CASE STUDY

Social networking effect at

HiWEL kiosks amongst children
Ritu Dangwal
Department of Educational Technology, Centre for Research in Cognitive Systems,
NIIT Institute of Information Technology,
New Delhi, India, and
Preeti Kapur
Department of Psychology, Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi,
New Delhi, India
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the values of children using Minimally
Invasive Education (MIE) kiosks and identify any changes in these values as a result of using the
kiosks.
Design/methodology/approach The sample consists of 85 children residing at the Vivekananda
Camp. There are 44 boys with an average age of 11.62 years and 41 girls with an average of 11.75 years.
Average education level of these children is up to the 8th class. Girls generally stop going to school after
the 8th class as they are expected to prepare for marriage. The evaluation is based on the 12 key
universal values specied (for children between 8 and 14 years) by the Living Values Educational
Program, which are: peace, respect, cooperation, freedom, happiness, honesty, humility,
love, responsibility, simplicity, tolerance, and unity. A questionnaire based on the above values is
developed. Originally, the questionnaire consisted of 30 situational-based questions with multiple
choices. In the present paper, values at two time points are studied. First time point is during August
2004, prior to kiosk installation and second time point after seven months of exposure to MIE kiosk
(April 2005).
Findings The results clearly indicate that there has been a shift in the importance given to values
by children prior to the learning station and after working for seven months at the learning station.
It is interesting to note a shift in the range itself. In August 2004, the range was between 41 percent
(helping others) and 79 percent (honesty) and in April 2005 it is from 46 percent (helping others) to 82
percent (politeness). In other words, values have moved up or gained more importance in the lives of
the children. Apart from honesty and tolerance where a dip in the post-phase is found, no change is
perceived in academic excellence (74 percent) and religion (66 percent). For the remaining six values,
there has been an increase in how strongly children feel that existence of these values in the
post-phase (ambition, politeness, kindness, consideration, teamwork, and cooperation).
Originality/value Young children can develop values through their own experiential behavior and
modeling. The paper shows that learning at MIELS emerges as an ongoing process, embedded in the
environment.
Keywords Children (age groups), Education, Social networks, Social values, Experiential learning, India
Paper type Research paper
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1750-497X.htm
The authors duly acknowledge Professor Sugata Mitra of Newcastle University, who
conceptualized this idea and without whose help, this paper would not have been possible.
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Multicultural Education &
Technology Journal
Vol. 3 No. 4, 2009
pp. 290-305
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
1750-497X
DOI 10.1108/17504970911004291
Introduction
Children in the age group of 8-14 years are able to learn basic computing skills on their
own, irrespective of who or where they are. This has been clearly established through
current research (Mitra, 2000, 2003). These research results indicate a new learning
culture in connected environments. In the last ve years, these experiments, often
referred to as the hole in the wall project, have provided data that support the
emergence of two major themes:
(1) The learning of basic computing skills by groups of children in shared, public
spaces.
(2) The emergence and development of social processes, within which the
above-stated learning takes place.
The present paper addresses the second theme, the appearance and manifestation of
social group processes. It is argued that the emergence of a group is of utmost
importance, since the group becomes fundamental in the process of learning basic
computing skills. The group also leads to behavioral changes in the children. Children
not only collaborate with other children in order to learn computing skills, but they also
learn the basics of socially acceptable behavior.
The present paper is a pilot study that highlights the emergence of the group,
termed as social networking and its inuence upon the observed behavior of children
working on the computers. A brief background of the research work is provided to
understand this shared process of learning.
Background of the study
The initial experiments were conducted at Kalkaji, New Delhi, by NIIT Limited, a
software and training institute, through its Center for Research in Cognitive Systems.
Currently, the work is being continued by Hole-in-the-Wall Education Limited, a
collaboration between NIIT and International Finance Corporation, a subsidiary of the
World Bank.
The rst experiment involved the installation of computers into openings in brick
walls. Hence, the name, the hole in the wall experiment. The location of the computer
was at a public place. The objective of the experiment was to provide the children with
a computer in their natural environment, such that there is easy accessibility to the
computer, designed for use by young children, and free from adult intervention. The
results indicated that children were capable of browsing, playing games, painting
pictures, chatting, e-mailing, constructing documents, and even acquiring formal
instruction (Frontline/World, 2002; Education Guardian, 2000; Businessweek Online,
2000; Mitra, 2000, 2003; Wullenweber, 2001; Inamdar, 2004). Such learning was dened
as minimally invasive, indicating the process children learnt computing skills with
none or minimal intervention from adults.
