ICT in Education initiatives would not have gained much traction without rapid technological innovations over the past decade coupled with increasing availability and decreasing prices of equipment and services. Furthermore, the advancement made by open source movement has helped fuel the adoption of technology in education and other sectors.
OLE Nepal has constantly sought to utilize best possible technology solution to successfully implement ICT-based education in under-resourced rural schools. On the hardware front, we look to use low-power, low-cost, durable equipment that is readily available and easily serviceable locally. With operating system and software applications, OLE Nepal advocates for open source solutions not only because of cost considerations, but also for ease of customization and localization, which are essential in the development and distribution of effective educational content.
On the network front, OLE Nepal helps install school network consisting of a server and access points. The school server comes preloaded with E-Pustakalaya (digital library), E-Paath and numerous other learning resources, hence making educational materials accessible even in places that do not have Internet connectivity. Content in the server can be automatically updated by inserting an external drive with new content in the USB port. The server also comes with SchoolTool, which is an open source student records management system that has been customized for Nepali schools. In schools that are connected to the Internet, the server also acts as the network gateway that also filters the content accessed by students.
The following diagram shows a typical school network implementation:
School's Internal Network Diagram
Wherever possible, OLE Nepal’s network team helps connect the schools to the Internet using long range wireless radios and antenna.
Inter-School Network Diagram
We also advise schools on safe electric wiring system, and help install proper protection for the equipment against voltage fluctuations and lightning strikes. We also install power backup systems to ensure that students and teachers are able to use digital resources despite irregular power supply. So far, we have worked only in places that have electricity, but we are looking into solar as an alternate source of power for the equipment at schools.