Mobile application foundry Moofwd (pronounced “moo forward”) recently released Mooestro, a platform designed to help educational institutions create mobile learning apps for students. The tool ties into existing IT systems and helps schools create custom apps.
We had an email chat with Sachin Ahuja, CEO and chief architect of Moofwd, about the platform.
What is Moofwd’s core business?
Moofwd is, at its core, an enterprise mobile application foundry that provides enterprise IT departments with the tools they need to move forward new mobile initiatives with maximum results and minimal expense. Moofwd’s technology gives enterprise IT managers a simple way to extract new value and utility from their existing IT systems through the creation of cross-platform mobile and web-based apps. By mashing-up internal systems with external cloud based services, the Moofwd Convergence Platform intelligently combines elements from a company’s multiple internal services and data sources together with external services and resources to mobilize their business operations.
What’s unique about Mooestro platform?
Mooestro is the only m-learning solution that converges all the learning, data and process systems of an institution and delivers a comprehensive learning experience on all smartphone and tablet devices.
Does it work with all mobile operating systems?
Currently supported: iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone 7 and HTML5.
What content does the platform pull from SAP, Blackboard, and other IT systems? How does that work?
The Mooestro m-Learning toolset was built on the Moofwd Convergence Platform and can mash-up the following content from these internal and external information systems and databases:
- SAP (and other ERPs): Student profile information, academic history, Current and past enrolled courses, schedule, teachers and classrooms, grades (final and partial), fees and payments
- Blackboard (and other learning management systems): Internal messages, announcements and rosters, events
- AquaBrowser (and other library systems): book search and reservations
- Facebook, Twitter, RSS and many other news and collaboration sources
How does using this platform differ from institutions working with an app developer–or is it the same thing?
Mooestro is a non-intrusive approach to mobilizing an institution. It is drastically different from engaging an app development company. There is no upfront cost to the institution in rolling out Mooestro. All professional services and customizations are provided free of cost by Moofwd. The institution pays for usage per student/user and can, in most cases, transfer that cost to the students.
Is this the company’s first focus on education apps?
Yes, this is Moofwd’s first focus in the education space. Students today already live much of their lives in the digital space, and student-centric mobile apps are more likely to be adopted and used by students because mobile technology is already such a big part of their lives. Mooestro provides educational institutions with the toolset necessary to easily expand the education experience to include mobile. The universities that don't take advantage of the mobile platform are missing a huge opportunity to better connect and interact with their students.
