About Colombia:
Colombia, a country marked by profound geographical and socio-economic contrasts, has faced significant challenges in education, particularly in rural areas with limited connectivity and resources. This case study examines the implementation of 42 solar-powered digital classrooms as an innovative solution to transform education in remote regions. These classrooms are enhancing teaching quality within school communities and promoting sustainable educational inclusion in a context of unequal access.
Educational Challenges Before Implementation:
In a country where 76% of the population lives in urban areas, rural regions face significant challenges, including poor infrastructure, limited accessibility, and a lack of technological devices. Connectivity issues and an unstable power grid further exacerbate these difficulties, making it hard for rural students to access educational resources that are readily available to their urban peers. This disparity has created a significant educational gap, where city students enjoy far more opportunities and resources than those in rural communities. In this context, a solution was needed to bridge this gap by connecting and empowering rural communities through digital education.
Project Implementation:
The project was an initiative led by the Colombian national government, aimed at enhancing the quality of education in the country, particularly in rural areas. SunColombia SAS was the company responsible for its implementation. It involved the creation of 42 solar-powered interactive classrooms in rural regions, including César, Agustín Codazzi, La Jagua de Ibiricó, Becerril, Bolívar, San Pablo, Cantagallo, Valle del Cauca, La Paz, Pradera, San Diego, Antioquia, and Yondó. This initiative benefited 530 teachers and more than 2,000 students across different educational levels, including primary, secondary, and vocational education, providing them with a more interactive and resource-rich learning environment despite the connectivity challenges.
Of the 42 schools covered by the project, only 2 had internet access, though with an intermittent and unreliable connection. The remaining 40 were completely disconnected, leaving students and teachers without access to digital resources that could support modern learning. However, with the installation of solar-powered classrooms, the project created new opportunities for integrating technology into education, even in regions without stable connectivity. The project progressed through three distinct stages, each with specific development objectives:
- Stage A: Initial site visits were conducted to assess the feasibility and suitability of installing interactive classroom facilities.
- Stage B: This stage involved preparation of the area, foundation, perimeter sidewalks, and access ramps.
- Stage C: Focused on delivering comprehensive training and technological upgrades to enhance the educational infrastructure.
Each classroom was equipped with 30 tablets, a laptop, 5 smartphones paired with 5 VR headsets, an interactive whiteboard, a sound system, and a C3 Micro-Cloud. These technological additions are essential for establishing a modern, interactive learning environment, which is integral to the success of the educational initiative.
Transitioning from these technical advancements, the educational benefits were underscored by Plinio Restrepo Prada, Rector of Instituto Superior Maria Reina de Mitu, who remarked: “This educational proposal is an inclusive initiative that involves the entire educational community, incorporating fundamental elements for acquiring skills useful for the 21st century. It allows for diversification of the teaching-learning process and innovation in pedagogical processes, contributing to reducing the digital divide our country faces, promoting innovation and educational quality through the incorporation of different technological devices. For us, teachers, this type of training is extremely important as it enhances the teachers’ abilities to strengthen their pedagogical and teaching-learning processes through the technological resources available in the classroom,” he concluded.
The C3 Micro-Cloud
Each classroom received a C3 Micro-Cloud to leverage the potential of user devices such as tablets, smartphones, laptops, and an interactive whiteboard. This advanced solution contributed to overcoming the critical connectivity challenges faced by 40 schools and also ensured a better experience in the 2 schools with limited connectivity. With the C3 Micro-Cloud, a safe and efficient digital environment was created, and as a result, teachers had more resources to create engaging classes, with access to more than 190 GB of curated content, among other educational applications and a Learning Management System.
All of this, combined with statistical analysis, allows teachers to monitor student performance in detail, analyzing which content is most accessed and identifying areas of excellence as well as those needing additional support. This data-driven approach enables the creation of personalized learning strategies that address each student’s specific needs. Moreover, the ability to access content offline not only addresses connectivity issues but also reduces exposure to online threats, ensuring a safer and more controlled learning environment.
Together with the client and the partner, a package of educational content and applications was created to enrich the learning experience by providing access to a wide range of resources that meet the needs of students and teachers. The content package includes:
- Colombia Aprende: A dynamic educational portal offering thousands of resources tailored for students and teachers, covering all grade levels from kindergarten to secondary education.
- Pruebas Saber: A question bank featuring over 6,000 items from past national examinations to help assess student knowledge and skills.
- Wikipedia: A vast, collaborative online encyclopedia offering free access to millions of articles on a wide range of topics, providing reliable and easily accessible information for both students and educators.
