Interactive Handout: a score for conducting smartphones

This technique aims to allow, in the classroom, the use of mobile devices as teaching tools.

What is the problem that you are committed to solve?

About three years ago, UNESCO found that mobile devices, being present everywhere, could facilitate learning and enable access to education. Although a huge range of countries still does not allow the use of smarphones in the classroom because of the distraction they cause in students.

What is the solution you are proposing?

The digital interactive printed booklet - idPRESS Learning - allows, on the one hand, teachers to be like conductors of orchestras coordinating the use of smartphones in the classroom and, on the other hand, that the students are led, via QR Code printed in the handouts, for pre-selected contents, free and already available on the internet.

3. How will your solution change the world?

Because it is simple, cheap and easy to reproduce, especially in the poorer communities.

Reduce paper usage and allow interactive classes with the internet - via QR CODE. Provides access to Internet content without typing or interference.

It makes the smartphone a learning tool.

Interactive script when applied discipline and control of the use of the cell phone during classes or course.

It leads students and participants exclusively to pre-selected websites, videos and music.

Dispenses the development of Apps, specific websites and extra content for the internet.

No computers, such as desktops, are required.

Allows monitoring and control of internet access.

The IdPRESS is a simple and cost-effective feature that takes the user to previously chosen environments already available on the internet. Its implementation reinforces UNESCO's recommendations for the safe and healthy use of technologies that improve the reach and equity of education and facilitate access to personalized learning.

IdPress Learning is an innovative (and obvious) application for joining existing technology products such as printed matter, QRCode (QRcode readers) and smartphones. While many countries decide to ban the use of smartphones in schools so as not to disrupt lessons, we understand that with the use of interactive handouts, teachers can lead students to previously selected content available on the internet. The goal is for students to use the cell phone in the classroom as a learning tool (not to lose focus). So that both teachers and students take advantage of simple and inexpensive features.

In the Digital Age, schools have not been able to keep pace with the development of knowledge. But while some can invest in technology to enjoy the knowledge available on the Internet, the poorest schools can not gather the necessary equipment to offer this source of information to its students.

On the other hand, even rich schools are banning cell phones from the classroom because they are objects of distraction.

By turning the printed paper into a interactive score with the internet, through QRCode, we enable teachers to lead the class, guiding students to take their smartphones as teaching tools.

We intend to apply the project in school with hundreds of students. We tested the interactive form in a small group and the result was promising. We succeeded in arousing students interest in the material. However, our material has been effectively tested in a monthly magazine that we distribute to our neighbors. We measured the number of printed Qrcodes scanned, voluntarily, in relation to the total circulation of the journal. Result that we call Media Transfer Fee (from print to digital). In July 2017, the Transfer Fee was 2%, eight months later it went to 6%.

Due to the practicality of the project, low costs, ease of to disseminate a simple and obvious technique among teachers and because of the public interest in managing the use of smartphones in the classroom as a teaching tool, we believe that the interactive printed booklet can be implemented in schools of public networks, especially in the most developed countries. with limited access to state-of-the-art technology. Our desire is that educational authorities and publishers of textbooks begin to adopt the technique after the pilot phase of the project.

The education system will be the main beneficiary. Just as a musical score allows music training and execution, an interactive printed booklet with the digital world, allows teachers to lead students to desirable knowledge with few resources. And the use of the smartphone will become a solution and not a problem. The interactive printed handouts will be sold by physical or virtual stores. And the technique once dissipated can be freely used. 

Only a small group of ten students are using the interactive form. We have the perspective of using the technique in a class from a public school in the municipality of São Paulo, in the second semester. As currently the use of mobile phones in the classroom is still controversial and restricted, students are enthusiastic when it is allowed to use the smartphone within the combined rules: interacting with the internet, when scanning QRcodes printed, sorted and selected by the teacher. The teacher uses the content available on the internet to explain the lesson and manages to retain their attention.

If we can raise funds to expand the pilot, the project will be implemented in a public school with 600 students. Our goal is to reach 1,000 students in twelve months. We want the technique to be freely multiplied and reach thousands and perhaps millions of students. What is possible because: a) the interactive form is cheap; b) the technique is simple; c) the internet has free and available content for teaching; d) the use of smartphones increases among young people; e) currently the use of the smartphone is prohibited, when it could be used as a teaching tool. 

We have launched the Interactive Digital Print format that we call idPRESS. We have seen that it has the potential for teaching and we have created idPRESS Learning in order to meet one of UNESCO's principles that transform the use of mobile devices into teaching tools. It is a form that uses interactive means to guide the reader of the paper to selected contents of the internet. We use QRcode for being free to use and easy to assimilate by readers. In this way, we combine reading the printed paper with the smartphone, turning the paper into an internet platform.

We believe that applying such a simple technique can change the way books are used in the classroom, affecting the whole production chain of printing and book publishing. Just as, on the internet, a platform surpasses the previous one, we believe that this can happen with the printed material; connecting the reader of the printed material to the Internet. Reducing the number of printed pages and offering a teaching roadmap that uses content available on the internet, occupies the smartphone, and allows access of the poor to knowledge.

Firstly to test our project and fund a large-scale pilot experience. Second, to give credibility. A simple and obvious idea is not seen as potential without the acceptance of strong institutions like MIT. Generally, people are looking for sophisticated technological innovations and do not see that the combination of technologies already available can bring about a profound change.

Every new technique needs to be trained, disseminated and multiplied. Change creates controversy and resistance. We need your help to multiply this technique. That it is possible for teachers to explore the use of internet content and to manage the use of smartphones in the classroom.  We believe that in extremely volatile and dynamic communication, such as that provided by the internet, it is necessary to create gatekeepers: content fixers that can be accessed with a simple scan or the approach of a cell phone.