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The Challenges of Online Teaching in the Age of Corona Nice to meet you. My name is Finn, a new employee of Tatsuno Information Systems, and with words like with corona and post corona flying around, how has your lifestyle changed over the past six months? With the spread of the new coronavirus, remote work has become more prevalent in the company, and online classes have spread rapidly in the educational field. I have a child in early elementary school. Due to the impact of this new coronavirus, my child switched to home study in March and started online classes using e-learning. In this article I would like to consider the "pros/cons of online classes" as I feel as a parent. I hope you will enjoy this article as well. Click here for the Table of Contents 1. fatigue with complex e-learning systems 2. challenges and needs of online classes 3. learningBOX is an e-learning system that even first-time users can use with confidence 4. summary Complicated e-learning systems are fatiguing. The spread of the new coronavirus has made it very difficult to conduct regular classes. Many of those in charge of e-learning may have been in a hurry to introduce e-learning systems in order to cope with the corona outbreak. Parents and guardians may have also experienced a sudden change in their children's learning style from school to home, and their normal daily lives may have taken a dizzying turn. Points that were difficult to overcome in order to take online classes 1. It was difficult to set up and use the e-learning system, and I had a hard time learning the manual after work. 2. It costs a lot of money to set up and prepare the devices and internet environment necessary to take online classes. 3. It took a lot of patience to lecture the children on how to use the system properly from scratch. Blind spots of online learning seen from in-home study The students' access to the site was so intensive that "the PC screen froze up or didn't move" ⇒ There were scenes where the class didn't feel cohesive. The students were often unable to concentrate on their learning because they were focused on the actions and words of the characters in the online class. I often felt confused and anxious because I sometimes did not get the results or feedback after the online class was over. There was a time lag in the teacher's response, and I often felt that I could not communicate well with the teacher. The online classes were physically and mentally exhausting not only for the children, but also for me as a parent who was nearby to support them. Here are some surveys related to online classes. Source: "Online classes cannot be just "delivery of conventional classes". Questionnaire on the Attitude toward Home Study among Parents with Children" What kind of learning functions are you looking for in your home study? Source: "Video functions such as class delivery" is the most sought after feature for home learning! ｜Source: e-Learning Research Institute The following is a brief summary of the above two surveys. (1) It is difficult to set up PCs and tools to prepare for online classes. (2) There are many difficulties in switching to online classes, such as the structure of the class content and how to proceed. (iii) Unlike at school, it is difficult to receive instruction from an educational professional such as a teacher when studying at home, so many families seek video content such as class delivery. Challenges and Needs for Online Classes ▼Based on the advantages and disadvantages of online classes, let us consider the challenges of e-learning that will be needed in the future. Advantages of online classes 1. Students can study at their own pace and at their own time ⇒ Effective use of commuting time 2. Many people can take classes from top instructors ⇒ No difference in instructors 3. contribute to school education in remote islands and depopulated areas ⇒ classes can continue even in the event of unexpected natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes Disadvantages of online classes 1. Audio and video may be interrupted during class depending on the Internet environment ⇒ Different regions and people use different connections 2. Difficult to conduct action-oriented classes ⇒ Difficult to apply to student-participation classes such as music and physical education 3. e-Learning is difficult to set up and operate ⇒ There are many technical terms and it is difficult to understand how to use and set up the system. 4. High price ⇒ High hurdles for online classes, and students are hesitant to use it even if they want to. E-learning functions and services needed in the future 1. easy-to-operate, easy-to-use design To conduct online classes, an e-learning system that only a few administrators can touch and use is not enough. As shown in the survey results, a system that is complicated to operate and requires multiple readings of the manual to master will not keep administrators and learners motivated. 