Sugata Mitra: Build a School in the Cloud

About this Video

• Video Title: Sugata Mitra: Build a School in the Cloud
• Channel: TED
• Speakers: Sugata Mitra
• Duration: 00:22:32

Introduction

This TED Talk by Sugata Mitra explores the future of learning, arguing that traditional schooling is obsolete. Mitra details his experiments with "Hole in the Wall" computers, demonstrating children's capacity for self-organized learning, and proposes a "School in the Cloud" model based on these findings.

Key Takeaways

1. Traditional schooling is outdated: The current education system, designed for the British Empire's bureaucratic needs, is no longer relevant in a world where information is readily accessible and jobs require different skills.
2. Children can learn independently: Mitra's experiments show children can effectively learn complex concepts, including computer programming and biotechnology, with minimal direct instruction, using self-organized learning.
3. Encouragement, not instruction, is key: The most effective learning happens when children are encouraged and supported, rather than subjected to traditional methods of teaching and assessment.
4. The "School in the Cloud" concept: Mitra proposes a new model of learning, "School in the Cloud," which leverages technology and peer learning in self-organized environments with minimal adult intervention, focusing on big questions rather than rote learning.
5. The power of self-organized learning environments (SOLEs): SOLEs are learning environments where children learn collaboratively through exploration and inquiry, driven by their intrinsic curiosity.