This is my post from June 30, 2010. Edna Sackson from the What Ed Said blog once again has my mind buzzing with a fascinating set of ideas and values dealing with education. She has introduced me to Dr. Sugata Mitra and his data on technology, children, and learning with children in India. The Hole In The Wall Project shows us the power of what children can learn if they have access to technology. The links below will reveal Dr. Mitra’s work and expand your thinking on children with access to technology. Exciting material!http://www.hole-in-the-wall.com/news15.html
Now because of the post of Kim Cofino on her blog Always Learning we have an update on the work of Dr. Sugata Mitra. This scientist from India started his Hole-in-the-Wall project in 1999. He began by simply embedding a computer in the wall of a slump area of New Delhi. The idea really began in 1988 when Mitra wrote a short paper expressing the idea that maybe children are capable of learning a whole bunch of things on their own with computers.
In September 2010 Dr. Sugata Mitra gave a TED talk titled New Experiments in Self-Teaching. It is truly amazing to see what Mitra has done with his basis idea that given the opportunity children can teach themselves and each other things not thought possible by the educational community. I guarantee you will be fascinated with Dr. Mitra’s TED talk.
What do you think of Dr. Sugata Mitra’s work? What implication does this have for your teaching? Will this affect your teaching style? I would enjoy hearing your thoughts.
Technology helps in expanding the education, however we feel that teachers are still important in this world of technology. It comes back to how we define education, as education doesn't only consist of intellectual develepment but also social, emotional and spiritual developments. For these development, the role of the teachers is very crucial in achieving them.
ReplyDelete(Clicks Camp 2010, Malaysia, Aqilah, Helen, Fatihah & Jancie)