2. Easy to start e-learning at a reasonable price The Japanese government has been spending a large amount of money to improve the ICT environment in schools. The "GIGA School Initiative" proposed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has also received more than 200 billion yen in the fiscal 2020 supplementary budget proposal. It is important to set a price point that mitigates the image that e-learning requires a large amount of money and expertise to implement. learningBOX is e-learning for first-time users! Our e-learning system is an e-learning creation system that satisfies the above criteria, focusing on "ease of use" and "low cost". Learning content can be easily created using the creation form, and the system can be configured to distribute materials according to the learner's needs. You don't need to have any technical knowledge to create e-learning programs, and we have a wealth of teaching materials to support your implementation. Simple design and usage designed from the user's perspective Gamification to motivate children! When you were a child, you collected stamps from the radio exercises you did every morning during summer vacation. Or the stickers you got for helping out at home. These are called gamification because they are similar to the elements of competing for points in a game, and have been attracting attention in education and human resource development in recent years. LearningBOX makes it possible. With learningBOX, you can also award badges or "certificates" to learners who have met the passing standards. These badges and certificates can be used to visualize the progress of mastery from grade management, which will motivate learners and help them maintain motivation and goals. ▼ Pass badges are awarded for successful completion of study material. The badge display function can be set to grant badges for each material (PDFs, quizzes, memorization cards...etc.) or by folder. For details, please refer to this article. ⇒ About the badge setting function Grant a certificate when all ▼ study courses are completed learningBOX allows you to set constraints on the content you create. By setting this, learners will not be able to proceed if they do not complete or pass the content. You can set prerequisites, such as requiring learners to solve the next problem after passing a particular question, or granting a certificate after passing an exam. For more information, please see this article. ⇒Creating a Course Study The lowest price in the industry, in the 30,000 yen range per year even for 100 users (*Prices shown in the figure do not include tax.) The most important feature of learningBOX is that it is the lowest price in the industry. The Starter Plan is available for 100 users at 30,000 yen per year (plus tax), or 2,500 yen per month. We also offer a free plan that can be used for an unlimited period of time. Starter Plan starting at 30,000 yen The Starter Plan is suitable for distribution of practice questions, online learning, and preparation for certification exams and national examinations. 30MB of material per file can be distributed as quizzes or videos. learningBOX's fee structure is based on a pay-as-you-go basis in units of 100 users. The fee structure of LearningBOX is based on a pay-as-you-go system in units of 100 users. The Starter Plan is recommended for the following customers Those who want to reduce the cost of implementing online learning. Want to use e-learning on an individual level. Want to try it out. Standard Plan for customers who mainly want to use video learning The Standard Plan is suitable for video training. Up to 500 MB can be uploaded per file of educational materials, making this plan perfect for customers who are considering video-based education and training. The Standard Plan is recommended for customers who want to use a lot of video materials. Customers who want to use a lot of video materials in the Standard Plan! We recommend this plan for customers who are mainly considering video learning. When using video materials, the quality of the video and the sound quality will have a large impact on the capacity. Please refer to this article for more details about the pricing structure of learningBOX's Starter/Standard Plans. ⇒About the fee plans Conclusion Japan's ICT education environment, tested in the midst of the Corona Disaster, has created many challenges. There is an undeniable feeling that both educators and students were unable to respond effectively to the unfamiliarity of online classes, and the first point of contention seems to be how to break through the cost and technical barriers to introducing e-learning systems. Although learningBOX is the lowest priced e-learning system in the industry, at 30,000 yen per year for 100 students, it is packed with a wide variety of functions, including the creation of 15 types of teaching materials, 13 types of question types, grade management, and message exchange with students. Even people who are not good with computers can easily use the system, and it is possible to manage students' learning status and grades, and provide feedback to students. Unlike e-learning materials that are sold separately, original materials can be easily created according to the students' learning status, which brings the students closer to each other. If you are having trouble implementing e-learning, please take this opportunity to try our learningBOX plan. Reference: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, "Toward the Realization of the GIGA School Concept". Nihon Keizai Shimbun, electronic edition, "How to Improve Self-Management Skills Essential for New Normal Working Style" (Japanese only)

