When kids are having fun, they don't even realize they're working. The learning process happens organically: curiosity is piqued, and their quest to learn is turned on like a light switch. Off they go.
Dr. Sugata Mitra's vision of the future school day revolves around the flip of that switch. And everything in his experience, including his famous "hole-in-the-wall" story, proves it. Provide a wired computer to a group of kids -- no matter what their cultural demographic -- and they will learn on their own, because they're interested. Because they want to.
I spoke to Dr. Mitra at the Big Ideas Fest last month, and asked him to articulate how he thinks the school day of the future should be. In his trademark storytelling style, he illustrates that ideal day.
http://www.vimeo.com/18685938
Read more about MindShift's School Day of the Future here.