This initiative draws on information and communication technologies (ICTs) - in particular, television - in an effort to enhance learning and understanding, share new ideas, honour traditions, and stimulate a sense of community at a local and global level. Television is envisioned by the Partnership as a powerful tool in that it: reaches large groups of people at one time and in their own language, communicates effectively to young children and illiterate adults, conveys information simply and accurately, and is easy to operate and sustainable over time.

The Partnership's core approach for providing ICT tools for education- and community-based learning and exchange is attention to local context. As part of the process of providing these tools to foster access to knowledge and information, the Partnership begins its work in a new country by meeting with national and local education officials and other community stakeholders to plan the establishment of Learning Centers in a way that will most appropriately address the needs of that particular community. These Learning Centers are established in existing structures, such as in a school or community centre, a clinic, library, or mobile van. Locations are selected and set up to suit the context; for example, the Partnership worked with local organisation Rural Libraries for Resource Development (RLRDP) to set up a Learning Center in Zimbabwe in a donkey-drawn cart. Since it can difficult for vehicles to travel in some parts of Zimbabwe, RLRDP has been using donkey power to bring information and education to schools and communities in Matabeleland North since 1990; the Partnership helped RLRDP to modify its cart design to hold a solar-powered TV and VCR in addition to library books. RLRDP and the Partnership train cart drivers to facilitate learning through literature and TV/video resources. Surrounding communities have shared the resources by developing a circuit for the donkey carts and a timetable for school and community use.

In addition to providing actual ICT equipment, the Partnership offers original educational video programming, which is developed collaboratively with each community to complement local educational curricula. In developing this programming, language customisation (translation into local languages) is key, and the Partnership includes footage from local communities, private and public organisations, and government agencies; the idea is that familiar words and images can help make programming more accessible and relevant to local audiences. That said, in an attempt to bring subjects such as science, nature, history, and geography "to life" in a vibrant (yet still relevant way), the programming is designed to expose participants to that which is new and different, such as by experiencing other lands, other cultures, and even parts of their own countries to which they may not otherwise have access. The Partnership also provides additional sources of programming, such as free-to-air local television, satellite services, and videos from a range of local and international organisations.

Face-to-face capacity-building and monitoring activities - which also draw on participatory strategies - are thought to be central to the sustainability of the Learning Centers. The Partnership offers 3 years of teacher training and monitoring, which is regularly modified based on collaboration with local community members and education experts. The goal is to prepare teachers to use video interactively and creatively as part of a student-centred approach, as well as to help them tie the programming to their daily curricular objectives. Locally-adapted teacher resource guides help instructors use the programmes in support of their teaching objectives. Training is also designed to equip educators to draw on television to support specific community interests. For example, in Peru and Mexico, videos used during the day for students have reportedly stimulated discussions during parents' workshops on family values, parenting, government, and a variety of other topics. Regular monitoring is offered in an effort to encourage educators to develop their own ideas for using the technology and programming, and to work toward creating a sustainable community resource.

Education.

Currently (April 2008), there are 221 Learning Centers serving 611,307 students around the world. Countries served include Angola, Mexico, Namibia, Peru, Romania, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria, with March 2008 expansion into 5 new countries – Brazil, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco. To read about specific local Learning Centers in more detail, please visit the Partnership's online interactive project map.) A total of 8,805 teachers have been trained. The Partnership is engaged in an effort to establish 1,000 new Learning Centers to serve an additional 1 million students.

In 2003, Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership commissioned an independent evaluation of the Learning Center project in the 3 most mature project countries, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Some of the specific findings include:

• improvements in student motivation, concentration and memory (in particular, the ability to grasp abstract concepts), and English language and creativity skills;
• increased access to teaching aids, increased use of a variety of teaching tools by teachers, and improved teacher professional development;
• increased parent and community involvement in schools; and
• increased enrolment and attendance, retention rates, and pass rates on matriculation exams (in some schools).