Must Read for DX Promoters! First of all, introduce e-learning! I am Yoda, a member of the Tokyo team who recklessly joined Tatsuno Information Systems with zero IT knowledge. Recently, I have frequently seen the term "Digital Transformation (DX)" on the Internet and in books. I have a vague understanding of the concept of DX, but I am often asked questions such as, "What is the difference between DX and conventional IT utilization? or "Why is DX being promoted in Japan now? and "Why is DX being promoted in Japan now? In this article, we will introduce "Digital Transformation" from among the latest IT trends, and some of the terms may be familiar to those who work in IT-related fields, but we hope you will bear with us. Click here for the Table of Contents What is Digital Transformation (DX)? 2. what is the relationship between digitization and digitalization? 3. let's start promoting DX by introducing e-learning training! 4. Conclusion What is Digital Transformation (DX)? Do you know the term Digital Transformation (DX)? As someone with "zero IT knowledge," this is the first time I have learned about it. I looked up the term and found that it was a concept proposed by Professor Erik Stolterman of Umeå University, Sweden, 15 years ago. He proposed that "the penetration of IT will change people's lives for the better in all aspects. In other words, it is described as "the transformation of a company's culture, organization, and structure into one that can respond with speed to changes in business and society using IT (digital, data, etc.). Change...? Transformation...? It may not ring a bell. To briefly summarize the terms here, DX is the concept of creating new value in existing business processes and business models by utilizing new digital technologies such as cloud computing, IoT, AI, and big data. Specifically, it is as follows. Concept of DX Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Companies are expected to break away from existing businesses and create new value by leveraging new digital technologies, indicating that DX is not only about transforming products and services, but also about changing corporate culture and the resolve to tackle this issue. The following is an introduction to the methods used by companies that have successfully implemented DX initiatives. Have you ever heard of Amazon? There are probably few people who do not know the name of Amazon, the largest Internet retailer. Amazon is cited by most as "a company that combines speed and disruptiveness (change). Amazon was founded in 1994. This was before the release of Windows 95. Although Amazon originally started as an online bookstore, it has seamlessly transformed various operations into IT and IT into operations. Amazon continues to expand its customer contact points both online and in the real world by developing various services based on its customer-first philosophy. Amazon has been so successful that it has been called a model of DX. Source: [Illustration] From "Amazon," the company closest to DX that can be understood in a single chart. The Relationship between Digitization and Digitalization The terms "digitization" and "digitalization" are also used to describe digitization, and it is easy to understand that these two terms can be thought of as one of the stages leading up to DX as a goal. There is a big difference between the two terms in terms of local and global digitization, but the fundamental idea and goal are the same. The names are confusing, so please be careful not to confuse which is which. Here is an explanation of the difference between digitization and digitalization. Digitization Digitization is often described as "digitization," i.e., increasing the efficiency, rationalization, and added value of operations through the use of digital technology. For example, customer lists that used to be managed by paper-based systems can now be converted to databases, and the vast amount of copy/paste work that used to be done manually by humans can be converted to RPA (Robotic Process Automation). The goal is to digitize the company's business processes through the use of digital technology to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs. Digitalization Digitalization is the use of digital technology to create new value and profit. In other words, we can only work on digital transformation (DX) if we can achieve digitalization. Digitalization is necessary to achieve digital transformation (DX). Digitization: This refers to local improvements that digitize analog equipment and information. Digitization・・・It refers to improvements that create high added value for the entire organization through digitization, including processes. Digital transformation: Refers to changes that utilize digitization and digitalization to generate innovations that affect society and the economy. Start promoting DX by introducing e-learning training! Today, various digital technologies such as cloud computing, AI (Artificial Intelligence), and