Frequently asked questions

About our ebooks

Internet access at the school depends on the school’s e-policy. Students do not need to access the Internet to use miEbooks or download resources. The Wi-Fi allows the students to connect to the school’s server, but does not guarantee Internet access.
The school needs an Enterprise Wi-Fi Network (high density and high usage access) that can handle the activity of the devices that will be used in the school. The students’ tablets must connect and stay connected to the school server during the day. The school needs an adequate switching network with an industry-accepted design. The school needs a ‘school friendly’ UTM device (firewall) if internet access is allowed and/or utilised by the school.
The ITSI Solution is ideally used in a 1:1 environment. This means that every student should have their own device. The device replaces their textbooks, which means they would use it to study at home.
The decision remains that of the school. Some schools have opted to purchase and supply students with devices. Most schools, however, require parents to purchase the devices.
The situation differs from school to school. There are benefits and challenges to any one of the options. Some schools opt for BYOD (bring your own device), not specifying which platform they prefer as many students already own their own devices. The ITSI Solution and miEbooks runs on all three of these platforms. It is, however, important to consider the skills required to support various platforms and devices. In some instances, using a single platform may simplify support within the school environment.
The ebooks that are available are supplied by leading South African and international educational publishers. These titles are aligned to the CAPS policy documents. A variety of ebooks supplied through the ITSI Solution also adhere to international curricula.
Yes, educators can add various resources to existing ebooks or create their own content – either as educator folders or complete ebooks – and add this to the ITSI Solution to supply to students securely within the school environment.

Educators are able to add resources to any section of the e-book. The following resources can be added:

  • Images
  • Videos
  • PDFs
  • URLs
  • PowerPoint presentations
  • Excel spreadsheets
  • Word documents
  • Text files
  • Calendar events, such as homework (which is linked to the student’s diary)
  • Class assessments (tests) that the educator has created

Educators can send additional resources to students at any time, given that they have an Internet connection. The calendar function assists educators with keeping students up to date with homework, school events and announcements. This is a great way of integrating the educator’s current method of teaching with 21st-century learning.

Educators will only need a laptop/PC to push additional resources to miEbooks. It is advisable to have a laptop/PC and a tablet to know what the students experience.
If a student is connected to the school’s Wi-Fi and logged in to miEbooks, resources will automatically start downloading. The students will not incur data charges as it is all transferred through the school’s Wi-Fi network. Students can also receive resources at home, given that they are connected to the Internet. This will, however, result in data charges.

About the miEbooks app

You can use any PC, laptop or tablet that adheres to the following specifications:

Android:

Recommended specs:

  • Tier one Android devices (e.g. Samsung, Acer, Asus, Sony, LG)
  • Quad Core CPU at 1.7 GHz processing speed
  • 32GB internal storage space
  • 4GB RAM
  • Android version 8 or higher

Minimum specs:

  • Tier one Android devices (e.g. Samsung, Acer, Asus, Sony, LG)
  • Quad Core CPU at 1.3 GHz processing speed
  • 16GB internal storage space
  • 2GB RAM
  • Android version 7 or higher

Apple iOS:

Recommended specs:

  • iOS 12 or higher
  • iPad Mini 4 or newer, iPad Air 2, iPad 6th generation or newer, iPad Pro 3rd generation or newer
  • iPhone 6 or newer

Minimum specs:

  • iOS 11 or higher
  • iPad 4 or newer, iPad Mini 2 or newer, iPad Air or iPad Pro
  • iPhone 6 or newer

macOS:

Minimum specs:

  • Mac running the latest macOS

Windows:

Recommended specs:

  • Tablet or laptop with Windows 10 or 11
  • 32GB internal storage space
  • 4GB RAM

Minimum specs:

  • Tablet or laptop with Windows 10
  • 16GB internal storage space
  • 2GB RAM

Chromebooks:

Minimum specs:

  • Chromebook that support Android Play Store apps
  • Asus Chromebook Flip
  • Acer Chromebook R11 / C738T
  • Google Chromebook Pixel (2015)
  • 32GB internal storage
  • 4GB RAM

Web browser access (miEbooks Online):

  • Google Chrome - version 76+
  • Microsoft Edge - version 40+
  • Firefox - version 66+
  • Safari - version 12+
  • Internet Explorer - Not supported

If you do not have a compatible device, you can use the miEbooks online web browser. Please contact the Teach360 Helpdesk (support@teach360.co.za) for access.

The device’s battery should be able to last an entire school day. The device must be charged at home and brought to school with 100% battery power. Some schools have included this in their e-policy. Ensure that the device has at least an 8-hour battery life on high-definition video playback.
You can purchase a tablet from any reputable tablet supplier. The most important aspects to look at are the minimum specifications for devices prescribed by Teach360. You can use your own preferences when it comes to the operating system (Windows, Android, iOS) or screen size. Also pay attention to the after sales support you will receive from the supplier.

