Think Skyhigh

To put it in simple terms, if a tablet is to create a “network of e-learning” amongst schools and universities, simply making the tablets won’t do. There needs to be power at enough times of the day (to charge the tablet), the teachers should know how to use it, and most importantly, there should be content that actually assists in learning and understanding. After all, the less repeated truth is that tablets can distract and assist in equal amounts. One can spend the whole day playing games, and listening to music. In Peru, for instance, one-laptop-per-child policy showed little improvement in results. Therefore, to truly create an ecosystem, where technology can assist in learning, a holistic approach needs to adopted. First, the institution of infrastructure—electricity at all times (or at least during classes); then training programmes to help teachers understand the uses of tablets; and third, interactive content (Aakash-2’s free pdf books is great starter) that helps enhance the learning process. Without these complementary efforts, the “world’s cheapest tablet” may just end up being a marketing gimmick for the HRD ministry.