Eliminating the Digital Divide The offline features of Tribyte Technologies, a learning management system (LMS), can aid learning in non-urban settings where Internet connectivity is low and unreliable
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
When the pandemic rocked the world in 2020, it reflected the existing gaps in various sectors of the society and the loopholes echoed loud. Education was one amongst the worst hit sectors – examinations were postponed, schools and colleges were closed for an indefinite time – the future of learning looked bleak. To combat the effects on the education system, digital mode of instruction became part of the new normal, however, it also exposed the realities with regards to Internet access in rural areas and smaller towns – the digital divide was evident .
Bengaluru-based Tribyte Technologies, a learning management system (LMS), seems to have a solution for this – its offline features can aid learning in non-urban settings where connectivity is low and unreliable.
"Tribyte's offline learning solutions can enable users to continue learning, even during a power outage or while traveling and still keep a track of progress," said Seethaprasad Mandikel, founder and CEO at Tribyte Technologies.
Another key innovation of TriByte's proprietary solution is LearnBox. The LearnBox provides a local Cloud for devices to connect and view learning material without requiring an Internet connection.
"As many as 50-plus users can connect to LearnBox without the need for any Internet. It provides the same user experience with no/low/full connectivity."
Artificial Intelligence is radically changing the landscape of learning and it forms an integral part of Tribyte's solutions. "AI in digital education offers more possibilities for personalized learning than ever before. AI in the near future has the potential to enrich student learning and complement the work of (human) teachers without dispensing with them."
"As futuristic institutions, it is imperative to provide innovative methods to learners which are outcome-focused, while making learning both relevant and engaging. Cross-platform LMS embedded with AI tools, chatbots, adaptive learning, gamification, etc with appropriate user interface (UI) for the target audience are gaining traction," the CEO added.
The recent circumstances have necessitated the need to have alternative modes of quality education whenever and wherever traditional and in-person education modes are impossible.
In order to thrive and reach the remotest of the corners, the education system requires the government's full attention. "The government needs to recognise the importance of leveraging the advantages of technology, more so for easier access to quality education at affordable levels for a larger cross-section of society and addresses the concerns of equity."
The penetration of digital education into the hinterland / rural market is evolving extremely fast. Smart technologies are changing the overall educational framework in the country and providing digital solutions is the need of the hour. The benefits of digital education cannot be leveraged unless the digital divide is eliminated through concerted efforts.