According to Mitra:
[. . .] acquisition of basic able computing skills by any set of learners can be achieved through
incidental learning provided the learners are given access to a suitable computing facility,
with entertaining and motivating content, and some minimal (human) guidance.
He calls this Minimally Invasive Education (MIE). To prove this, he conducted a
series of experiments by giving free and appropriate computer and internet access to
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underprivileged children in the age group 8-14 years in rural/urban locations
throughout India. The experiments consist of providing computers to children in safe,
public, locations such as a school playground. Currently (October 2004), 90 computers
have been placed in 23 locations all over India (more than 500 children have been
covered by this research).
All the experiments reported that children were able to learn to use computers and
the internet on their own, irrespective of their intellectual maturity, social, cultural or
economic backgrounds (Mitra and Rana, 2001). In an interview with Business Week,
Mitra (2000, March 2) equates computer literacy as being the same for children and
adults, except the children create their own metaphors to attain computing skills. Not
only this but also it was apparent that children went beyond computer literacy:
[. . .] The desire of the children to learn and their curiosity drives them to explore the
environment in order to satisfy their inquisitiveness. As the children explore the environment
they relate their new experience with their previous experience and thereby new learning
takes place. The implications of the results of the experiments are not just restricted to
computer literacy but education in general [. . .] (Mitra, 2000).
Literature review
Extensive research work and theories have been propounded by psychologists and
researchers on howchildren learn and nearly all of themhave stressed the importance of
social interaction and peer learning. According to Vygotsky (1978), Learning process
takes place in the presence of groups of children collaborating together. Vygotskys
theory was an attempt to explain consciousness as the end product of socialization.
His theory is complementary to the work of Bandura on social learning and a key
component of situated learning theory.
Knowledge is a product of the activity, context, and culture, in which it is
developed and used (Brown et al., 1989, p. 32). Lave and Wenger (1991) and Wenger
(1998) have spoken of communities of practice. They see learning as social
participation rather than the acquisition of knowledge. Forman argues that
communication between partners allows for a co-construction of hypotheses by
means of sharing different perspectives (see Forman and Cazden, 1985; Forman and
Kraker, 1985, as referred to by Rogoff, 1990, p. 177).
[. . .] Humans are active, growth-oriented organisms [. . . and it is part of their
design] to engage [in] interesting activities, to exercise capacities, [and] to pursue
connectedness in social groups (Rogoff, 1990, p. 229). However, these natural human
tendencies do not take place automatically, they require social contexts [. . . which]
provide the appropriate developmental lattice upon which an active, assimilative, and
integrated nature can ascend (Ryan and Deci, 2000, p. 76).
Brown et al. (1989) emphasized the idea of cognitive apprenticeship. Akey concept to
explain learning from each other, without direct instruction, is the principle of
apprenticeship (Rogoff, 1991, p. 349). The collaborative process seems to lead to a level
of understanding unavailable in solitary endeavour or noncollaborative interaction
(Rogoff, 1990, p. 178).
The importance of social dynamics among children cannot be ignored. And this
aspect, of group emergence, and, constant and continuous dialogue and interaction
amongst children has become the central and fundamental essence of minimally
invasive learning.
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Present study
Given the MIE kiosk (this consists of computers built into openings in brick walls in
public spaces, see Plate 1) does the child learn only computing skills? Repeated
anecdotal evidence, interviews with parents, teachers, and community members have
clearly indicated that there is more to it than just learning computing skills. There are
signs that children who work at the kiosk undergo certain positive behavioral changes.
Dr Mitra, the originator of MIE Kiosk wanted to study whether behavioral changes
could be indicative of changes in values amongst the children.
For the study, a test was identied to measure the salient values among children of
Vivekananda Camp, New Delhi, before and after a MIE kiosk had been installed. The
present research is a pilot study and needs to be replicated at other MIE Kiosks.