IoT (Internet of Things) are evolving, and many companies are moving toward the realization of DX accordingly. Recently, more and more companies are shifting from analog to digital education by utilizing e-learning for their own internal training and training of new employees. E-learning is now attracting a great deal of attention as a new learning format that will change the future of training and education. By utilizing digital technology, employee training can be conducted efficiently and effectively, playing a major role in corporate growth. Paper- and document-intensive organizations are definitely less productive. By converting training materials to digital content, it becomes easier to create video materials. The benefits of going paperless go beyond simply reducing the amount of paper used. By actually watching and learning the scenes and operations, it becomes possible to intuitively understand content that is difficult to understand with words and materials alone. Many paper-based materials are rarely read again after being used once in a training session. If they are stored on a device as digital content, you can immediately refer to them when you encounter a part you don't understand, and you can review them at the time you want to learn without worrying about what others will think. learningBOX offers a full range of features necessary to achieve digital transformation! learningBOX is an LMS that has been introduced in various industries and business sectors. Click here to read about learningBOX case studies The University of Tokyo Disaster Preparedness Training Center ⇒ Training personnel who can act in the event of an actual disaster by utilizing systematic knowledge of disaster countermeasures Wants Japan Corporation ⇒ Providing "learning to live and learning to make use of Conclusion In this article, we introduced "Digital Transformation" among the latest IT trends. We hope that we have been able to add to your IT knowledge about digital transformation (DX), even if only a little. Regarding DX, the digital environment is rapidly improving with the evolution of AI and the spread of 5G and IoT. Now is the time to get in on the DX bandwagon. That's all for this issue! Please stay tuned for the next installment. Reference: Illustrated Guide to the Latest IT Trends Book: Masayoshi Saito

I am Nishimura, the creator of QuizGenerator, and the creator of QuizGenerator. Actually, I did not participate in the initial development of learningBOX, but started full-fledged participation around the release of version 2.0. I have just received a pull request regarding the handling of character encoding, and I thought I should talk a little more about character encoding, so I put it together in an article. In this article, I will introduce "How to unify the character encoding of text files with utf-8 in PHP". We hope you enjoy this article as well. Table of Contents 1. shift-JIS is unavoidable 2. how to avoid garbled characters 3. how to determine character encoding 4. summary Shift-JIS is unavoidable. Systems like learningBOX and QuizGenerator sometimes receive text files such as CSV. In modern Web systems, the character encoding of text files should be utf-8, and we do not want to accept any other character encoding, but in reality, Shift_JIS files are often uploaded on rare occasions and reported as a problem. Therefore, when QuizGenerator receives a Shift_JIS file, it converts it to utf-8 and continues processing. What is Shift-JIS? Shift-JIS is one of the character codes that contain various characters including Japanese, standardized as JIS standard. It is used as the standard character code for Japanese in many personal computers. it is an improvement of the JIS code defined in the JIS standard. while the JIS code uses 7 bits to represent a character, the Shift-JIS code uses 2 bytes (16 bits) to represent all characters. mb_convert_encoding is not reliable. PHP has a function called mb_convert_encoding to perform character encoding conversion. At first glance, this function seems to be able to determine the character encoding and convert to utf-8, but in fact, this function is not reliable. mb_convert_encoding("aaa", "utf-8", "utf-8, sjis-win") will convert "aaa" to utf-8 if it is utf-8 and to Shift_JIS If it is Shift_JIS, it should convert it to utf-8 (at least that's what I've read in the official documentation), but in fact, it does something ridiculous. It forcefully interprets a string passed in as utf-8 as Shift_JIS, breaks it, and converts it to utf-8, returning a value that is incomprehensible. How to avoid character corruption ▼ "mb_convert_encoding works properly if you specify the character encoding of the conversion source. mb_convert_encoding works properly as long as you specify the character encoding of the conversion source. In other words, the strategy of converting from Shift_JIS to utf-8 only if it is Shift_JIS, and doing nothing if it is utf-8, basically works. mb_convert_encoding("aaaa", "utf-8", "sjis-win") The above code works fine if "aaaa" is Shift_JIS. If it is originally utf-8, it is OK as is. How do we determine the character encoding? There is a function called mb_detect_encoding, but to begin with, if this