Data price drop just one of five steps required
THIS week, the Competition Commission made a big announcement regarding forcing large mobile networks to cut their data prices by between 30-50% in the next two months or face prosecution.
After the #DataMustFall movement, this is the most serious development yet in making the internet more affordable for all South Africans.
Recent research released by broadband market analyst firm Cable.co.uk revealed that SA ranks just 143 out of 230 countries when it comes to affordable data costs.
Lower costs will therefore not only make life easier for South Africans when it comes to communicating, but it will also benefit education by further democratising access to information.
However, lowering data costs should be just the first step in leveraging the internet to make quality education more accessible.
Here are four further steps:
1 Making data completely free for learning
Local mobile networks should also be encouraged to make data costs free for specific e-learning websites.
We’ve become accustomed to local networks “zero-rating” several online services such as WhatsApp, Facebook and even Wikipedia.
It’s clear then that mobile networks have the capability to roll out this free access to a niche set of applications and platforms while still earning revenue from all other online offerings.
2 Taking online learning offline with apps
E-learning smartphone apps also have a role to play boosting education by taking online learning “offline”.
By using e-learning smartphone apps, learners can update their content when in a free wi-fi zone, such as at their school or even a shopping mall.
Once at home, these learners can then run that content directly off their smartphones.
3 Structuring unstructured e-learning content
Making e-learning as cheap as possible is just the first hurdle to overcome to empower the digital learning experience in South Africa. There’s a further need to create more structured e-learning platforms.
While there’s a lot of learning material for many school subjects on platforms such as Khan Academy and YouTube, it can still be difficult to find exactly what you’re looking for.
It can be challenging, for instance, when it comes to searching for content part of a CAPS aligned curriculum. In an ideal world where data costs are falling or even free, the case for using paid-for e-learning options – which structure this content – becomes more feasible.
4 Rethinking learning and the classroom
Finally, teachers need to have a good understanding of what’s out there when it comes to e-learning so they can direct learners in the classroom to relevant online content to help them enhance their learning.
Teachers also need to understand the power of apps and which apps can deliver the most value to their learners.
E-learning can also assist in supplementing learning in the classroom by providing lessons from other top-quality teachers in the country.
It’s clear then that internet technology can bring unlimited benefits to learners in South Africa. Lowering data prices is just the first key step in truly unlocking this medium.