Amid the ubiquitous adoption of online role-playing games, social networks and electronic learning, a Hong Kong start-up is delivering a new way for more people around the world to learn Putonghua.
'You've never been in a classroom like this before,' said Claus Nehmzow, chief executive at Cyberport-based 3D Avatar School.
Founded by serial entrepreneur Nehmzow in August last year, 3D Avatar School received the Silver Award for 'Best Business Start-up Company' on Friday at the government-backed Hong Kong Information and Communications Technology Awards 2011, organised by the Hong Kong Computer Society.
The online service, which was launched this year, combines the best features of e-learning and social network platforms with a lively, multi-user online gaming design.
'People are already spending time in virtual worlds and on online games,' Nehmzow said. 'Why not turn these into learning environments?'
Armed with that business strategy, 3D Avatar School last year applied and was accepted in Cyberport's IncuTrain, which is a government-funded incubation programme for small companies involved in digital entertainment and related fields.
The company currently works with about seven qualified, native-Putonghua teachers based on the mainland, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States to teach groups of four to six students in live, secure and interactive, voice-enabled three-dimensional virtual environments.