Description of Vivekananda Camp
This slum area is located behind one of Delhis most afuent schools, the American
Embassy School. Population of the slum is around 1,000 with approximately 260
families. Residents here have migrated mostly from the northern parts of India. They
come from states such as Rajasthan, Bihar, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, the majority
being from Rajasthan. The men work as gardeners, sweepers, embassy drivers,
mechanics, and so on, while some have set up small tea-stalls or shops selling items of
daily use. The women work as maids in nearby embassies or are housewives. On the
average, men are educated up to the 8th class, a few having completed the 10th class.
The women are educated up to the 4-5th class, while some are illiterate. Incomes vary
from Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 4,500 (USD 50-90) per month.
Plate 1.
A playground computer in
village Kalludevanahalli,
Bangalore, India
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The rst part of this paper describes the process of social networking, the background
against which the children learn both computing skills and socially acceptable forms of
behavior. A model of the process of social networking is presented. The second part
describes the ndings of a study designed to evaluate the inuence of the kiosk on the
behavior of the children.
Social networking and MIE
The learning cycle in MIE consists of a child or group of children (two or three
children) exploring on the computer and inadvertently realizing the usage of certain
computer icons. This form of group-based discovery happens continuously until basic
computing skills are learnt. Of importance here is that the group is uid, exible, open
to outside inuence, and, incorporating all those aspects necessary to maintain the
social network. Another important feature is that, since the group is exible and open,
members of the group can change. Groups evolve over time and new groups emerge.
While groups may change, their structure and function remain the same. Each child
learns computing skills with the help of others. Social networks form as one child
approaches another for information.
Social networking is a process of linking, that is, the way a child connects with
another to create and construct a network or a social group that she/he can depend
upon to acquire information, as and when she/he needs it. Interviews with children and
sociometery (research in progress) has revealed that children often approach either
peers, younger and/or older brothers and/or sisters, acquaintances, any one working on
the computer at that given point in time, or at times any person perceived as
knowledgeable one who has some knowledge about computers. With time the child
working at the computer develops a structured network to obtain information and
learn computing skills. Thus, two complementary aspects emerge:
A group of children organize themselves, such that each child learns and benets from the
group, while the group benets from each child.
The process at work is as follows:
.
the children recognize when and what information is needed;
.
they somehow locate and obtain this from a range of sources;
.
they evaluate it, use it, and then share it with other children; and
.
these interactions amongst heterogeneous groups of children, goes on to
inuence their behavior.
And:
Social networking describes the process of connecting individuals via peers, friends, relatives,
strangers, and acquaintances to become a persons personal network.
It is important to realize the power and impact of the personal network. While family
and its inuence are of importance to the growing child, there is increasing evidence
that peer group inuences may be even greater (Surowiecki, 2005). Peer group
interactions allow the exploration of relationships and values outside the family. Peer
social interaction, which characterizes much of adolescent life, and socially interactive
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experiences lead to adopting those relevant socially desirable responses as learnt
from peers.
Social networking and behavioral changes
Observations and anecdotes by parents, teachers and community members have
suggested that children who learn computing skills also undergo certain behavioral
changes. Their understanding of behavioral changes refers to helping their friends
to solve a problem, working together, learning not to shout when a teacher asks a
question, but to raise their hands and wait for the teachers sign to answer, organizing
themselves at the kiosk,, etc. These changes as reported by parents, teachers and
principals have been attributed to the very nature of the MIE kiosks.
The dynamics around the kiosk involves the following:
.
the gathering of children around the kiosk, as the initial process of social
networking;
.
the formation of group structures;
.
the continuous interaction between children and signicant others (anyone
having computer knowledge) leading to social networking;
.
learning computing skills; and
.
the resulting group dynamics that impacts behavior and values of children.
Two important processes are simultaneously at work:
(1) Children derive their motive for a given value based upon interaction with
signicant others, who may be peers, friends, acquaintances or adults.
(2) Children learn from each other.
Social networking helps in learning
The kiosk provides children with an environment where, if they want to learn to use
the computer, they must:
.
learn to share;
.
cooperate, collaborate, and assist others;
.
be patient, yet persistent; and
.
be observant, amongst many other related aspects of behavior.
In short, the kiosk offers the child with a context where it creates not only an
environment of discovery, but also aided discovery to learning. Learning is not only
restricted to computer skills alone, but also encompasses all those basic beliefs that
guide and motivate our daily lives. Keeping in mind the above discussion, it can be said
The kiosk provides an environment of group learning conducive for children to learn
acceptable modes of behavior.
