Digital inclusion is making technology accessible to the greatest number of people. But this became a huge challenge during the pandemic, in which the internet became a fundamental tool for education.

Today, you can see how the Ramacrisna Institute contributes to bringing knowledge about technology to the community.

Contributing to digital inclusion

Ramacrisna believes that contact with technology helps children and teenagers to learn. In addition to contributing to the development of skills that will help them in the job market.

Therefore, it is always looking to bring the latest equipment to low-income families and those living in the outskirts and rural areas of Betim. Currently, the Institute has several actions aimed at digital inclusion.

In Educational Robotics workshops, for example, children and teenagers have contact with the programming in a light and fun way. What prepares this generation for a job market that increasingly demands this competence.

With the 3D printer, the students do the modeling in different software, in a collaborative way and stimulating creativity. For the vice president of the Ramacrisna Institute, Solange Bottaro, having contact with these technologies even in childhood enables the development of various skills.

“The possibility for students to participate in a center of continuous activities, awakening entrepreneurship and knowledge of new technologies, allows a horizontal exchange between them, such as cooperation, exchange of knowledge, interdisciplinarity, sharing and learning, through DIY practice , thus bringing the most vulnerable groups closer to technological innovation”, details.

Technology in the classroom

But it’s not just about advanced software contact. At Ramacrisna Institute, other technologies help children to understand different contents.

Virtual reality glasses help them to visualize things in the distance. With this feature, it is possible for the student to discover places on the other side of the world, for example. This makes the theme of the classes closer to the student, making knowledge more palpable.

The digital literacy table transforms the experience of forming words and phrases more playful, awakening the child’s interest. In this way, the student tends to develop skills more easily.

Likewise, the digital whiteboard contributes to children’s learning. With it, children living in rural areas have a closer contact with technology and are able to assimilate school content more quickly.

Professionalization

Ramacrisna also offers courses for young people from the Betim community to find a profession in technology.

In the Computer Operator course, professionals learn how to assemble, install and repair computers. In addition to receiving training to support local computer networks and to configure equipment and software.

In Industrial Robotics course classes, students learn concepts of efficiency and safety for programming development, industrial process control logic, and industrial robot manipulation and programming..

The introductory courses in basic computing and intermediate and advanced Excel teach young people how to use the computer and software for a routine work. In Solange Bottaro’s evaluation, all these courses open up new job opportunities for these young people.

“This entire technological world allows for the digital inclusion of residents in the periphery and rural areas, mainly giving girls the chance to access the job market and university”, she explains.

Digital inclusion in Brazil

According to the TIC Domicílios 2020 survey, Brazil has 152 million internet users. This number corresponds to 81% of the population over 10 years old. According to the study, internet access in the country increased during the pandemic, due to the demand for remote activities.

Residents of rural areas, the elderly, women and people from classes D and E and people with elementary education were the share of internet users that grew the most compared to 2019.

But it is still not possible to talk about digital inclusion. A report by the Brazilian Consumer Defense Institute points out that 47 million Brazilians remain disconnected. Of these, 45 million are among the poorest. 

Among students, 6 million do not have access to fixed or mobile internet. 85% of students in social vulnerability only have access to the cell phone network. Among the richest, the rate is only 11%.

The Ramacrisna Institute continues to bring technology to more people. But we need your help to continue our projects. Find out how to help us.