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Hole-in-the-Wall Education Project: Lighting the Spark of Learning

© HiWEP, NIIT Foundation Page 1

Project Background:-

Hole-in-the-Wall Education Project (HiWEP) was set-up to research and propagate the idea of

Hole-in-the-Wall, a path breaking learning methodology based on “Minimally Invasive

Education” pedagogy, created by Dr. Sugata Mitra, NIIT‟s chief Scientist Emeritus.

This innovative methodology was first experimented

in New Delhi where Dr. Mitra‟s team carved a “Hole-

in-the-Wall” that separated the NIIT premises from

the adjourning slum in Kalkaji. Through this a hole,

a freely accessible computer was put up for use

which proved to be an instant hit among the slum

dwellers, especially the children. With no prior

experience, the children learn to use the computer

on their own. The experiment suggested that

children, irrespective of their social, ethnic or

educational identity, can learn to use computers by

themselves, thereby closing the much discussed

„digital divide”.

NIIT Foundation is now poised to scale up the idea

of Hole-in-the-Wall to make a significant contribution

to improve the elementary education and life skills of

children across the world, especially those in

disadvantage communities in rural areas and urban

slums.

Since its inception, there has have been over 500

installations, with more than 200 currently running

Hole-in-the-Wall Learning Stations in India and

abroad.

Hole-in-the-Wall has brought the spark of learning to

over 2 million children from the developing countries

including India, Bhutan, Cambodia and Africa

countries (Mozambique, Uganda, Rwanda, Botswana,

Zambia, Swaziland, Namibia, Nigeria, Liberia, Central

Africa and Zimbabwe) and is the avenue to an

involvement beyond what these children experience

every day: it is their window to the outside

world….

What started as an experiment from a Hole-in-the-Wall has become India’s gift to

the world.



The Concept

Minimally Invasive Education (MIE) is an original invention composed of significant innovations

in hardware technology, software technology, and cognitive design created by Dr. Sugata Mitra

and propagated by Hole-in-the-Wall Project. It is the first attempt at applying the principle of

self-organizing systems to chidren mostly in the formative age group of 6-14 years, especially in

the underserved communities.

Typically housed on the boundary walls of schools, playgrounds or community buildings, HiWEP

learning stations in India, Bhutan and Cambodia in Asia and countries across Africa reach out to

practically everyone on the other side of the wall: in-school and out-of-school children,

adolescents and adult community members.

Users, often in groups of 2 to 5+, while learning to use keyboard, mouse, productivity tools,

search engines and emails, also learn to leverage Internet, and pre-loaded age-specific

resources on life-skills, curriculum-based content such as edutainment games, encyclopedia,

tutorials and multimedia compositions of abstract concepts, along with critical information on

health, hygiene, adult literacy, vocational resources and agriculture. More often than not the

users engaged in the content learn the technological skills on the fly.

HiWEP‟s pedagogy stems from the belief that the vision of bringing down the urban- rural

digital divide and creating technologically empowered citizens can be realized only when the

computer is made an integral part of the lives of people and does not remain limited as an

isolated service. It was envisaged that children can learn computers, its content and other new

technology if it is provided to them in a playground setting, is free and has unrestricted access.

HiWEL‟s methodology primarily focuses on diluting any mental barriers associated with using

computers, by placing them in the middle of slums and playgrounds and this small step creates

a huge difference in terms of impact and achievement of IT skills.

HiWEL LS content is targeted for a larger audience base focusing on various developmental

issues like education, health, livelihoods, governance etc. which if coupled with an access to the

internet, opens up a whole new horizon for the community to be explored and curb down the

ill-effects of information asymmetry.

Educational content primarily for children made available at the Learning Stations, considers the

fact that children are largely attracted towards games, and so the activities and concepts are

designed in the form of games, which can also be termed as Activity based e-learning. Children

access this content in a self-paced mode and are able to learn and retain the concepts ranging

from subjects like Math, Science, English, EVS, Educational Games, Edutainment, Life Skills etc.



How it Works

HiWEL‟s pioneering “Minimally Invasive Education” pedagogy attracts the users to the LS by

drawing on the curiosity and self-interests that they bring along. Unlike traditional approaches,

HiWEL does not necessitate the need for a formal setting to facilitate access to computers and

dissemination of information. While the learner-centered environment created at the LS enables

the users to access only relevant informational resources (like restricted internet access) based

on their needs, the social constructivism approach emphasizes the role of peers, teachers and

community in learning.

