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Online Content Creation Made Breezier with New MOU

Creating your own interactive web pages can now prove to be totally painless and hassle-free. And no, you don’t have to be a computer wizard to work that magic on the screens. Some 32 students of ITE West (Balestier) discovered these almost instantaneously after they were given the opportunity to try their hands at Toolbook II Instructor, a dynamic authoring software, that came with the signing of a one-year agreement between ITE and Trax Media (S) Pte Ltd, sole provider of the software in Singapore.

The partnership that was sealed on the morning of 2 July 2003 spelt another shot in the arm for the teaching and learning environment in an ITE campus, which had earlier been enriched with IT-based initiatives such as eTutor and eStudent. Valued at $135,000, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two parties looked set to expose students to new IT skills while presenting lecturers with another avenue of preparing e-courseware, which complemented the existing eTutor. Under the agreement, Trax Media is committed to supply a total of 37 Toolbook II Instructor software packages and provide 14-hour intensive training for some 30 ITE staff on the use and applications of the software.

Another Meaningful Contribution from the Industry
With Trax Media being the latest to come on board as an industry partner of ITE West, Principal, Mr Tan Hong Choon, drew emphasis on the significance of industry’s contributions towards technical education. Speaking shortly before penning his signature on the dotted line, Mr Tan asserted: “Support from the industry has come through many ways, namely, donation of hardware and software and the allocation of places for traineeship and industry attachment. Just like how we have benefitted from the collaboration with our other industry partners, I am confident that our teaching staff and students will be able to put the Toolbook Instructor knowledge gained to optimum use.”

Trax Media’s Director, Ms T Malar, could not have agreed more. She said: “The learning curve for Toolbook Instructor is significantly shorter, due to its easy-to-understand features. As it is not a media development tool, no knowledge of programming is required.”

Toolbook Instructor boasts of features that enable users to create effective high-quality interactive e-learning content with speed and ease. Users who are new to online learning applications can rest easy as there is absolutely no need to download plug-ins. Its animation features not only help to lend visual impact to content but also include simulations of how objects move or change over time. And using a drag-and-drop methodology, previously created Powerpoint and Flash presentations can also be incorporated in the Toolbook.

Students Get a New Elective
Course Manager/Electronics, ITE West (Balestier), Ms Chan Lay Lee, who played a key role in the realisation of the MOU, disclosed that a new course elective has been introduced in July 2003 for students who are keen to learn the software. “Students will go through a 30-hour module that leads to one credit unit. The skills applications are wide-ranging. Not only will students have a free hand in their presentation, they can also, upon graduation, help their companies in building up and organising content for the knowledge management system.”

One enthusiastic participant, who has tried out the new software, 17-year old Redwan Muhrob, first-year Nitec in Electronics student at ITE West (Balestier), exclaimed: “It’s an efficient software. Even if you are ‘lost’ while using it for the first few times, there is no reason to panic as there is a properties box which guides you along. What I like most is the interactive quiz segment that can be easily designed and incorporated at the end of the presentation. I am hooked!”