Media Centre

Giunti Labs

Master List

27th February 2007

Giunti Labs helps develop t-learning

Giunti Labs enhances its learn eXact LCMS Suite for providing personalised learning experiences on Digital TV Set Top Boxes.

Giunti Labs, Europe's leading e-learning and mobile learning content management solutions (LCMS) vendor has been selected as the overall learning content management platform provider for the Enhanced Learning Unlimited (ELU) initiative. ELU is a European Project which, in the next 30 months, targets to develop innovative TV learning solutions for an international consortium led by Ort France and grouping a large array of more than ten European Universities and Broadcasters, among which is the Center for futurism education - Ben Gurion University, University of Ljubljana, Hradec Kralove, Riga and Czech Television.

The project focuses on pedagogical as well as technical aspects of the possibilities of 't-learning', with a goal of constructing a new integrated learning platform for interactive TV. One of the focus areas is a game based t-learning application.

Existing learning technology standards will be used and enhanced within the project. The ELU approach aims to present t-learning content material to users in a manner that is generated to meet the user's learning context in terms of the users' learning preferences, the selected pedagogic strategy, monitored skills and competencies and the interaction capabilities of the means of delivery.

A new module of Giunti Labs' learn eXact LCMS platform, eXact TV, has just been announced to make SCORM contents delivered and tracked on Set Top Boxes, and will be used for the ELU project.

eXact TV is an integrated module of Giunti Labs' learn eXact LCMS suite and further enhances the learning opportunities by providing an additional channel for learning content delivery. eXact TV is already used in Italy for Canale DTT Lavoro, which is the first thematic channel focusing on learning and work related issues.

Canale DTT Lavoro is funded by Fondazione Ugo Bordoni which operates under the supervision of Italian Ministry of Communications.

Fabrizio Cardinali, CEO of Giunti Labs commented: "From the pedagogical point of view, TV is a different medium from the internet and needs a different approach than 'traditional distance learning solutions'.

"T-learning will help to overcome, for example, the limits of physical distance as there is a broad digital TV infrastructure base in Europe. In addition to web and mobile learning, TV is an additional channel for providing personalised learning experiences using always the most convenient channel from the user_s point of view."

End

Notes for Editors

About Enhanced Learning Unlimited (ELU)

The vision of ELU is to increase learning opportunities at home, office and school via interactive digital TV (iDTV). Television sets are more commonly available than personal computers in European households, and ELU intends to take advantage of this broad infrastructure base. ELU's objective is to investigate ways to increase the use of television for learning activities through adapting and enhancing methods used for e-learning via the PC. ELU intends to define the future of t-learning (learning via iDTV) as an alternative to e-learning (learning via PC).

ELU objectives are:

• study the pedagogical and technological aspects of using iDTV as the media for t-learning

• develop new tools for creating content for t-learning to be used on iDTV

• develop enhancements to the Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) to meet the t-learning needs
  share the knowledge in iDTV and t-learning with new EU countries.

ELU's technologies will emphasise personal systems and tools to meet the diversity of personal needs in learning techniques. The learning content will be easily retrieved through the personal TV systems. ELU will address the different needs that arise from TV learning including the use of advanced remote control and the greater viewing distance from the screen.

The ELU project will develop the methodology and will design and implement the technology required to enhance the MHP to function as t-learning middleware, and will develop specific content to demonstrate innovative ways of e-learning on an iDTV platform.

In particular, on the pedagogical side, ELU will examine how to bridge the gap between 'edutainment' and 'engaged learning' as well as how to turn a passive viewer into an active learner. ELU will also provide solutions to integrate learning support systems (human and electronic) into its solutions. To test the effectiveness of iDTV, several types of content will be developed.


More info at: http://www.elu-project.com/

About Giunti Labs

Giunti is unique in the international publishing industry.

In 1497, Giunti publishers and typographers in Florence, together with others in Venice, began modern book manufacturing. Over the years Giunti has built a 'historical catalogue' of huge dimensions, through a gradual process of 'fusion' of different publishers, but also through the creation of new brands, including Giunti Labs. Giunti Editore now includes 20 companies in the publishing sector.

Giunti Labs, which has its EMEA headquarters in Italy and an office in Milton Keynes (UK), provides a wide range of services, in response to any content, learning and knowledge management need, covering:

• Content production

• Research and development

• Technological solutions for content, learning & knowledge management

• Architectural and technological solutions for mobile & wireless

• Training and consulting