Why Offline Learning Still Matters in 2026

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2026-01-01 | 3 min read | 639 words

Why Offline Learning Still Matters in 2026

This article is part of the series: Altruistic Byte: Real-World Insights for Tech-Driven Change

Short answer: There are two extremes in our world—hyper-connected world of rich countries, and a disconnected world of underserved communities like rural Africa.

I've seen both, and I conclude that being in a low-resource and low-connectivity environment was neither a disadvantage nor a limitation if they could receive localized, tailored services.

Being online is a privilege

First of all, not everyone enjoys the online environment. More than 25% of the global population still doesn't use the internet¹, and the disconnected population can reach around 80% in low-income countries, like Malawi².

That's why we need a different approach to achieve a similar goal. Education, for example, cannot rely on tablets, Zoom, or Google Docs in many parts of the world, yet we can still deliver a remote learning experience through low-tech applications like USSD.

Learning initiatives fail when we apply the rules of the hyper-connected world to the disconnected world without adapting to its context.

Hands-on needs are in the field

Moreover, context adaptation is only possible based on an accurate, vivid understanding of the context, which requires extensive fieldwork and interviews. It is an in-person process of learning who, where, which, why, what, and how a certain problem emerges and evolves.

Think of teaching AI.

Who are the people trying to use AI?
Where is AI used, and how?
Which AI are we talking about?
Why do we need AI?
What is AI, after all?

The most impactful way of introducing AI must differ depending on whether you are in the capital of a G7 country or in a village of a country facing extreme poverty. But, how?

The answer—real challenges and opportunities—is always in the field, and we won't grasp them as something tangible until we immerse ourselves in the situation. Otherwise, what people teach and learn would be unrealistic, inapplicable, and an empty theory.

That's what I observed in computer education in the low-resource environment; people learn how to use computers, but the skills and technology are detached from their daily lives, making the investment short-term and wasteful. It'd be inconsequential if people couldn't apply what they learned.

Thus, learning experientially in an offline, in-person setup would be essential, even if it's slow and not state-of-the-art. There, we can focus more on personal traits, i.e., how to critically examine and solve one's immediate problems, rather than what to use. It is the key missing piece to bridge the digital divide, and ironically, digital tools are not necessary to fulfill the gap.

Digital access != participation

Accessing digital technology and participating in the digital society are two different, distinct tasks. Yet, we often push for the former to achieve the latter, as if people automatically become self-reliant once they receive high-speed internet or a $1000 smartphone.

In the era of online search, social media, and AI, the key to participation is whether one can critically engage with information, make rational decisions, and turn them into concrete actions. It's the ability to think, analyze, and solve complex problems. On the contrary, there are millions of hyper-connected people worldwide who have been manipulated by algorithms, like zombies.

Importantly, such traits remain relevant regardless of technological trends and can even be cultivated effectively through offline media, such as active learning in classrooms and logic games.

The linkage between digital access, skills, and outcomes is not always clear, just like one may or may not be a good chef when they have a nice kitchen and know how to cut meat and vegetables. Subjects often need to go deeper into surface-level practices, making problems personal, putting tools into context, and connecting the dots.

Therefore, even with numerous online tools and opportunities available, offline learning remains important in 2026 for practical reasons: overcoming realistic constraints, acknowledging local contexts, and developing long-lasting, tool-agnostic skills in the information age.

¹. https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2026-global-overview-report ↩

². https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-malawi ↩

This article is part of the series: Altruistic Byte: Real-World Insights for Tech-Driven Change

Author: Takuya Kitazawa

I promote digital participation and inclusion through strategic technology implementation. Based in Ottawa, Canada, I work with companies, nonprofits, and individuals across North America, Asia, and Africa to ensure their digital initiatives enable people to truly act, decide, and engage—not just access services. My expertise spans tech strategy, AI product development, and human-centred digital transformation that addresses participation gaps and prevents project failures. See CV for more information, or contact at [email protected].

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