It is interesting to note here that the environment of the public MIE kiosk seems to
encourage children to do all of the types of learning enumerated by the UNESCO
(Delors et al., 1996; Delors, 1996) namely:
.
learning to know;
.
learning to do;
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.
learning to live together; and
.
learning to be.
The study
Primary objective
To study the values of children using MIE kiosks and identify any changes in these
values as a result of using the kiosks. We realize that other factors contribute to
changes in the values of a child as well. However, in this case, it is difcult to establish
a control group that is comparable to the experimental group, since all the children of
the slum are users of the kiosks. Our conclusions, therefore, will have to take
into account any external inuence the children may have during the experimental
period.
Sample of children
Our sample consists of 85 children residing at the Vivekananda Camp. There are 44
boys with an average age of 11.62 years and 41 girls with an average of 11.75
years. Average education level of these children is up to the 8th class. Girls
generally stop going to school after the 8th class as they are expected to prepare for
marriage.
Tools used
Our evaluation is based on the twelve key universal values specied (for children
between 8 and 14 years) by the Living Values Educational Program (Association for
Living Values Education International, 1996), which are: peace, respect, cooperation,
freedom, happiness, honesty, humility, love, responsibility, simplicity, tolerance, and
unity. A questionnaire based on the above values was developed. Originally, the
questionnaire consisted of 30 situational-based questions with multiple choices. Given
below are a few sample questions:
(1) Putting birds in a cage:
.
saves and protects the birds;
.
takes away their freedom; and
.
I do not know.
(2) I pray:
.
seldom;
.
every day; and
.
never/cannot say.
(3) What will happen if you try to do a big job all by yourself?
.
will be able to nish it on time;
.
will not be able to nish it; and
.
may need help.
During second administration, it was revealed that only 12 questions yielded adequate
response. Hence, the analysis is based on the results of these 12 questions. The children
were asked to rate each value in terms of its relative importance to them.
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Results
Pre- and post-phase
In the present paper, we have studied values at two time points. First time point is
during August 2004, prior to kiosk installation and second time point after seven
months of exposure to MIE kiosk (April 2005). Table I gives a comparative list of values
in the order of preference at the two time points, i.e. August 2004 and April 2005.
A one-line description is given below of what the children mean by a particular
value:
.
Honesty (acknowledging mistakes) in terms of whether acknowledging the
wrongdoing or keeps quiet.
.
Ambition is to have a purpose in life, striving for something in the future.
For example, one may seek a good job, good performance, etc.
.
Tolerance (towards sibling) is being able to accept and accommodate a person
(sibling in this case).
.
Academic excellence (parental happiness) the actions/acts, which make parents
very happy and contented.
.
Politeness what do they like the most in others in terms of the way they talk?
.
Religion how important is religion to them?
.
Consideration what qualities do they like most in their friends?
.
Teamwork situation that requires a cooperative rather than a competitive
environment.
.
Kindness decisions in the consciousness of being responsible for social welfare.
.
Cooperation and helping is it possible to complete a big job alone or help is
required.
Table I reveals two major categories. It indicates the predominance of pro-social values
in the lives of the young children. These include kindness, honesty, tolerance,
politeness, teamwork, consideration, and cooperation and helping. The second
category refers to personal domain, namely, academic excellence, and knowledge for a
better future, religion also plays a role in the lives of the children.
Values August 2004 (%) April 2005 (%)
Honesty (acknowledging mistakes) 79 74.5
Academic excellence (parents happiness) 74 74
Ambition (to improve future) 73 81
Religion (praying to god) 66 66
Tolerance (towards sibling) 63 46.5
Politeness (a quality they like in others) 61 82
Kindness (not hurting others) 56 64
Quality in friendship consideration 53 61
Teamwork (tackling a big task together) 53 56
Cooperation and helping (helping others) 41 46
Table I.
Top ten values of focus
group children at two
time points
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Figure 1 clearly shows that there has been a shift in the importance given to values by
children prior to the learning station and after working for seven months at the
learning station.
It is interesting to note a shift in the range itself. In August 2004, the range was
between 41 percent (helping others) and 79 percent (honesty) and in April 2005 it is
from 46 percent (helping others) to 82 percent (politeness). In other words, values have
moved up or gained more importance in the lives of the children.
