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- Bridgeit
November 2006
"Bridgeit is truly unique, not only demonstrating how advanced mobile technology can be used for educational purposes, but also how the public, civil society, and private sectors can cooperate successfully both at the local and global level. We hope our example stimulates others to search for mobile solutions that can deliver content and services to people who might not otherwise have access to them."
- Veli Sundback, Executive Vice President, Corporate Relations & Responsibility
Imagine a group of elementary school students in a rural village on the Philippine island of Mindanao, intently watching a colorful video on plant and animal life as part of their science class. Afterward, they talk about what they've learned, guided by their teacher, and then go outside to begin creating a terrarium.
This dramatically different learning experience is the result of Bridgeit, an innovative education program that seeks to bridge the digital divide in order to bring interactive multi-media learning materials and enhanced teaching skills into the classrooms of schools within the developing world.
What is Bridgeit?
Bridgeit recognizes that young people thrive when they have the education and skills to lead productive lives. To help support young people during their crucial developmental years, Bridgeit aims to develop a cost-effective way of providing rich education content to schools in developing countries through the use of innovative mobile technology, curricula, and teacher training in the classroom.
Bridgeit combines existing mobile products and satellite technologies to deliver digital, multimedia materials to teachers and students who otherwise would not have access to them. In practice, teachers use mobile phones to access a library of science, math, and English videos. Once selected, videos are downloaded via satellite to a digital video recorder connected to a television in the classroom. Through Bridgeit, distance learning programs are immediately accessible to teachers and students.
The program is implemented through a unique cooperative partnership between Nokia, the International Youth Foundation, Pearson, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The importance of this cooperation extends to local program partners; Globe, Seameo-Innotech, Ayala Foundation, Chikka, PMSI.
