Students have little choice but to embrace digital solutions to keep learning afloat but remote learning supported by internet is not affordable in Kenya. Proposed innovation leverages on assets of cyber home-based learning and brings about private meaningful learning experiences that connect to learners’ home environment using available devices in home environment.
Though a sizeable population of low-income families in Kenya own either a tablet, laptop, desktop or a smart phone, remote learning supported by internet highlights an economic problem due to high costs of internet connection in Kenya. Proposed innovation converts cyber kiosks in remote centers to offer a cyber home learning system that provides offline digital learning materials to be disseminated, shared and uploaded in available hardware. The project target primary and high school students in Kenya and encourages self-directed learning amongst students to bridge education divide. The offline digital learning materials are packaged by trained Kenyan teachers. These teachers will provide guidance and feedback to students via phone enabled short messages to encourage cognitive engagement and promote active learning; provide guidance to parents to help engage students and create a joined-up approach, in which parents and caregivers can reinforce the work the teachers are doing.
Following COVID 19 disruptions &school closures, 5 cyber kiosks in rural town centers of Nakuru, Kenya were converted to offer a cyber home learning system that disseminate and share offline digital learning materials with students from low-income households via use of available hardware. These materials in-form of study-pack kits (Science and Social studies) were developed by trained teachers in an easy-to-follow language packaged with illustrations & notes and backed with a SMS based student- teachers feedback platform to encourage cognitive engagement and promote active learning. 2703 students & 746 parents benefited from this solution. The solution encourages self-directed learning amongst students & creates a joined-up approach, in which parents reinforce the work teachers are doing.
During the innovation pilot period, the participating cyber kiosks developed a large clientele base of parents and students which has motivated the cyber kiosks operators to continue disseminating cyber home offline digital student self-learning materials. Those interested can reach SIXKNM via sixknm2012@yahoo.com
