April 4, 2015: Education has always played a pivotal roles in society, from changing the mindset to improving the standard of living. Education bought a much needed sanity to an otherwise messed up world. Spreading the education in under-developed and developing nations has always been the challenge, although awareness in recent years bought people towards education. But lack of resources has made parents to pull their children's towards work at very young age. Those tiny hands supposed to carry the pen are serving the tea. Five students at Oberlin College found an opportunity in this global challenge, they took the task in their hands to make a meaningful impact on global education, so they came up with an idea to connect classrooms across the world through a Bright Orange Box and a video Pen-Pal program and they named it LumenEd.
What is Bright Orange Box?
The Bright Orange Box is a 7 inch touchscreen box with 500 lumen projecting capability. The box has ability to record 1080p videos from it's back camera and dual microphones. The box has inbuilt WiFi and 3G GSM Modem which can act as a router to provide internet to classrooms in remote locations. This provide unique opportunity for the 90% of classrooms in developing countries without internet. The inbuilt 77Wh battery provides back up of 3 hours and can charge through solar charging unit or traditional wall unit.
The video Pen Pal program allows to connect the classrooms across the globe like never before through the short and simple videos they can record and share from box. This also allow students explore cultural similarities and differences both inside and outside the classroom. Developed nations can share the videos through their iOS and Android devices from their classrooms through a simple app.
LumenEd will become an another case study of how technology has changed the face and contours of modern 21st century teaching and learning if their idea succeeds.
Their New Bright Box scheduled to enter the classrooms in India, Ghana and Senegal in Summer 2015. Their pilot program in New Delhi in collaboration with 'Teach for India' already doing wonders.
If you like their idea and want to help them succeed, you can support them here on Kickstarter.
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