Samsung Electronics South Africa and one of their content solution partners, Maramedia Publishing, will demonstrate its smart school solution at the upcoming Future Ed education show to take place in Johannesburg from 25 to 27 July. This solution brings together software and hardware in a comprehensive all-encompassing offering, for the new age classroom.
“We all talk about the future and the power that technology plays in the advancement and improvement of ‘this future’. But how do we know when to recognise and harness a real technological advantage over another? How do we maximise international trends with local relevance?
“Well for Samsung, the evolution of technology in the classroom is undeniably one such key advantage that must be harnessed in South Africa and in time, across the continent,” says Paulo Ferreira, head of Enterprise Mobility at Samsung Electronics South Africa.
International research conducted last year showed that students were becoming more comfortable using mobile devices for what was considered advanced tasks. This report highlighted that more than 75% of tablet owners said they now use their device for tasks which were usually done on their desktop or laptop.
Adds Ferreira: “This wave will only permeate locally – especially with our youth, across of all ages, races and cultures, accelerating the mobile revolution. In fact, if our schools don’t look to implement what has now become known as ‘everyday’ technology, we’re not only doing our students a disservice, but we risk losing the opportunity to greatly advance a schooling system currently hindered by geographical, social and budgetary challenges.
“With Maramedia recently being named as a provider of local education content on the Samsung app store, we want to take this relationship to the next level by using this expo to demonstrate to educators the impact that technology – through both hardware and software – can have in the classroom and beyond.”
The Maramedia app is a free download that offers in-app purchases of content for multiple grades using interactive digital manuals covering the entire school syllabus for a year. It also features an offline mode that stores all the video, animation, illustration, and other education content on the Samsung device.
“We live in a mobile world and Samsung is at the forefront of innovation when it comes to providing users with the best solutions for their lifestyles. Where education is critically important for the future growth of South Africa, we are proud to be able to offer this Smart School solution that provides teachers with an innovative way to increase efficiencies.
“We see a bright future for both the Android platform and Samsung in the educational sector and with thousands of dedicated apps already available on Google Play, this is clearly an initiative that is set for enormous growth,” says Ferreira.
Launched in 2010, the Future Ed education show is focused on bridging the gap between educational resource companies and the teachers that use those products.
