Shaping The Future Of Learning, In And Beyond The Classroom

Kuala Lumpur, 19 July 2016 – The landscape of teaching, learning and education as a whole is rapidly changing. This is the stark realization established by Ricoh Malaysia’s Edu Tech Day. The program especially delved into how the incorporation of technology such as 3D printing and virtual reality, has particularly contributed towards the evolution of educational arena.

“The future of education has already been set into motion,” said Peter Wee, Managing Director of Ricoh Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. “Today’s technology has enabled us to break the limits and boundaries of education as we know it to provide a whole new interactive experience that promotes learning. The classroom as we know it is being transformed. This is the main reason we embarked on this program – to showcase the limitless boundaries of education using technology that is so readily available,” he continued.

Indeed, advances in technology have led to content and facilities that work hand-in-hand to enhance the learning experience. Participants at the Edu Tech Day event certainly got a glimpse into at how this is possible.

To showcase how technology has influenced educational content, industry frontrunner, MakerBot, demonstrated how unlike conventional textbook-style learning and teaching, teachers and students can take learning to the next level with 3D printing. In a classroom setting, 3D printing enables free experimentation, coupled with a hands-on teaching approach in a time efficient way, minus high costs.

The efficacy of such applications has already been established through the “MakerBot in the Classroom” ecosystem, which provides a collection of 3D Printing curriculum and ready-made projects to be used in the classroom, complete with essential information for educators; learning objectives and grade levels, among others.

With the implementation of Virtual Reality into the classroom becoming increasingly popular, participants discovered how multiple content and experiences can be created by using a host of technological solutions. On display at the event to drive home this point was the Theta S – Ricoh’s revolutionary 360-degree camera.

Technology such as this can catalyse interactive learning aligned with real-world experiences. Learners and educators can use this as a base to enhance the learning experience. For instance, an architecture lecturer can benefit from the technology as they will be able to share videos and pictures of exploring buildings in another country with their students through the support of the Theta S and VR technology.

“Much of learning comes from keeping up with and adapting to the changing of times and technology. Evolving technology constantly provides new approaches in gaining new knowledge. We hope this informative session enables participants to witness first-hand how technology is revolutionising the future of education to not only create educational content not possible before, but also how using the right tools and facilities can enhance the learning experience to enable students to see themselves thoroughly immersed in the learning experience through,” said Peter Wee, Managing Director of Ricoh Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

Nifty products were also on display at the event, which allowed participants an experiential and hands-on understanding of how technology is shaping the future of education. These products included Ricoh’s Multi Function Printers, Ricoh’s Interactive White Board IWBD6500, 3D printers, projectors and Ricoh’s Theta S. When synced together, the event showcased first-hand how these cutting edge tools can enhance the process of both teaching and learning through workstyle innovation in the classroom or even the office. This can create a seamless Smart Classroom environment.

Ricoh has also announced that it will partner with Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation’s (MDEC) Digital Maker Hub. The open workshop for educators and students comes as part of MDEC’s bigger MY Digital Maker Movement, aimed at encouraging collaborative networks among Malaysia’s youth.

“We understand how important school curriculum is in shaping young minds. Introducing different approach into classroom learning will certainly provide the boost our education system needs to give the future generation a competitive edge in an increasing technological and digital world,” remarked Dato’ Ng Wan Peng, COO of MDEC.

As such, the MY Digital Maker Movement supports the government’s Integration of Computer Science and Computational Thinking into the formal school curriculum. It also seeks to establish public-private academia collaboration to provide informal learning opportunities. The curriculum is dedicated to promote an innovative approach to problem solving and encourage collaboration within the classroom, making learning more effective, interactive and fun.

More information on Ricoh Malaysia can be obtained by visiting www.ricoh.com.my or calling 1-300-88-8228.

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| About Ricoh |

Ricoh is a global technology company that has been transforming the way people work for more than 80 years. Under its corporate tagline – imagine. change. – Ricoh continues to empower companies and individuals with services and technologies that inspire innovation, enhance sustainability and boost business growth. These include document management systems, IT services, production print solutions, digital cameras, and industrial systems.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in over 190 countries. In the financial year ending March 2015, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,231 billion yen (approx. 18.5 billion USD).

For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com