Easy Linkage from Textbooks with 2D Codes!

Release Date :October 31, 2023

• Schools

Release Date :October 31, 2023

Kyoiku Shuppan Co., Ltd. is a major textbook publisher that produces textbooks for elementary through high school. We asked them about how they use QuizGenerator to create quizzes that are linked to their textbooks with 2D codes, We asked them about their experience with QuizGenerator and how they actually use it.

Collaboration between textbooks and digital teaching materials in progress

First, can you tell us about your company's business?

Mr. Miyake:Kyoiku Shuppan is a general textbook publisher that provides textbooks for Japanese, social studies, mathematics, science, English, calligraphy, daily life, music, and ethics for compulsory elementary and junior high schools, as well as music and calligraphy textbooks for high schools. The Development Section of the ICT Division is mainly engaged in the development of digital textbooks and digital teaching materials.

You are creating "school textbooks," and the GIGA School concept is also a hot topic.

Mr. Miyake:Until the GIGA school concept was developed and one terminal per student became widespread, digital textbooks for instructors (for teachers) were common and were mainly used for magnifying and projecting. However, with the development of hardware, the software portion for learners, including digital textbooks, has rapidly expanded. Digital textbooks are also becoming more widely used, especially for English and mathematics.

Digital textbooks are in the developmental stage of use. How are you using QuizGenerator this time around?

Mr. Miyake:We use it as a tool to link with textbooks. When the two-dimensional code is read, it links to our website called "Manabi Link. Manabi Link" contains digital content that supplements textbook content and deepens and expands learning. The contents are not necessarily for classroom use, but can be used individually according to the interests of the students, and among them are quizzes created by QuizGenerator.

Easy editing in Excel, QuizGenerator facilitates division of labor

What were the deciding factors in your choice of QuizGenerator?

Mr. Miyake:There were two major deciding factors: the first was the low cost and complete functionality; the 13 different question types were sufficient for the functions we wanted to achieve, and we were also able to open up functions such as the application of CSS (*1) for a small fee.

Another is that quizzes can be edited using office tools such as Excel. As long as the creation rules are shared, anyone can easily create quizzes, making it easy to establish a division of labor. Some of the other companies' quizzes are only compatible with dedicated tools, so they require a single person to work on them.

*1 Paid license for QuizGeneratorWhen you purchase aAdaptation of CSSand so on, and improve the customizability of the screen.

You mentioned the topic of cost. What do you see as the cost benefits of implementing QuizGenerator?

Mr. Miyake:It costs a certain amount of money to create such a quiz from scratch. Compared to the cost of QuizGenerator, the difference is obvious.

The quiz production process was also assisted by the IT department to which I belong, while the members of the editorial department, which produces the textbooks, created the quizzes themselves. This was a great help in reducing overall production costs, while at the same time ensuring high quality and speedy production.

Please let us know if you have any requests for QuizGenerator.

Mr. Miyake:Since elementary school textbooks are naturally used by elementary school students, it would be nice if the UI were more cute and geared toward elementary school students. Also, I think it would be easier for teachers to use if there were functions such as detailed settings for ruby and not showing kanji that have not been learned by the corresponding grade.

The future of ICT and DX in education has just begun

I think the education industry has been changing greatly in recent years, with GIGA Schools and Education DX. Could you tell us about your future outlook and expectations?

Mr. Miyake:First, regarding digital textbooks, until now, textbooks have been fixed in their display as printed matter due to the nature of the paper medium, and there have been significant barriers to linking them with peripheral teaching materials. However, with the advent of digital textbooks and "Manabi Link," the concept of textbooks is about to undergo a major change.

Mr. Tamai:We can also envision classes where students can expand and deepen their learning by using digital terminals to refer to websites, play videos and audio, and try things out in simulations. We also believe that by using a variety of tools in different situations, students can freely express their own ideas, share them with each other, and learn to grow together.

Surveys by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and other organizations show that schools are steadily introducing digital textbooks and teaching materials, and we look forward to further development in the future. As a publisher of comprehensive textbooks, we hope to provide not only a wide variety of content, but also a wealth of information useful in actual classes, such as examples of use.

We are looking forward to the future. As someone in the education industry, I hope we can support you in this endeavor. Finally, do you have a message for those who are considering QuizGenerator?

Mr. Miyake:I think QuizGenerator is a great tool for a small start because it is easy to use. I used it as a tool to link with textbooks, but I think there are many other possible combinations. It is also free for commercial use, so if you are not sure about it, I recommend you try it out for yourself.

Thank you for your participation
!