How Siddharth Anbalagan is Bringing Coding Education to Offline Classrooms

Innovative offline coding curriculum, by Siddharth Anbalagan, is a new way to make digital education available in schools without access to the internet (or low connectivity). This curriculum was developed at CYSDCAM, when Siddharth realised many students were eager to learn about coding, but because they lacked internet connection, they were unable to search for or find what they were looking for in the online world. Since it wasn't feasible for Siddharth to continue putting together lessons using the traditional internet method, he developed an all-inclusive, offline solution: approximately forty hours of condensed teaching material, delivered through animated videos, that teach coding logic, algorithms and problem solving via visuals and practical examples from students’ real lives.

By including examples of how various simple animations or programming relate to problems that students encounter in their daily lives, Siddharth is enabling children to see coding as something real rather than an abstract concept. Furthermore, no one has to be a programming expert to deliver the lessons; teachers and local volunteers can simply download one folder that contains everything they need to facilitate the complete classroom experience and to help their students learn confidently. Siddharth is certain that students who learn through hands-on, relatable learning experiences not only acquire technical skills, but also develop increased confidence in themselves and realise that their ideas have value.

The project is also designed to fill an important void in these underserved communities, which are typically dependent upon antiquated, outdated textbooks or have computers that they cannot take full advantage of due to a lack of infrastructure. By making it possible to begin learning immediately without the need for an internet connection, students will be able to begin learning as soon as the curriculum becomes available to them, regardless of their technological challenges. Siddharth is grateful for CYSDCAM's founder, Mr. Oforka Anslem, for encouraging the development of inclusive solutions and for showing that innovation can be accomplished even in the most difficult of circumstances.

To date, Siddharth’s offline coding lessons have gained international recognition and brought attention to many of the obstacles to educational equity. This model is beginning to create a ripple effect; local leaders are being trained to pass the information on to others, allowing more students access to the benefits of the program. Siddharth’s ultimate goal is to not only teach students how to code, but to also encourage them to become the next generation of innovators, developers and problem solvers; using technology as an empowerment tool.

To date, Siddharth’s offline coding lessons have gained international recognition and brought attention to many of the obstacles to educational equity. This model is beginning to create a ripple effect; local leaders are being trained to pass the information on to others, allowing more students access to the benefits of the program. Siddharth’s ultimate goal is to not only teach students how to code, but to also encourage them to become the next generation of innovators, developers and problem solvers; using technology as an empowerment tool.

In the future, Siddharth hopes to expand the project into other areas of the world where families are experiencing similar challenges. Through his work, he is highlighting how simple yet thoughtfully designed tools can eliminate performance barriers for children in all corners of the world and create opportunities for all children to learn, create and establish their own future. Siddharth's journey has shown that even the most meaningful changes can result from one single idea; and by dedicating oneself to developing that idea, even communities with the least amount of resources can receive quality educational opportunities.

For more information, here’s the project link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hmtszlelyo8DrkK9XrmSS_KvEsXXjBt_/view?usp=drivesdk