Discover 3 innovative ways to deliver quality education without electricity—from solar-powered classrooms to portable offline learning kits like The Patatas’ CaseStudy. Learn practical steps schools, NGOs, and communities can take to bring learning to life in off-grid and disaster-prone areas.
Category Archives: Innovation
Preschools Without Price Tags: What Happens When a Billionaire Reimagines Learning
Discover how Bezos Academy and CaseStudy are reshaping education—one tuition-free preschool and one portable digital classroom at a time. Two bold ideas. One shared mission: equity, access, and imagination.
Beyond tariffs, trouble and who’s first: How we can build a future that lasts
Tariffs and foreign aid cuts are reshaping the world—especially for students in need. What’s really at stake, and how can we make a lasting difference?
Cracking the code: How remote schools in Australia are harnessing digital engagement for enhanced education
Can gaming be the secret to better STEM learning? Discover how Creative Bytes is transforming education for remote students in Australia—through game-making, offline tech, and a whole lot of creativity.
One instrument, a world of difference: How the gift of a piano is creating educational opportunity in Ethiopia
Education has the power to change lives. Discover the inspiring story of Rodney Naidoo, a dedicated teacher in South Africa, and how innovative solutions like CaseStudy are transforming learning in rural communities. Join us in shaping the future—one student at a time.
Teaching for Tomorrow: How Educators Shape the Future, One Generation at a Time
Education has the power to change lives. Discover the inspiring story of Rodney Naidoo, a dedicated teacher in South Africa, and how innovative solutions like CaseStudy are transforming learning in rural communities. Join us in shaping the future—one student at a time.
From Controversy to Change: The Surprising Ways AI is Helping Rural Communities Thrive
From Controversy to Change: The Surprising Ways AI is Helping Rural Communities Thrive AI is everywhere. From Gemini to Grok, ChatGPT to CoPilot, it seems that every major company is hopping on the AI bandwagon. Image Source: https://kernel-technology.com/ai-research-unveiling-the-power-of-artificial-intelligenceai-research/ This sudden AI escalation has been met with differing responses. On one hand, the techbros have found their …
Mapping and Podcasting: Refugees’ Community Solutions through Tech
Mapping and Podcasting: Refugees’ Community Solutions through Tech In a silent corner of a refugee camp, a small speaker can be heard. The sound of familiar voices fills the air—voices sharing stories, discussing challenges, and brainstorming solutions. Nearby, a group of young people gathers around a laptop, carefully mapping infrastructures onto a map. These are …
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Education in the Everyday: How TV subtitles are increasing literacy in India
Education in the Everyday: How TV subtitles are increasing literacy in India To the average casual Netflix watcher, perhaps the biggest benefit of subtitles is getting to understand what’s going on in the show over your loud snack crunching noises. Source: https://imgur.com/gallery/i-always-have-them-on-yFFuH8F Though we might laugh at this shared experience, what if I told you …
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From Refugee to Revolutionary: Romeo Lomora’s Open Knowledge Initiatives
From Refugee to Revolutionary: Romeo Lomora’s Open Knowledge Initiatives Amid struggle, where hope seems like a distant dream, one person believed in himself — proving that a single initiative can start a chain of change and transform lives We had the special opportunity to talk with Romeo Lomora, a South Sudanese refugee who has become an inspiring leader, helping to bring knowledge and …
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Unseen Wounds: How Virtual Reality Therapy is Transforming Mental Health Support for Refugees
Unseen Wounds: How Virtual Reality Therapy is Transforming Mental Health Support for Refugees Imagine fleeing your home, not knowing if you’ll ever return Egette Indelele, born in a refugee camp in Tanzania, shared her journey of fleeing to a new country. She described how constant bullying and confusion affected her mental health. Egette’s mother and grandmother …
Green Beetz: Revolutionizing Food Education
Green Beetz: Revolutionizing Food Education Green Beetz’s Website We are thrilled to have had the honor of interviewing Kira Cohen-Milo, M.S., a pivotal figure at Green Beetz since 2015. Kira’s career was well-founded by her University of Georgia degree in Biological Science and Horticulture and subsequent degree in Nutrition and Public Health from Columbia University. …
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Do Schools Kill Creativity?
Do Schools Kill Creativity? Children are innately curious and full of imaginative ideas. However, as individuals advance through education, many adults bemoan a loss of this spark. This raises the question of whether schools, which are meant to develop and educate young minds, unintentionally kill creativity. Naturally, children possess an insatiable desire to learn about the …
Online Learning in the Philippines: Ensuring Continuity with “School in a Box”
Online Learning in the Philippines: Ensuring Continuity with “School in a Box” The Philippines, like many places, has embraced online learning as a way to keep education going despite disruptions. This is especially important with how fast technology is developing and the growing need for digital skills. Online learning platforms proved their worth during the …
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Lack of Education in the Philippines? The Patatas’ CaseStudy “School in a Box” Offers Solutions
Lack of Education in the Philippines? The Patatas’ CaseStudy “School in a Box” Offers Solutions Is there really a lack of education in the Philippines?— P5.768 trillion national budget for 2024 was approved, but only 13.2% is allocated for education The Philippines has long been facing difficulties in providing everyone access to high-quality education— basic …
From in need to clearing NEET: the case of one student’s self-study success
From in need to clearing NEET: the case of one student’s self-study success You should never use the Internet to self-diagnose your medical conditions – but what about self-studying your way into clearing one of India’s toughest medical admissions exams? source: https://www.reddit.com/r/memes/comments/m3ffyp/self_diagnose/ Meet Umer Ahmad Ganie. Well, that’s exactly what 19-year old Umer Ahmad Ganie …
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Does Education Have To Be So Expensive?
