EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY
Saritasa Technology Solutions | September 21, 2022
Saritasa Technology Solutions, a software partner delivering innovative products and solutions to clients, has developed a new virtual reality (VR) training system for Loadstar, a provider of logistics and product handling services. The system provides a safe, interactive training environment that is faster, more efficient, and safer than previous training programs.Loadstar is the first logistics and product handling company to deploy VR for staff training. In an industry that emphasizes on-the-job training and keeping workers in the field, Loadstar has adopted a different strategy. They put safety and education at the forefront by bringing the on-site experience to trainees using VR. Saritasa developed a comprehensive general purpose railcar inspection & loading application. Trainees can practice completing all the steps required for a standard inspection without the need to travel on-site or work with trainers. Using VR, trainees get hands-on interaction, including visual quizzes and realistic animations. VR provides a more realistic experience and shortens the training process from weeks to days. We believe that our employees' overall safety and well-being start with training, said Stephen Williams, Manager of Operational Excellence.Traditionally, our industry has relied on classroom sessions and manual field training. Some employees have described it as 'death by powerpoint,' and they're not wrong. Loadstar is always looking ahead, and we wanted to bring the latest technology to our training program to create the safest environment possible. By working with Saritasa, we have designed a state-of-the-art training program that is more cost-effective and efficient. Before adopting VR for railcar inspection & loading training, Loadstar used extensive classroom training with lectures, presentations, and study materials. Once the classroom training was complete, new employees needed to apply the material they just learned to real-life field operations. This process could take several weeks as training was entirely dependent on how many and what kind of railcars came on-site on a particular day. Now, they are able to onboard and qualify operators in a fraction of the time. Using VR not only speeds up hands-on training but also standardizes training procedures. On-site, the quality of training can vary due to any number of factors; the manager on duty, the amount or type of railcars on-site, and environmental hazards. VR training eliminates any variance and provides a solid basis for every employee. It emulates field training to provide pre-site training experience, reducing the time and cost required for on-site training.
"Developing a virtual training program for Loadstar is the ideal project for Saritasa's creative and skilled technologists, There are many steps in railcar inspection training, including examination around, under, and on top of different types of railcars. Our 3D design team was able to replicate a realistic environment while optimizing headset performance, and we are extremely pleased with the outcome."
Aaron Franko, VP of Immersive Technology at Saritasa
About Loadstar
Loadstar provides product-handling services to refineries, chemical plants, barge lines, terminals, and distribution sites, loading and unloading cargo of all classifications into railcars, trucks, barges, and ships. Loadstar operates docks, tank farms, terminals, and warehouses, managing marine, rail, truck, and pipeline logistics. The company has its headquarters in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
About Saritasa
Headquartered in Newport Beach, California, Saritasa aims to empower global brands with innovative, customized solutions that fit their needs and support an ever-evolving technology ecosystem. Saritasa specializes in custom software development, mobile development, augmented reality and virtual reality development, IoT solutions, web, database development, and DevOps. Founded in 2005, the Saritasa team employs over 140 employees and has delivered thousands of successful software, hardware, and mobile app projects to a range of clients across multiple industries.
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CORPORATE EDUCATION AND TRAINING
BibliU | September 20, 2022
BibliU, the EdTech innovator democratizing content accessibility, today announced that Victor Valley College, located in Victorville, Calif., is implementing its Universal Learning solution to ensure students have access to course content on day one of class.Universal Learning is a procurement and provisioning model that packages content with enrollment in a class and distributes it via an institution's Learning Management System (LMS). Offered campus-wide, Universal Learning will enable Victor Valley to lower textbook costs by 30% to 50% while guaranteeing all students have access to the content and courseware they need as soon as classes begin. The College leadership's intent is to ensure course materials are ready on the first day of class while providing a better and more satisfying experience for faculty and students during content acquisition. In addition, Victor Valley College wants to secure content cost savings for its students. With today’s announcement, BibliU furthers its charge of improving the process of discovering, ordering and supplying students with digital textbook content. Because it offers a more agile response to content delivery, the BibliU platform will also enable Victor Valley to consider a more flexible school schedule for the benefit of students.
“Victor Valley College is the first school in California to implement BibliU’s Universal Learning model to reduce the cost of course materials for students The school is a trailblazer in this business model and is proud to lead the way. We’re sure other colleges and universities will follow suit as soon as they learn of the benefits we are realizing.”
