Rishi Valley Institute for Educational Resources (RIVER) is the teacher training and resource development wing of Rishi Valley Rural Education Centre. It is located on 14 acres of land on the Rishi Valley campus in India.

RIVER'S MULTI-LEVEL METHODOLOGY

After two decades of intense work, RIVER has developed a unique structure for elementary education that consists of a network of Satellite Schools where a community-based curriculum is taught by village youth trained in especially designed multi-level methodologies; where the academic curriculum is graded for individual levels of learning, grounded in up-to-date information, and framed in the local idiom and, finally, where the curriculum is integrated with activities.

RIVER sees education not as a process of trying to bring every student to one homogenized level ordained by textbooks with uniform content.  RIVER believes this practice irons out cultural differences and alienates a student from her own roots. RIVER sees education as a tool for deepening the student's sense of herself, of her traditions and roots, while also exposing her to a wider knowledge base. This community-based model of education incorporates in addition ideals such as tolerance for other cultures, protection of the environment, preservation of folklore and local medicinal traditions.

At the same time, our methods encourage silent self-study and individualized learning, though teacher instruction and group work are also a necessary part of the learning process. The methodology provides ample opportunities for fast learner to progress while allowing slower learners to work at their own pace. Students absent from school do not lose out, as they are able to start from the space in the Learning Ladder where they left off.

The model of rural education provides a viable and attractive alternative to traditional education in villages, where children of the same age belong to widely different levels of learning but are forced to be on the same page by the single teacher.

For further information visit: www.river-rv.org

The Open Learning Exchange (OLE) is an international, not-for- profit, social benefit organization committed to quality universal basic education.  OLE’s Open Learning System emphasizes systemic changes in leadership, supported by high quality open learning resources, with near real-time feedback that provides evidence of the effectiveness. We employ affordable, portable and scalable technologies that do not require the Internet and that can be powered locally.  This approach is especially effective working with remote and marginalized communities, schools and health clinics with limited resources. Our goal is enable the members of these communities to transform learning into an active, engaging and sustained process that is relevant to the specific and evolving needs of everyone.

OLE stimulates the emergence of a global learning-and-action community dedicated to achieving quality universal basic education.  It serves as initial sponsor and ongoing supporter of a network of nation-based OLE Centers around the world. These OLE Centers are committed to helping every young person acquire the basic knowledge and skills necessary to becoming a productive and fulfilled member of the global community.  This includes encouraging the effective use of innovative learning environments, information technologies and networks that facilitate learning; and providing every teacher and every student free and open access to a network of high quality, culturally appropriate and locally driven elementary and secondary educational resources.

OLE Centers have three core responsibilities: 

For further information visit: www.ole.org