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Panama Adopts Universal Application Framework for BYOD Program
Panama's National Secretariat for Science, Technology, and Innovation (SENACYT) has adopted a program to enable 100,000 children to access digital technologies at school.
SENACYT had previously worked with EXO U, a software provider that helps organizations embrace bring-your-own-device (BYOD), to establish a classroom of EXOdesks — table-sized interactive touchscreen devices — at the National University of Panama. Students at the university use the EXOdesks to access educational information, and the university is using EXO U's framework to develop applications based on user-generated content and real-time feedback from students and teachers.
Following the success of the EXOdesk implementation at the university, SENACYT is now using EXO U's universal application framework to provide 100,000 students in Panama with device-agnostic access to the latest technologies and digital content. According to the company, the program will enable children of all economic backgrounds to have access to some of the world' most innovative digital technologies.
“Technology has positively impacted many facets of our life but its benefits haven’t been fully realized in the education system,” said Ruben Berrocal, the Panamanian minister of science, technology, and iInnovation, in a prepared statement. “Distributing and managing digital assets with a technology that gives all our students a consistent experience and access to the best curriculum is imperative to bringing economic development and positive change to our country. That is why we are thrilled to be partnering with EXO U to completely redefine the traditional classroom. By delivering our students anytime access to the latest computing technologies and digital content we are dramatically enhancing their learning experience.”
Panama will use EXO U to develop its own private application store that lets students access educational content from any device without the need for an always-on Internet connection. According to EXO U, Panama's students and teachers will be able to use the applications created with the framework for greater collaboration, productivity, and knowledge sharing.
Further information about EXO U's universal application framework is available on EXO U's site.
About the Author
Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at leilameyer@gmail.com.