It may look like your average film projector, but according to Cisco, their new cloud-based solution code named Dwara might just be able to solve a lot of educational woes in the country.
It may look like your average film projector, but according to Cisco, their new cloud-based solution code named Dwara might just be able to solve a lot of educational woes in the country. Dwara, which was unveiled in Bangalore on Wednesday, is a Cisco Education-Enabled Development (CEED 2700) solution. The box will be able to connect qualified teachers in specific centres in the city to project their classes live to several schools in real time.
What makes it unique is the fact that students sitting in classes will be able to directly interact with the teacher. The box also comes with its own Wifi access point, a computer, projection device, speakers router and a camera.
“We have been able to virtualise the teacher. India is going to be a young country for a long time and we need to provide good education for the children. We are trying to reach the aspirant poor and the lower-middle class and possibly work towards those who are below poverty line,” said Aravind Sitaraman, president, Inclusive Growth, Cisco Systems.
The product was pilot tested for two years in nine schools and four hostels in Hoskote, Shimoga and Raichur.
According to Sitaraman, the drop out rates for these schools came down over time due to the system.
“Students using the product will be able to share a single internet connection and also be able to take home many of the videos to review.” While he was not forthcoming with how much the overall equipment cost, Sitaraman said it would cost about `50-60 per student per month for a school whose strength is at least 200.
“We are also connected with NGOs to provide the content and the qualified teachers for the classes. We will provide the entire ecosystem,” he said. Sitaraman said they group would set up the product and it is designed in such a manner that it comes with a built in UPS and is built to withstand extreme conditions and temperatures.
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