Thursday 9 September 2010

Can Kids Teach Themselves?

In 1999, Sugata Mitra and his colleagues dug a hole in a wall bordering an urban slum in New Delhi, installed an Internet-connected PC, and left it there (with a hidden camera filming the area). What they saw was kids from the slum playing around with the computer and in the process learning how to use it and how to go online, and then teaching each other.

In the following years they replicated the experiment in other parts of India, urban and rural, with similar results, challenging some of the key assumptions of formal education. The "Hole in the Wall" project demonstrates that, even in the absence of any direct input from a teacher, an environment that stimulates curiosity can cause learning through self-instruction and peer-shared knowledge. Mitra, who's now a professor of educational technology at Newcastle University (UK), calls it "minimally invasive education."
"Education-as-usual assumes that kids are empty vessels who need to be sat down in a room and filled with curricular content. Dr. Mitra's experiments prove that wrong."
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126 comments:

  1. The well constructed video presented by Mr Mishra indeed proves that kids can teach themselves as well as their friends in the same surrounding. However, it is also true that a kid cannot teach himself for too long. There will come such a moment when, he will need a facilitator for guidance

    Moreover, Mr Mishra points out that Education Technology has to be implemented firstly in remote areas and then later in urban areas. I do agree with him in a way that the kids from remote areas will be provided with the facilities and proper infrastructures for learning to take place.

    Furthermore, the use of educational tools promote in arousing interest of kids in their learning process.

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  2. Sugata Mitra has proved that children can learned by themselves without being tutored by a teacher.
    This shows that children may be able to understand among themselves. They do not essentially need the presence of an adult teacher to learn things.
    Even in slum areas children can learn Education technology. These children are not highly educated but as technology is easy to use they also can learn it and interact with others

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  3. Sugata Mitra has proved that kids can learn by themselves without the help of an adult teacher. Even in slum areas where children are not well educated the use of technoogy like computer and internet was made easy and without the intervention of a teacher to show them.
    This shows that kids can learn by themselves ans also can guide others. This study was repeated in other regions of India and the same thing have been observed.
    But unfortunately kids cannot learn everthing by themselves. They need a teacher to explain things which seems more difficult. Not everything which can be easy to learn. Interaction of children with teachers is very important as knowledge is shared and widen.

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  4. Just as Mr Mishra's study point out,children are empty vessels who is in need to learn new thing.
    The study clearly demomstrate that the link teacher versus student has not taken place for they have been to learn themselves.So in this case,we can say that human nature tend to be prone there as we humam being are curious by nature and this often lead us to learn by our own.
    Furthermore,even if the study proved that simply sitting in a classroom and listening to the teacher is not the only way a child can learn,i would conclude by saying that children can learn by themselves,and that's true but the also need someone who is more experience to guide there through this process.Or else there will learn things which might be of there age.
    The learning process is divided in various phases and do think that we should respect it.The use of educational tools promote in arousing interest of children in the learning process but still there should be a tutor who act as a guide for him.

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  5. This study shows that curiosity triggers learning.
    Therefore it is true that, given access to technology, children are likely to learn new things.
    They may also share knowledge among themselves through discussions, debates, teaching and sharing of personal opinions.
    However, there are certain limitations to learning alone or from peers even in an environment where technology and resources are available.
    For instance, expertise and advanced knowledge in the field concerned is missing.
    Also, learning from friends may at times be misleading and mistakes may not be detected in the absence of a teacher.

    In the light of the above, it can be said that children can learn a lot on their own and from peers as well, without the assistance of a teacher
    but in such cases, learning may be limited and clarifications might still be required at the end of the day.

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  6. I am very disappointed in the way they defined the child as an empty vessel but Dr. Mitra’s experiment has shown the world that children are not just an empty vessel but they can do great things. Nowadays, the children of this generation are more desired to use newest technologies that are newly out of the market and I was quite amazed that my little cousin of 8 years can use a laptop and at my age I did not know what it was but it ALSO DEPENDS on the time factor and availability as 1999 was a period of where technology was at the ear of everyone and the children also would have been tempted to use and learn about this technology. The type of technology was a simple and easy way of interface and that’s why the children was able to use it but if you but an old operating system like Ms-DOS type of interfacing, for sure they would not been able to use it. I agree with the fact that children have the ability to use these technologies but it depends on how easy it is to use it

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  7. Jean Damien Pitchee16 October 2010 at 19:54

    Thought this video of Mr. Mitra Sugata during this seminar, we can see that those children aged between six to thirteen years old, are trying something new to them. Of course, by clicking here and there, they will be learning something by themselves, since almost every program is user – friendly but at one time they will be a tutor to help them to increase their knowledge. But a child which don’t know anything to IT or English itself, could tell ““we need a faster processor and bigger mouse”” it a bit surprising. The question to be asked is how they can learn these things in a short period of time given to them. But as it is said ““Children begin learning from the moment they are born.”” Parents and teachers may be able to facilitate the learning experience as a child grows, but from day one, children are ultimately responsible for teaching themselves.

    To conclude, learning is a natural process that every child experiences in her own unique way. By examining how very young children learn from birth onward, it becomes clear that children are born inquisitive, with an inherent desire to experiment and explore the world around them. At the youngest age, it appears that there is nothing anyone could do to stop a child’s natural learning process from taking place. Babies learn to walk, to talk, and to formulate ideas and opinions about the world around them, with little forced “instruction” from adults.

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  8. It makes absolutely no doubt that the video presented by the education scientist Sugata Mitra proves that kids can teach themselves and their friends living in the nearby areas given the proper technological tools to advance in their education without an adult or a tutor supervision.

    With the introduction of the “Hole in the wall” project, it marks the beginning of a new journey that breaks the confine of traditional setting and creates a new whole school of learning which was exclusively of the children, by the children and for the children.

    A critical analysis of the above, we would find that by learning in this way kids are more likely to work as a team and they create their own vocabulary to describe their experiences, share knowledge and teach each other. In this way they discover a versatile learning tool and within hours without any supervision and formal knowledge of the english language they learn the basic of computers.

    Viewed from another perspective, we would find that there are things which are beyond the understanding power of kids. They need a tutor by their side to explain to them these difficult concepts. Therefore, the presence of a teacher in the learning process of a kid is necessary.

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  9. This experiment by Sugata Mitra proves that kids can indeed learn by themselves. Kids are curious and are keen to learn new things as they find it fascinating. I agree with Mitra that it is not necessary to have a classroom full of kids to make them learn new things. They can learn and discover things among themselves also. For example, when a kid finds out something new to him he shares it with his friends. Hence we can see that the teacher does not have any role here. Curiosity can make someone want to learn by himself. However, it is true that a kid may have certain difficulties to understand the whole thing fully and here the teacher will help him. Therefore, we can say that it is important to have a teacher for kids to make things simpler for them.

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  10. Children can self – educate themselves, but only to some degree. They may be playing around with the computer and learn how to use it, but this is only one example. In many cases, when kids make an attempt to understanding how things function, they may get an opposite picture of the reality. When they build up a wrong mental model of something, it becomes quite difficult to erase this model afterwards. Moreover, as a child grows, the level of complexity of things may increase to such an extent that is beyond his understanding. In such cases, he cannot learn on his own and therefore, requires the help of an adult for explanation.
    However, I cannot deny the fact that kids can teach themselves since learning is a natural process which a child adopts since birth. Eventually, he does need a teacher or parent to facilitate the learning process as he grows, but from day 1, the child is ultimately responsible for teaching himself.

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  11. Sugata Mitra seems to have dwelled on the fact that it's human nature to be curious and to learn more. This was what the result of this experiment was in the rural village. A curious child does not really need a formal teacher or tutor and this is perhaps what explains evolution of mankind. Computer is a mechanical device but it's easy to learn. One can even see a sharing culture among these children who are sharing what they learnt to their fellow friends which is indeed a great thing. A teacher is a guide and a facilitator but self learning has to be done by the students.

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  12. @ Deegumber G.S: That's very true. Defining a child as "an empty vessel" was not a really good idea. A child must have talent to learn something. And it's a true fact that small children are now using these technologies. Recently I came to know that students of student 3 are learning IT at primary level. Well thumbs up to the one coming up with this idea.

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  13. Professor Sugata Mitra’s experiment shows that one does not always require a tutor or supervisor to learn something. This is also a proof that human curiosity, with the help of people in our surrounding who have the same quest for knowledge, can answer many questions that arises on seeing something new even without getting into a classroom. We can always help each other to find solutions and be self dependent for our studies. Thus, the issues regarding educational technology can always have solutions and its implementation with the proper infrastructure and resources can be successful to a great extent.

    However, I believe the case would not necessarily work for someone who is living a primitive region, unaware of technological advancement. For such kids, there might be no difference between a computer placed in front of them and a mysterious toy. The kids living in the urban slum would surely have an idea of what a computer is. Therefore, a teacher’s assistance is also required at times to make difficult concepts easier.

