Castalia Deploys 49 Edge Computing Learning Systems for UNESCO IICBA’s Project on Digital Teacher Education

Providing a Digital Learning Environment for African Education Professionals Using Smartphones

Castalia Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan; CEO: Satoshi Yamawaki) provides mobile learning systems as part of two projects implemented by UNESCO IICBA (International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa) to promote the digitalization of teacher education in Africa.

The two projects support the introduction of an offline-ready mobile learning platform, using Castalia’s “GOOCUS Edge Mobile,” across 49 selected institutions in six countries. One project focuses on Ethiopia, where systems will be introduced in 35 colleges of teacher education and universities across five regions. The second project is implemented with the Pan African University (PAU), a university network under the African Union (AU), and covers institutions in Algeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Sudan. It contributes to strengthening the training of educators by providing a scalable and sustainable mechanism.

Project Overview

These initiatives are implemented to strengthen the capacity of education systems, with a particular focus on teachers. The two projects share the objective of expanding access to professional development opportunities for teachers and education personnel by establishing a digital education infrastructure that can be used even in areas with limited internet connectivity.

In Ethiopia, GOOCUS Edge Mobile will be introduced in a total of 35 colleges of teacher education and universities across 5 regions to support the Ministry of Education’s digitalization agenda. Under the second initiative, implemented with the African Union’s Pan African University, a total of 14 GOOCUS Edge Mobile will be deployed in Algeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Sudan. Across both projects, a total of 49 sets of GOOCUS Edge Mobile will be installed to establish a digital learning environment for teacher education.

Ethiopia Project (National Project)

Project Name: Innovative Teacher Professional Development through App-based Learning Networks in Conflict and Crisis-affected Areas of Ethiopia
Target Areas: Amhara, Afar, Oromia, Somali, and Tigray regions
Number of Sets / Institutions: 35 sets / 35 colleges and universities

Regional Project

Project Name: Empowering Female Teachers and School Leaders through Integrating Mobile-based Learning in the Pan African Virtual and Electronic University (PAVEU) Initiative
Target Countries: Algeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Sudan
Number of Sets: 14 sets
Number of Institutions: 38 universities and institutions

Through these initiatives, the deployment of 49 GOOCUS Edge Mobile could contribute to the establishment of one of Africa’s largest teacher education digital platforms.

(Photo 1: Training session in Ethiopia)

Key Project Components

1. Introduction of the Mobile Learning System in Ethiopian Universities and Colleges

GOOCUS Edge Mobile will be installed in 35 colleges and universities across the country’s five regions (Amhara, Afar, Oromia, Somali, and Tigray). A local server (Edge) will be installed at each institution, enabling the use of educational content even in areas with unstable internet access.

2. Introduction of the Mobile Learning System in Five African Countries

The regional project supports the enrichment of course delivery under the Pan African Virtual and Electronic University initiative and its adaptation through mobile-based learning platforms. It also facilitates the sharing of these materials with universities and teacher training institutions across five countries, thereby contributing to expanding access to digital learning opportunities and strengthening collaboration across institutions.

3. Contribution to Training of Trainers (ToT)

Training of Trainers sessions will be conducted for university faculty, education administrators, and teacher educators on how to utilize digital educational materials and design mobile learning.

4. Authoring of Digital Materials for Teacher Education

In collaboration with teacher education colleges, course materials for pedagogy and subject education will be converted into a format suitable for mobile learning.

(Photo 2: Sample digital content on GOOCUS)

About GOOCUS Edge Mobile

GOOCUS Edge Mobile is a mobile learning platform developed by Castalia, characterized by its ability to deliver educational content even in regions with unstable communication environments.

The system applies the concept of Edge Computing, which has gained attention in recent years, to the education sector. Edge Computing is a technology that processes data and provides services on a server located close to the user (the “edge”), rather than relying solely on remote cloud servers. This reduces communication latency, lowers communication costs, and enables stable service delivery even in areas with limited connectivity.

GOOCUS Edge Mobile combines local servers (Edge Servers) installed at universities and educational institutions with a smartphone application, allowing for content delivery, viewing, and learning management even without an internet connection. Learners can access educational content by connecting their smartphones to the local server, which then synchronizes with the cloud via a SIM card in the machine’s SIM slot or a Wi-Fi environment to update content and share data.

This mechanism makes it possible to build a sustainable digital education environment even in regions where communication infrastructure is not fully developed. GOOCUS Edge Mobile is designed for use in a wide range of educational fields, including teacher training, university education, and vocational training.

(Photo 3: GOOCUS Edge Mobile set)

Significance of the Project

The significance of this project lies in three main points:

First, it demonstrates the potential for new digital learning predicated on the use of smartphones.

Africa faces a severe teacher shortage due to rapid population growth, making the expansion of high-quality teacher education a critical challenge. However, many regions also lack adequate communication infrastructure and educational ICT environments.

In such environments, the smartphone is the most widely used device with internet connectivity. Smartphone penetration is rapidly increasing across Africa, becoming an essential device for young people, much as it is in developed countries.

Based on this user environment, the project provides a mobile learning environment optimized for smartphone screens and operability. Furthermore, by incorporating elements such as gamification, it aims to achieve highly engaging digital learning that boosts learner motivation and encourages continuous study.

Second, it establishes an education infrastructure independent of communication environment.

Many young people are not in an economic position to consistently afford mobile contracts or data charges, placing restrictions on the use of internet-dependent services.

This project utilizes edge servers installed within educational institutions to create an environment where learning content can be accessed without relying on communication costs. This realizes an educational model that is less constrained by the communication environment.

Third, it presents the possibility of a decentralized educational infrastructure.

Unlike cloud-centric educational ICT, this initiative also demonstrates the potential for a decentralized educational infrastructure where educational institutions themselves maintain the learning platform.

While cloud services are widely used as advanced infrastructure, their business models and payment methods are not always well-suited to the realities of educational institutions in developing countries such as those in Africa, limiting the benefits they receive.

By establishing a learning environment centered around edge servers installed at selected universities, the project creates a system where educational institutions can autonomously manage and operate their educational content and learning data. Castalia positions this approach as Sovereign Learning Infrastructure and is advancing research and development toward a sustainable digital education model where each country and educational institution can independently manage their educational resources and learning environment.

Reference Links

Pan African University (PAU): https://pau-au.africa/

UNESCO IICBA: https://www.iicba.unesco.org/en

About Castalia

Castalia Co., Ltd. is an EdTech company based in Tokyo, developing and providing digital learning platforms that leverage mobile technology. Since its founding in 2006, Castalia has collaborated with educational and government institutions to develop and disseminate educational systems using smartphones. In recent years, it has worked with educational institutions in Africa and Asia to build digital education infrastructures usable even in regions with limited communication infrastructure. Castalia aims to contribute to expanding global learning opportunities through educational technology.

Website: https://en.castalia.co.jp/