ODiSI is neither an app or just software. It is an open ended, integrated framework bringing together hardware, networking, software components as a technology tool for Education. It also brings in a financial operational model where cost is directly related to outcome instead of capital, operational investments.
ODiSI was created by the OSAAT team in consultation with other industry and education experts.
ODiSI is an acronym for “OSAAT Digital School Infrastructure”.
It is also inspired by the similar sounding dance form, since OSAAT volunteers and supporters have done many a fund raising activity using music and dance.
Phonetically, a variant of the name can mean ‘make them learn’ in Kannada.
You can certainly volunteer. However, we don’t have a formally defined volunteer role for ODiSI specifically. You can volunteer for OSAAT in general and as the program develops, you can select a role like school contact, cluster contact, Subject expert, Marketing, Branding, communications etc.
Most certainly. Both commercial operators (Education technology space) and Not-for-profits can collaborate with OSAAT as part of its ODiSI program
ODiSI was started primarily as COVID19 response, however it fills the greater need of bridging digital gap for rural communities while covering primary education.
When the first wave of pandemic started, there was panic everywhere, everyone was impacted. For urban children, there was partial recovery in some make-shift manner. For rural children, education came to a complete stop. It also started manifesting in many social evils like Girl child marriage, child labor etc. At OSAAT, we realized something had to be done beyond its brick and mortar project, something scalable, sustainable for the longer term. Hence OSAAT started ODiSI
There are indeed many organizations involved in digital intervention programs. It is very much required as well. However, most digital intervention efforts are limited to device, hardware, app give away – with a hope and wish it will work. ODiSI is different in the way it is designed to be sustainable – with components for support, maintenance, finance, outcome measurement, continuous innovation, scalability, etc.
Currently ODiSI has completed nearly 18 months of Proof of Concept in Karnataka Schools. For the academic year 2022-2023, the plan is to expand it to 100-500 schools in Karnataka. If we get suitable opportunities with other state education departements as well as other collaborators, OSAAT will consider expanding to other states. However, in coming years, the plan is to make ODiSI available as a open reference framework for any suitable implementation, anywhere in India and even anywhere else in the world.
ODiSI has a well defined mechanism of tracking impact through both automation of data for analytics as well as manual baselining process. Donors who have adopted specific schools and clusters will have visibility through periodic reports on usage of ODiSI as well as learning outcomes.
ODiSI is not the following:
Both institutions and individuals can donate for ODiSI in the following ways:
Yes. In the USA, OSAAT is a registered non-profit 501 (c) (3) corporation, tax Id: 20 2043649. You can claim tax exemption in accordance with the applicable IRS guidelines. Donors contributing $500 or more will receive an official thank you letter from us. In India, OSAAT Education charitable Trust is registered under IT Act 12AA and donations made are tax deductible under 80G. For more details, please contact [email protected] for details.
At the moment, we do not support such automatic withdrawals from bank accounts or credit cards. We will have that capability in the near future, and will incorporate it on our website.
OSAAT can identify a suitable school which matches the proposed contribution through CSR budget. However, unless a new cluster is formed or a new school within existing cluster is identified, OSAAT cannot start the project for such identified schools.
If you are a corporate donor and would like to donate used computer equipment in bulk, OSAAT can accept it after reviewing and finding a match for its utilization for a given project/school. We cannot accept single units of in-kind gifts due to overheads of refurbishment cost, standardization issues while using singleton hardware units.
The per child per year cost is about $65 (₹4000). This cost works when ODiSI is implemented at scale in a clustered approach. Currently the price is based on un-optimized rack rates of hardware and service delivery expense. With higher volumes, more standardization, OSAAT expects to bring down the cost further in coming years.
There is no administration/management overhead component in the cost. All funds collected towards ODiSI is spent for ODiSI program. Typically, 97% of the funds are spent on direct project expenses (capital and service delivery). Remaining 3% is estimated to be with communication, marketing, promotional cost for ODiSI
With Cost overrun/underrun, the number of students who benefit in subsequent cycles could be impacted (can be more or less) based on fund utilization and expenditure in previous cycles, along with new funds available.
There is no cost/expense to the school or parents other than electricity used to charge devices. The entire cost of the program comes from donor/program funding.
ODiSI uses off the shelf standard components in its implementation. In a way, ODiSI is technology agnostic but intends to deliver certain minimum functionality and outcome by judicious use of technology components. Typical components from current implementation use cases:
ODiSI enables children to use their own devices at home. At School programs do not require BYOD. However, the framework allows extension to use personal devices when available.
OSAAT delivers ODiSI through ‘System Integrators’. Typically, a SI is a Education Technology commercial operator, who is an expert in Education domain, but has sufficient exposure to technology. SI is tasked with installation, training, support and maintenance of ODiSI, including technology as well as pedagogy aspects, as per a well defined Playbook.
ODiSI is primarily a infrastructure framework. Any content, approved by the education department will be accomodated. Corresponding apps (e.g: DIKSHA, Google classroom) will be pre-installed and supported. Teachers are allowed to bring in their own content (YouTube videos, specially curated content, etc.). ODiSI enables Content sharing within the cluster as well. If there are specialized content interventions like English speaking, Mathematics gaming, etc., and if they are approved by the education department, they can be hosted on ODiSI.
OSAAT hopes that is a rare case. In such a situation, even with multiple intervention, consultation, support a school fails in showing improvement and unwilling to use ODiSI, OSAAT will work with education department in re-allocating investments in a different school where chances of success are higher.
Yes. However, in the current phase, OSAAT intends to implement it in rural government schools of India. In principle, the framework can be used and replicated by anyone else in the entire world, for their own school.
When ODiSI is implemented in a cluster, 2 day training workshops are conducted for both teachers and students to enable a quick start for the school. Typically, schools have been productive and have started using ODiSI within 1-2 weeks of training. In addition, regular bi-weekly reviews are conducted to address issues, gaps in understanding, specific challenges school face either with technology or pedagogical application.
