and educationally effective. They included visual aids, clear explanations, and real-world examples to help students better grasp the content.

Skills in instructional design, assessment design, assessment writing, project management, and budget management were critical to the success of this project. Furthermore, teamwork played a central role, as the project involved collaboration with a diverse group, including subject matter experts, instructional video producers, assessment specialists, and the global digital team.

The Digital Study Guide project showcases the immense potential of blended learning materials in modern education. By integrating innovative digital assets with traditional text content, these study guides provide a richer, more engaging, and more effective learning experience for high school students. This project demonstrates the importance of adapting educational resources to meet the needs and preferences of the contemporary learner.

Creating a Moodle Certificate Course for English Proficiency in Namibia

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Online education is indispensable for bridging educational gaps and fostering global competency. With an aspiration to unlock the potential of digital learning, an ambitious project for developing a Certificate Course for English Proficiency was initiated. In partnership with NAMCOL (Namibian College of Open Learning), a Namibian Ministry of Education unit, this project aimed to transform static content into an engaging, interactive online course using the Moodle platform. To design and develop an effective and engaging online course, the Successive Approximation Model (SAM) was employed as the instructional design framework. Through SAM’s iterative process, the team was able to adaptively plan, develop, and refine the course content and structure.

Objective

The project’s primary goal was to develop an online course that was engaging and robust in its educational offerings. The project involved:

  • Crafting a comprehensive course structure.
  • Devising a grading system.
  • Converting static text content into interactive assessment and multimedia content.

As the Product Manager, my responsibilities encompassed coordination with NAMCOL, instructional research, selection and appointment of a Moodle expert and an internal instructional designer, and collaboration with an external service provider for video content creation.

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Mathematics Education in South Africa: Blended Learning for Schools

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Integrating technology into education is imperative in an era characterized by technological advancements. The Blended Learning for School Mathematics project aimed to utilize an existing Cambridge digital math platform to create a blended learning product tailored to the educational needs of schools in South Africa. This initiative marked a significant step towards revolutionizing mathematics education by combining digital learning with traditional classroom methods.

As the Product Owner, I decided to employ the Successive Approximation Model (SAM) for the instructional design process. SAM’s agile and iterative approach was deemed best suited for creating a blended learning product that seamlessly integrates technology into traditional classroom methods.

Project Objective

The project’s primary goal was to leverage the capabilities of an existing digital math platform and adapt it to the South African educational landscape. As the Product Owner, the responsibilities included:

  • Overseeing the project.
  • Appointing a project manager and mathematics specialist.
  • Conducting market research.
  • Aligning content to the local curriculum.
  • Creating complementary print workbooks and a teacher guide.
  • Handling product design.
  • Developing marketing collateral.
  • Conducting workshops for teachers.

In line with SAM’s ‘Preparation Phase’, the objectives were clearly defined and the requirements meticulously laid out. This phase included understanding the target audience and aligning the content with the South African curriculum. Moreover, the appointment of a project manager and a mathematics specialist was essential in gaining insights into the subject matter and educational landscape

Implementation

The project began with extensive research on competitor products and discerning the requirements of teachers. The content of the existing digital platform was meticulously aligned with the local curriculum, forming the foundation of the blended learning product. Additionally, print workbooks were developed to complement the digital platform and facilitate classroom learning. A teacher guide was also created to acquaint educators with the optimal utilization of the platform and workbooks. Product design, marketing, and teacher workshops were integral to the project’s implementation.

During the ‘Iterative Design Phase’ of SAM, we worked through repeated cycles of design, development, and revision. The content alignment, workbook creation, and teacher guide development underwent several iterations to ensure that they were fine-tuned to address the educational needs of South African schools.

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