We all know that in some regions it is extremely difficult to meet basic needs such as safe water and electricity, but the lack of connectivity is just as serious. This not only affects people's ability to stay informed, but also to learn. The Kolibri project aims to tackle the challenge of "education without the Internet" with an offline platform that is easy to update, does not require advanced hardware, and offers integrated tools for both teachers and students.
The global education gap
Educational systems around the globe and the web still need to find more common ground. The amount of free material available to students and teachers is impressive, but there is also a huge gap represented by the lack of connectivity. The numbers are stark: Nearly 60 percent of the world's population has no Internet, and one in three children lacks access to formal education.
A great science fiction writer anticipated in the late '80s the development of a vast information network, and the possibility that every child and adult would have their "personal school," where they could learn everything that interests them, at their own pace. Almost three decades later, the limits of Internet connections are delaying that prediction, but fortunately there are parallel projects trying to fill the void.
How Kolibri works
One of them is Kolibri. The main goal of Kolibri is to create a completely offline digital education platform, without needing traditional infrastructure to function. It all starts with a device that serves as a "source," capable of receiving relevant updates through a stable connection. That source distributes content to other devices via peer-to-peer connections or using a typical LAN network, and in the case of the most remote schools, new material arrives under the concept of "sneakernet", that is, with the physical transport of an updated device.
However, the story doesn't end there. Those interested will have the possibility of customizing their education program with Kolibri and following the progress of their students, but there will also be room for special organizations, which will be able to create their own channels with tailored content.
Funding and future plans
The people behind the Kolibri project are seeking half a million dollars in donations to start distributing Android tablets preconfigured with Kolibri, and to develop apps compatible with Windows, OS X and Linux, among other things. If all goes well, the official launch of Kolibri will be next year, and in 2018 they expect to bring ten million students onto the platform. Do you want to contribute? The official link is below.
