Abstract
Sugata Mitra, polymath and educational expert, conducted many experiments around the globe just to prove that computers and internet access can help young learners in disadvantaged rural communities to learn on their own. His “Hole-in-the-Wall” continues to offer insights as to the effectiveness of machines for learners to have self-organized learning. Mitra’s experiment has revolutionized how people think about teaching and learning. Although teachers are irreplaceable in certain aspects of pedagogy, Mitra advocates that where good teachers don’t want to go in places where they are needed the most, young interested learners in remote places should not miss life’s chances via the use of technological tools. Following is a description of how ethical principles address organizational issues and related concerns.
I. Introduction
Doctor Sugata Mitra (1952-present), a polymath, educational technologist and researcher, take on one of the perennial educational issue that the best schools and teachers are not found where they are direly needed. Based on the results of Mitra’s series of true-to-life encounters with the problem, he conducted his “Hole-in-the-Wall” experiment in various parts of the globe (e.g., United Kingdom, Italy, Africa, India). He permitted kids to self-supervise themselves or to learn on their own using computers with internet capability. His experiment continues to revolutionize how people think about learning and teaching in new ways using the power of the Information Age. In this paper, I will describe, analyze and address some organizational issues using some ethical principles. I will also attempt to answer the questions: a) Why are the issues in the film important? What role do external social pressures have in influencing organizational ethics? How might these issues be relevant to organizational and personal decisions? What is the relationship between legal and ethical issues as shown in the film?
II. Body
Pressing organizational or educational issues appeared in the film. The major one is the lack of good teachers in rural communities in developing countries. According to Mitra (2010), “good teachers don't want to go to just those places where they're needed the most.” Learners need good teachers the most in those areas, but due to various educational, social and related constraints, they simply don’t have them. Individuals, organizations, and no-government organizations have to do their part to “change everything” (Mitra, 2010).
- Description on how ethical principles were used to address organizational issues
Foremost of the utilitarian ethical principles used by Mitra in his TED Talk is the utilitarianists’ optimum happiness for the most number of individuals (that is, in the context of developing countries). Likewise, Mitra is advocating universalizability of values, which under Kantian ethics, is the moral obligation of people to perform their duty out of goodwill and generosity for the least advantaged young generations. Other ethical principles at work is religious tolerance, given that he is a native of India and a polymath – yet, he does not subscribe to the religion of most people in that continent (Disclaimer: I do not actually know much about Mitra’s religious inclination should he has one).
- Importance of the issues in the film
The importance of the issues in the film is much complex than I could imagine. How can we send good teachers in rural places where they want to go? We simply cannot coerce them. There are also other accompanying issues when we send good teachers to those places where they are needed the most. First, they should have the passion to teach in the name of self-sacrifice because they will have to overcome challenges and hardships going in those places or along the way. Second, we have to provide them additional remuneration and incentives (e.g., hazard pay), which would be costly or additional burden to governments’ coffers. Third, we may never know how effective good teachers are vis-a-vis technology use, given that they cannot have much of the resources required in their heads or disposal. Despite anything to those issues, Mitra’s offered an alternative based on the research findings and interview result (e.g., A. C. Clarke’s teachers’ replaceability by machines when it should be and education takes place when children have the interest to drive their learning collectively on their own).
- Role of external social pressures in influencing organizational ethics
The external social pressures that influenced organizational ethics is the problem of missed life chances. Developed countries should help developing or underdeveloped countries (that is, other people, especially, young learners) to enjoy the benefits that technology offers. In Mitra’s Hole-in-the-Wall experiment, computers and good internet connections are necessary for self-organized learning environments (SOLEs). Even “grannies” can help disadvantaged children in remote places of the world virtually by rendering a few minutes of their time tele-conferencing or electronically teaching how to speak as native speakers do. Although Mitra and his university are not obliged to provide such services, they have the corporate responsibility to do so. Others should follow suit.
- Relevance of the issues to organizational and personal decisions
The issues are as relevant as they were prior to Mitra’s personal and the university’s effort and decision to allot millions of pounds just to test the system in those educational contexts. The university and Mitra want to understand the driving force where learning occurs even when good teachers are not available. Using only computers and internet, children in group can learn on their own – that is, given those resources. They do not have to stuff nearly many things in their heads because information, such as that in the Web, is not always readily available especially in remote rural areas. To the contrary, with the help of the internet (e.g., Google search engine), young learners can learn profitably on their own (which is “an educational impossibility under the circumstances”). Thus, whatever decisions the organization or person might have, it is important that people have their own share of the burden in helping people achieve what they would not otherwise achieve given the predicament, challenges and constraint that they are into.
- Relationship between legal and ethical issues in the film
The relationship between legal and ethical issues in the film were not explicitly mentioned , documented or recorded. Nevertheless, given Mitra’s credibility as a researcher and the university’s established reputation, as well as, the website’s acclamation the world over, there are no legal issues whatever. Mitra started his experiment regarding those educational issues in 1999 – and he continues to press forward to his aim of changing everything.
III. Concluding Remarks
I found the film full of insights given the educational issues. Ethical principles are at work in the film when it comes to personal and organizational responsibility. People have the obligation to reach out, one way or the other, to the least well-off members of society and the world. If people do their share, expect changes happening around us. As Mitra’s emphasized: “We could change everything” as we change our perception and attitude about education (that is, how young individuals learn).
References
Hole-in-the-Wall Education Limited. (2013). Homepage: Top Stories. Retrieved from Hole-in-the-Wall: Lighting the Spark of Learning: http://www.hole-in-the-wall.com
Mitra, S. (2010, October 20). TED Talk: Sugata Mitra. Retrieved from Responsibility Project: Liberty Mutual Insurance Company: http://responsibility-project.libertymutual.com/films/ted-talk-sugata-mitra
