This document discusses using disruptive technology and mobile learning to improve education in Cambodia in a cheaper and faster way. It notes that the current public education system is failing many Cambodian children. It proposes experimenting with providing supplemental education through mobile devices to accelerate learning for motivated students. The first experiments involve setting up mobile learning in school libraries and helping teachers run mobile device rental businesses. The goal is to demonstrate learning gains and find sustainable funding models from donors, sponsors, businesses or cross-subsidization to eventually provide decent education to all Cambodian children for $20 per year. It calls for passionate people to help experiment and find solutions to change education through technology.

1. Cheaper, faster learning
for children in Cambodia

2. Kids in Cambodia are
not learning
“In many ways, it’s worse now than 20 years ago”
- education veteran in Cambodia

3. The public system is
very unlikely to change

4. The private system can
only serve the rich &
middle class.
(and to be honest, most “private” schools are lousy too)

5. With 50% of the
population under 22,
education matters.

6. But often kids are
required to help
earn not learn.

7. Many kids work for $.
20% of kids 5-9
47% of kids 10-14
34% of kids 15-17

8. Oh, and teachers get
paid jack all.
(how does $40-$80 a month sound?)

9. Thoroughly
depressed?

10. Incremental improvement
won’t do.
It’s too slow

11. We need disruptive
improvements.

12. We need to risk
(a lot)

13. Grit is about experimenting
with technology to create
disruptive, scalable models
for education

14. Technology is radically
changing education in 1st
world countries.

15. Why shouldn’t it change
education in poorer “3rd
world” countries?

16. Grit experiment #1:
Mobile learning

17. Some families may not have
running water, toilets or
electricity - but they do
have mobile phones.

18. So, duh -
we find ways to provide
education through the
mobile phone.

19. Mobile phones are getting
smarter and cheaper at an
exponential rate.

20. Meanwhile schools are
remaining static at best.
(and teachers are in
decline)

21. Given all this..

22. Can we provide a decent
education (using mobile
devices) for $20 per child,
per year?
(decent = progress to the next grade next year)

23. We can at least try.

24. Step 1. Provide
supplementary education
through mobile devices

25. i.e. take all the good free
stuff available, translate it,
make it a game, put it on
mobile devices and track
individuals’ learning.

26. Essentially, we copy the
smartest models in the 1st
world and find ways to
make it work in the 3rd
world (cheaply).

27. (Currently it’s not to
replace or mess with the
formal learning in the
classroom)

28. The goal is to give
motivated learners an
opportunity to accelerate
through personalised self
paced learning.

29. That’s all great..
.. but how are poor kids
going to access smart
phones and mobile devices?

30. Got me there.
Well - they’re not (yet).

31. Of course, many have
mobile phones, just not
“smart” phones.
But then again, even “dumb” phones can be turned into “smart” phones these days
(90% of phones that can be turned into cheap e-readers for instance).

32. It’ll take a few more years
for smartphones to reach
poorer rural areas in a
significant way.

33. So we’re starting in urban
and semi-urban areas.

34. And we’re using existing
infrastructure - school
libraries and teachers.

35. Libraries aren’t just for
paper books.
They can now be where
you access mobile learning.

36. We’ve started in a school in
Phnom Penh that serves
kids from tough
backgrounds.

37. Next up is a school in a
provincial town, also
serving vulnerable children.

38. Kids come to the library to
use a smart phone or tablet
device, for up to 60 min.

39. They watch teaching
videos, play relevant games,
take quizzes and help each
other in groups.

40. They earn points to trade
for various things, like
badges, 10 minute of Angry
Birds, prize draws and
possibly even real cash.

41. Meanwhile, we’re watching
everything they do (with
software) - so we can figure
out how we can help them
learn more effectively.

42. Where there are no
libraries, there are still
teachers.

43. And at $40/month pay, you
need other ways of making
some money.

44. So we help them run a little
business to rent out mobile
devices to kids.
Don’t be shocked. It’s normal for teachers to not teach and charge for extra tuition
outside school hours. We’re just expanding their product lines.

45. So who is paying for all
this?

46. Great question.
Forget the government
(even though they should).

47. Our most obvious targets
are the donors and
education providers who
fund based on proven
impact.
Think World Vision, Save the Children, UNESCO, ADB, USAID and so on.

48. They pay for each child we
can objectively
demonstrate has learned by
using our system.

49. Or maybe Joe average
could pay for it through
sponsorship.
(Though I doubt this)

50. There may be reasons for
businesses to be interested
(e.g. telcos)

51. And cross-subsidization
might work (sell to the
rich, give to poor).

52. As you can see,
I don’t really have concrete
answers.

53. It’s very early days.

54. And most of my ideas
won’t work.
(That’s why they’re called experiments)

55. That’s why I need you.

56. Idealism is great.
Ideas are even better.

57. But what we really need,
are people.

58. People who are crazy
enough to believe they can
change things.

59. People who will think till it
hurts, people to do the
work, people to
experiment again and again.

60. Because this is the future
of education.

61. Because what I want for my
kids is what these kids
deserve.

62. So get in touch.
@snowmansam
sam@samng.com