    Vidya Ramkalawon

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  14. After watching this video I can say kids can self-organized them. Dr. Mitra’s experiment proves that a primary kid can teach another kid how to surf on the internet. In his video he points out something important, that the kid using the computer is being advised by other four kids surrounding him, and another group of sixteen kids are advising the others, some are giving wrong advices and some are doing lots of misspellings. What they have learnt they are sharing. Those kids in the different locations have learnt almost two hundred English words like Stop, Exit, File, etc... Dr. Mitra has proved to the world that kids can self-motivate and learn by themselves but they can be misguided. It can be called Reverse Knowledge Transfer. That is the kid who has learnt something on the computer can now instruct and guide another kid who will use the computer. The kid can learn easily and ask questions with his/her surrounding friends. What’s really interesting is that the kids have downloaded songs, played games, chat with others, etc… which we usually do. Dr. Mitra also showed that despite being in a remote area, the kids can learn a new technology and new dictionary terms.
    Dr. Mitra wrote on his PowerPoint “Educational Technology should reach the underprivileged first and not the other way about”. In many countries this can be a problem because they will need to invest lots of money to introduce high-speed computers and high internet connection. Educational Technology is not replacing a teacher with a machine. It is a way of improving better understanding in class and stay in touch with the latest technologies. To remove the curiosity of kids in such places teachers must start to teach such subjects. It will guide the kids how to use a computer efficiently.

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  15. Sugata Mitra had been able to show through his experiment how complex and beautiful the human mind can be. Those children who had never had any contact with technology were able to learn by themselves how to use a computer. Not only that but they were also able to teach each other how to do so. Indeed this tells us that there is no need to sit behind four walls to receive knowledge.
    Children need motivation to learn and it is the role of a teacher to provide that motivation. In this case it was curiosity which triggered the whole process. Still, even though those kids were able to teach each other, there is a limit to what they will be able to learn. At some point they will need the guidance of a teacher.
    One more thing is that I loved the quotation that Mr. Mitra made reference to, that is –‘A teacher who can be replaced by a machine should be’. This is so true. A teacher’s guidance should be on a higher level than that of a computer.

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  16. The general assumption in our culture is that children must be taught to read but this experiment shows that children can learn by themselves. Learning is a natural process that every child experience on their own.It becomes clear that children are born with a desire to experiment and explore the world around them.I do not agree that kids are empty vessel because it is their curiosity which is the first step to the learning process.They also learn by sharing their knowledge and ideas with their peers.Everyone will have to learn something by himself one day or the other and also teachers are not genius to know everything so that they can teach to those kids.Nowadays kids of 8-10 years are given mobile phones and thus these technologies becomes no big deal for them. But in the case of slums kids who are considered to be uneducated, they will need assistance of a teacher in order to guide them in the right path.There are some difficult concepts which is beyond the kids understanding so a teacher is important to clarify their doubts.

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  17. @ nooreenah : it is true that this project has brought about a new way to the learning process.with such an experiment,the kids are allowed to make their own experience and draw out their conclusions which can be shared with their peers. But of course simply let by themselves,children cannot learn and understand the whole thing fully. so a time will come when they will be needing some guidance and assistance of an teacher.

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  18. It has always been noticed that kids are much faster in the process of learning than adults but no one has ever bother to know what’s really is the reason behind this. But the experiment done by Mr Sugata Mishra made us aware of the reason behind this and proves that one cannot distinguish a child’s mind from its living environment.
    I was myself really surprised after seeing the video constructed by Mr Mishra. Can you imagine kids learning a language by themselves but they have done it. The sole reason behind this is curiosity. By nature kids are very curious and thus given any new toy or new machine, they’ll try to explore it till they understand how it functions. Hence children can learn lots of things by themselves if they are left without any guidance.
    However kids may learn certain things by themselves but with a group of kids working together, lots of things can be discovered as said by Mr Mishra. That’s what Educational Technology is trying to induce in each of us, unity and independence.

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  19. I agree with the point that interaction of children with teachers is also very important. Knowledge is obviously shared and widened but at the same time, certain things or misunderstandings is cleared because the perspective about a topic or problem of the teacher and the child may be completely different. Thus, if there’s no interaction, the kid will never come to know that whatever he was thinking is completely wrong, partially wrong or completely right. Doubts will flicker on his mind and this has to be cleared at any cost for him to move ahead.

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  20. According to the statement above given by Sugata Mitra, we can say that educational do not necessarily involved a teacher nor a classroom to study. It can be done everywhere. As with kids and their sense of curiosity, they can easily earn with their friends example playing a new games, constructing a boat or an airplane. They can share their knowledge just by playing with others. In some ways it’s true but they do need a teacher to guide them and can make kids work in groups. I have just recently watched the video of Sujuta mitra, which consist of “Hole in the wall” project, a touch pad and later on children have come in front of the touch pad and was surfing on different browser by themselves. Different kids was coming and going, the younger was teaching the older one what to do, effective English language was also part of his experiment meaning that good education involved effective use of English. Thus we can conclude that with the introduction of technologies along with this modern world, kids are more likely to study quickly about IT than the above generation…..

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  21. According to the statement above given by Sugata Mitra, we can say that educational do not necessarily involved a teacher nor a classroom to study. It can be done everywhere. As with kids and their sense of curiosity, they can easily earn with their friends example playing a new games, constructing a boat or an airplane. They can share their knowledge just by playing with others. In some ways it’s true but they do need a teacher to guide them and can make kids work in groups. I have just recently watched the video of Sujuta mitra, which consist of “Hole in the wall” project, a touch pad and later on children have come in front of the touch pad and was surfing on different browser by themselves. Different kids was coming and going, the younger was teaching the older one what to do, effective English language was also part of his experiment meaning that good education involved effective use of English. Thus we can conclude that with the introduction of technologies along with this modern world, kids are more likely to study quickly about IT than the above generation…..

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  22. Dr Mitra’s experiments prove that kids are not empty vessels who need to be sat down in a room and filled with curricular content. The hole in the wall project has shown that while playing around with computers, children from slums eventually learnt the skills of how to use computers to go online on their own, without any teacher’s guidance. I agree with Dr Mitra’s point which is about children working in groups. According to me in this way they tend to pick up technology very quickly. This is probably because they experiment a lot more than if they were alone. Also, I believe, children learn quicker on their own because under a teacher’s supervision, the children tend to get into another sort of mode where they will ask question. What should I do now? And they expect the teacher will know the answer. Here, they are learning new things out of curiosity.
    However, a child learning in an unsupervised environment is not always a success as he may have difficulty in learning on his own especially when he does not find the subject interesting and also certain topics might be difficult for him to understand by himself and hence requires some guidance.

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  23. Hi lalima,
    I agree with you that children can learn and discover things among themselves. In fact, I believe curiosity is certainly a useful disposition to encourage in young children. Curious children actively explore the world around them and they learn new things on their own. As u said they share their discoveries with their friends which I believe is important in the learning process. Yes, it’s true a teacher can act as a guide to help the child in areas where he is having major difficulties.

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  24. Dr Mitra’s experiments prove that kids are not empty vessels who need to be sat down in a room and filled with curricular content. The hole in the wall project has shown that while playing around with computers, children from slums eventually learnt the skills of how to use computers to go online on their own, without any teacher’s guidance. I agree with Dr Mitra’s point which is about children working in groups. According to me in this way they tend to pick up technology very quickly. This is probably because they experiment a lot more than if they were alone. Also, I believe, children learn quicker on their own because under a teacher’s supervision, the children tend to get into another sort of mode where they will ask question. What should I do now? And they expect the teacher will know the answer. Here, they are learning new things out of curiosity.
    However, a child learning in an unsupervised environment is not always a success as he may have difficulty in learning on his own especially when he does not find the subject interesting and also certain topics might be difficult for him to understand by himself and hence requires some guidance.

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  25. Hi lalima
    I agree with you that children can learn and discover things among themselves. In fact, I believe curiosity is certainly a useful disposition to encourage in young children. Curious children actively explore the world around them and they learn new things on their own. As u said they share their discoveries with their friends which I believe is important in the learning process. Yes, it’s true a teacher can act as a guide to help the child in areas where he is having major difficulties.

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  26. What a wonderful thought and experiment by Professor Sugatra Mitra! Firstly he has shown how the use of technology has aroused the interest of so many kids to learn. Maybe the result would not have been the same if the experiment was one carried out in a class, that is the normal teaching method. He has also done a great thing by performing this experiment in poor areas. This proves that these kids as well will give a positive response to such technologies.

    Moreover, Dr Mitra has proved that students will get adapted to such technologies because they will be interested to learn more on how all these work and will do their best to get acquainted with them. In this way, they will also be able to help their friend by pointing out what they have understood. But still, the title of this article causes us to ponder on the drawbacks such students cannot understand everything on their own. There will be certain aspects concerning which they will need the support of a teacher. The way a teacher, who is experienced in his own field, will elaborate on a material is definitely of great help to students. Yes students can learn by themselves with the help of technology but we cannot also deny the fact that they also need guidance from someone more knowledgeable than them, someone who can correct their mistakes.

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  27. It has been observed by people that kids learn things easily and this has been proved by Mr. Mishra. It is true that children can learn lots of things by themselves irrespective of their living environment. Kids from a remote area where the people are cut off from facilities like computer are able to understand machine language and make use of it without any intervention. What can you conclude from this?
    Since technology is interesting, they showed their curiosity else normally if something does not interest a child, he throws it away.

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  28. It’s a fact that at a given moment, a child will need a facilitator for guidance. That’s why teachers and lecturers are here. No one can replace them, they have their own place even with the introduction of e-learning, and we can’t decline this.
    If proper guidance is not given to children, they will tend to go in a wrong direction with the thought that their perspective about the topic or problem is right.

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  29. Dounita Mohanpersad17 October 2010 at 18:59

    Mr Sugata Mitra's "Hole in the Wall" project was very fasinating. He proves that children from remote areas can teach themselves and their peers living in the nearby areas by the proper technological tools to advance their education without a tutor's supervision.

