INNOVA Multimedia Makes Poetry More Exciting to Learn Page 10a, The Weekly Extra, Wednesday, March 27, 1996
A key area of growth for NewTel Information Solutions (NIS) is in the development of multimedia tools for educational, marketing and government service applications. In developing this new area of technology, NIS is partnering its team of software designers and development staff with local companies that have a different, but complementary kind of expertise. One such company is INNOVA Multimedia, of Stephenville, a developer of educational multimedia tools for schools. The partnership is important for both companies because of their specific talents. "They develop the content material, educational objectives, and some of the design. NIS develops the computer code and works with INNOVA on the design process," said Andrew Collins, Marketing Account Manager, responsible for multimedia development at NIS. The first product to emerge from this partnership is "Poetry in a Nutshell," a CD-ROM designed to give students at the junior high school level a greater appreciation of poetry. Poetry in a Nutshell complements the textbook in the classroom, using soundclips, interactive exercises, pictures and music to teach the basic elements of rhyme and structure. Three other products are currently under development. Partnering with other companies is an integral part of the NIS mandate. Collins says the nature of multimedia development makes partnering a natural part of doing business. "Every single project that we have under development or that is at the proposal stage, involves a partner that has subject matter expertise and an understanding of the potential of multimedia. NIS will never be an expert in poetry, chemistry, or industrial training. But, by partnering with these companies, together we are developing products that we expect to be sold in the thousands. A variety of jointly developed products will be completed over the year with a number of companies and organizations," Collins said. Though the multimedia products industry is still in its infancy, NIS has been developing technical skills in this area since the early 1990s. The NIS Multimedia Group consists of five individuals today, but Collins said that number will grow as the idea of using the technology to inform and educate catches on. NIS is working with a few other companies to develop multimedia products for use in different applications. The company has identified several areas where multimedia can be used as an effective tool. "When people can see, hear and interact, their level of retention is much higher," Collins said. He suggested that multimedia kiosks in public areas can aid in the delivery of information about government services, tourism, and be used to promote business.
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