Cisco Systems, Inc. has produced hardware known as the Cisco Education Enabled Development (CEED 2700) to Indian educators and students. It will provide two-way video communication for teachers in India to reach students miles away, using Wi-Fi. According to Aravind Sitaraman, President of Inclusive Growth, Cisco Systems, CEED will transform education so that the under-privileged will have access to quality education at a low cost.
Codenamed ‘Dwara,’ this is the latest in cloud-based education. It is one of Cisco’s first solutions to ‘Internet of Everything’ in India. It will connect the unconnected, and provide access to expert trainers and quality teachers that are only available in cities. It will allow for developments in skills and education for students in rural India.
“We have managed to virtualise the teacher and bring good education into the reach of aspirant poor and lower middle class. India will be a young country and we need to focus on high quality education,” said Aravind. He hopes to achieve inclusive growth and bridge the rural-urban gap, so that, by 2050, India might become a developed country.
The hardware will be initially tested for two years at nine schools and four hostels. Set-up and technical support will also be provided by Cisco. The product has a built-in router that will provide a Wi-Fi access point. “We plan to sell 400 machines in the next six months. Dwara will cost a school approximately 1$ per student per month with a minimum strength of 200,” Aravind said.
Creative Commons Love: woueb on Flickr.com
Comments
About the Author