Education cost is rising. The Patatas’ CaseStudy is a ‘school-in-a-box’ solution not dependent on internet or power, aims to bring education to low-income communities.
Starlink, e-learning and the quest for worldwide connectivity today
With the world’s information so readily at our fingertips, it’s sometimes a stretch to remember that not everywhere in the world has that same immediate, fuss-free access to the Internet. Africa, in particular, faces limitations to Internet access due to its abundance of rural and remote areas. That’s where Space X’s Starlink aims to change the game.
An interview with Hungry SciAnntist [5 minute read]
An Interview with Hungry SciAnntist Social media is an omnipresent force, permeating every aspect of our lives. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Youtube have become ingrained in our existence. Undeniably, social media wields immense power, capable of influencing countless individuals, and its presence is here to stay. However, its potential stretches far beyond mere sharing of personal …
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AI as a classroom teaching tool
AI as a classroom teaching tool Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized many aspects of our lives from research to art, and education is no exception. Recently there has been a rise in use of AI amongst students for homework and assignments. We have seen AI writing essays for students and even passing a law exam but what about its use …
Is AI the future of writing? I tried using 3 types of AI to write this
Is AI the future of writing? As a writer, one thing I struggle most with is essay writing. The obstacles I often face are writer’s block or feeling intimidated by the amount of information on the Internet. However, I recently found out about Artificial Intelligence (AI) that can help address these issues. What is AI? …
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Opinion piece: How blockchain technology is going to change the education industry
How blockchain technology is going to change education industry Disruptive technology has become a hot topic, with the rise of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and cryptocurrencies. All these new inventions have one thing in common – blockchain technology. People predict that blockchain technology will change everything in our lives. Things may change from the way we …
Ways you can give the gift of education this Christmas [5 min read]
Ways you can give the gift of education this Christmas Christmas is around the corner. It is one of the happiest holidays as friends and family gather to celebrate and give presents to one another. However, before you get swept up by this holiday season, it is important to remember that the season of giving …
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Innovations in Schools in Remote Areas
Issue of schools in remote areas Most of us would have had at least basic, primary school education, and if you live in Singapore, the first 6 primary school years are compulsory. Most of us might even have taken our education for granted, not realising that it is a privilege that not every child in …
Teaching in Refugee Camps: Challenges and Solutions
Teaching in Refugee Camps: Challenges and Solutions Forced to flee their homes to seek safety, away from war and oppression, 37,000 people are displaced daily. The number of refugees has doubled over the past decade and currently stands at 25.9 million worldwide. The growing humanitarian crisis is, to many, one of the greatest challenges humanity faces today. From having …
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Classroom in a Box: Highlights and Areas for Improvement
Classroom in a Box: Highlights and Areas for Improvement In June 2015, Samsung announced the release of Classroom in a Box in collaboration with McGraw-Hill Education (an education company dedicated to creating improved educational experiences based in Learning Science research). Samsung announced its intention to positively impact students through technology while giving teachers the tools …
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Improve Education in Rural Areas without Internet and Electrical Plugs: 4 Ways to do so
Rural Areas The easiest way to define rural areas is through the lowly populated density of the rural community, relative to more urban areas. Although some may think of it as rustic, serene and free from modern world problems, there are many complex issues that plague the people living in the rural areas. Some problems …
UNICEF Back to School Starter Kit: Pros & Cons
UNICEF Back to School Starter Kit: Pros & Cons Remember the devastating event that happened in 2019? The Category 5 storm – Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas, causing widespread destruction to infrastructures and homes. Efforts to supply the survivors with essential items for survival such as food, water, clothing and lodging was considered top priority. …
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CaseStudy Explained
In our last post about our latest trip down to Legazpi, we mentioned briefly about introducing our prototype idea, CaseStudy (previously known as Classroom in a Box), to the Tiwala teachers. CaseStudy is an idea that was conceived by our Chief Operating Officer because he wanted to explore something that could increase student engagement in …
Social Innovation Defined
Social Innovation Defined We have been using the term “Social Innovation” to describe what The Patatas is all about but what exactly does that mean? As defined by Wikipedia, social innovation is the different ways of doing things that meet social needs such as education and healthcare. Social innovation includes the social processes of innovation, …
Innovative Agriculture Products Experimentations
Innovative Agriculture Products Experimentations The Patatas is interested in all things innovative and we are always exploring different ways to benefit under-represented communities through innovation. A little background here, The Patatas is part of Potato Productions and it houses several other companies specializing in various industries. With this unique environment, we often come together to …
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