Digital technology is an integral component of Pratham’s initiatives, seamlessly integrated into all its programs to overcome barriers of geography, infrastructure, and resources, while enhancing learning and engagement. Pratham leverages innovative technology and digital content to enhance learning beyond basics and foster a community-wide learning environment for children.

Key objectives of the program:

  • Innovation through technology: Developing and testing products and programs that leverage AI to reach low-resource communities.
  • Scaling impact: Driving the adoption of products and the Open Learning model within the education ecosystem through partnerships with state governments, organisations and individuals.
  • Resource development: Developing audio-visual resources tailored to the unique demands of different Pratham programs.

PRATHAM-SHAH PRADIGI INNOVATION CENTRE (INDIA)

The Pratham-Shah PraDigi Innovation Centre, also known as PraDigi Centre (India), was established to develop an open learning model designed to foster lifelong learning and equip children and youth with essential skills for school, life, and work. It is an extension of the international Pratham-Shah PraDigi Innovation Centre set up in Pratham USA with anchor support from the Sarva Mangal Family Trust of USA.

The centre aims to leverage technology to transform educational experiences and to create engaging, supportive, contextual, and relevant learning environments. It supports this vision through innovations like the Creativity Club program and tools like the AI-powered BaalSakhi chatbot and the recently launched PadhAI app, among others.

The approach is aimed at breaking down barriers by providing children, youth, and women with access to diverse content and learning choices.

To support this, Pratham recognises three major curriculum buckets:

LEARNING FOR SCHOOL

This focuses on scholastic subjects, which include early years education and learning to read, write, and think. These skills are crucial for building children's confidence and dignity among their peers.

LEARNING FOR WORK

This equips adolescents and youth with the skills and knowledge needed for employment and livelihoods.

LEARNING FOR LIFE

This encompasses skills and knowledge that are a part of lifelong learning like transferable skills, interests, hobbies, and creativity. These also include life skills but are not limited to them. It emphasises environmental awareness, physical and mental well-being, and extends learning beyond scholastic subjects.

Independent

Learning Tools

The PraDigi Centre designs and develops technology solutions, content, and applications to serve both individuals and programs.

Some of its innovative products and resources include:

  • BaalSakhi (AI-powered chatbot): To provide personalised and on demand support for early childhood care and education, the centre launched BaalSakhi. With expert-vetted resources, this ChatGPT-based bot delivers immediate answers tailored to the unique needs of parents and caregivers.
  • PadhAI (AI-enabled reading assessment app): The centre recently launched PadhAI, an AI-powered solution designed to support children’s reading development in low-resource communities, especially in areas with unreliable or no internet access. The app leverages custom-built Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology to deliver real-time, data-driven reading assessments. By evaluating key metrics such as the number of words read correctly per minute, PadhAI provides instant feedback to help educators and caregivers understand a child’s reading proficiency.

BaalSakhi Chatbot

PadhAI App

By harnessing technology, the centre remains committed to developing innovative products and programs that empower learners and communities to thrive in an increasingly digital world. Ongoing initiatives include a tech-assisted English Learning Program, currently in the pilot phase. The centre also leverages AI-based technologies for content creation and translations to meet the growing needs of digital content production across various Pratham programs.

THE OPEN LEARNING MODEL

Pratham began its digital initiatives in 2015 with the Hybrid Learning program. This program was an experiment to understand the implications of placing technology (mainly tablets) in the hands of children aged 10-14. It also focused on encouraging community ownership of children's learning outcomes by extending education beyond the confines of schools. Insights from this experimentation paved the way for the formation of the PraDigi Centre in 2020.

Taking this learning forward, the Open Learning Model was developed. It emphasised the integration of the following three components:

  • Social structure: Children learn from a variety of resources around them, not just schools. 
  • Digital infrastructure: Providing necessary technology or leveraging existing technology to facilitate learning.
  • Learning content: Ensuring access to freely available learning resources. This enables children to acquire different skills at their own pace and based on their interests. To support this, the centre built Pratham Open School, an online open repository.

The Open Learning Program is rooted in the observation that children learn through the 4EX approach:

Expose

learning by observing

Explore

learning by engaging

Experiment

learning by doing

Exchange

learning by sharing

This approach recognises that all children can be introduced to basic knowledge and skills, some may choose to delve deeper through exploration, and a few can advance even further, if resources allow. This tiered understanding forms the foundation of the program, ensuring that every child has the chance to learn at their own pace and according to their interests and potential.

PROJECTS, TOOLS, AND PROGRAMS DEVELOPED BY PRADIGI CENTRE

CREATIVITY CLUB PROGRAM

Stemming from the need for choice-based learning in an open environment, this program fosters creative learning for children (aged 10-14 years) and youth (aged 14-18 years), developing their critical thinking and problem-solving competencies. It operates on three levels:

The All-Some-Few Aproach

  • Young volunteers and teachers establish clubs (groups of children) in schools and communities. Pratham shares thematic challenges around STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Art, Environment, and Sports through a WhatsApp network of volunteers and teachers with 'All' clubs. Children make projects based on their interests and submit them on the Creativity Club portal.
  • These projects are then screened, and 'Some' children who show more interest participate in higher order activities organised through theme-based workshops or melas.
  • 'Few' children who indicate exceptional interest and are inclined to pursue further are provided with direct interaction with experts and specialised institutions, wherever possible. This exposure or interaction is made possible via collaborations with partners from various fields. 
  • 'Few' children who indicate exceptional interest and are inclined to pursue further are provided with direct interaction with experts and specialised institutions, wherever possible. This exposure or interaction is made possible via collaborations with partners from various fields. 

The centre aims to scale the Open Learning Model through Creativity Clubs by partnering with various Pratham programs, government bodies, and other institutions.

YOUTHNET

This program, developed by the PraDigi Centre, is grounded in Pratham’s ‘Education for Education’ initiative for its youth and volunteers leading various educational activities for children in their communities, such as School Readiness, Foundational Learning Camps, Kitchen Garden and Creativity Clubs.

Under this initiative, the YouthNet portal offers online courses for ‘All’ youth in career awareness, digital literacy, health and environment awareness, as well as introductory vocational courses. ‘Some’ interested youth can also connect with Pratham’s Vocational Skilling centres and Community Training Camps. The aim of the program is to instill a sense of ownership and responsibility in the youth towards their communities’ socio-economic health.

CONTACT

Write to us at digital@pratham.org