erp4school is a learning software platform being provided to higher education institutions through the SAP University Alliances program. SAP provides software applications to universities free of charge for teaching and research purposes.
Recently, the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town (CPUT) has been chosen by SAP University Alliances Africa to host the Academic Competence Center for erp4school in Africa. The erp4school network in Africa is open to higher education institutions from other African countries as well. So, beyond South Africa, erp4school will also be rolled out in Rwanda, Uganda and Ghana.
University Alliances turned to SAP Education for a video based learning experience providing an engaging high level overview on how ERP software is used in a typical production process. The video was produced to support knowledge transfer to young students in South Africa and later worldwide, on how ERP software supports production processes.
The production project combined graphic animations with video assets to create an educational, storytelling narrative to provide a fresh format giving young students an engaging topic introduction.
Jochen Scholz (Oberstufenzentrum Bürowirtschaft und Dienstleistungen - Berlin) who initiated the erp4school project in collaboration with SAP AG outlined the overall objectives and provided the following feedback explaining how the video learning experience fits into the overall concept:
"Processes in the ERP software are difficult to understand, providing a challenge for students. ERP Software is abstract. For this reason, the film "SAP ERP Software in Education" was produced by SAP AG.
The production process of a table is excellently shown in this film.The film switches between animated sections and the actual table production in the V/S Furniture Company and is very skillfully done.
The adaptation of the production process in the SAP film to the process in the interactive learning scenario erp4school is well done. This alignment makes it possible for the students to analyze a production process from various aspects:
1. They can view the process in the film. This gives a provisional idea of the production process.
2. In the next step, the process can be understood.
3. Film excerpts are shown parallel to the work with the ERP System, in keeping with the status of the ERP system.
4. After the production process has been entered in the ERP system, the film will be shown again.
The film makes it possible to fulfill the challenges of the vocational training. It enables one to teach from concrete to abstract and vice-versa. The film provides an excellent support for the learning process. It would be preferable to illustrate all processes of an ERP system in the same way as in the film “SAP ERP Software in Education”.
This film will be used by all members of erp4school in Germany and also worldwide. It has become an integral part of erp4school.
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