The-School-in-the-Cloud-review--how-a-computer-for-slum-kids-inspired-a-learning-debate

Half term usually brings forth a minor deluge of U-rated animated features, laid out like cinematic kitchen roll to absorb the attention of restless children. This documentary offers, instead, debate-stimulating viewing for all educators enjoying time off, too.

Director Jerry Rothwell has tracked projects set up by Sugata Mitra, a physicist turned TED-talk guru over several years. In the late 90s, Mitra set up an experiment. He made a hole in the wall of his office building in New Delhi, in which he installed a computer screen and mousepad for use by local slum kids. The way he tells the story, after a few months they wanted more expensive graphics cards and a better mouse, and displayed a thirst for knowledge that got Mitra thinking about how our Victorian-designed, factory-style education systems might be improved with modern technology.

Eventually, The School in the Cloud review ? how a computer for slum kids inspired a learning debate about minimally invasive education evolved into what are termed self-organisedlearningenvironments (or SOLEs). The SOLEs are effectively rooms where terminals offer the young access to high-speed internet, a worldwide network of ?grannies? (mostly retired teachers) via Skype to help them to learn English, and sometimes grownups in the room who pose questions ? such as how to look up articles on why teardrops are shaped as they are ? to develop the youngsters? The School in the Cloud review ? how a computer for slum kids inspired a learning debate . Some might say this is good old-fashioned distance learning with knobs on and possibly better PR. To Mitra and the documentary?s credit, fair criticism is aired, and we see how some of the first SOLEs in India end up being no more than internet cafes where kids can play shooter games and watch inane YouTube videos.