Smile
for Tanzania education
Since the dawn of mankind, human
beings have sat down together, trying to learn from each other. In time, the act
of learning became institutionalized, and schools in all kinds of disciplines
emerged. In the last couple of centuries nothing much changed – students
gathered around their teachers, who taught whatever knowledge they possessed.
The source of knowledge was limited to that of the teacher and to the, often insufficient,
amounts of books available. In other words, knowledge geographically limited.
This is
about to change in a very radical way with the introduction of 4G LTE in the
classrooms of schools around the world – Tanzania included.
4G LTE
opens the door for faster access to worldwide
information and educational content, allowing schools and universities to
enjoy video-lectures, how-to educational videos, the latest articles,
information and knowledge.
The
search for knowledge will no longer be confined to what the teacher knows – it
can be sought online, any time of the day, any day of the week, all year, every
year.
In Dar es
Salaam’s Feza School, which holds a nursery, primary and secondary education for 1076 boys and
girls, the administrator Salim
A. Abeid told The Guardian about the school’s use of 4G LTE broadband internet
provided by Smile Communications.
“At the
moment we have 71 computers connected to Smile Communications’ 4G LTE network
and we are successfully implementing the use of the internet in various
classes”, the headmaster explains. “We start teaching computer- and internet literacy at standard one and we
have specific computer classes where the children first learn the basics about
computers and then are taught to use the internet in various ways – mainly to
improve their general knowledge on different subjects.”
The headmaster also told The Guardian that Google
was a favorite when looking for answers, but that the children also have good
knowledge on using Wikipedia, Yahoo and various online encyclopedias in their
search for knowledge.
Salim A. Abeid says that both the teachers and the students
are very eager users of the internet, which Mr. Abeid considers a cost
effective and flexible source of knowledge.
“I hope the future will bring a solid
IT-foundation for Tanzania so we can develop expertise of our own” Mr. Abeid concludes.
Drawing
on experience from abroad, it seems like 4G LTE is already making an impact. Connection
a learning institution to Smile Communications’ superfast 4G LTE broadband
internet can revolutionize learning with innovative e-learning opportunities
and enable schools to share expertise with students and other learning
institutions, well beyond classroom walls.
Another benefit seems to be more mobile productivity, especially for
higher learning institutions like universities. With the help of a superfast
connection they can cultivate collaboration and communication off-campus
between faculty and students, making the learning situation more flexible – if
every student and teacher had access to 4G LTE, the schools facilities would –
at least in theory – become obsolete because of the possibility of making
crystal clear video calls.
Speaking of which, online video calls can also be used to create new teaching
formulas. A top lecturer or professor is no longer geographically limited to
his auditorium – or even to the university premises. Equipped with a 4G LTE
connection and a webcam, he or she can reach thousands and thousands of
students – worldwide. Harvard University, the oldest and most respected institution
of higher learning in the United States, is currently introducing free online
video-lectures for anyone interested.
And it doesn’t have to be a one-way learning situation. Since 4G LTE
works without a lag a live podcast can enable students to post questions and
feedback online and get answers right away. Another benefit is the green
footprint 4G LTE brings. In the universities where 4G LTE has been implemented,
paperwork has fallen significantly.
With the introduction of its 4G LTE broadband internet service in Dar es
Salaam, Smile Communications is bringing the future to Tanzanian education.
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