Cisco Webex collaboration tool, installation support and help will be on demand and free so that students from public and private schools can continue their classes virtually.
More than 1,000 IBM volunteers will work with teachers to organize work and training sessions, so students from across the region can continue with classes.
The program is now available in 10 countries in Latin America.
Face-to-face assistance to schools has been delayed as a preventive measure by governments in most countries in the region. According to UNESCO , more than 1.5 billion students are unable to attend schools and universities worldwide.
To respond to this need, IBM and Cisco today announced a regional partnership to support the continuous learning of students from public and private schools in Latin America.
The Cisco Webex collaboration tool will connect teachers and students in real time, allowing teachers to use the work they had developed before the current crisis, as well as the materials they created in the meantime to make it available to students.
"At Cisco, our goal is to make a difference in the lives of people and the communities in which we operate. This has never been more true than it is today. Young people in Latin America are your greatest competitive asset. We want to help protect you. As the world comes together in this unprecedented moment, Cisco will do everything possible to keep teachers and students connected virtually and securely Our technology is here to support educational institutions, governments, businesses, communities and families to navigate and succeed in this environment of rapid change, and we are proud to be able to collaborate and provide what is needed with the help of IBM, "says Jordi Botifoll, Cisco president for Latin America and senior vice president for the Americas.
IBM volunteers, who also work at home with Cisco Webex, will give teachers private lessons so they can get the most out of the platform. They can also provide real-time remote help to resolve technical questions or problems.
"We are proud to be part of this commitment, combining technology and professional volunteering so that students can follow their regular classes," said Ana Paula Assis, president of IBM for Latin America. "These new generations are the future of our countries and, as a society, we need to promote their development and well-being, especially in challenging circumstances."
The program is available in 10 countries in Latin America, where IBM and Cisco can provide access to the tool and knowledge to Ministries of Education, governments and local public and private schools.
This association had its first results in Europe, where it was implemented in the previous weeks with 2,800 IBM volunteers, who already support more than 100,000 students in 1,600 schools in the region.
Support to the teaching community
IBM supports the teacher community for the adoption and use of the platform. More than 1,000 company professionals signed up as volunteers when IBM opened enrollment on March 27, making itself available to help teachers.
Complete virtual classroom
Cisco Webex is a complete collaboration solution. In addition to video conferencing, the Meetings version also includes the ability to share the desktop and applications, multimedia resources, notes and research. All in real time.
These features provide a complete virtual classroom, in which students participate in classes in guest mode, without the need for a user account. Everything is managed in the teacher's personal room, which "invites" students; controls the audio, silencing the students' microphone when necessary, and being able to record the session to share or review it later.
The Cisco Webex Teams release facilitates collaboration between teachers and school staff, with advanced chat, video conferencing and shared use of documents and screens, in a more structured environment.
Privacy and security
The Cisco Webex platform has more than 130 million monthly users worldwide and processes more than 6 billion meeting minutes per month. It guarantees the privacy and maximum security of the data and content exchanged in the sessions, using advanced security and encryption tools.
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