Monday, August 6, 2001		Article

SCHOOLS Online (SOL), a US-based philanthropic organisation, with support from Nortel Networks, launched its Indian chapter last week. SOL is a non-profit public benefit organisation in the USA with a goal to bring the Internet to every school in the world. Since 1996, it has been active in as many as 20 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North and South America.

The organisation is uniquely positioned to narrow the global digital divide and revolutionize learning for today's youth and tomorrow's leaders. Its mission is to help ensure that marginalised and under-served schools worldwide have access to innovative learning tools utilising information and communication technologies.

The organization plans to set up Internet learning centers at 60 schools — 10 each in Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata — during this academic year. The first phase is being launched in July, at 10 schools in Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore. Delhi and Kolkata will follow shortly after. Most selected schools cater to children, who would otherwise find it difficult to gain access to the Internet or other communication technologies.

SOL provides "technology investments" that encourage new ways of learning, community participation and economic development. It also builds human capacity through follow-on activities, such as teacher development, student collaboration, management and evaluation, and Web-based support.

SOL’s technology investments in India are by way of setting up Internet Learning Centres (ILC) in each of these schools. Each ILC is equipped with 10 computers, local area networking, a colour DeskJet printer, a LaserJet printer, a scanner and digital camera. SOL also provides and supports Internet connectivity to these ILCs for one year.

To address teacher development, SOL has a sustained teacher-training program that familiarizes all subject teachers at these schools in Internet technologies. Collaborative projects provide the format for students to communicate with their peers worldwide, on issues that effect their lives today and in the future. These projects could range from creating a Web page, editing a school magazine or directing an online play in which the characters could be ‘play acting’ from as far as South Africa, Japan or the Middle East.

Note: Our regular column Entertainment is being withheld this week due to technical reasons.