Android: Google Play Store

iOS: Apple App Store

Mac: Mac App Store

Windows: Windows Store

  • Ensure that the device is connected to the Internet throughout this process.
  • Once miEbooks has downloaded, open the app and click on Continue.
  • Select School Account.
  • Type in your username and password (as provided by the school).
  • Click on Save.
  • Wait for the library to load. Once the e-books appear, click on the cover to start the downloading process.
  • Once the download is complete, tap on the cover to open the e-book.
miEbooks allows students to create freehand or typed notes and highlights within the ebooks, as well as generate a summary of all the highlights that have been made. This summary can be exported into a PDF document for the student to print. Everything is automatically saved on the school’s server and the device, and is backed-up in the cloud.

This means that should students lose their devices, they can simply download miEbooks on a new device at no extra cost. All notes and highlights that have been made will also be downloaded, along with any content added by educators.

This will depend on the type of ebook licence you purchase. Three licence options are available:

  • 1-year licence
  • 3-year licence
  • Perpetual licence (lifetime access)
No. The amount of assessments done on miEbooks depends on the school’s environment. Formative assessments can be completed through the ITSI Solution and miEbooks, but tests and examinations will still be completed in writing. Students will still use workbooks, depending on their individual school environment.
miEbooks is available – free of charge – from Google Play Store, Apple App Store, the Mac App Store and the Windows Store.
Yes, updating an app ensures that it keeps up with the relevant changes to the various platforms and the dynamic nature of technology. Teach360 continuously works to enhance the user experience and provide more benefits.

About ITSI Store

Online schools currently purchase their ebooks from the ITSI Store. The following purchasing assistance refers to the process of purchasing ebooks through the ITSI Store.

If you are a new user, go to the ITSI store and select Create Account to create an account on the ITSI Store. Fill in the required fields as the parent and click Create Account. Record your username and password for future reference. Sign in and click on your name in the top-right corner to select Manage Dependants. Select Link New Dependant and enter your child’s details. Select Link and Start Buying.

If you have a second child, repeat the previous step and ensure the second child has been successfully linked. Once you have added all your children’s accounts, you can start buying.

If you have an existing account, click on Sign In and enter your existing username and password. If you have forgotten your password, click on Forgot your password? An e-mail will be sent to the e-mail address you used to register your account. This e-mail will contain your new password.
Once you are signed in, click on Categories. Please ensure that the correct child is selected when purchasing ebooks. If multiple children are linked to your account, you can select each child respectively using the drop-down menu at the top of the page. You can filter your ebook search according to the fields provided, or search for the ebook title or ISBN. Once you have found the ebook that you are looking for, click on the Add to Cart button to add it to your cart. Once you have selected all of the required ebooks, click on the cart in the top-right corner to display a list of the ebooks selected. If you are happy with the selected ebooks, click on Checkout.
If you added e-books that you do not want to purchase, you can remove them by selecting the Remove button next to the book.
Once you have selected all of the ebooks you want to purchase and confirmed that the information is correct, you can proceed to payment by clicking on Checkout. Only online payment is currently offered as a purchasing option.
Payments are made via PayFast, a secure online payment portal. Follow the steps to complete your purchase based on the payment method you have chosen. For detailed instructions on how to use the PayFast portal, follow this link. Once the payment has been made successfully, you will have access to the e-books in miEbooks.
Account settings can be accessed when you click on your name in the top-right corner of the screen to select My Profile. These settings include the name, surname, e-mail address and password that you used to create an account on the ITSI Store. If you wish to change your password, you can do it here. You may also enter a VAT number that will reflect on your invoices.

If you would like to view your purchase history on the ITSI Store, click on your name in the top-right corner of the screen and select Purchase History. You will be able to view the status of purchased ebooks and download an invoice.

Purchases have one of the following statuses:

  • Complete: The purchase has been completed successfully.
  • Pending: Confirmation of payment for the purchase has not yet been received. This occurs for several reasons, including payment via EFT. This does not necessarily mean that the payment has failed. If your payment persists as Pending for an extended time, please contact the Teach360 Helpdesk at +27 12 941 1546 or support@teach360.co.za for assistance.
  • Failed: The purchase was unsuccessful due to payment failure.
  • Cancelled: The purchase was cancelled by the user.
It is preferred that ebooks are purchased from a PC or laptop. Once the payment is successful, the ebooks will automatically appear on the device (tablet, laptop or PC) that the miEbooks app is downloaded on. Thus, you don’t have to purchase the ebooks from the device that you intend on using.
Due to the fact that each learner makes his/her own notes and annotations inside the ebooks, and specific resources are added to the ebooks each year, they cannot be transferred between users as all annotations will be lost. Thus, if you bought a Grade 8 Mathematics ebook one year, and have another child in Grade 8 the following year, you will have to purchase the same ebook again for the second child.

About SACE

You may view the SACE registration requirements online here.

 

Please ensure that you have completed the registration process with the South African Council for Educators (SACE). You may view their website for more information regarding registration here.

Should you require more information, please contact SACE on:

086 1007 223 / 012 663 9517

Teach360 submits the details of the candidates that have completed training through us to SACE and they update the points accordingly on the registered profiles on their system.

Contact us
Teach360 is a registered trademark of Optimi Schooling
Teach360 is a registered trademark of Optimi Schooling
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