Strategies to Enhance Ecuador’s Technological Industry

Renny Alexander Amaguaya Llamuca

Abstract

Ecuador is a very diverse country, known worldwide for its gigantic capacity to generate raw material. However being a developing country many consider it as incapable of generating technology. Currently the implementation of innovation programs has allowed an interesting evolution, that is to say that the Ecuador based on the technology, processes of automation and changes the academician has the capacity to improve its economy and introduced in the field of the technological research.

These ambitious projects have made the country start a technological revolution. All Ecuadorians are working hard in the training of creative students, as young minds will be in charge of generating resources and developing the country. At the same time, scientific research is becoming one of Ecuador’s fortunes; the country is moving forward and has a promising future “We can do it”.

Introduction

There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource. Without creativity there is no progress and we would always be repeating the same patterns (Edward de Bono).It should be emphasized that the industrial revolution was a very important starting point, because a very creative mind decided to do something different and thus began the human evolution. Technology is a characteristic of the human ability to build, from raw materials; a wide variety of objects, machines and tools, as well as development. It uses the scientific knowledge in order to respond to human needs and applies at industry to obtain optimal solutions.

Technological advances have become essential, just look around in every moment and place we are surrounded by it, it is always present to make the life simpler. In Ecuadorian industry, technology is indispensable. In fact, most scientific efforts focus on the creation of new technologies and raise the production. Ecuadorian universities are currently preparing young people with great skills and brilliant minds, who are focusing more on environmental innovation and on a change of the productive matrix. These universities have developed a new educational system, in which the main interest is to foster creativity and innovation. The use of technology is immeasurable and will continue to change, based on the demands of its citizens and the market. However, Ecuador’s technology industry could be enhanced through a school curriculum based on creativity and innovation in these ways: 1, technological programs at schools, 2 places/vocational centers where youths can obtain practical knowledge and 3, improve automation.

Technological Programs at Schools

First of all, the technology industry can be enhanced in Ecuador by technological programs at schools. Schools have to strive to implement custom methods where students can increase their creativity. Those kinds of programs are planned and designed carefully to such an extent that they maintain an impeccable order so that the development of these technological activities are completely effective for a continuous learning. Activities to be carried out are structured according to the age of young people. This teaching process is very similar to that implemented at Ohio State University in Columbus. “Colleges place greater emphasis on learning material [and] Jung fears that opportunities for thoughts to flow freely are fewer now than in the past”(Ossola, 2014).

These programs have as main component its curriculum based on creativity, which is made up of activities that can be widely developed. Those were created to be developed without previous technology experience, Rex Jung (Professor of neurosurgery at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque) said, “creativity is innate, it needs to be cultivated”. Inside this curriculum, students should confront flexible programs, too. A great example of this implementation is University in Columbus; “Ted Clark has been working with a number of high schools throughout Ohio to integrate creative problem (flexible programs) solving into science classes”(Ossola,2014).

According to the article “Technology, Innovation, and Education”(Harvard, 2014) schools are planning to get the key to unlock the freedom of students minds, because youths use the regions of the brain involved in daydreaming and imagination”(Ossola,2014) and schools want to use that imagination. According to Joe Blatt Director of TIE “The Technology, Innovation, and Education Program is a proven gateway to rewarding leadership careers in creating, implementing, and evaluating educational media and technology”. Technological program is a way to train creative leaders in education with a continuous and very close interaction midst faculty and students.

Therefore, Ecuador has taken a similar strategy where the objective of its program is reach a high standard of education based on the correct development of the creative skills of the students. The leaders of this technological program take as an example the objectives of the Finnish education system; “The Finnish system is built on trust: on autonomous learning, on the value of teacher work and on the overall quality of the proposal”(The Finland Phenomenon, Compton, 2012).In short, this fact must be a huge evolution to the next generation of students whose ideas would mean an extreme change for the whole Ecuador.

Places/vocational centers where youths can obtain practical knowledge.

Second of all, Ecuador should create Places/vocational centers where youths can obtain practical knowledge to enhanced Industry Technology. Practical knowledge is closely related to the use of technology as a didactic learning medium, according to Scientists Are More Creative than You Might Imagine (Ossola, 2014) “practical activities would appear to take the magic out of the creative process, like having to explain your own joke”.It means that students are excited about the possibility of using technology and are therefore more apt to learn. In addition, during this process of up-to-date learning, not only is it possible to get more information, but also to develop skills that are exclusively developed in the practical field.

Exclusively Skills from practical knowledge.

According to the article “Solve a Teaching Problem”(Mellon University, 2015),today youths are bored of study because the old style of teaching cans their minds, students learn better with a practical knowledge so Ecuador needs places where enough technology elements are available to youths to use it freely and encourage the development of innovative technologies. When youths work for a purpose, goal or own dream, the effort will be minimal because they will be free to act. This freedom will allow you to develop your own skills such as:

The opportunity to interact with peers
The collaboration
Student responsibility
Allow to take more control over the learning process
Learn to make important decisions

Ecuador’s technology industry needs such sites to promote the desire of young people or children to create new technologies without fear of innovation failure; It will allow a continuous innovation in the country.

Improve automation.

In other hand, Ecuador’s technology can be enhanced by improved automation, some of the few industries still work with old technology, because their bosses still thinking that humans can do their job better than a new machine. Automation means a technological change in the industry where first of all the production will be improved in time, economy and quality. People that above all have so much creative and knowledge can change the process of production based on the imagination to solve any problem. For instance “William Kamkwamba the builder of windmills in Malawi is currently working on a design for a windmill powerful enough to pump water from wells and provide lighting for Masitala, a cluster of buildings where about 60 families live (Childress, 2007).

Ecuador would add a technological medium that offers a more effective production process that demonstrates the technological development of the country. “In the last decade the developing countries have made a great effort to close the industrialization gap, out of a total of 142 countries analyzed in 2012, Ecuador is in the 96th position, rising twelve seats in relation to the previous year, date In which – according to the 2011 WEF report, it was at 108.

Today the Ecuadorian government is working on a program to attract scientists, but to achieve this, it is necessary to carry out a long-term financing policy for the development of science and technology. Ecuador wants to change the last productive matrix where it was based on buying technology, but why not create? This fact could boost to the creation of new industries, where technology and science research might enhance the Ecuador’s industry.

Conclusion

Ecuador over the years has managed to acquire a minimal technological evolution, which has undoubtedly improved in the last decade, but is succeeding in maintaining a quality technology thanks to the small educational revolution that the country achieved. All this progress demonstrates that our culture has succeeded in improving learning and developing new skills. State-owned enterprises are currently looking for business development and better customer service, based on technologies that can provide satisfaction. Beyond importing the latest technology, the state seeks to improve the economic, social and technological structure. Ecuadorian industry should try to implement selected pilot programs to promote the environmental care, trying to be a pioneer country in technological development focused on environmental protection.

Vocational centers and automation are technical keys to improving the innovation system in Ecuador. Innovative uses of technology, increasing the availability of information workstations and providing training in theoretical centers. Young people enjoyed training time to improve competition in innovation. New types of technology simulations should also be implemented in schools to improve basic curriculum training, which will make it easier to integrate technology with students. In addition, the relation between creativity and practical knowledge previously obtained will help to reduce the lack of automation in the Ecuadorian industry. Taking place to the true transformation of productive matrix.

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