    But unfortunately kids cannot learn everthing by themselves. They need a teacher to explain things which seems more difficult. Not everything can be easy to learn. Interaction of children with teachers is also very important as knowledge is shared and broaden.

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  30. CAN KIDS TEACH THEMSELVES?

    What a wonderful thought and experiment by Professor Sugatra Mitra! Firstly he has shown how the use of technology has aroused the interest of so many kids to learn. Maybe the result would not have been the same if the experiment was one carried out in a class, that is the normal teaching method. He has also done a great thing by performing this experiment in poor areas. This proves that these kids as well will give a positive response to such technologies.

    Moreover, Dr Mitra has proved that students will get adapted to such technologies because they will be interested to learn more on how all these work and will do their best to get acquainted with them. In this way, they will also be able to help their friend by pointing out what they have understood. But still, the title of this article causes us to ponder on the drawbacks such students cannot understand everything on their own. There will be certain aspects concerning which they will need the support of a teacher. The way a teacher, who is experienced in his own field, will elaborate on a material is definitely of great help to students. Yes students can learn by themselves with the help of technology but we cannot also deny the fact that they also need guidance from someone more knowledgeable than them, someone who can correct their mistakes.

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  31. dounita mohanpersad17 October 2010 at 19:15

    Mr Sugata Mitra's "Hole in the Wall" project was very fasinating. He proves that children can teach themselves as well as their peers living in the nearby areas by the proper technological tools to advance their education without a tutor supervision.

    But unfortunately kids cannot learn everthing by themselves. They need a teacher to explain things which seems more difficult. Not everything can be easy to learn. Interaction of children with teachers is very important as knowledge is shared and broaden.

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  32. hello Joelle!

    You have rightly said that indeed students can learn by themselves but of course not everthing. we do need the guidance of teachers who will correct our mistakes as well as clarify all our doubts.

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  33. Sugata Mitra’s experiment have definitely proved over the fact that no Matter whatever their financial, geographical position or social class are, the curiosity, ability and willingness to learn facilitates drastically the learning process of children.
    In addition it is of absolute certainty that the sharing of knowledge, the know-how , experiencing the excitement of the discovery of the capacity or how the technological device in question functions, would encourage kids to rely further on the device.
    However a little extrapolation do make clear the fact that learning on our own can be a tough challenge since poor understanding and inattention to instructions or details might lead to a complete disaster in one’s academic performance.
    Thus from a realistic point of view guidance and explanation should be provided to some extent to children by educators

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  34. Sugata Mitra’s experiment have definitely proved over the fact that no Matter what their financial, geographical position or social class are, their curiosity, ability and willingness to learn would facilitate drastically their learning process.
    In addition it is of absolute certainty that the sharing of knowledge, the know-how , experiencing the excitement of discovering the capacity or how the technological device in question functions, would encourage kids to rely further on the device.
    However a little extrapolation do make clear the fact that learning on our own can be a tough challenge since poor understanding and inattention to instructions or details might lead to a complete disaster in one’s performance.
    Thus from a realistic point of view guidance and explanation should be provided to some extent to children by educators

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  35. At any period of time, man is curious by nature. Experiment carried by Dr. Mishra reinforced the conception that education is two-way traffic process where there must be beforehand a knowledgeable and sensitive ‘subject’ that arouses the curiosity of any person from all levels of society. In that case study, it is the computer which is acting as the teacher. But why the computer has such an impact? The computer has a different personality like a video game and it is easy to press only a button for the process of learning. Can a teacher play the same role of interest? Once a teacher reaches in the mind of kids the same curiosity by his personality, then education will have its true meaning. Can a teacher replace a computer? I think so. A teacher has far more feelings and emotions!

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  36. Dr. Mitra's has proved that kids can learn by themselves without any teachers or parents to guide them. The kids have also guide their friends in the process . And when the study was made in other regions of India , the same results were obtained. So the study shows in some way that children can learn but themselves but I don’t really agree to this . I believed that this theory cannot be apply to all learning subjects . And kids need the intervensions of teachers in their learning process.

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  37. Sugata Mitra has proved that kids can learn by themselves without the help of an adult teacher. Even in slum areas children can learn Education technology. These children are not highly educated but as technology is easy to use they also can learn it and interact with others. "Education-as-usual assumes that kids are empty vessels who need to be sat down in a room and filled with curricular content. Dr. Mitra's experiments prove that wrong." Hence it can be concluded that sitting in a classroom is not the sole means to learn instead at it has been proved in the video

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  38. @Nooreenah
    I agree with you that the presence of a teacher is really important in the process of education.
    Without proper guidance the kids can go on the wrong way and learn bad things on the internet. Like in the example Dr. Mitra gave, if ever those kids went on a site where they should not be then it is dangerous to let them learn alone. But in most cases after all they are kids so they will be keener to surf the web for games, music or chatting.
    Kids like to stay in groups so anything they have in mind they will share them by talking or demonstrating them. In the same way if they are given a computer they can teach or advise their friends where to go and where not.

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  39. @ Joelle
    I partly agree with you. Firstly, kids cannot learn by themselves. It is not the hereditary factor that counts but according to sociologists it is the environment that plays an important role. Secondly, a kid learns if his curiosity is aroused. Is the computer the teacher or is the teacher a computer? Dr. Mitra has clarified that kids have evolved by the help of a computer. In that particular case, curiosity has been fulfilled by the kids finding a computer like a video game. Lastly, I think a teacher shall act like a computer … with emotions and feelings. Then, idealism can be reached in the field of education.

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  40. After reading this article, i can only say that only adults can be stupid enough to think those kids' heads are empty and require any intervention from 'said' adults to learn ANYTHING. Let's face it. Kids are the ones teaching us anything new and they are the ones who improve it. But I concede that children need a formal education (found in the class room by an authorized person) to be able to live in the society. We cannot go around trying things out and see if they are permissible or not in the society. There are certain things which must be ingrained in the children to be able to function normally in the society and avoid causing chaos and that is where formal education steps in. Children at that age are molded into an individual who can function well in the society but if left alone, they would still survive and learn from each others’ experience but will not be the same kids as the ones in the formal education.. And to call them ‘empty vessels’ before any formal teaching starts, is too laughable to be insulting.

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  41. HEllo again. i agree with the point that Ridhima raised. it is indeed true that kids can collaboratively learn by teaching each other but it is indeed true that if they are wrong, they will not know and thus require someone with a higher knowledge of the matter. That said, does it really require a adult for the task? Why shouldn't a child be able to help? if he/she knows that a mistake has been committed and knows how to correct it, why should it not be a kid who does the teaching?

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  42. If kids are provided with the right and necessary tools, they can teach themselves. They do not necessarily need an adult tutor to learn.
    However, it is true that children cannot learn on their own for too long. There will come a time when they will need an adult guidance.
    As per Mr. Sugata Mishra’s experience in slum areas, technology is very easy to use. Children who are not highly educated are able to use the computer and interact with others.

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  43. In this video Mr. Mitra Sugata tries to demonstrate the human ability to learn by itself and the speed at which human being can learn. Generally children are very excited with new technologies; I still remember when my brother, my sister and I got our first personal computer. I was 8 years old, and I was very fascinated with it. It was the first time we’ve seen such a machine. Fortunately in a certain sense, when the technicians installed the computer, we were not present. So we had to figure out how to power it up, we were so excited that we did not check the manual, we try to press one button after the other to see how it affected the machine, three minutes later the PC was boot up, 5 minutes later my brother was using paint. I still remember, the facial expression of my parents, they were amazed how we could use such a complex device. So I do understand those Indian children.
    But what has surprised me in that video is the ability of those children to learn English at such a quick speed and with nearly any support; they had only 200 words in English on the CDS. Without opening the PC to understand the PC they ask “for a better mouse and a more powerful processor”, that is so amazing. When we think about how difficult CSE1010 is and those children, the first time they use a pc, they understood how it works. How they manage to share what they learn to their other fellow friend is such amazing, because in our modern society students are unwilling to share what they learn.
    To conclude, learning process is a natural process, people are trying to complicate it with different step and procedures, why not base a new learning strategy on what attract children to lean by themselves.

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  44. Dr Mitra has proved that children can be their own teacher. Nowadays, kids are much more aware of the use of technology without much intervention of teachers. As mentioned in the article, even children in slum areas who are not well educated, learned how to use the computer as well as the internet on their own. But still, a tutor’s place cannot be completely replaced by educational technology as it is the tutor who will clarify doubts about certain issues.

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  45. Children have a knack for teaching themselves things that are not forced on to them. One reason that drives them to do so is curiosity and this shared experience is one obvious proof.

    Learning is a natural process that every child experiences in her own unique way. By examining how very young children learn from birth onward, it becomes clear that children are born inquisitive, with an inherent desire to experiment and explore the world around them. Learning from one’s own experiences is a vital contribution to one’s development. As shown, a child does not necessarily need to be in a classroom to acquire knowledge and this is currently the trend of the new generations where now young children are generally at ease with new technologies. They tend to learn by their own and adults are often stunned the see quick pace at which they assimilate new things and how they master them afterwards.

    As shown also, the sharing of knowledge improves one self education. This is another primordial aspect of education that adults forget. But I am also of the opinion that if a child rely only its environment and friends to improve his knowledge, he can be limited and receive a bad education. To conclude I can only say that after all the assistance of a guide is still needed .

