Surround School is a platform that provides a collection of applications that allow teachers to harness the power of digital learning to provide students a guiding path through the labyrinth of digital content on the Internet. Just like several categories of applications that help manage various functions in organizations, there is a category of applications for digital learning known as Learning Management Systems (LMS). Surround School is essentially an LMS. With a difference. First, it is extraordinarily easy to use. Second, it uses Concept Maps, an approach that is proven to enhance learning. Third, it provides an intelligent content aggregation and classification engine that makes the vast repository of digital learning content highly manageable. We call it a Dynamic LMS. Because it has this unique ability to determine what you are teaching or learning and accordingly recommend digital learning content to you from your private collection or from open education resources. Other than these distinctive features, it also provides a host of other features that make us want to call it a Social Learning Ecosystem. You can share courses and content, rank and rate courses by relevance and difficulty, create learning groups and stay in touch with fellow students, teachers and experts to get clarifications or have a simulating discussion. And finally, it utilizes cutting-edge technology to a maximum, making for a highly interactive and fun experience for students across multiple devices, including computers, tablets, mobile phones and television. The Surround School platform is a combination of four products: One, the core product, KnowledgeWheels, which allows users to define course outlines or learning paths using the Concept Map approach. This is a highly interactive app and makes creating a learning path and attaching content very easy. KnowledgeWheels also have an assessment engine that allow users to be measure their understanding of the subject covered in the Wheel and also allow teachers to grade students. Two, KnowledgeWeb, which allows users to find highly relevant and quality content using the sophisticated search algorithm with a focused taxonomy classification system. Three, KnowledgeNet, which allows users to create Groups and share courses with Groups. User can also create Wheels collaboratively (for example, a group of students working on a class project). And Four, the School Management system that allows the faculty and administrators in an institution to maintain various aspects of an academic environment, including student details, academic term and class details, class allocation, scoring systems and academic calendars. The School management system also includes a Reporting feature that generates score and activity reports for faculty and parents.

1. surround school
technology and services
to create a social learning ecosystem
for your school or academic institution
www.surroundschool.com
a social learning ecosystem for the whole wide
world
april 2012

2. digital learning
The way forward for education
For today’s children, textbooks are not enough. They now have
digital minds, where everything is audio-visual.
Fortunately, there is a ton of digital learning content available
today, both commercial and open source.
The challenge for institutions, teachers, students and parents is how
to use this content effectively.

3. using an LMS
Learning Management Systems
Learning Management Systems allow teachers to define learning
paths and organize digital content.
Teachers use an LMS to create learning paths for students to follow.
Teachers also have to find appropriate content to attach to the
learning path at appropriate points.
An LMS must be extremely easy to use. The focus must be on
learning the subject, not about navigating the LMS.

4. platform features
Surround School presents a new, powerful LMS
dynamic contextual
concept maps LMS search
personalisation collaboration trends
school
role-based information
dashboards system shop

5. concept maps
KnowledgeWheels
a proven way to enhance learning
Introduction
to Aviation
dynamic course definition
Laws of
Avionics
Physics non-linear, non-sequential
Aviation encourages discovery
Propulsion Aerodynamics
facilitates self-paced learning
can be adapted to skills and competence
Airplane
Components
works as an assessment engine

6. illustration
Mathematical
About Models
Isaac
Newton
Third Newton’s First Law interest based Applied to
Law of Laws of of progression Aviation
Motion Motion Motion
Second Experiments
Law of
Motion

7. dynamic LMS
Content must stay updated.
discovers content
aggregates OERs and proprietary
content
contextual search
driven by a comprehensive taxonomy
integrated with KnowledgeWheels

8. illustration
About
Isaac
Newton Lectures
Third Newton’s First Law interest based
Law of Laws of of progression
Motion Motion Motion
Simulations
Second
Law of
Motion
Videos

9. contextual search
KnowledgeWeb
suggests content by relevance
finding content made easy
open education resources researched
and recommended
teachers can build their own repositories
over time
all repositories can be easily harvested
with a simple search engine that throws
up fewer and more relevant content.

