Facilities for E-Content Development at SIMATS

Knowledge is an ever-evolving entity in today’s digitally connected world. Every minute of each day is filled with new discoveries and changes to paradigms once thought as constant. To accommodate such rapid changes and discoveries, teachers need to update their knowledge and deliver them in a convenient yet precise manner to their students. 

Our University exercises such teaching methods using our exclusive e-content development centres. The fastest yet reliable method to teach students and ensure understanding is through the use of audiovisual content to appeal to their sense of interest and to thoroughly engage their attention. We have 9 content creation centres in our University to enable our faculty to develop our own verified scientific content to teach in our classroom session.

Each content creation centre is equipped with a desktop computer system which contains content creation software such as iMovie and Final cut pro to enable creation of audiovisual content. We also have 4 background props set up to enable shooting videos with a clear background along with 3 sets of lighting equipment for a professional output. We have 3 graphic designers to create illustrations and graphic depictions as well as 2 video editors for catering to our video content. We are equipped with one 3D Model designer for designing our own animations and prototypes of our patent designs. Another addition to our media center is an advanced 3D printer to fabricate models to be used for educational purposes. 

Our media centre also houses 2 Professional Microphones to record audio for our proprietary video content. Other notable equipment are our Digital SLR camera and Video Camcorder to shoot our own photos and videos and accessories such as 2 sets of tripods and flash units.  We are also equipped with 2 light tents for close up photography of objects using a macro lens.

Every faculty is trained to author their own e-content using the iBooks platform using the iTunes Author software. The custom made e-content is distributed through the iBooks application and can be accessed by every student using their iPad units. Around 2600 iPads have been provided for students which enable them to access their lecture content at any time of their convenience.

In addition to these facilities, each media centre system is installed with Panopto basic software as a default lecture capture system. This allows faculty to record their classroom sessions and enables capture of videos to upload in our online learning management systems, Schoology & iBooks. These lectures serve to provide educational content for online sessions and were beneficial particularly during the lockdown period.

Overall, our media centres are fully equipped to create any form of audiovisual content at our own convenience in order to keep up with the constant flow of information and updates in today’s networked world.