- Wiktionary: A multilingual, collaborative online dictionary that offers definitions, translations, etymologies, and pronunciation guides.
- Khan Academy: Self-paced instructional videos and exercises in Math, Science, Chemistry, and Biology.
- Enciclopedia Gran Consultor: A comprehensive reference encyclopedia designed to support students and educators with reliable, in-depth content, promoting independent research and continuous learning.
- PHET Simulations: Simulations designed to enhance the learning of science and mathematics concepts, flexible for use as lecture demonstrations, labs, or homework activities.
- Intel Education Resources: A portal offering a variety of educational resources and animations focused on STEM subjects.
- Blockly Games: An educational platform that introduces programming concepts through interactive games, using a block-based coding system to help beginners learn the fundamentals of programming in a fun and engaging way.
- WorldMap: An interactive worldwide map with zoom capabilities;
- Micro:bit: A platform that helps kids learn basic coding and programming skills, enabling them to build projects like a fitness watch and retro mobile games such as “Snake”.
- Moodle: Courses on various topics such as office automation, ICT, English, post-conflict studies, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
- Scratch: A visual programming language that enables students to create interactive stories and games by snapping together code blocks; WordPress: A user-friendly content management system that allows users to easily create and manage websites and blogs.
Commenting on the impact of this initiative, educational advisor Julián Gamboa highlighted: “The integration of materials from the Colombian Ministry of Education is propelling the country’s remote regions toward improved educational outcomes and opportunities that were previously accessible only to urban students.” He added: “This progress is playing a crucial role in reducing educational disparities,” underscoring the importance of the project for inclusion and equity in education. “Teachers use the content of the C3 Micro-Cloud recurrently, taking advantage of its features and tools to create and support lessons in various areas.”
Usage Statics:
The usage statistics of the C3 Micro-Cloud in each school are collected monthly. For the two schools with internet access, the statistics are gathered automatically. For the remaining schools without internet, a designated teacher downloads the data onto a USB drive and travels to a location with internet access to upload the file to the project manager. The manager then uploads the file to the C3 Cloud Control, ensuring that all statistics are updated and accurately reflected.
Training and Support
The project included a teacher training program designed to empower them to integrate new digital resources into their teaching practices. This intensive program included a 20-hour module over three days, covering:
- Module 1: Leadership and Communication
- Module 2: Internet Navigation
- Module 3: Educational Entrepreneurship
- Module 4: Learning Environment Management
In addition to technical training, webinars were conducted to help teachers gain confidence in using the C3 Micro-Cloud, providing a concise overview of available tools and fostering a collaborative environment.
Virtual meetings were also held with institutional leaders to discuss shared experiences and support strategies.
Impact on Students and Teachers
The implementation of digital classrooms in rural schools in Colombia has had a significant impact. Teachers have observed a noticeable increase in student interest and motivation. Students now enjoy more dynamic, engaging learning experiences.
Alexander Contreras, a teacher at the Antonio Galu Educational Institution in Lafori, stated: “I want to sincerely thank the various entities involved in this project. It is immensely important to us, not only from an educational perspective but also for personal growth. These tools and resources make it easier for us to engage in our pedagogical work with our students. We are deeply grateful for this outstanding project.”
Karen Díaz, a primary teacher at the San Miguel del Tigre Rural Educational Institution in Yondó, shared: “We recognized this tool as a means to enrich each subject area. It allows us to integrate different content areas by using various modules, activities, games, and applications. I believe it will benefit both students and teachers by making classes more engaging, interesting, interactive, and reflective.”
Leimer Calderón, a teacher from the Jondo Antioquia municipality, commented: “I consider the C3 Micro-Cloud tool to be very complete; it is excellent for carrying out activities and preparations to work with students.”
These testimonials demonstrate the widespread enthusiasm for the project and the transformation brought about in teaching and learning dynamics.
Conclusions and Future Impact
The digital classroom project has made a significant contribution to education in rural Colombian communities. By providing access to advanced technologies and curated educational content, it has promoted inclusion, equality, and educational excellence.
The promising initial results highlight increased student motivation and improved teacher performance. Ensuring the sustainability and future expansion of the C3 Micro-Cloud model is essential to continuing these benefits. Strategic public-private partnerships, updated policies, and cross-sector collaboration are key to replicating and scaling the initiative.
The outlook remains optimistic. This initiative not only enhances educational opportunities but also connects students to global knowledge, helping to build a more equitable and enriched future for all.
