Dawn of tech for learning and education in India

Right to Education is a fundamental right that provides every child between the age of 6-14 access to free education. 

NGOs working in the education space, now have an array of new technologies that can be sampled and chosen, even tailored to need. Higher quality of teaching can be imparted efficiently through the use of smart classes. Using visuals graphics, multimedia etc. students can be aided in better understanding otherwise difficult concepts at a faster pace. Using smart learning methods and devices, NGOs can help in creating a model learning environment and equal learning opportunities for all students. E.g. Pi Jam Foundation is using DIY kits and affordable OS hardware and software computers to encourage students in learning coding and other computer-related projects.

Smart learning technologies also empower students to manage their education in a flexible manner. A simple conjugation of a well-designed module and mentor can increase the quality of education. Also, students would be motivated when the teaching is reference-based, and is carried out in a more adaptable, fun and easier manner. 

“Thousands of online smart learning websites offer innovative methods of imparting knowledge to students irrespective of their age by addressing the root cause of disinterest” – Boredom

“A picture is worth a thousand words”  

This phrase talks volumes on why NGOs need smart technologies and affordable gadgets for students. Textbook learning is steadily becoming a thing of the past with new classroom technologies coming up in quick succession. Show-and-tell method of learning is being adopted by premier schools with the understanding that students are more keen to listen to their tutors when there are interactive elements,  images, videos etc, involved in the lesson. This theory remains the same for any learning environment. In a classroom setup, smart technology integration creates a much larger learning than textbook-lecture methods. Smart Learning is becoming a game-changer in the domain and may also be the jigsaw piece to a learning ecosystem overseen by an NGO. We see smart learning laying a strong foundation for the future of education in the country.

Success stories of teachers from one part of the country teaching students in another part of it through remote teaching solutions are now inspiring many NPOs. One teacher could teach hundreds, if not thousands of children at the same time through video conferencing tools that are freely available in the market. The scope is simply limitless.

NGOs would need to aim to create a uniformly structured education system that can enable students with minimal knowledge to grasp its contents without any difficulty. Resources distribution and management should be consolidated in such a setup that students may access them remotely anytime and anywhere.

NGOs considering smart learning solutions may also need to plan for change management with stakeholders involved, especially for teacher training. Teachers should have the skills and ability to practice these technologies with students hassle-free without interruptions to learning. Although implementation might take time, smart learning solutions are the right step forward for an NPO operating in this space. Not sufficient with able resource optimisation, the impact would be tenfold.   

E.g. - Samsung India has launched an initiative where the organization is helping NGOs launch smart technologies in rural India to help underprivileged and poor students avail and utilize it via smart learning. Also, NGOs like Galway Foundation, Smile Foundation, etc are working in villages to provide and support children with free education using smart learning, with the aim to skill them for a better future.