From social media to the Industrial Internet of Things – new technologies wherever you look. Digitalization is advancing and reaching virtually all areas of our daily lives. Smartphones, tablets, or notebooks are nearly always close by. It’s hard to imagine being on the go anymore entirely “without.” This makes information – in any desired depth and format – available always and everywhere. And these advantages make new media interesting for learning as well.
From the display to the mind
PowerPoint (and others like it) replaced blurry, overhead transparencies years ago, and not long after, interactivity came into play. By getting actively involved, your concentration is more focused and you’re much better able to remember the presented materials. So, educationally, this was a quantum leap. E-learning is in vogue, whether for vocational training or continuing education. And flexibility is its trump card, because new media makes it possible to learn wherever and whenever you like. E-learning is also ideal for preparing trainees individually for classroom training. In this respect, differing levels of previous knowledge are no problem: participants can each take only the e-courses they need for the best introduction to the classroom training. This form of learning, i.e., online training combined with traditional seminars and practical exercises, is called blended learning.
Connected Learning
Festo recently presented its latest development in the field of digital learning: Tec2Screen®, a mobile learning companion which brings the virtual and real learning worlds even closer together. With the help of an iPad, a special learning environment (software), and individually configurable hardware "connects," Tec2Screen® is the ideal bridge between E-learning and practical exercises. The virtual and real learning worlds can thus be brought even close together via corresponding connects. With the help of an iPad, a special learning environment (software), and individually configurable hardware "connects," Tec2Screen® is the ideal bridge between E-learning and practical exercises. For example, Festo Didactic’s training factories (such as the learning and research station for the Industrial Internet of Things, i.e., the CP Factory) can be easily incorporated with the corresponding connects. Additionally, instructors/trainers can create their own interactive course programs and manage course access rights (classroom manager). As a result, the Tec2Screen® allows a lot of room for creativity – this has been clearly demonstrated by three pupils at the Neufelden Higher Institute of Technical Education (Upper Austria) as part of their graduate work in the field of automation technology which, was also a “Technology on the Train“ project.