Wipro turns into educator and also launches
a new lab in U.S. for mobile computing
Premium publisher McGraw-Hill and Wipro joined hands to
develop "mConnect, " an open-standard mobile learning
platform designed to bridge the skills gap in emerging markets.
The intention is to develop learning tools for India's students
and workers such as entrance tests, and English Language
Training, and many such things.
mConnect is personalized, adaptive education and assessment
programs providing direct feedback in multiple modalities
through cell phones, laptops and other mobile devices. For
students who want to establish and advance their careers
by learning English, for example, mConnect will provide
opportunities to hear conversations, review new vocabulary
delivered via SMS and get personalized instructions that
customizes the pace and presentation of material to match
their learning needs, says Wipro.
"Through advancements in mobile learning, McGraw-Hill
and Wipro have an unprecedented opportunity to deliver high-quality,
low-cost education to students and workers in rural areas
and cities with limited access to resources," said
Harold McGraw III, chairman, president and CEO of The McGraw-Hill
Companies, who made the announcement in Davos. "In
a country with more than 700 million cell phones, mobile
learning will help level the playing field for education
in India in ways never possible before, The success of our
pilots in India will serve as a powerful example of how
businesses, schools and governments around the world can
harness the power of mobile learning to give more people
the skills to succeed in the Global Knowledge Economy."
"High-quality education is fundamental to the growth
of a nation. We at Wipro are fully committed to launching
the next generation of educational ideas and tools-leveraging
the potential of our connected world-mobile devices, laptops,
pads and other devices," said Azim Premji, Chairman
Wipro Limited. "The goal is to use mConnect as a way
to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and reach of education
across the globe. We have made this an area of strategic
investment and are honored, as a long-term partner of McGraw-Hill,
to be part of this unique opportunity - to blend our expertise
in technology along with world-class educational systems
and content. This is a business initiative that we both
believe can truly make a positive difference."
Wipro aims to improve the employability skills if Indian
youths through this program. According to a recent World
Economic Forum report on the global talent crisis, only
25 % of those graduates are considered employable by multinational
companies today.
In another announcement Wipro Technologies has launched
its new Mobile Computing Lab at its Atlanta Strategic Delivery
Center in the United States.
Wipro said its new lab will enable Wipro to provide subject
matter expertise and end-to-end mobile application lifecycle
management - from development, validation, testing to deployment,
on new and next generation devices. The lab will bring together
leading mobile technologies that help US carriers plan and
manage new releases. New mobile applications and devices
are critical to enhance user experience and bolster the
competitiveness of enterprises of all sizes according to
Wipro.
"The launch of the Wipro Mobile Computing Lab represents
a milestone in our effort to build a mobile ecosystem to
drive the development and launch of mobile applications
and next-generation devices," said Sid Nair, Chief
Sales and Operations Office - North America, Wipro Technologies.
"It is also a demonstration of our commitment to the
mobility market, and our commitment to the local Atlanta
community," he added.
