Finally achived my biggest goal

Today is one of the most exciting and fortunate days of my life, as I have finally succeeded in achieving a dream project that I have been working on tirelessly for the past 15 months. After facing countless challenges and setbacks, I am thrilled to share that I have developed a groundbreaking solution to make Open Educational Resources (OER) accessible offline using one of the world’s most affordable devices—a Wi-Fi-enabled pendrive. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize education, especially in areas where internet access is limited or unavailable.

The beauty of this device lies in its simplicity and accessibility. Students can now access educational content directly on their smartphones via Wi-Fi, without the need to insert the pendrive into a laptop or computer. This feature makes it incredibly versatile and user-friendly, breaking down barriers for students who may not have access to advanced technology. Whether in a rural classroom, a community center, or even at home, this device ensures that quality educational resources are always within reach.

This journey has been anything but easy. Over the past 15 months, I encountered numerous technical, financial, and logistical hurdles. There were moments when the project seemed too ambitious to accomplish, and I questioned whether I would ever see it come to fruition. However, my unwavering belief in the power of education and the impact this device could have on students around the world kept me motivated. Each challenge taught me valuable lessons, and every small success brought me closer to this milestone. Today, I can proudly say that all the effort has been worth it.

Why is this device such a big deal? Let me paint a picture of its potential impact:

  1. Bridging the Digital Divide:
  • In many parts of the world, reliable internet access is still a luxury. Students in these regions often struggle to access the wealth of educational resources available online. This Wi-Fi-enabled pendrive eliminates that dependency by providing offline access to curated educational content, ensuring that no student is left behind.
  1. Cost-Effective Solution:
  • Affordability is a critical factor in making educational tools accessible. By leveraging one of the world’s cheapest drives and combining it with Wi-Fi capabilities, this device offers a low-cost solution that can be scaled and distributed widely without placing a heavy financial burden on schools, NGOs, or governments.
  1. Ease of Use:
  • The device is incredibly easy to set up and use. Students or educators simply need to connect their smartphones, tablets, or other devices to the pendrive’s Wi-Fi network to access the content. No complex installations or technical expertise are required.
  1. Versatile Applications:
  • Beyond classrooms, this device can be used in various settings such as community centers, libraries, refugee camps, and disaster-affected areas. It has the potential to provide uninterrupted learning opportunities even in the most challenging circumstances.
  1. Customizable Content:
  • The content on the pendrive can be tailored to suit specific educational needs, languages, or curricula. This flexibility ensures that it can be adapted for diverse audiences and learning environments.

While I am overjoyed by this achievement, I know that this is just the beginning. The true potential of this device can only be realized through collaboration and support from individuals, organizations, and communities who share the vision of transforming education for all. I firmly believe that together, we can take this innovation to a global scale and make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions of students.

To make this dream a reality, I am seeking guidance, ideas, and partnerships. Here are some specific ways you can contribute:

  1. Technical Expertise:
  • If you have experience in hardware development, software engineering, or content curation, your insights and skills could help improve the device’s functionality and scalability.
  1. Educational Collaboration:
  • Educators and curriculum designers can help create and curate high-quality content tailored to different age groups, subjects, and languages.
  1. Funding and Resources:
  • Financial support is crucial for scaling production, refining the device, and reaching underserved communities. If you know of grant opportunities or funding sources, please share them.
  1. Distribution Partnerships:
  • Organizations working in education, NGOs, or government agencies can play a vital role in distributing the device to schools and communities that need it most.
  1. Advocacy and Awareness:
  • Spreading the word about this project can attract more supporters and collaborators. If you are active on social media, blogs, or forums, consider sharing this initiative to amplify its reach.

The possibilities are endless, and I am confident that with the right support, we can make this device a game-changer for education worldwide. I envision a future where every student, regardless of their location or economic background, has access to quality educational resources. This device is a step toward realizing that vision.

To everyone reading this, I invite you to join me on this journey. Whether you have suggestions, resources, or simply words of encouragement, your support means the world to me. Let’s work together to bring this innovation to every corner of the globe and create a brighter future for students everywhere.

If you are interested in collaborating or learning more about this project, please feel free to reach out. Together, we can make education truly inclusive and accessible for all.

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Congratulations :confetti_ball: what an amazing achievement and a fantastic project. I look forward to hearing updates!

A few years ago I volunteered on the ComplitKenya Project along with many others, creating courses using Appitierre Evolve for the LearnAppeal capsule “this solar-powered device is built on a Raspberry Pi 3 and attached to a WiFi router, offering at least 24 hours of constant usage over a range of up to 1km. The inbuilt, fully functional LMS has the capacity to manage up to 200 concurrent users and 1,000 registered users.”

