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