    ReplyDelete
  46. Children have a knack for teaching themselves things that are not forced on to them. One reason that drives them to do so is curiosity and this shared experience is one obvious proof.

    Learning is a natural process that every child experiences in her own unique way. By examining how very young children learn from birth onward, it becomes clear that children are born inquisitive, with an inherent desire to experiment and explore the world around them. Learning from one’s own experiences is a vital contribution to one’s development. As shown, a child does not necessarily need to be in a classroom to acquire knowledge and this is currently the trend of the new generations where now young children are generally at ease with new technologies. They tend to learn by their own and adults are often stunned the see quick pace at which they assimilate new things and how they master them afterwards.

    As shown also, the sharing of knowledge improves one self education. This is another primordial aspect of education that adults forget. But I am also of the opinion that if a child rely only its environment and friends to improve his knowledge, he can be limited and receive a bad education. To conclude I can only say that after all the assistance of a guide is still needed .

    ReplyDelete
  47. Children have a knack for teaching themselves things that are not forced on to them. One reason that drives them to do so is curiosity and this shared experience is one obvious proof.

    Learning is a natural process that every child experiences in her own unique way. By examining how very young children learn from birth onward, it becomes clear that children are born inquisitive, with an inherent desire to experiment and explore the world around them. Learning from one’s own experiences is a vital contribution to one’s development. As shown, a child does not necessarily need to be in a classroom to acquire knowledge and this is currently the trend of the new generations where now young children are generally at ease with new technologies. They tend to learn by their own and adults are often stunned the see quick pace at which they assimilate new things and how they master them afterwards.

    As shown also, the sharing of knowledge improves one self education. This is another primordial aspect of education that adults forget. But I am also of the opinion that if a child rely only its environment and friends to improve his knowledge, he can be limited and receive a bad education. To conclude I can only say that after all the assistance of a guide is still needed .

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  48. @ Luvnee – I agree with what you mentioned. Children can teach themselves but not for too long as they are not mature enough do to so. The risk of committing mistakes is high and they can also make incorrect assumptions. At a given moment, the guidance of a tutor will be necessary.

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  49. Children have a knack for teaching themselves things that are not forced on to them. One reason that drives them to do so is curiosity and this shared experience is one obvious proof.

    Learning is a natural process that every child experiences in her own unique way. By examining how very young children learn from birth onward, it becomes clear that children are born inquisitive, with an inherent desire to experiment and explore the world around them. Learning from one’s own experiences is a vital contribution to one’s development. As shown, a child does not necessarily need to be in a classroom to acquire knowledge and this is currently the trend of the new generations where now young children are generally at ease with new technologies. They tend to learn by their own and adults are often stunned the see quick pace at which they assimilate new things and how they master them afterwards.

    As shown also, the sharing of knowledge improves one self education. This is another primordial aspect of education that adults forget. But I am also of the opinion that if a child rely only its environment and friends to improve his knowledge, he can be limited and receive a bad education. To conclude I can only say that after all the assistance of a guide is still needed .

    ReplyDelete
  50. Children have a knack for teaching themselves things that are not forced on to them. One reason that drives them to do so is curiosity and this shared experience is one obvious proof.

    Learning is a natural process that every child experiences in her own unique way. By examining how very young children learn from birth onward, it becomes clear that children are born inquisitive, with an inherent desire to experiment and explore the world around them. Learning from one’s own experiences is a vital contribution to one’s development. As shown, a child does not necessarily need to be in a classroom to acquire knowledge and this is currently the trend of the new generations where now young children are generally at ease with new technologies. They tend to learn by their own and adults are often stunned the see quick pace at which they assimilate new things and how they master them afterwards.

    As shown also, the sharing of knowledge improves one self education. This is another primordial aspect of education that adults forget. But I am also of the opinion that if a child rely only its environment and friends to improve his knowledge, he can be limited and receive a bad education. To conclude I can only say that after all the assistance of a guide is still needed .

    ReplyDelete
  51. Children have a knack for teaching themselves things that are not forced on to them. One reason that drives them to do so is curiosity and this shared experience is one obvious proof.

    Learning is a natural process that every child experiences in her own unique way. By examining how very young children learn from birth onward, it becomes clear that children are born inquisitive, with an inherent desire to experiment and explore the world around them. Learning from one’s own experiences is a vital contribution to one’s development. As shown, a child does not necessarily need to be in a classroom to acquire knowledge and this is currently the trend of the new generations where now young children are generally at ease with new technologies. They tend to learn by their own and adults are often stunned the see quick pace at which they assimilate new things and how they master them afterward.

    As shown also, the sharing of knowledge improves one self education. This is another primordial aspect of education that adults forget. But I am also of the opinion that if a child rely only its environment and friends to improve his knowledge, he can be limited and receive a bad education. To conclude I can only say that after all the assistance of a guide is still needed .

    ReplyDelete
  52. Children have a knack for teaching themselves things that are not forced on to them. One reason that drives them to do so is curiosity and this shared experience is one obvious proof.

    Learning is a natural process that every child experiences in her own unique way. By examining how very young children learn from birth onward, it becomes clear that children are born inquisitive, with an inherent desire to experiment and explore the world around them. Learning from one’s own experiences is a vital contribution to one’s development. As shown, a child does not necessarily need to be in a classroom to acquire knowledge and this is currently the trend of the new generations where now young children are generally at ease with new technologies. They tend to learn by their own and adults are often stunned the see quick pace at which they assimilate new things and how they master them afterwards.

    As shown also, the sharing of knowledge improves one self education. This is another primordial aspect of education that adults forget. But I am also of the opinion that if a child rely only its environment and friends to improve his knowledge, he can be limited and receive a bad education. To conclude I can only say that after all the assistance of a guide is still needed .

    ReplyDelete
  53. Children have a knack for teaching themselves things that are not forced on to them. One reason that drives them to do so is curiosity and this shared experience is one obvious proof.

    Learning is a natural process that every child experiences in her own unique way. By examining how very young children learn from birth onward, it becomes clear that children are born inquisitive, with an inherent desire to experiment and explore the world around them. Learning from one’s own experiences is a vital contribution to one’s development. As shown, a child does not necessarily need to be in a classroom to acquire knowledge and this is currently the trend of the new generations where now young children are generally at ease with new technologies. They tend to learn by their own and adults are often stunned the see quick pace at which they assimilate new things and how they master them afterwards.

    As shown also, the sharing of knowledge improves one self education. This is another primordial aspect of education that adults forget. But I am also of the opinion that if a child rely only its environment and friends to improve his knowledge, he can be limited and receive a bad education. To conclude I can only say that after all the assistance of a guide is still needed .

    ReplyDelete
  54. Sugatra Mitra’s experiment has indeed proved that kids can learn by themselves and that the implementation of a virtual class can be successful. But the question to be asked is:” To what extent can kids learn by themselves?” There will eventually be a time when the novelty will wear off and the curiosity will dwindle or maybe the inability to understand a concept or point will discourage the kids in expanding their knowledge. At that time, the need for a tutor who will have the task to retain all the kids’ attention and keep them focused on their task or to help them in any problem they encounter will be felt.
    At the same time, in the video, what I see is that the kids learn in groups, i.e. the kids learn through sharing their ideas in groups. So, proper learning occurs when there is actual sharing of ideas between kids themselves or between kids and tutors. So, to be able to have proper sharing of ideas and a successful learning environment, we need to communicate either physically, through Skype/ MSN.

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  55. Sugatra Mitra’s experiment has indeed proved that kids can learn by themselves and that the implementation of a virtual class can be successful. But the question to be asked is:” To what extent can kids learn by themselves?” There will eventually be a time when the novelty will wear off and the curiosity will dwindle or maybe the inability to understand a concept or point will discourage the kids in expanding their knowledge. At that time, the need for a tutor who will have the task to retain all the kids’ attention and keep them focused on their task or to help them in any problem they encounter will be felt.
    At the same time, in the video, what I see is that the kids learn in groups, i.e. the kids learn through sharing their ideas in groups. So, proper learning occurs when there is actual sharing of ideas between kids themselves or between kids and tutors. So, to be able to have proper sharing of ideas and a successful learning environment, we need to communicate either physically, through Skype/ MSN.

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  56. Can Kids Teach Themselves?

    According to the video, I agree that kids can teach themselves in one way or the other. The remoteness and quality of primary education was worst in region farthest from urban areas and Sugata Mitra also noticed that good teacher is not affordable by poor region. He mentioned that demonstrated that a kid of 8 years old was teaching another kid how to use internet explorer to browse the internet, this is indeed an amazing fact.

    Sugata Mitra also talked about another similar case in ‘Shivpuri’ where another kid was experiencing for the first time internet browsing. This showed that children can improve faster under certain circumstances. He also left a computer and some cd in a region in India

    Kids are very curious and with motivation they can learn almost anything and quickly.

    Kids are very smart according to this comment posted on you Tube by GS350JPN about the video above “I teach English in Japan. A student joined at 1 year and 9 months. At 2 years and 6 months, he could use a dictionary. At the age 2 years and 10 months, he was reading, well. I am not joking. He is Japanese. His mom speaks no English. My students are 2 years and up. Most of them learn to read English, on average, in 10 months. The fastest was in 4 by a 5 yr. old boy. He read, well. I am teaching grammar to kids 3 to 7years. They all can read and use a dictionary. Kids are smart, smart, smart!”