With innovative rugged computing, energy and connectivity alternatives, HiWEL has made

computer and Internet accessible to the disadvantaged children and the underserved

communities at large. It works on the following framework:

Unsupervised computer Learning Stations typically located in school playgrounds or in the community

Installed with rugged, innovative proprietary hardware and monitoring software in diverse rural and urban slum settings

Stimulating educational games and content provides the “minimally invasive educational inputs”

Educational content mapped with curriculum helps in achieving better academic outcomes

Working in self-organized groups and helping each other, children gain functional computer literacy in a short span of time

Children‟s Increased interest in learning generates positive feedback from teachers and community

Underprovided children in rural areas, remote locations and slums acquire computer literacy on their own.



Impact

About 200,000 out-of-school and in-school children, in India, Africa and Cambodia, have been

directly impacted by HiWEL in terms of the following research-based outcomes:

Acquisition of functional computer literacy Improvement in academic performance Increase in confidence and self-esteem Increased collaborative behavior

Apart from data-based findings, there is consistent anecdotal evidence of large-scale impact on

school enrollment, retention, concentration, attention span and problem-solving ability. Through

learning stations, even children with little or no access to school gain entry to a world of quality

educational content that supports their education and leads to increased confidence and self-

esteem.

HiWEL‟s offerings comprise of both the tangible as well as intangible benefits and services to

the children and the community at large. Tangibly, the product offering consists of innovations

in cognitive design, hardware and software technologies whereas the service offerings such as

periodic content upgrade, M&E activities, student-teacher orientation and elaborate community

intervention programs ensure the efficacy of the initiative. Along with the rugged hardware

components, the educational games and the educational content is designed by considering the

socio-economic environs and the state curriculum requirements.

As it has been observed that an increase in self-confidence along with an improvement in the

affective and cognitive skills of the children are some of the intangible benefits from the

product.

Learning driven by the natural curiosity of exploration in their own environment of playground setting.

Learning through self-instruction and peer-based knowledge sharing

Imparts children with problem solving skills and an ability to think creatively Fosters collaborative learning as against the usual school model of rote-based,

unidirectional learning Every child learns at his/her pace, flexible learning Unstructured setting ensures maximum participation from out-of-school children

Creates an environment for experimentation and skill accumulation through hit-and-trial



Content Snapshots:-

HiWEP’s Recognition:

2014 – Bihar Innovation Forum Award of Excellence

2013 – TED Prize for Innovation

2010 – Sankalp Awards – Inclusive Education Sector and Established Enterprise– Intellecap

2010 – People‟s Choice awards by MacArthur Foundation & HASTAC, USA

2010- Wenhui Award for Educational Innovation 2010, UNESCO- CHINA

2009 - Best Development Agency Initiative in Digital Learning By e-India 2009

2008 - Digital Opportunity Award By World Information Technology and Services Alliance

(WITSA)

2005 - Dewang Mehta Award for Innovation in IT By Ministry of IT, Government of India

2003 - Full length documentary feature film „The Hole in the Wall‟ (2003), received more than

20 internal awards at major films festivals By Gil Rossellini and Global Vision

2003 - Nominee for the United Nations Innovation Award

2002 - Man of Peace 2002 Award (Dr. Mitra), Together for Peace Foundation, Rome, Italy

2002- “The Hole in the Wall”, a documentary feature film by Global Vision, is premiered at

the United Nations, and presented on all US public broadcasting stations & European

Television channels

2001 - British Design Council Award, UK

2000 - Best ICT Story By World Bank

2000 - Best Social Innovation of the Year -2000 By Institute of Social Inventions, UK

1999 - Raizada Award By Computer Society of India (CSI), India



Along the way:-

Dr. Paul Wolfowitz

Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam Dr. Paul Wolfowitz

H.E Hamid Karzai Mrs. Barbara Bush, Egypt

Shri. Atal Bihari Vajpayee H.E Jigmi Y Thinley, Prime Minister of Bhutan



Lighting the Spark of Learning:-

Project Contact:-

Purnendu Hota

Hole-in-the-Wall Education Project

Minerva Building (FF)

8, Balaji Estate

Guru Ravi Das Marg

Kalkaji, New Delhi 110 019

Mobile:+91-9810288327

E-Mail: [email protected], [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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Hole-in-the-Wall Education Project: Lighting the … Education Project: Lighting the Spark of Learning ... NIIT Foundation Page 1 ... Hole-in-the-Wall Education Project: Lighting the