Education Device Using Simple Hardware - TEAM IS CLOSED
The Need
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Access to both basic education and further education in the developing world is extremely limited, literacy rates are well below developed countries. Children often have to drop out of school to work, there is a lack of quality teachers and the opportunities for further enrichment to those who do acquire a basic education is extremely low.
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At the same time poor people, particularly in rural areas spend countless hours travelling to work or school, collecting water or firewood and doing various other manual and time consuming tasks.
Potential Solutions:
· In the developed world education by no ways ends in the classroom, from podcasts that can be listened to on the way to work, to online learning courses in almost any field.
Challenge for the Hackathon
To develop the technology to allow poor people with limited internet access (or access to library) and basic technologies the ability to listen to or download e-books, lectures and other educational activities.
Tech Considerations:
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How do you manage the amounts of info needed for this to be done, dumb phones don’t have storage, internet in these countries is limited if at all.
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There is a need for finding a tech solution for storing the data in a simple device and for formatting the information that is out there for low quality phones
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Additional hardware for the phone may be necessary
Some App Ideas:
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Audio educational application for feature phones, A central location where devices can be charged and content uploaded daily. (e.g. in local schools, community centres etc.)
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Cloud technology?
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“1800 education” dial in classes, using existing lectures/audio books from existing platforms. Listeners will dial a number and use digital keypads to choose from a selection of lecturers/recordings. (Similar system to phone banking) for free
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This may include interactive quizzes as part of the course to ensure listeners comprehension (e.g. through multiple choice questions to be answered on a phone keypad)
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This may also include visual materials for better comprehension and learning experience
Possible Partner:
Appleseeds Academy: http://www.appleseeds.org.il/
Background Information
How Mobile Learning Works Article:
“M-learning can be called that form of learning where there is no requirement for the learner to be stationary at a predetermined location. The advantages of various mobile technologies come into play here as the learning methodology focuses on the mobility of the learner and his interaction with portable devices such as smartphones, MP3 players, tablets and other smart devices. Online learning when combined with the power of mobile devices give rise to M-learning.”
● The biggest issue right now is bandwidth. Networks just simply can’t keep up with the growth of mobile learning
1. If the future of writing lies in dictation, then it would be important for teachers to help students refine their dictation-based writing skills
2. Since individual students respond differently to different teaching styles, we may find that writing through dictation helps some students to learn composition skills better. Such technologies are already proving to be of assistance to visually impaired students.
3. Lessons that include writing through dictation may additionally train students' speaking skills. That is, the activity of thoughtfully composing text through voice may have the added effect of helping students to become more thoughtful speakers.
APP IDEAS:
● Schoology is not your typical learning management system (LMS). We have redefined the LMS to make online education a collective effort and to increase the overall impact of everyone involved in a student's education.
● With a versatile education platform that streamlines content management, Schoology enables improvement through a collective effort and engages digital natives with technology they actually enjoy.
● open-access API integration makes Schoology more versatile by allowing third-party technologies—such as SISs, CMSs, and a growing number of educational apps—to be seamlessly integrated into a single platform for convenience and scalability.
● has library of content that covers math, science topics such as biology, chemistry, and physics, and even reaches into the humanities with playlists on finance and history.
● global
○ There is an israeli named Tomer that could be contacted.
Brain Pop for Learning English
Top 20 Social Networks for Education:
● one example: Sophia
○ “an education platform that is customizing the way students learn by offering more than 37,000 tutorials on a variety of academic topics taught by thousands of teachers. This vibrant, first-of-its-kind learning community helps teachers enrich their classrooms, empowers students to learn in their own way, and provides a pathway to an affordable college degree.”
More educational apps for reading/writing/ other studies:
The product is a digital library and educational platform, with content from Open Source providers and publishers. It is designed for low-bandwidth environments, through the use of a local network topology. Our partners select the device they want to use, and find a sponsor or purchase the devices. We have also sourced some low-cost robust devices for under $50. We then work with our partners to set up a local area network and provide access to the Library For All platform to all of their clients. Our pilot program will launch in Haiti in partnership with Respire School this Fall. The pilot will provide us with the opportunity to test our implementation model, measure the effectiveness of delivering access to digital books through the Library For All platform, and improve our model as we rollout further.