10. choice of content
Integrate with multiple content providers
Institutions should have the freedom to choose from multiple
content providers for content across levels or subjects.
Teachers and students need a unified interface to access content
from multiple sources.
Content may be delivered in multiple formats including video,
simulations, podcasts, images or plain text.

11. the big picture
Access from
multiple
devices
Interactive Content and Assessment
Delivery Engine
Partner Content

12. classification
Subject Level Format Objectives Tags
• Arts • Universal • Video • Learning • User
• Business • Post • Podcast • Activity Defined
• Finance Graduate • Simulation • Assessment
• Maths • Graduate • Text • Discussion
• Science • Higher • … • …
• Technology Secondary
• … • Grade 5-7
• …

13. personalization
KnowledgeSpace
everything can be customized
courses need not follow curriculums
choose between courses and topics
select your own content
create favorites and study lists
maintain a personal calendar

14. collaboration
KnowledgeShare
learn with a group
share courses with other teachers
within the school or across schools
students create a project as a team
create groups for peer learning

15. trends
KnowledgeNet
what are others studying?
follow other study patterns
which topics are most popular
what content is liked best

16. mobility
KnowledgePad (coming soon)
mobile apps
study anywhere
easy user interfaces
take advantage of digital devices
videos, simulations, podcasts

17. hybrid learning
The traditional model of learning E-learning automates that
involves a teacher talking to a model, and allows access to However, the teacher
group of students in a classroom. learning at any time and place. and fellow students
still remain key to
providing a complete
learning experience.
You can now share
ideas, ask questions
and get
With
answers, exchange
KnowledgeShare, you
views and
can now have a
resources, collaborate
hybrid experience of
, co-create and
You can also use KnowledgeShare within a any place, any time
generally learn and
traditional learning environment to ensure learning with the
work together.
even formal learning becomes participative benefits of peer-to-
and collaborative. peer interaction.

18. sis
School Information System
Manage academic terms, levels, classes, courses, students and
faculty.
Manage grades and provide web-based access to parents to view
children’s grades and progress reports.
Use the web, email and mobile phones to send notifications to
students and parents.

19. saas
Software as a Service
We understand that your faculty and staff may not have the
bandwidth to setup and manage an LMS or SIS.
To make it easy for you we offer the services of our expert team to
create and maintain your course and content repositories and your
school information database.
The platform is hosted on the cloud so you do not have to invest in
hardware or software. All you need is Internet access. And students
can access the same system from home.

20. deployment CONTENT OPEN SOURCE
PARTNERS REPOSITORIES
www.SURROUNDSCHOOL.com
EXPERTS
KnowledgeWheels™ KnowledgeStore™
Classification
KnowledgeWeb™ and Tagging
KnowledgeShare™
INSTITUTIONAL SUBSCRIBERS
KnowledgeWeb™
Classification
and Tagging
TEACHERS
KnowledgeWheels™ KnowledgeNet™
KnowledgeShare™

21. parent teacher speak
from the hindustan times, 23-mar-2012
“What’s important for the teacher is to know where to
“I find that my daughter is much draw the line, and how much of these aids to rely on,”
more engaged in school now. says Sheela Mallya, principal, Children’s Academy. “Since
Concepts are taught using audio- these modules are developed by outside companies, a
visual tools, not just dry textbooks certain module may be too detailed or too amateur for
which provide limited information. that particular class. The teacher needs to examine each
She understands things faster and module carefully before using it, and find alternate
is stimulated to ask questions.” methods if it doesn’t work.”
“A lot of companies are providing such software to schools, but one shoe doesn’t fit all,” says
Vandana Lulla, principal, Podar International School, Santacruz, which plans to introduce courses
on the iPad next academic year. “I’ve seen a lot of these products, and while some are good for
certain topics, others aren’t so good, because they haven’t been developed by teachers. That’s
why I haven’t contracted any company for our school, but have teachers use free resources they
deem good enough—YouTube videos, open-source courseware, we even develop in-house
applications for classes. In that way, the teacher is encouraged to source material for himself or
herself, and the class is also more effective.

22. a new way of
learning
make it your way
for more information email vikas@surroundschool.com
or call him on +91 98200 44097