O-lab educational app supports students in rural areas in Colombia

22 / 02 / 2021

By Marwa Nassar - -

O-Lab educational application was developed by Tania Rosas, a Colombian education advocate and a United Nations Young Leader, to support children and young people in rural or marginalized communities in Colombia.

Rosas hoped to improve learning outcomes for disadvantaged communities in her country, with a digital application tailored to their specific needs.

Rosas is the founder of El Origen, a foundation that provides at-risk youth with a second chance at education. O-lab, the app developed by El Origen, is adapted for indigenous students, who have some of the world’s lowest education attainment levels.

The O-lab app allows children and young people from rural or marginalized communities to gain access to a range of educational materials that are appropriate for their age, and approved by local schools or educational institutions close to them.

The key advantage of this app, is that it works with or without an internet connection, so that it meets the particular needs of each student.

Pupils can take part in the courses that their classroom teacher gives them access to. To learn how to use the application there is a tutorial in Spanish, in English and another in the Wayuunaiki language, the most widely spoken indigenous language in Colombia.

It has long been evident that many children in urban areas are able to access electronic devices, whilst children from rural areas are being left behind. It is important to distribute equipment more widely.

El Origen is working with the Ministry of Education and international organizations, to donate tablets to community schools, which they, in turn, distribute to their students.

Many students, especially in high school, already have cell phones. The app is designed to work on these devices, even very cheap ones.A

In a UN interview, Rosas expressed her firm belief that inclusive digital education is the solution to bridging many of the world’s economic, social and educational gaps.

“It is not enough to give the internet to everyone, you have to create specific tools that are customizable, and their impact must be measurable. We must think in terms of communities when we create technology, and not simply build generic tools, with a community aspect bolted on later.”

“My interest in finding customized solutions to the educational crisis is the result of observing the many shortcomings in this area, such as the marginalization of children and young people from the most vulnerable communities.”