The DRM Consortium, in cooperation with St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School in the Gambian capital, Banjul, has conducted its first public demonstration of an innovative project to deliver education at a distance via radio on April 8th.
In a Gambian, African and world first for digital radio, a maths lesson from the Encompass Media Services Woofferton transmitting station in the UK was broadcast (on 15390kHz and 21740kHz), over 4,000 kilometers to The Gambia. A group of 15-year-old students received audio and text lessons transmitted via DRM shortwave. The content was made available to their tablets, mobiles through a local Wi-Fi connection to the radio.
The demonstration showcased the ability of DRM digital radio to deliver lessons in multiple languages as the key audio lessons were in English followed by two AI-generated versions in French and German.
A central component of the broadcast, alongside the audio, was a digital textbook (Journaline), showcasing how the lesson content — including graphics — can be made available in several languages, both as a live accompaniment and for on-demand access.
The on-demand use for the distance transmitted lessons (the cached lessons) was shown at the public event held at the St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School in the presence of other students, teachers, VIPs and the press.
As the technology only requires a single transmitter thousands of miles or kilometres away, the lessons can be delivered entirely remotely or supported by teachers locally; this proved that educational content can be delivered, without the need of IP or internet.
The revolutionary new application of Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) technology is designed to remove barriers to education for populations most in need worldwide. The technology also has applications in areas such as medicine and religious education.
The tablets used for this e-learning demonstration were donated to the school in Banjul as part of the commitment to supporting continued learning and access to technology by the DRM Consortium and the key members which supported this ground-breaking demonstration.
They were Encompass Digital Media, Fraunhofer IIS, Starwaves, TDF and other DRM members. The demonstration was supported in Banjul by Johannes von Weyssenhoff (DRM Technical Committee chairman), Guido Leisker (specialist in Fraunhofer IIS technology), Janette Daramy (DRM Education Project Manager) and by Steve Palmer, Paul Firth and the Encompass technicians involved in the UK transmission, as well as the St. Joseph’s school principal, Hannah Coker, teacher Mohammed Zakaria, by QTV, their receptive students a local TV station, Radio Veritas, and many more whose behind-the-scenes contributions were just as valuable and to which we send our sincere thanks.*
Hannah Coker, the St. Joseph’s school principal said that she
“was happy we could be the first school in the world to show how technology can empower our students and offer education at a distance when the internet or even electricity is not available. We have created the model for so many communities in Africa and the world.”
For Johannes von Weyssenhoff:
“to see in practice, in a West African country, how content was delivered to learners via tablets connected to available DRM radios that opened a Wi-Fi hotspot — providing access without the need for internet, was not only a clear demonstration of the power of digital radio but also very emotional. The DRM e-learning project was the result of commitment, hard work and absolute belief in the many benefits that the flexible and versatile DRM standard can bring to all wherever they are.”
According to the DRM Chairman, Ruxandra Obreja:
“this momentous demonstration showcased the power of innovation in education. It proved how education, training and information can reach everyone as digital radio DRM can clearly deliver education transforming and uplifting communities.
Please consider partnering with DRM digital radio so we can prove its power to deliver learning for all beyond hashtags and pledges with real action and impact.”
If you are interested in providing distance education via DRM in your own country and to follow the latest developments of this DRM e-learning project, please check:
news.drm.org, e-learning.drm.org, or contact: projectoffice@drm.org.
*Special thanks go to our partners and great supporters locally: the St. Joseph’s school principal, Hannah Coker and teachers Mam Marie Greywood and Mohammed Zakaria, Ousman Bah, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Louis Moses Mendy, Permanent Secretary, Emil V Kujabi, Education Secretary, Catholic Education Secretariat, Rev. Fr. Sawyer Mbokeh, Youth Chaplain representative of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Banjul, Anette Camara, former school pupil and MC of the open event and, finally and most importantly, the school staff and its receptive students – as well as Neale Bateman, narrator of the original English verison of the audio lesson.
Update: QTV’s report on the event has now been released and is available on YouTube:
About DRM
Digital Radio Mondiale™ (DRM) is the universal, openly standardised digital radio system for all broadcasting frequencies and coverage needs.
DRM on short, medium and long wave up to 30 MHz provides for efficient coverage in large areas with at least FM quality, while significantly reducing power consumption. DRM in the FM & VHF bands above 30 MHz enables flexible local and regional broadcaster-controlled services, with up to 3 stereo audio programmes plus multimedia components in half the bandwidth of a single analogue FM signal.
ITU recognized the DRM Consortium for its outstanding contribution to the Telecommunications sector over the past year. The DRM Consortium has signed the EBU Smart Radio Memorandum that promotes access to free to air radio on all devices.
For more information and DRM updates please visit www.drm.org or subscribe to DRM news by writing to pressoffice@drm.org.
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