Perhaps those who were involved in its set up and running etc may be able to provide insight if thought useful. I dont believe LearnAppeal itself is running currently, but you can see the background document/board names here: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://learnappeal.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Learn-Appeal-Help-Us-Grow.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjpqOikzbaKAxVSWUEAHbGVHDIQFnoECDgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0lvH6ezJiht9Lq_EcPWMEk

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Fantastic news, @Rimit1 especially as you have been sharing your efforts here in OEG Connect. Is there a web site or link to get all the project info?

I’d think others here are curious to understand more how the pen drive works or maybe a photo of what it looks like? I have seen many of the USB style drives or small wife enabled hard drives, but as you suggest those would require a computer device to plug into. Is the pen drive powered? What is its range? How many learners can connect? How much content can it hold?

But congratulations again for making this milestone, and please continue to share updates here.

Thanks for sharing this, Charlotte and welcome to OEG Connect. The LearnAppeal web site seems to not be returning any content beyond that PDF and it looks like most other web references to the LearnAppeal capsule are from the 2015 era.

I found a post and a photo from David Hopkins’s blog

Is that the device? I’d be curious to hear more of what you experience was like with the ComplitKenya Project

For more of these kinds of solutions, I recommend the Offline Internet Consortium site

https://www.offlineinternet.org/

Maybe soon we will see Ramit’s pendrive listed there :wink:

And finally, at the OEGlobal Nov 2024 conference I was fortunate to meet Kate from Teacher in a Box, an inspiring project where older laptops are retrofitted to be stand alone local offline servers for educational content

Thank you for sharing your inspiring experience with the ComplitKenya Project and the Learn Appeal Capsule. It’s amazing to see how innovative solutions like these can bridge the digital divide and bring quality education to underserved communities. Your contributions to creating courses using Appitierre Evolve must have been a rewarding experience, especially knowing how impactful such tools are for remote learning.

The Learn Appeal Capsule is such a fascinating concept, combining solar power and a Raspberry Pi to create a scalable, offline learning environment. Its ability to support up to 200 concurrent users and reach a 1km range is impressive, and it’s incredible to think about the possibilities it has unlocked for so many people.

Your suggestion to connect with others who were involved in the setup and running of this project is a great idea. Their insights could provide invaluable guidance for similar initiatives. While it’s unfortunate that Learn Appeal itself may not be active right now, the legacy and potential of projects like these remain significant.

Thank you for sharing this – it’s inspiring to hear about such impactful work, and I hope it motivates others to explore similar innovative solutions for education and community development.

Thank you so much for your kind words and curiosity about the project! I truly appreciate the support and interest in learning more about this initiative. Let me address your questions in detail:

The pen drive, which we’ve been referring to as part of the project, is a highly efficient and portable solution designed to address connectivity challenges in underserved communities. Here’s an overview of how it works:

  • Power and Usage: The device itself is powered via USB and doesn’t rely on external electricity or batteries, making it ideal for areas with limited power resources. Some versions can even connect to solar-powered devices for additional flexibility.
  • Range: The WiFi range is approximately 1km, depending on the surrounding environment. This makes it highly effective for classrooms, community centers, or even open spaces where learners can gather.
  • Capacity: It can support up to 15 concurrent learners . The storage capacity depends on the configuration, but typically, it can hold several gigabytes of content, including interactive courses, videos, and resources tailored for specific audiences.
  • Access: What makes it unique is that learners don’t need an internet connection to access the content. Once they connect to the device via WiFi, they can use any browser-enabled device, such as smartphones, tablets, or laptops, to access the offline LMS platform seamlessly.

As for a photo, I’d be happy to share one soon to give a clearer idea of what it looks like. It’s compact, lightweight, and designed for ease of deployment in remote areas.

I’ll also look into sharing a dedicated link or web page where all the project details can be accessed in one place. In the meantime, feel free to share any additional questions or suggestions. It’s so encouraging to see this level of interest and support!

Thank you once again for your encouragement and for being part of this journey. I’ll be sure to share updates here as the project progresses!

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That is the device. Yes, sadly the project does not seem to have any recent updates. The Core Funding Requirement doc mentioned is dated 2021. I was still in touch with Lesley in 2021as a volunteer, but at that point from memory, I believe they were limited in the number of licences available to use the authoring tool.

I began my journey as part of a global team of 3 in 2017 - with Julianna (USA) and Lia (Belgium), together we created several modules on beekeeping. I also went on to adapt content independently for a floristry module.

Eric Kimori, CEO of Complitkenya was heavily involved in implementing the project. Here is a link to an interview at the 2019 Learning Technologies event.

Thank you for your link to Offline Internet Consortium, I will explore this and Teacher in a Box.

Congratulations! thank you for sharing your amazing efforts! It’s really inspiring, please share any website that speaks in detail.

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