Odigia Technology through Wake Forest University Launches 21st Century Interactive Textbook

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Nov. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Switching from rigid, linear textbooks to technology such as iPads, alone won't boost student performance. Odigia, an educational technology company in Winston-Salem, NC, has partnered with an interdisciplinary team of researchers at Wake Forest University, to turn the classroom upside down, allowing students and instructors to tailor traditional course materials to their own learning style using 21st Century technology. 

Through a $249,000 grant from the Next Generation Learning Challenge, the University and Odigia have created BioBook™, an interactive replacement for the traditional college-level biology textbook. This project puts the power of learning into the hands of students, and snatches traditional textbooks right out of their backpacks. The Next Generation Learning Challenge, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, is part of EDUCAUSE, an organization dedicated to advancing higher education through the use of technology.

BioBook is developed to allow for non-linear, inquiry-based learning rather than relying on the traditional linear, static delivery of content that we expect from textbooks. "This is an opportunity to create a learning environment that adapts to the needs of students and teachers, rather than requiring them to adapt to the environment," said Joshua Moe, president of Odigia. "Engagement is a powerful leading indicator for student success and we see flexible learning environments as a fantastic opportunity to promote learning engagement."

BioBook Is Not Just Another eTextbook

"Students don't read textbooks – study after study has shown that," said Dan Johnson, a senior lecturer in Biology at Wake Forest University. "And even if a student completes a reading assignment, the text doesn't promote deep understanding and long-term retention. It facilitates memorization. So why are we still using them?"

BioBook is designed to work for a variety of different learning styles. It also better engages students who have learning difficulties such as dyslexia or other processing disorders, who have long struggled with the traditional lecture-and-reading assignment model. It allows students access to dozens of pieces of information, from text to videos to quizzes to interviews with experts. This variety ensures better understanding and engagement.

The interdisciplinary research team includes Johnson, Associate Professor of Physics, Jed Macosko, and Assistant Professor of Education, Kristin Redington Bennett, working in close collaboration with their strategic technology partner, Odigia. The team has spent the several months building out the BioBook framework; and in-classroom testing of the system to refine materials will be ongoing for two years.

This is a digital tool – but don't call it an e-textbook. The team has created an ever-evolving learning space customizable for a variety of students. Information is organized into interconnected nodes that contain all of the baseline information a textbook would include, but also supplemental material and self-assessments to enhance the learning experience.

"Take the example of how mitosis works," Johnson said. "It's a fundamental piece of knowledge for anyone taking Intro to Biology, but the average student walks out of college still not understanding it because all they're expected to do is read about it then take a test."

With BioBook, students have access to "learning nodes" that let them explore mitosis from different directions. Each node includes additional materials that deepen learning.

• Basic text is reinforced with multimedia, like a video showing how the cells split; an interview with a molecular biologist who talks about how mitosis goes astray in cancer; or animated images of the cells.
• Embedded quizzes assess comprehension of the topic, and a student's ability to use that knowledge. The system monitors students' scores as well as overall interaction with the content, so the teacher can monitor progress and suggest help when needed.
• Students can ask for help by posting questions to peers or to the teacher. Again, the teacher could review answers given by peers to ensure accuracy.
• Students and teachers can write new nodes. In 2010 and 2011, 37 students in one of Macosko's first-year seminar course used the system – and wrote content for 260 nodes in two semesters.

Macosko said that autonomy kept his students excited about the subject and engaged in learning – a key to success, according to the landmark education study, "How People Learn." The research says that, to teach students how to understand concepts, courses must accommodate myriad learning styles, should be interactive and should build on previous knowledge, not on arbitrary chapter structures in books.

"Think of a textbook – it's too long, has lots of text, and gives no chance to check your thinking," Macosko said. "When you read a textbook, you are not asking the question, 'Why should I know this?' It's our very nature to learn by questioning."

Initial testing has begun with students taking college biology for non-majors. This school year, students will use BioBook at Wake Forest University, a private four-year university; Salem College, a women's college; Winston-Salem State University, a historically black state university; and Guilford Technical and Community College, an open-admission two-year community college. BioBook will be publicly available for the 2012-2013 school year.

"It's exciting to harness the power of technology and analytics to design and develop an effective learning tool that will help students to study better because the possibilities are limitless," Bennett said. "Though the framework is filled with scientific content now, the concept is applicable to any subject. Just imagine the opportunities for quick, in-the-moment changes to subjects like history or politics. The tools and structure are based on cognitive science, so we know students will respond."

Additionally, the team is actively looking for curriculum collaborators and subject matter experts interested in providing college- and high school-level content for future initiatives in biology, anatomy and physiology, environmental studies, physics and chemistry. Authors may visit odigia.com for information.

"Our goal is to use technology to create innovative teaching and learning solutions that are easy to use, efficient and cost-effective," said Moe. "The team at Odigia is always excited to work with partners looking to improve the educational experience."

About Odigia

Odigia is a pioneer of innovative teaching and learning solutions for K12, higher education, workforce development, corporate and professional certification markets. Odigia's teaching and learning solutions deliver a higher level of engagement, clarity and richness. From intuitive course planning and robust analytics, to rich interactive learning experiences, Odigia fulfills the long under-delivered promise of applying technology to improve education for students, teachers and administrators.

About Wake Forest University

Wake Forest University combines the best traditions of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Founded in 1934, the school is located in Winston-Salem, NC. Learn more about Wake Forest at www.wfu.edu.

SOURCE Odigia