Preserve the Knowledge

Platform: Dobaro.org
Type: Volunteer project (remote or in-person, as suitable)
Commitment: Flexible, e.g. 2-4 hours a week (adjust as needed)

About the Project

Some of the best teachers have spent decades making hard ideas simple, and much of that experience leaves with them when they retire. Preserve the Knowledge is Dobaro.org's effort to keep it.

We are inviting retired and experienced teachers to share their lectures, notes and teaching methods. These will be part of a learning platform that is launching soon, where students can study free of cost from the best teachers in their subjects. What you share will help students for many years.

Why It Matters

• A good teacher's way of explaining a topic is rare and takes years to build.
• Many students, especially in smaller towns and under-resourced schools, cannot reach teachers of this quality.
• Recorded lectures and well-organised notes will let one teacher's knowledge reach thousands of learners.
• It gives retired teachers a meaningful way to keep contributing on their own schedule.

What Volunteers Will Do

• Record lectures on topics they know well (we will guide you on simple recording methods).
• Share or prepare study material such as notes, worked examples, solved problems, question banks and revision summaries.
• Explain concepts, common student mistakes and tips for exams in their own words.
• Review or improve content from other contributors, if they wish.
• Share stories, experiments and real-life examples that make learning interesting.

Who Can Volunteer

• Retired or serving teachers, lecturers and professors of any subject and level (school, college or competitive exams).
• Subject experts, trainers and mentors who want to give something back.
• Anyone with expertise they would like to pass on, whether in academics, skills or languages.

You need: subject knowledge, a willingness to teach and a few hours of time. Technical skills are not required, because our team will help with recording, editing and uploading.

What You Get

• A permanent place on the platform, with your name credited for every contribution.
• Certificate of appreciation from Dobaro.org.
• The satisfaction of helping students who would not otherwise get a teacher like you.
• Technical support for all your content.

How to Join

1. Fill out the volunteer interest form.
2. Tell us your subject, class or level, and the time you can give.
3. Our team will contact you to plan topics and the best format for you.
4. Start sharing, at your own pace.

To launch and maintain a platform where best teacher's knowledge is available for all. 

Immediate outputs (what the project produces)

• A growing library of recorded lectures from experienced and retired teachers, sorted by subject, class and topic.
• Study material to go with them: notes, worked examples, solved problems, question banks and revision summaries.
• A pool of volunteer teachers, each credited by name.
• Standard guides for recording, formatting and reviewing content, which later contributors can reuse.

Outcomes for students

• Free or low-cost access to teachers they could not otherwise reach, especially students in small towns and under-resourced schools.
• Better understanding of difficult topics, because lectures can be paused, replayed and revised at any time.
• More equal access to quality teaching for students who cannot afford coaching.
• Exposure to different teaching styles and real-life examples.

Outcomes for volunteer teachers

• A way to stay active, respected and useful after retirement.
• A lasting record of their work, credited to them.
• A sense of purpose, and a community of fellow educators.

Outcomes for Dobaro.org

• A strong reason for students to join the platform at launch.
• A reputation for quality content, built on trusted names.
• Material that can grow: translations, subtitles, new boards and exam preparation.
• Partnerships with schools, NGOs, retired teachers' associations and education departments.

Long-term impact

• Teaching knowledge that would otherwise be lost is kept for future generations.
• A model that other organisations could copy to preserve expertise in other fields, such as crafts, languages and skills.
• Over time, a nationwide archive of teaching that serves millions of learners.

Ways to measure success

• Number of volunteers enrolled and active.
• Hours of lectures and number of study documents published.
• Number of students using the content, and how often.
• Student feedback and ratings on how useful the content is.
• Volunteer satisfaction and the rate at which they contribute again.

Possible challenges to plan for

• Technology comfort: some volunteers may find recording difficult, so technical support is essential.
• Quality and accuracy: a simple review step helps keep content correct and consistent.
• Syllabus changes: older lectures may need updating or labelling by year.
• Volunteer retention: regular recognition and flexible schedules help.
• Copyright: contributors need to confirm that their material is original or properly permitted.