    Sugata Mitra concluded that:-

     Remoteness affects the quality of education
     Education technology should be introduced into remote areas first
     Values are acquired, doctrine and dogma are imposed
     Learning is a self-organising system

    I totally agree with these four points.

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  57. Can kids teach themselves?
    I agree with Dr. Mitra in the sense that curiosity is a means to learn by oneself. If children are able to browse the internet and learn language only with the help of each other; that is without any guidance of an experienced person, it shows that children can learn by themselves if they are working in groups. But I think that the presence of an experienced being is also important to uproot the seeds of doubts which are planted in their minds when children learn from themselves.
    But with our current education system kids are really considered to be empty vessels and they are sat down in a room and filled with curricular content. Our education system needs to be revised. As Dr Mitra says parts of the primary education can happen on its own and it should not be imposed on children. Children can self organize and attain education or objectives.
    Thus I conclude, if children can learn by themselves it is possible for adults also. So with the advanced technology, we can become independent in our learning process.
    Goolamun Farah

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  58. Reply to Shiksha:
    I agree with Shiksha, it is agreed that children can learn by themselves but the question is “To what extent can kids learn by themselves?” there will be a time when they will not be able to understand and they will have doubt regarding their subject . Thus a teacher will be required to clear the doubts and to keep them focused on what they need to do.
    Also sharing among ourselves also play a big role in our learning process. Peer-shared knowledge also plays a big role to understand things better as we are more comfortable with our peers than with our teacher.

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  59. It really amazed me when I read about what Mr Mitra was pointing out.I even assumed it was some kind of jokes because I also believed that kids needed to be taught. Yet reading the various articles related to the subject and whose links are posted on the article, I came to realise that indeed kids could self-learn.
    In fact to summarize Mr Mitra's idea, I reckon that the learning process does not necessarily involve going to school and having a teacher to teach one.
    Yet I believe that Schooling as we know it is also crucial because there exists some areas in education that have to be delivered through formal education through a teacher. These include the bases of education like counting and alphabetization.

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  60. Really indeed kids can be their own teachers. Curious by nature they are always trying to discover things on their own. And hence they end up by learning things by themselves at their own pace. And from this video we can see how a child is teaching another child to surf on the net. From this it can b e said that Kids are good learners as well as good teachers.
    For children coming from slums having a computer at their disposition is like having a toy and thus while playing with the latter they end up learning lots of things. We can say that teaching do not necessarily involve a teacher nor a classroom to study.
    However the question still arises: At what extend can a child learn things all by himself?

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  61. To Farah
    I agree with you concerning the reconsideration of our actual education system which really considers the kids to be empty vessels. They are just taught in a classroom and this is not the only way to teach. Kids should be encouraged to share the things that they have learned on their own in the classroom with their classmates and teachers. There should be a two way communication in the classroom whereby, kids can talk easily and thus develop their skills. Due to technology and the internet we can find almost everything on the net and thus kids can learn much more by themselves.

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  62. Dr Mishra disproved the long-established fact that children have to be indoctrinated by their teachers in order to acquire knowledge, by showing that they can also learn through minimally invasive education, that is, learning independently and sharing knowledge about a new thing with the help of the an curiosity-inducing environment. However, he pointed out that at some point the children would need a guide, who would encourage them in thinking outside the box and also clear ambiguities.
    Introducing Educational Technology in rural areas first and later in urban areas is a wise decision as the former seems to lack the proper facilities and infrastructures that the latter has in abundance.
    Using educational tools arouses the children’s interest and hence, helps in learning process.

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  63. I agree that adults can self-learn as well. However, adults are more experienced than children and are more used to their environment, maybe they would consider self-learning as a tedious chore. Therefore, I believe that adults need to be encouraged and motivated more about the benefits of self-learning and also, they need more guidance as they tend to be less curious than children.

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  64. Those children are totally unaware of such type of technology... and it is normal to see them to come forward to try these technology out of CURIOSITY only...

    This experiment is only here to show that CURIOSITY is a mean to acquire knowledge... and also to share it with their freinds who were also like them... that is curious....

    WHAT will happen if the environnment doesnot stimulate that curiosity?

    What will happen when the technology will be very more advanced... then a teacher is needed to show us the rigth path... and i also want to add that a vocal and man to man communication is much more important than just a screen communication...

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  65. TO THOSE WHO CONSIDER THAT WE ARE NOT EMPTY VESSELS...

    i believe that we are empty vessels... this is because if this was not the case... then we would be called a genius... having all the knowledge from our birth... we acquire knowledge slowly slowly through learning... i believe that this experiment showed that ONLY CURIOSITY was the root to make the children to make a step forward towards that computer and not their will to learn...

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  66. There is not even the shadow of a doubt that the success of e-learning in an institution can be a very hard nut to crack. As outlined by the article, major consideration must be given about how e-learning can be beneficial or be a serious problem affecting students in learning. Besides it is an undeniable proof that, e-learning bring out creativity, make students think critically, be self independent enables them to manage their time properly, and encourage them to participate but it should not be ignored that e-learning may as well act as a hindrance since students might require some guidance and moral support especially to know whether they are on the right track.
    However if we analyze the issue objectively,with simple logical reasoning the following questions would dawn upon us :
    To what extent e-learning is an efficient choice for learning?
    Can everybody afford it?
    Or what makes e-learning a suitable and recommendable concept rather than the traditional distance education concept?
    It is indeed a highly debatable issue. Nonetheless viewed from a different perspective, it is an undeniable fact that it is a good initiative on behalf of the author to identify the aspects and criteria of what makes e-learning affordable, effective, interesting & fun and not just aim for further student enrollments for e-learning

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  67. Tasleem Sooltangos19 October 2010 at 18:25

    The research “Hole in the Wall” carried out by Mr. Sugata Mitra is indeed amazing in the sense that kids have been able to learn how to do basic things on a computer by themselves in three months only while lots of people, both adults and children take yearly courses on how to use a computer. This study raises a lot of questions such as; does this mean that we can eliminate adult intervention in the learning process? To what extent can kids learn things on their own? I believe that kids can of course learn much by themselves and when they are in a group whereby they will help each other but there is a limit to it. At some point in time they will need a facilitator/ teacher/ educator to guide them.
    He also says that Educational Technology should be implemented in remote areas and that is true as this will better benefit kids who do not have adequate infrastructures rather than those who attend elite schools.

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  68. Tasleem Sooltangos19 October 2010 at 18:26

    After reading Sadvi’s comments, a question can be raised. Like Sadvi says it is kind of easy to use a computer and it is proven that kids learn faster than adults so we can easily accept the fact that these children are being able to learn how to use a computer but would they have been able to learn to do something more challenging of their own? And what happens if they learn on an individual basis and not in groups?

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  69. This video of Mitra is indeed revelatory as it challenges the various ways in this educational technologies were deemed appropriate. Basically , many of the scholars and thinkers would tend to think that the well performing institutions would be the perfect recipient of the experiential learning strategies. This idea being reversed and challenged by Mitra somehow shapes another image and the traditional educational system where maybe with this new perspective, concerned actors would be able to eliminate the drawbacks, promising a better grasp of the self learning. After viewing the video and with my reading the blog, I can state that I agree with promoting this self learning culture where teachers are less and less required, but also where their role as facilitators are undeniable so far.

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  70. Reply to Komal:

    Kids when subjected to tools they are not used to tend to find a way how that tool could be used. This has been superbly demonstrated by Dr. Mishra. Does it imply that if kids are confronted to appropriate teaching aids, materials and other learning strategies from a very young age, these would enable them to acquire knowledge in a more structured manner?

    But, definitely i would rather say that kids despite their abilities in learning on their own would in the end need the presence of facilitators for their smooth learning cycle.

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  71. After having read this article,it shows how an intelligent thought it was from Dr Sugata Mitra to prove that kids can learn by themselves.Nowadays,children are growing rapidly and even small ones knoe how to make use of computers.Children can learn anywhere and do not really depend on tutors.However,i totally agree with melanie when she says that there should be someone to act as a guide and show them things which are beyond their understanding power.

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  72. We, humans, we are Curious by Nature. I agreed that those children can learn by themselves and interact with a computer. I like that concept of "Hole in the wall" as it is the Breaking of Traditional schools where children are confined within the four walls with a teacher. In this method, the learning approach is different as it encourages children to explore, learn and enjoy.we don't impose on them with a curricular content or a syllabus content. Children living in slums can at least know what a computer can do. They can develop their creativity and built a certain autonomy by using the computer. At the end, they will be happy that they have able to something constructive without the help of an adult or a teacher.Their cognitive aspects are developed through that activity.

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  73. I find that concept of 'Hole in the wall' interesting as it breaks the Traditional schools concept where children are confined within the four walls with a teacher. We have seen that in the slums, children were very happy when they were interacting with the computer, they discussed with their friends or help their friends. In this way this encourages them to explore, to develop their creativity, to learn and enjoy. They become curious and develop their autonomy through such cognitive approach.

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  74. Can kids teach themselves?
    I find the concept of ‘hole in the wall’ interesting as it breaks the Traditional method schools where children are confined within the four walls with a teacher and a curricular or syllabus content. We have found that the children in the slums were happy when they were trying to learn through a computer. This method encourages them to interact with other children by helping each other or through discussion. Furthermore, they also develop their cognitive approach, their creativity, their curiosity and certain autonomy. They are being able to explore, to learn, to enjoy and to appreciate what they did with the use of computer without the help of a teacher. In this way, this method is practical in countries where there is poverty and lack of infrastructure.

