One Media Player per Teacher (OMPT) is a collaborative initiative with
several non government organizations (NGOs) to select portable media
players, speakers, battery powered video
projectors and power generators (solar and human kinetic) for possible
deployment to international educational development projects. OMPT
specifically targets teachers and students in remote areas in the third
world, many of whom are far away from the reach of the Internet.
One
goal of OMPT is to raise the awareness of the power of connecting
people to crucial information that can improve health, education, and
employment opportunities. If every teacher in the developing world had
access to professional training and a portable media player, people's
lives, even in the remotest of areas would be enriched. Utilizing the
EDC's excellent training materials and educational content coupled with
portable media players as the delivery mechanism for the educational
material, teachers can deploy effective and compelling content that can
improve the lives of their students. Whether it be AIDS awareness,
health education, career training or just the basics, OMPT can bring
portable education to thousands of people who otherwise have no other
choices available to them.
Since
the late 1970's EDC has been using audio and video (and more recently,
digital) content to aid teachers in classrooms and in their own
professional development. Today these media-based lessons are often
very small digital audio files that are shared via the Internet and
delivered over the radio or on small, low-cost portable media players.
For example, in Haiti, the teachers use 4 lessons each week delivered
by radio.
In
more developed economies, we have seen the rapid spread of portable
media players (PMPs) and downloadable audio files, including music,
books, podcasts, and more. We already take these incredible
developments for granted. Our primary use of these files is for casual
entertainment. Few have considered the profound effect that PMPs and
audio files can have in delivering educational content in the
developing world. Rather than simply entertain, these same devices have
the potential to save lives, alleviate suffering, and improve the
quality of life by educating and training scores of people. This is the
goal of OMPT.
Teachers
in developing nations need more resources. May it be pre-school,
primary, secondary or university; teachers are rare and under qualified
in most developing nations. Adult education, professional development
and agricultural extension represent more teaching opportunities where
PMPs can help.
OMPT
hopes to prompt 'in-kind" contributions of hardware and software from
manufacturers. OMPT will also seek financial contributions from the
private sector.