Apart from honesty and tolerance where we nd a dip in the post-phase, no change
is perceived in academic excellence (74 percent) and religion (66 percent). For the
remaining six values, there has been an increase in how strongly children feel that
existence of these values in the post-phase (ambition, politeness, kindness,
consideration, teamwork, and cooperation).
Gender differences
On examination of Figure 2, it is clear that for some values the pattern observed is
similar for both girls and boys, whereas there is a distinction in the salience of values
as perceived by boys vs girls (Table II).
Similar patterns:
.
The value for honesty and tolerance has decreased for both girls and boys in the
post-phase.
.
The value for ambition, politeness, consideration, kindness has increased for
both the genders.
.
The importance for academic excellence remains same for both the groups in pre-
and post-phase.
Figure 1.
Top ten values at the two
time points August 2004
and April 2005
Values overtime
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Dissimilar patterns:
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The value for religion has increased in girls and decreased in boys.
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The value for teamwork and co-operation has decreased in girls but has
increased in boys.
Discussion
The above results highlight the critical role played by peer groups in not only achieving
basic computing skills but also suggest that while achieving computer literacy, certain
positive behavioral changes also take place in these young children. Of salience is the
study of children in natural environment, MIE, as opposed to highly structured
classroom settings. Previous research by Mitra (2003) revealed the nature of incidental
Figure 2.
Top ten values at two time
points for girls and boys
Gender difference in values (pre & post phase)
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Girls (%) Boys (%)
Values August 2004 April 2005 August 2004 April 2005
Honesty (acknowledging mistakes) 83.3 80.5 76 61
Ambition (to improve future) 71 83 75 80
Tolerance (towards sibling) 65.5 54.5 60 44.5
Academic excellence (parents happiness) 66 66 82 82
Politeness (a quality they like in others) 68 83 55 82
Religion (praying to god) 61 78 70 55
Quality in friendship consideration 51 63 55 59
Teamwork (tackling a big task together) 66 61 41 52
Kindness (not hurting others) 59 63 55 64
Cooperation and helping (helping others) 49 41 34 50
Table II.
Top ten values of girls vs
boys at the two time
points
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learning of computing skills by groups of children. The current paper indicates
the emergence of group processes at MIELS and interplay of dynamic social processes.
The installation of computers in open places allows the children to explore, experiment
and share their discovery with other children. Most importantly, the group processes
encourage young children to attain desirable end states or behaviors. Hence, incidental
learning of basic computing skills (Mitra, 2003) now comes to include social aspects of
learning.
According to Marsick and Watkins (1986, p. 187):
[. . .] Incidental learning is dened as a spontaneous action or transaction, the intention of
which is task accomplishment, but which serendipitously increases particular knowledge,
skill, or understanding. Incidental learning, then, includes such things as learning from
mistakes, learning by doing, learning through networking, learning from a series of
interpersonal experiments.
Learning computer literacy or values has taken place through collaborative effort and
social networking. When children are provided easy access to computers they learn
basic computer skills and also socially acceptable behavior. The nature of the MIELS
environment is such that each child appears to learn the necessity to be polite, share,
cooperate, and indulge in teamwork. These values start to gain prominence in their
interaction at the MIELS, and nally seem to become a part of their ongoing action
tendencies.
Knowing what is right versus doing what is right
A persistent question that has been raised periodically is can values be taught? if so
how, and the nature of its role in everyday life. Values are of importance because of the
need to develop and nurture values that will enable children to know and do the right
thing. Politeness and team work, as the above results indicate, are easy concepts to
understand, yet it needs translation into rst, a relevant context and second, the
experiential component so as to allow the child to appreciate its relevance in everyday
life. The personal experiential component of values determines the difference between
knowing what is right and doing what is right.
Thus, the value of MIE is in providing the necessary social networking context
that each child has to face and accept. Being part of the social networking means
adhering to the conditions required to remain as a critical element of the group, that
is, the willingness to make changes in self to obtain the necessary information about
computers. Hence, if is necessary to be polite, or, indulge in team work then the
child is likely to adopt this change and most importantly, she/he comes to value it.
Further, in order for the child to value politeness she/he must have experienced
the condition of impoliteness, for him to now realize the salience and value of
politeness.