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  75. Reply to Komal:

    Kids when subjected to tools they are not used to tend to find a way how that tool could be used. This has been superbly demonstrated by Dr. Mishra. Does it imply that if kids are confronted to appropriate teaching aids, materials and other learning strategies from a very young age, these would enable them to acquire knowledge in a more structured manner?

    But, definitely i would rather say that kids despite their abilities in learning on their own would in the end need the presence of facilitators for their smooth learning cycle.

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  76. The project of Sugata Mitra shows how kids are curious by nature and learn easily by themselves. In fact, those kids in India learn how to use the pc and teach their peer but I think that they taught only basic things, the still need someone to teach them how to use the pc efficiently and how to take the best from it. According to me learning alone is a good thing but there stills the need of a tutor to answer some questions about problems that we have while studying.

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  77. @VAROON7
    I respect your way of thinking, but I would like to say that we are not empty vessel…. In fact, we do not born genius but we all born with a form of intelligence, scientist called that grey matter, and while growing we learn things and we develop our intelligence and our skills. Saying that we are empty vessel is having a limited outlook on human being capacity. Moreover I agree when you say that children in this experiment learn only by curiosity and not with a will. Hence from my point of view we are not empty vessel, we acquire our intelligence at birth and we broaden it by acquire knowledge everyday!

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  78. The experiment of Dr. Mitra was a great one. Kids are very curious by nature and want to discover new things by their own. Therefore, children can learn by themselves and help each other. But sometimes, adults are needed to teach them some more difficult things, such as culture, how to respect elders, how to live like a good human being and so on.
    Therefore the help of adults is very important for the proper upbringing of kids.

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  79. This experiment shows that a child's mind is always one keen to learning. At this age everything interests him and he wants to know everything quickly. curiosity plays a major role here as the children in the experiment had never seen a computer before and they wanted what was this thing lying there and how does it work? i do not think that if it was a book they would have been this overjoyed and keen to learn.

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  80. The experiment carried out in Sumatra is indeed a very interesting one. The most skeptic researchers who believe that a child needs a particular guidance to be able to learn something is proved wrong through this experiment. Indeed children start to learn at the very moment they are born. It is a natural process. Children are always eager to explore new things as they grow up. They are particularly attracted by what are colourful, what offers a combination of sound and image. For instance a child can learn full conversation of his favorite Disney movie without someone forcing him to. This innate ability is only encouraged and guided by parent and teachers. Children are also fond of sharing pleasurable experiment not like adult who are very egoistical sometime. This is why the experiment carried out in Sumatra was asuccess.

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  81. Sujata Mitra video is something outstanding. In this video we have the opportunity to discover how children without education can learn things by their own. We can simply say that they don't need good teacher to teach them. As he said we can't generalize his sample but we can't deny the fact that, teachers’ motivations have a great impact on a child academic performance. His point about the fact that ET should reach underprivileged first is right. As children who lack opportunities should be the first one to be taken into consideration. ET is becoming more and more important in the entire world so we should provide facilities to those people who can't afford to go to school etc. It's awesome to see how the boy is manipulating the 'hole in the wall' and also teaching the little girl how to use it. Dr Mitra is a kind of genius who has proved that a child can learn without a class and a teacher.

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  82. The mind is a complex structure of the human body. Upon the conception up to its death man is designed to react with the environment around him and understand how it works. With a child, it is doubled as a child has no worldly problems like adults to deal with, and thus has lots of time to invest in the environment surrounding him.
    The video of Sugata Mitra demonstrates that a child interacts with the environment around him and demonstrates curiosity towards everything new which appears in that particular environment and is able to learn on his own how something he has never been in contact with works.
    When Sugata Mitra puts this experience into action in this type of environment; where the child has absolutely no access to the outer world and thus to education, he wants to demonstrate that a child wherever he may be (slums or cities), his capacity to learn and to understand things himself is the same.
    The fact also that the children after they have learnt something, teach others is very remarkable. In this process they not only learn but also help others to understand what they have learnt. This is called sharing of knowledge.
    To conclude, Sugata Mitra shows us how children, without the direct input of a teacher, can be capable of learning and help others to learn too.

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  83. @ priya
    i completely agree with you as children are very curious by nature and want to know about things they see around them, especially electronic things, like the computer. For sure, if it was a book, they would not have been that interested in it as for the computer.

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  84. CURIOSITY!!!I think this is the prime factor which triggers the learning aspect of everyone and as for a kid this is where curiosity is at its peak. It is wrong to refer a kid as an empty vessel and I must congratulate Mr. Mitra for proving this. I’m often left gaping at the things that my little niece and nephew say. Their milk teeth have barely grown yet they know how to turn on a pc or where to type. Once I even caught my nephew putting on a headset perfectly, adjusting the microphone and talking as if that was a very normal thing for him (and he’s just 3 years old) and I kept wondering how he knows all this and I’m sure most of you have gone through similar experiences. What do all these prove? Did we teach those kids how to do that? The answer is simple, kids learned it by themselves. I might as well take myself as a big example. I was a kid myself when I got my pc and at that time I had never learned about computers or followed any courses but a few hours of exploring through the various programs and internet I knew how to use it perfectly. I totally agree that kids can teach themselves and if it is in a group that’s even better and Mr. Mitra’s “hole in the wall” gave us all a clear example. However it is true that a kid cannot learn everything by himself and that is where the role of a teacher comes into play. The kid already has a very creative mind and the teacher is there just to guide him/her so that he can use his/her creativity in a better way and as long as the programs are “kids friendly” kids will not encounter any trouble in learning them.

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  85. Sugata Mitra has proved that kids can learn by themselves without the help of an teacher. It indeed proves that kids can teach themselves as well as their friends in the same surrounding. Curious by nature they are always trying to discover things on their own. But sometimes, adults are needed to teach them some more difficult things, such as culture, how to respect elders, how to live like a good human being and so on.

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  86. They can teach themselves with the help of e learning for example we have Website like http://www.aaastudy.com/ having free mathematical tutorials with practice problems for kids who want to improve their mathematical skills. But indeed a teacher's help is of uttermost importance so as to guide the kid because at this age they can come across anything so a guidance is important

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  87. i totally agree with karishmah and lalima about the fact that kids can learn by themselves.Children
    need plenty of time to experiment and explore. Young
    children are comfortable clicking various options to see what
    is going to happen next. Teachers may want to intervene
    when children appear frustrated or when nothing seems to
    be happening. Frequently, just a quick word or two, even
    from across the room, reminds children what they need to do
    next to reach their desired goal.
    In addition, computer use enhances children’s self-concept,
    and children demonstrate increasing levels of spoken
    communication and cooperation. Children share leadership
    roles more frequently and develop positive attitudes toward
    learning.
    Research has shown that 3- and 4-year-old children who use
    computers with supporting activities that reinforce the major
    objectives of the programs have significantly greater
    developmental gains. these gains are in terms of :
    intelligence, nonverbal skills, structural knowledge, long-term
    memory, manual dexterity, verbal skills, problem solving,
    abstraction, and conceptual skills..

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  88. The video shows that, children have the ability of learning faster than an adult. Their brains are as a sponge that absorbs everything they see and hear. Part of the education of a child can happen automatically, it does not need to be imposed and can be a self organizing system which will help the child to attain a certain educational objective. The video clearly shows that it arouse the interest of students to learn and motivate them as well.
    However, in reality children do needs the support of teachers and guidance. They provide us with moral and technical support. Lack of guidance may lead them to go astray and think in the wrong way. Therefore, there should be a balance.

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  89. I think the other thing that can be drawn from this is that children have an innate capacity to learn when they have interest and access to the tools that let them learn on their own along with minimal guidance. Give them a problem to solve and they will surprise you. Similar to giving a child a remote control to one of the early video recorders, they just seemed to press buttons and through a sequence of trial and error they got their results. Their parents on the other hand has read the manual and totally confused themselves. Dr. Mitra has a very god concept here. I hope others would adopt this.

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  90. @Irfaan: It is indeed true that a computer cannot replace a teacher as the latter has more feelings and is more in a position to understand the needs of the children and to respond to those needs. However, we see that a teacher does not really evoke the feeling of curiosity in his students as i guess almost all teachers have a "boring and monotonous" way of teaching. And thus the process no longer remains interactive. However in the case of a PC, the idea of learning how to manipulate a new machine is itself fascinating and stimulating.

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  91. Learning is a natural process that every child experiences in her own unique way. By examining how very young children learn from birth onward, it becomes clear that children are born inquisitive, with an inherent desire to experiment and explore the world around them. At the youngest age, it appears that there is nothing anyone could do to stop a child’s natural learning process from taking place. Babies learn to walk, to talk, and to formulate ideas and opinions about the world around them, with little forced “instruction” from adults.


    The video of Sugata Mitra shows us how children without education trying to learn using a computer without any teacher's guidance. This shows that kids can teach themselves.

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  92. @ ridhima
    i agree children can learn by themselves but to a certain extent.Without a teacher's guidance,it would be almost impossible for a kid to improve in his learning.By himself,he will learn in a disorderly manner,but a teacher will surely guide him in a proper path to take and therefore an orderly manner.

