Mobile learning and cloud-based assessment set to enter Oman's university campuses

Mobile learning, or m-learning, takes digital education to an altogether higher level and Oman can be one of the first few countries in the world to adopt this revolutionary technology in mobile learning 'm-learning' and cloud computing through hand-held devices.

Building on the popularity of tablet PCs and smart phones among the younger generation, Core Education & Consulting Solutions FZ LLC 'Core', a global leader in education technologies, has revolutionised traditional concepts of teaching and learning, firmly aligning them with cutting-edge 21st century education processes.

The objective of this solution is to leverage the power of handheld devices such as tablet PCs to transform teaching and learning by bringing the world into the classroom and extending the classroom to the world. The initiative brings knowledge and information to the students and break down the virtual walls of the classroom, allowing students to become the co-creators of their own learning environment through collaborations with their own peers and faculty.

The m-learning and formative assessment trend has been introduced in the Middle East by Core, a leading global education solutions provider implementing next-generation solutions for teaching, learning and assessment across the world. Core this week signed an agreement towards this effect with the UAE's Higher Colleges of Technology 'HCT' as part of the UAE's flagship education project and is now taking the lead in introducing the concept in schools, colleges and universities located in Oman, in a landmark project that will benefit more than 619,000 students.

In Oman, Core is working along with its joint venture partner, Muscat Overseas Company 'MOC', to introduce technology-enabled solutions for school and employability education to revolutionalise the region's education system.

This initiative by Core will usher in the largest GCC-wide campaign to expand the reach of mobile learning through tablets. The tablets will be powered by Core's transformational educational solutions, including its proprietary 'Assessment Center', a unique and powerful tool that tracks and analyses a student's progress and 'Interventions Modules', learning modules to improve student performance.

This market-leading solution, which has met with unprecedented success in the United States, is designed to support region-wide assessment initiatives and help teachers, schools and administrators to scientifically assess their students.

Sanjeev Mansotra, Chairman & Global CEO of Core Education & Technologies Limited, said, "We are delighted to introduce this landmark solution in the GCC and bring our global expertise in transformational education solutions to usher in a new beginning for digital education era in the region."

He added, "Oman was an important market for Core and that the company was focused in helping the government and education system in the region to foster a knowledge and skill-based economy."

"Core has partnered with prestigious global institutions such as University of Oxford, Center for Higher Learning, John Stennis Space Center, NASA, and many others in developing globally relevant education solutions in Teacher Development, Digital STEM Education, Skill Development and 1:1 E-Learning segments amongst others. I firmly believe that these solutions will go a long way in significantly improving the teaching and learning outcomes across all educational institutions in Oman," Mansotra added.

Mansotra added, "Core is also impressed by the government's endeavor to make best practices in education accessible to every student in the country. I am confident that Core, a world leader in this domain, will ensure that the Government's education initiatives are a grand success."

Core's R&D team is developing multimedia content, psychometric-based item bank and learning modules aligned to local curriculum to complement the assessment platform. The entire platform is built on a cloud environment enabling stakeholders to access the assessment solution and generate reports anytime, anywhere.

Another important feature that has been incorporated into the solution is ipGrowth 'Ipsative Growth', a powerful formative assessment solution that measures growth in student achievement by reviewing and interpreting key student data. ipGrowth provides uniquely actionable insights into both a student's current academic performance as well as his/her understanding.