“Whalebook” Extends Reach in Education: Reliable Technology and Improved Usability Drive Accelerated Growth
“Whalebook” Extends Reach in Education: Reliable Technology and Improved Usability Drive Accelerated Growth
“Whalebook” Extends Reach in Education: Reliable Technology and Improved Usability Drive Accelerated Growth
- Whalebook consistently updates its features and operating system this year, incorporating feedback from educational sites to enhance stability and security
- By engaging in diverse programs to connect with the educational sector, Whalebook enhances its competitiveness globally and in Korea through its distinctive technology and field-friendly approach
December 29, 2023
“Whalebook,” showcasing Whale’s technological innovations, is expanding its influence through continuous feature enhancements. On December 29, NAVER CLOUD (CEO Kim Yu-won) announced that within just two years of its launch, Whalebook has emerged as the preferred choice for educational environments, experiencing a threefold increase in distribution this year compared to the previous year.
[Caption] Whalebook adapts to diverse environmental requirements with its four versatile modes: laptop, tablet, tent, and stand. (Photo courtesy of LG Electronics)
Introduced in 2021, Whalebook is an educational device powered by Whale’s self-developed “Whale OS.” It comes pre-equipped with valuable tools, including the educational platform ‘Whalespace’ and functionalities for class management, screenwriting, NAVER Works, and Polaris Office. Tailored specifically for educational purposes, Whalebook’s keyboard features a CLOVA AI call button and a NAVER Search key. Furthermore. the device also includes a digital pen for its touch display, making it versatile for various educational settings, such as art classes.
[Whalebook consistently updates its features and operating system, incorporating feedback from educational sites to enhance stability and security]
In its commitment to improving usability in educational settings, Whalebook has made significant feature upgrades this year based on valuable feedback from educators and students. A notable enhancement is the new “remote control” feature within the “class management” feature, enabling teachers to monitor student screens live, share materials, and take control of a student’s device remotely when necessary. In response to teacher demand, Whalebook is also developing a “Focus Mode” set to launch in the upcoming school year. This mode will restrict students’ web access during class to only those sites approved by the teacher, aiming to enhance student concentration.
Whale OS, the core framework ensuring the smooth functioning of Whalespace and other tech solutions on Whalebook, has advanced to version 3.0. Improved user interface and experience for easier use, along with strengthened automatic blocking of malicious web pages and ads, contribute to a more convenient and stable digital classroom setting. Whale is committed to enhancing security by conducting OS updates every six months and operating a dedicated security team to diagnose vulnerabilities proactively.
[By engaging in diverse programs to connect with the educational sector, Whalebook enhances its competitiveness globally and in Korea through its distinctive technology and field-friendly approach]
Throughout the year, Whale has facilitated various Whalebook experiential programs, providing educators with the opportunity to engage with Whale’s edutech innovations directly. Over 1,700 participants from around 900 educational institutions attended the “Whale Platform Training” at NAVER 1784 this year, immersing themselves in Whalebook and Whalespace, with some applying for the Whalebook lending program. Around 400 educational experts participated in the 2023 NAVER Whale Education Conference (NWEC) held over two days from August 10, experiencing Whalebook’s advanced features and technology solutions. In June, the Whale team participated in Mongolia’s largest conference, “ICT Expo 2023,” showcasing Whalebook’s class management and screenwriting features to approximately 3,000 booth visitors.
Aligned with Whale’s commitment to evolving with educational sectors, Whalebook has swiftly gained global recognition following its domestic success. Currently, eight provincial education offices* are collaborating with Whale to integrate Whalebook into local schools as necessary. For instance, the Jeonbuk Office of Education has supplied approximately 18,200 Whalebooks to its sixth graders and special-education schools. Moreover, since December, around 22,000 Whalebook and Whalespace sets have been delivered to 725 Mongolian schools, fostering an edutech-focused environment. Whale aims to strengthen its presence in both the domestic and international edutech markets by addressing educational needs and improving its technology.
*Involving education offices from Seoul, Chungcheongnam-do, Gyeonggi-do, Daejeon, Jeollabuk-do, Daegu, Sejong, and Jeollanam-do, in the order of adopting Whalebook.
Bae Gi-woong, a teacher at Chang-oh Elementary School in Gunsan, Jeonllabuk-do, commented, “Utilizing the diverse educational solutions and class management functions of Whalebook, we’ve enhanced our class efficiency by closely observing students’ problem-solving processes and results. The intuitive and easy-to-learn interface of Whalebook has facilitated a seamless transition for students into edutech classrooms. Whalebook provides a convenient setting for collaborative learning, making it a valuable asset in various educational contexts.”
Kim Hyo, Executive Director at NAVER CLOUD, explained, “Whalebook is uniquely developed in-house, including its platform, OS, and hardware, focusing on ‘Education’ from the start. It allows for customized settings to meet educational needs. We are committed to ongoing discussions with educational sites to enhance Whalebook’s features, aiming to delivery customized lesson and simplify class management. This year, we’ve launched two new Whalebook models in collaboration with Poin2 Lab and LG Electronics and plan to expand our educational device offerings through various partnerships.”