Dr. Daniel Walden, president of Victor Valley College
Added Todd Scott, VP of Instruction at Victor Valley, “Our mission is to provide opportunities for student learning and success, as well as excellent experiences for our faculty. So far, onboarding BibliU’s platform has alleviated some of the frustrations felt by students and faculty around the process of buying and accessing textbooks.”
About BibliU
EdTech innovator BibliU is defining the future of higher education by democratizing content accessibility. Designed to address the unique requirements of students, faculty, libraries and publishers, BibliU is a learning enablement platform that empowers higher education institutions to streamline their textbook and courseware workflows to achieve greater student outcomes, affordability and social mobility. With BibliU, colleges and universities can finally deliver on the promise of digitalization, guaranteeing all students have first-day access to the learning content they need. More information is available at www.bibliu.com.
About Victor Valley College
The Victor Valley Community College District (VVCCD) is one of 73 community college districts within the California Community College system, the largest educational system in the world, which encompasses 116 community colleges. The VVCCD has for 60 years provided its communities and students with quality and affordable career training, certificates, associate’s degrees, and preparation for transfer to four-year colleges or universities through Victor Valley College. For additional information on the VVCCD, please contact Robert A
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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY
California Virtual Academies | September 06, 2022
The California Virtual Academies (CAVA) chapter of the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) has been named as one of the 2022 recipients of the Silver Star of Excellence Award. This award is presented annually to NTHS chapters who distinguish themselves through their consistent excellence in Career & Technical Education and is a reflection of their commitment to community service, chapter advancement, and active civic involvement. CAVA is a network of online public schools serving K-12 students throughout the state.“I got to experience first-hand how hard our student members worked to maintain the goals and pillars of the NTHS,” said CAVA history teacher and NTHS advisor, Brandi Berba. “I am so proud of them for winning this award especially since it was only our second year! I look forward to seeing what they do next.” During the past school year, CAVA’s NTHS chapter has participated in all 5 of the NTHS pillars – Skill and Scholarship, Citizenship and Service, Honesty and Responsibility, Leadership, and Growth and Development. In the Skill and Scholarship category alone, CAVA invited over 80 students to lead and participate in a Professor Panel at the Fresno State University Lyles College of Engineering. The professors promoted STEM education and engineering and encouraged students to investigate skill-based career paths giving them a direct connection between the technical education that CAVA offers and someone who is interested in a STEM or engineering job. The event also promoted project-based learning as well as getting a higher education degree in college.
“The NTHS is an incredible opportunity for students like me.It encouraged me to reach higher levels of achievement and gave me a chance to form relationships with like-minded and driven students who care about their future.”
CAVA NTHS student president Sadee Briones
About California Virtual Academies
California Virtual Academies are nine independent online public charter schools that use the curriculum and tools provided by K12, a Stride Company (NYSE: LRN). The California Virtual Academies are: CAVA @ Fresno, CAVA @ Kings, CAVA @ Los Angeles, CAVA @ Maricopa, CAVA @ San Diego, CAVA @ San Joaquin, CAVA @ San Mateo, CAVA @ Sonoma and CAVA @ Sutter. Families do not pay tuition for a student to attend an online public school. Common household items and office supplies like printer ink and paper are not provided. Our enrollment consultants can help address your technological and computer questions and needs. Stride offers learners of all ages a more effective way to learn and build skills for their future. For more information about CAVA, visit https://cava.k12.com/.
About the National Technical Honor Society
: NTHS was established in 1984 with the purpose of honoring student achievement and leadership in Career and Technical Education (CTE). Since 1984, NTHS has served over 1 million members. In 2005, the NTHS scholarship fund was launched, awarding over $2 million in scholarships since that time to enhance and enrich the career opportunities of their members. With chapters in both secondary and postsecondary schools across the country, NTHS is the national leader in providing recognition for excellence in CTE. NTHS serves over 100,000 student members annually throughout the U.S. and U.S. territories. The national headquarters is based in Flat Rock, NC.
About the Silver Star of Excellence Award
: The Silver Star of Excellence Award is national award presented to school chapters across the country who apply the seven character attributes of NTHS – Skill, Honesty, Service, Responsibility, Scholarship, Citizenship, and Leadership – to their planned activities, programs, classes, and community outreach. It’s designed to nationally recognize school chapters for their educational excellence and community involvement, and encourages them to promote NTHS values in both their school and their local community.
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