Gems Education will implement AuthorExpert, a content authoring tool from ITWorx, across its schools in UAE.

The tool allows teachers to create rich, interactive online lessons with minimum cost and time, and virtually no learning curve.

AuthorExpert provides easy-to-use templates in which teachers can generate original interactive teaching materials, or embed Microsoft Office Word documents or PowerPoint presentations, to create stimulating e-lessons.

Teachers can also integrate images and multimedia files, such as video, flash animations and audio narration, a statement from the company said.

A selection of seven question formats, which include multiple choice, true or false, fill-in-the-blanks and graphical gap matching, allows teachers to provide students with dynamic self-assessments as part of each e-lesson. Assessment questions are stored online in the question bank and the teacher can allocate points for each correct answer.

They will also have the flexibility to define the structure of the e-lesson and allow students to access the teaching materials sequentially and non-sequentially, enabling them to work at their own pace and return and review previous information in the e-lesson if required.

AuthorExpert supports any two languages simultaneously, including Arabic, in a single set-up. Its output is compliant with Scorm 2004 global standards and tested against Microsoft SLK and the most widely used virtual learning environments, the statement said.

Following Microsoft Office 2007 guidelines, it provides teachers with a familiar and intuitive user interface which enables them to use AuthorExpert with a virtually zero learning curve.

Manoj Varghese, director of IT, Gems Education, said: “Gems’ strategy has always been to revolutionise the provision of education through the pioneering use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). We are sure AuthorExpert would bring significant advantages for our students and teachers.”

Hatem Sallam, education general manager, ITWorx, said: “The development and implementation of AuthorExpert is part of a successful long-term partnership between ITWorx and Gems, which draws on both company’s extensive experience as providers of educational solutions.”

Since 2008, ITWorx and Gems have collaborated on developing pioneering solutions, setting new benchmarks in e-learning and student collaboration, such as the Gems Learning Gateway (GLG) and Live@edu suite of hosted Microsoft services, the statement said.

GLG was rolled out across Gems schools in the UAE. The combination of the global education company’s expertise in international education, with ITWorx proven abilities in developing educational software solutions, provides a foundation for innovative and robust e-learning programmes, it said. – TradeArabia News Service