works correctly, it can be solved simply by using mb_convert_encoding. If the standard functions don't work, you're on your own. It is not that difficult to determine whether or not the utf-8 specification is met, so just do it. What if it is not utf-8? If it's not utf-8, we'll treat it as Shift_JIS at ・・・・. We can't support people who submit euc-jp or utf-16 files, at least not if they know about encoding. At least, people who do that should know about encoding, so please self-serve. In the first place, they are specified to use utf-8. Another trap I have used the term Shift_JIS many times in this article, but what is currently referred to as Shift_JIS is often Windows-31J (MS932), which is an extension of Shift_JIS. However, if you specify Shift_JIS in PHP, characters other than those specified in the original Shift_JIS specification will be corrupted. Unless you have a special reason, use Windows-31J or sjis-win instead of Shift_JIS. The official documentation says to use Windows-31J, but only sjis-win is listed, which is a strange state of affairs, but at least with PHP 7.3.13, either specification worked fine. Will a unified future ever come? About 20 years ago. When I first started web programming, UTF-8 was not the standard and garbled characters were a common occurrence. In the Web world, it seems safe to say that the unification to utf-8 has been completed. Smartphones were created based on the assumption of utf-8, since they were born in a world after utf-8 became widely used. （On the other hand, files exchanged on Windows are often in Shift_JIS. Conclusion In this article, we introduced "How to unify the character encoding of text files with utf-8 in PHP. As a company from Japan, we would like to keep the usability for Japanese people in mind, so we will continue to develop without forgetting about Shift_JIS for a while longer. (We really want to forget about IE11...)

Duplication of items during user registration When registering a user, if there is a duplicate of an item used in another owner-manager's environment, the message "This 00 is already in use. is displayed. Duplicate items include "Login ID," "Display Name," and "E-mail Address. The following is an explanation of duplicate conditions and how to deal with duplicates. Table of Contents 1. reasons for duplicate user registration 2. duplicate conditions and solutions Reasons for duplicate user registration If you are using a shared server, duplicate entries may occur. The reason for this is the structure of the shared server. Shared Server Structure A shared server is a type of rental server where one server is shared by multiple owner-managers. It is like renting a room in a condominium, but with multiple users sharing a single server, similar to a "shared house" service. Therefore, there is a possibility of duplicate entries when registering users. Duplicate conditions and how to deal with them Login ID Login IDs must be unique. Login IDs used in other owner-manager environments cannot be registered. The following letters and symbols can be used, so please create a mixture of numbers and special characters to prevent duplication. Character and symbols that can be used One-byte alphanumeric characters (a-z 0-9), special characters (! " # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . / : ; < = > ? [ \ \frz24}^ _ `) Supplemental information: If you subscribe to the "Customize" paid option, you can use duplicate login IDs from other owner-manager environments when registering users. *Only users can be duplicated. Owner-administrator login IDs cannot be duplicated. If you wish to use this feature, please follow the procedure below. (1) Select "Site Customizer" from the side menu. (2) Click on "Basic Settings. (3) Open the "Login Form Settings" tab, turn off the "Login from other than the user's main URL" toggle, and save the settings. Open the "Basic Information" tab, turn the "Allow duplicate login IDs for general users under other subdomain owners" toggle to On, and save the settings. Display Name The following letters and symbols can be used as well as login IDs, so please create a mixture of numbers and special characters to prevent duplicates. Character and symbols that can be used Half-width alphanumeric characters (a-z 0-9), special characters (! " # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . / : ; < = > ? [ \ \frz24}^ _ `) *If you are using Ver. 2.20 or higher, you can duplicate your registration with one already registered in another owner-manager's environment. E-mail address To deal with duplicates, you can create aliases for E-mail addresses using the "+" symbol. For Gmail, type "+00", and for non-Gmail, type "++00" before the "@". Note that all e-mail will be received at the original e-mail address before the "+00" is added. Example) 0000++user1@learningbox.co.jp・・・① 0000++user2@learningbox.co.jp・・・② All e-mails received at ① and ② will be sent to "00000000@learningbox.co.jp". *If you are using Ver. 2.20 or higher, duplication is possible under the following conditions. 　In the environment of other owner-managers, 　E-mail address registered as a user account ・・・ Duplication OK 　E-mail address registered as an owner account ・・・ Duplication is not allowed