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  93. Can kids teach themselves?
    By considering Sugata Mitra’s experiment I can say that the children can learn by themselves. We called this curiosity. According to the video, the children have learned how to use a computer partially and they have learned the essential parts that most of us mainly use. However some of them have learned a new language which was unknown to them by the help of the computer. I can say that the children can teach themselves without the presence of a tutor. On the video I can see that there was a group work among the children and there was no sight of any laziness or stress on learning how to use the computer. If I compare it with a presence of a tutor this environment would not be the same as there will be a certain rule to follow before using the computer. Thus this will prevent the children from expressing fully their curiosity.

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  94. Can kids teach themselves?
    By considering Sugata Mitra’s experiment I can say that the children can learn by themselves. We called this curiosity. According to the video, the children have learned how to use a computer partially and they have learned the essential parts that most of us mainly use. However some of them have learned a new language which was unknown to them by the help of the computer. I can say that the children can teach themselves without the presence of a tutor. On the video I can see that there was a group work among the children and there was no sight of any laziness or stress on learning how to use the computer. If I compare it with a presence of a tutor this environment would not be the same as there will be a certain rule to follow before using the computer. Thus this will prevent the children from expressing fully their curiosity.

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  95. Can kids teach themselves?
    By considering Sugata Mitra’s experiment I can say that the children can learn by themselves. We called this curiosity. According to the video, the children have learned how to use a computer partially and they have learned the essential parts that most of us mainly use. However some of them have learned a new language which was unknown to them by the help of the computer. I can say that the children can teach themselves without the presence of a tutor. On the video I can see that there was a group work among the children and there was no sight of any laziness or stress on learning how to use the computer. If I compare it with a presence of a tutor this environment would not be the same as there will be a certain rule to follow before using the computer. Thus this will prevent the children from expressing fully their curiosity.

    ReplyDelete
  96. Can kids teach themselves?
    By considering Sugata Mitra’s experiment I can say that the children can learn by themselves. We called this curiosity. According to the video, the children have learned how to use a computer partially and they have learned the essential parts that most of us mainly use. However some of them have learned a new language which was unknown to them by the help of the computer. I can say that the children can teach themselves without the presence of a tutor. On the video I can see that there was a group work among the children and there was no sight of any laziness or stress on learning how to use the computer. If I compare it with a presence of a tutor this environment would not be the same as there will be a certain rule to follow before using the computer. Thus this will prevent the children from expressing fully their curiosity.

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  97. Mr. Sugata MItra has shown us that kids can learn by themselves without the intervention of any teacher or an adult. Where in a country the kids learnt English to be able to understand throw the computer work and Mr. Sugata Mitra was surprised when they talked about the processor and the mouse. According to him they seem to be able to acquire very quickly. The video also shows that children have the ability of understanding things faster than adults. But there should be a sort of interaction for the kids to know which path to choose and which one to let go in order not to lose precious time and for this they need the support of their teachers and parents.

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  98. Hello Urvashi:
    True indeed kids should not be referred to as empty vessel. Kids at the age of 2 are being able to switch on a computer and to go on paint to make use of the mouse to paint! That’s amazing indeed and kids as you said kids learned it by themselves. And lastly I agree on the point that teachers’ role comes into play when in need to learn them things they could not do so by themselves.

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  99. First of all the introductory part of the video shows that kids can not only teach themselves but also teach others what they have understood. Depending on the facilities offered no task is difficult for a child who is curious to know more
    Mr Mitra demonstrates the link between the environment of a kid and the way that kid will learn. In areas far from urban areas were suspected to have poorer facilities and even the teachers qualities were questioned.
    But as as learning is concerned the environment itself is not that important. However any child at a certain time will need the help of a teacher but a teacher who is motivated.

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  100. @ Deegumber G.S :
    This is absolutely true. I do actually think empty vessel is not really an appropriate way to describe kids. They have what i believe is called instinct and that instinct is what makes them try to find a way to understand their surroundings.
    My little cousin knows each and every photo album on her computer and when i asked her about it she said well mum used to do this and dad used to do this to open the album. And when i asked but how do you actually know how rotate the picture she just said like that look at the arrow there that’s the one. So basically it was self learning there has to be someone to switch on the computer but the rest is her job.
    But at a certain point she did need my help to understand some little things so i guess they do what they canand find other ways to know more through more knowledgeable people.

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  101. Can kids really teach themselves? The answer is yes and one of the proofs to it is the 'Hole in the wall' experiment conducted by Mr Mitra. The experiment clearly demonstrates how kids who are left on their own and are given a tool succeed in using the tool all by themselves. Maybe by intuition, by curiosity or whatever we name it, they succeed to explore that tool without any guidance. Learning is a natural process that every child experiences in her own unique way. By examining how very young children learn from birth onward, it becomes clear that children are born inquisitive, with an inherent desire to experiment and explore the world around them. At the youngest age, it appears that there is nothing anyone could do to stop a child’s natural learning process from taking place. Babies learn to walk, to talk, and to formulate ideas and opinions about the world around them, with little forced “instruction” from adults. In the absence of that "instruction" they still learn but maybe this will be a little drawback.

    In the whole of it, I believe kids can not only teach themselves but they can teach elders as well.

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  102. Kids must have good availability of school materials( libraries,school(REMOTENESS)) to learn. Education is a self learning process, kids learn quicker and faster through friends. They are also able to retain materials much faster since among friends they are not afraid at all if they make some mistakes compared learning through teachers. ET is required in all schools since it is less boring to kids and they love learning something interactive and less boring.ET allows educational games also which may attracts more students whose families do not want to send them to school.

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  103. By Sugata Mitra’s experiment it has been proved and can be seen that kids can teach themselves in one way or the other. Kids are very curious they can learn many things very quickly. But kids not always learn everything and to the full extent by themselves. In order to look at a child's capacity for learning, we need to take into consideration a complex set of factors. We know that an infant's brain is not fully developed by the time she is born. It continues to develop throughout her infancy. Brain development is influenced not just by biological factors, but also by environmental and experiential factors. We know that high levels of unmitigated stress (either pre or postnatal) can cause the release of chemicals which impair the growth and maturation of the brain.

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  104. By Sugata Mitra’s experiment it has been proved and can be seen that kids can teach themselves in one way or the other. Kids are very curious they can learn many things very quickly. But kids not always learn everything and to the full extent by themselves. In order to look at a child's capacity for learning, we need to take into consideration a complex set of factors. We know that an infant's brain is not fully developed by the time she is born. It continues to develop throughout her infancy. Brain development is influenced not just by biological factors, but also by environmental and experiential factors. We know that high levels of unmitigated stress (either pre or postnatal) can cause the release of chemicals which impair the growth and maturation of the brain.

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  105. By considering Sugata Mitra’s experiment, it is shown how children without education trying to learn using a computer without any teacher's guidance. It can be said that kids are good learners as well as good teachers. Curious by nature they are always trying to discover things on their own. Somehow, kids sometime needs the support of teachers and guidance. They could be provided with moral support. Lack of guidance may lead them to think in the wrong way.

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  106. By Sugata Mitra’s experiment it has been proved and can be seen that kids can teach themselves in one way or the other. Kids are very curious they can learn many things very quickly. But kids not always learn everything and to the full extent by themselves. In order to look at a child's capacity for learning, we need to take into consideration a complex set of factors. We know that an infant's brain is not fully developed by the time she is born. It continues to develop throughout her infancy. Brain development is influenced not just by biological factors, but also by environmental and experiential factors. We know that high levels of unmitigated stress (either pre or postnatal) can cause the release of chemicals which impair the growth and maturation of the brain.

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  107. The insight into education lowering with remoteness and the reasoning of teachers in remote areas wanting to go from there, but still teaching the kids is something that has to be considered. Not just in education but in life as a whole where you do something because you have to do it, and not because you want to do it. Similarly the kids learning better when not asked to and instructed on how to. In one way the education systems is training kids to learn is a specific way and those who cant follow it fall back, which is not right, so revisiting systems and methods continuously is the solution. Loved the talk and the simplicity.

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  108. Can kids teach themselves?
    Dr. Mitra’s experiment has shown that small children can indeed learn all by themselves without the help of a teacher. They can learn and teach their friends too. Their curiosity plays a great role in this matter. Even without any knowledge about technology, the children in the slum have succeeded in learning how to use computer and even go online. Kids €at small age have the capacity to store things more rapidly and easily. That’s why; with peers’ help these children have learned more easily.
    However, small kids need guidance. Technology can be learnt quite easily by playing with it. By in other fields, these children can learn quite the opposite of what is supposed to know. This can be dangerous to them as later they mind find it hard to learn the correct way. So a small child always needs a tutor to have their little brain fill with good things. Technology is better for adolescents and adults who can learn by themselves. By they also might need the guidance of a tutor at some point.

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  109. This was a marvelous video and by watching it, many conclusions can be made. Now i think that one himself is his own teacher. We could see it very well how the kids were trying to learn by themselves, their interactions, their way of doing things. It was surprising that without the need of a teacher they were successful. But i insist that there should be an elder to guide them through what they learn and through what they do. this is because for once they have known how to use the computer, they can now misuse it. In fact here, the machine was not a complicated one. by trial and error and by just clicking here and there, the kids could easily manage but if a more complicated apparatus was put there, then things would have been different. Still, i strongly believe that kids need the assistance of experienced persons and teachers in order to guide them in the right path and to clarify whatever doubts they have, in a better way.

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  110. The term “education- as- usual assumes that kids are empty vessels” is a totally wrong statement. As well proved by Sugata Mitra, kids can teach themselves, motivated by curiosity.
    This is not only the case for these Indian kids. Each and every one of us at some point in our childhood life had been taught (whether of how to play a game or something else) by another kid of approximately the same age. A clear example that can be taken is the “Hide and seek” game. This game has passed on from kids to kids from generations to generations.
    Furthermore, we must all agree that it is always better to be taught by someone who is of our same age range, who can better understand our questions, points of view and to whom we can talk more freely. Moreover, people of the same age range use more or less the same type of expressions, words which facilitate the explanation. Thus, these are also the case for children. Children can be better understood by children of their same age range and thus better taught by children.
    However, children need to be guided by a teacher so as not to lose their way. This is because teachers are experienced people and are pedagogically instructed to teach children in a safe way. Just imagine, what would have happened if these Indian kids just by surfing on the net unknowingly went on a pornographic site and were exposed to pornographic scenes!

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  111. Hi Hanna, very well said!Kids can learn by themselves, they can even be taught better by someone of their age, that is, their friends and peers as they will obviously understand people of their age better than adults points of view. However, I strongly think that it is elemental that teachers and parents guide them in the right path so that they do not stumble ahead.

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  112. Hi Sharvin, I like very much the way how you express the learning process of a child. I will add further that " KIDS ARE NOT EMPTY VESSELS". At every stage of their life they will learn and discover things by themselves. However, parents and teachers need to guide them so that they do not deviate from the right path, not even due to curiosity.

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  113. Can kids teach themselves?
    Dr. Mitra’s experiment has shown that small children can indeed learn all by themselves without the help of a teacher. They can learn and teach their friends too. Their curiosity plays a great role in this matter. Even without any knowledge about technology, the children in the slum have succeeded in learning how to use computer and even go online. Kids at small age have the capacity to store things more rapidly and easily. That’s why; with peers’ help these children have learned more easily.
    However, small kids need guidance. Technology can be learnt quite easily by playing with it. By in other fields, these children can learn quite the opposite of what is supposed to know. This can be dangerous to them as later they mind find it hard to learn the correct way. So a small child always needs a tutor to have their little brain fill with good things. Technology is better for adolescents and adults who can learn by themselves. By they also might need the guidance of a tutor at some point.

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  114. @Urvashi
    I completely agree with Urvashi. Even my sister, when she was very small, she had already learn how to use pc, how to call on Skype and how to even go in facebook and comment. Its quite surprising that just by watching us do this once, their small brain captivates all these small details at once. But they cannot learn all by themselves. They need to be taught other important things too. For instance, they won’t know if they enter a site which has virus. So they need a teacher’s guidance.

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  115. Mr Mitra's experiment shows that kids can indeed teach themselves. Teaching does not only take place in a classroom. This video shows that kids have a knack to learn, they are curious to know more and to understand their surroundings. The more amazing thing is that not only they learn by themselves, but also the video showed an eight year old boy showing a 6 year old girl how to browse the internet. This video shows that whatever their environment, kids want to learn and share their knowledge.

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  116. I completely agree with the fact that children can indeed learn by themselves. By viewing this awesome video we have seen how so called illiterate slum children trying to know how to use a computer and even more trying to browse via the internet. It is a part in human being that can be said to form part of its instinct to know how something actually works or occur. There are many question that we ask ourself and curious by nature we seek here and there trying to understand what is going on. This is actually how these poor uneducated get known of how to use such modern machines and on the run they shared among themselves the knowledge of how to use the computer without any educator there helping them how to manipulate this new machine. Furthermore, while wanting to know even more, the child develop the capacity to get acknowledge of the English language which is completely amazing. I congratulate Mr Mitra who has proved that education is not just sitting on a bench and listening to the teacher. Hence, to conclude i am for the fact that child can learn by themselves and teach their peer in the process.

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  117. @nitisha:
    I agree with you on the fact that since early childhood someone can learn by himself just by observing. Furthermore, i am actually experiencing the example that you gave about your younger sister, i have a nephew who is 4 years all and most of the time he astonished me. He know how to put the password on the computer, how to browse the internet and even typing 'Games' on the browser and downloading them. It is something awesome for me. At this age, I did not even know how to switch on a computer. Due to exposure, child learns very quickly.

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  118. In this video we can deduce that children can learn by themselves if and only if they are working in groups. We can see that these children have learned the basic parts that most of us mainly used. Probably most of them have learned a new language in the absence of a teacher. This is called curiosity. These children appear to be enjoying this kind of learning and with the presence of a teacher this atmosphere of learning would not be the same. The presence of any kind of laziness or stress was not present. If I compare it with the presence of a teacher this environment would not be the same as they would be certain rules to follow while using the computer. Thus this would prevent the children form expressing their curiosity. Thus kids can teach themselves if all of them contributed to it.

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  119. @ varoon7
    after reading your entry i have to admit that you raise a very good point. Had we been 'not an empty vessel' then we would have knowledge as soon as we were born and so learning would have been obsolete. Therefore i totally agree that the video only showed curiosity that was the motive to make the children take a step forward in their acquiring knowledge.

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  120. I was really surprised after watching this video. The “Hole in Wall” project has proved that children can learn by themselves without any guidance of elders. For the children to ask a “faster processor and mouse” they must have understood how the computer works. And they also said that for understanding the machine they had to learn English. Can you imagine that although the children in the slum areas are not well-educated, they had managed to learn and understand English by themselves? This clearly shows that curiosity made them discover things by themselves. It is not necessary for the children to sit in a classroom to learn. Children should not be underestimated. And these children from the slum areas have proved that they can share knowledge among themselves by discussing and sharing their opinions. This video has proved that these children were really interested to learn more about the computer and have done their best to know about it. Unfortunately not all things can be learn without any guidance of teachers. Children need some guidance but that does not mean that they are completely dependent on the teacher.

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  121. Can kids teach themselves?
    According to the experiment undergone by Dr Mitra, it shows that kids can learn and share their knowledge with others without any intervention of a tutor. This fact is quite true as human beings in nature they are curious and their curiosity leads them to learn new things. I don’t agree completely with the fact that kids are empty vessels that need to be filled with curricular content. However at some stage these kids have to be guided so that they don’t misuse the information that they have acquired or to prevent others from using their ability in the wrong way such as making them do illegal works, for example hacking and implementing viruses.
    Through this experiment, it shows that kids are fast independent learners and perform well in group learning. We can think of a way of using technology along side with a minimum involvement of tutors to teach kids at a very young age which is becoming quite common nowadays. In this way the kids will be self dependent, social and easily adaptable to surprising situations in life as they grow up.
    This method of learning is quite expensive because of the use of technology and it will take some time to incorporate this method in remote areas.

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  122. The survey made by Mr. Sugata Mitra really proved, with the hidden camera filming the area and clearly illustrated in the video, that child has the ability to acquire knowledge without the help of a learning instructor. I noted that it was mainly curiosity which boosts up these kids to learn using the tools. Curiosity is an important trait of a genius. It makes your mind active instead of passive, observant of new ideas and I don’t think you can find an intellectual giant who is not a curious person.
    Nevertheless, we should not forget the fact that the help of teacher is undeniable. I agree that the kid can be its self-instructor but can we say that he/she has learned it the right way? Therefore, teachers can determine what the best actions are to help enhance the learning process for a particular child
    I was also very impressed by the way these kids were collaborating with themselves. They learned how to share knowledge they incur with their friends and collaborative work can only be applause because one advantage of working in groups is that a problem can be solved faster and easier.

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  123. Reply to Suraj Motee (12 janvier 2011 17:00)
    I agree with the fact that you said kids can learn more easily with their friends who are in the same age group as them; however, they will need someone to ensure that that they are on the right track of the learning process. It is true that educational technology can attract more students whose parents are not willing to send them to school. Mostly this situation is common in remote areas or the poorest areas of the world. The question that arises is whether the government or some NGOs are ready to provide these expensive methods of education to those kids.

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  124. According to Mr. Sugata Mitra, the research was well structured. Fabio you are right children nowadays prove to have the ability to instruct themselves without any help. with the aim of playing, the children will tend to be able to study themselves. This can also be without anyone instructing them. for inatance we can see a chid using a mobile phone and entering some programs easily. It is a fact that human being are born with curiosity as we can see in children towards new technologies. Those children collaborating with each other. but however to have improvements, the help of a teacher is of its upmost important.

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  125. According to Mr. Sugata Mitra, the research was well structured. Fabio you are right children nowadays prove to have the ability to instruct them without any help. with the aim of playing, the children will tend to be able to study themselves. This can also be without anyone instructing them. for instance we can see a chid using a mobile phone and entering some programs easily. It is a fact that human being is born with curiosity as we can see in children towards new technologies. These children collaborating with each other. But however to have improvements, the help of a teacher is of its upmost important.

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  126. Can children be self-educated? Like it is proved by Mr. Sugata, through his experiments on children from poor countries using computers, the answer would be yes. the other question that might come to our mind is 'How is it possible?'.

    Throughout the experiment we can see that it is possible for children to be educated without too much assistance. Maybe it is the curiosity of knowing about unfamiliar things that create the intuitive of how to use the computer for example. moreover, this reaction could be a result from our instinct and creativity, therefore creating a self-educated system approach to the education system.

    However, it is also important for the children to have some assistance in their education but it must not be so impose on them, and let the creativity be created throughout it. An good example of such education system would be the Education Technology module.

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The polemic surrounding University Ranking of UniRank (4icu.org) : The case of UoM being 85th in the African Top 100

This is an interview I gave to the News on Sunday paper that appeared on 26th July 2020. 1. There is a controversy about the ranking of ...