What is of importance are the values that are learnt as a consequence of the learning
context prevalent at MIELS. Further, values are to be understood in relation to the
actions and deeds, and not in abstraction. The child needs observable, experiential
evidence that exemplies the exercise and salience of the value. And, the social group
within which each child at the MIELS is interacting with provides this.
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Collaborative effort: benets of group learning
Peer-related learning
The above results are indicative of the salient pro-social values for children family,
elders, and community members are central in childhood, but we live most of our adult
life with those who are not family, so preadolescence and early adolescence is a
transitional period during which besides family bonds the young folks explore
relationships and values outside their family. The average age of the children at the
kiosk is 11-12 years. These children are at the threshold of adolescence. Peer social
interaction characterizes much of adolescent life, and social interactions with peer
group are often more appealing. Hence, the inuence of this group learning or social
networking is likely to be of greater signicance.
Experiential learning in groups
Finally, learning values from experience is the most signicant. For values to be of
salience, particularly for young children, value learning must be based upon
experiential learning. Values are imbibed more from examples of people and
experiences of life, rather than from abstract ideas, neither can values be taught in a
structured setting, for example, in a school setting. Yes, the child can be made aware of
the importance of a given value/s, but it is only experience in and experience with a
given context/situation that a child will learn to appreciate the worth of a value/s. Two
important processes are simultaneously at work. First, children derive their motive for
a given value based upon interaction with signicant others. Research is more inclined
towards believing that learning does not take place in isolation. In fact, background
and culture of the learner is equally important in the learning process. Background
helps shape the knowledge and truth that the learner creates, discovers, and attains in
the learning process (Wertsch, 1997). This has been championed by social
constructivists who encourage the learner to arrive at his or her version of the truth,
inuenced by his or her background, culture or embedded worldview.
Young children develop their thinking abilities by interacting with other children,
adults, and the physical world. Children learn from the elders in the family, the
neighborhood and community. But more signicant is the learning children adopt from
each other. Peer group collaborative learning provides an environment to enrich the
learning process. Introducing interactive partners into a system creates more realistic
social contexts, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the system. Such an
environment would help sustain the students interests and would provide a more
natural learning habitat. As Piaget pointed out, collaborative learning has a major role
in constructive cognitive development. His theory is consistent with the other popular
learning theories (particularly Vygotsky) in emphasizing the importance of
collaboration. Piaget felt that interaction between peers is equally shared. This
contrasts adult-child or teacher-student interactions, where usually the former is
in control and the latter characteristically follows what the former professes, thus not
following his/her own natural learning process.
Learning is an active, social process
Social constructivist scholars view learning as an active process where learners should
learn to discover principles, concepts, and facts for themselves, hence the importance of
encouraging guesswork and intuitive thinking in learners (Brown et al., 1989;
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Ackerman, 1996). Kukla (2000) argues that reality is constructed by our own activities
and that people, together as members of a society, invent the properties of the world.
Other constructivist scholars agree with this and emphasize that individuals make
meanings through the interactions with each other and with the environment they live
in. Knowledge is thus a product of humans and is socially and culturally constructed
(Ernest, 1991; Prawat and Floden, 1994). McMahon (1997) agrees that learning is a
social process. He further states that learning is not a process that only takes place
inside our minds, nor is it a passive development of our behaviours that is shaped by
external forces and that meaningful learning occurs when individuals are engaged in
social activities.
Vygotsky (1978) also highlighted the convergence of the social and practical
elements in learning by saying that the most signicant moment in the course of
intellectual development occurs when speech and practical activity, two previously
completely independent lines of development, converge. Through practical activity a
child constructs meaning on an intrapersonal level, while speech connects this meaning
with the interpersonal world shared by the child and her/his culture.
According to Brookeld (1986), the most exciting, memorable, and profound
moments in learning are those in which individuals stumble into insights and
perceptions of which they had previously been aware. Such moments can rarely be
planned beforehand in precise terms, though the facilitator can encourage a learning
group culture that will make the likelihood of such moments occurring much stronger
(p. 220).
Conclusion
The following aspects arise:
(1) Young children can develop values through their own experiential behavior and
modeling. Peer group social networking creates realistic social contexts, thereby
increasing the effectiveness of the MIE learning system.
(2) Values emerge in a social context; they are connected to needs and motives of
human beings. Hence, values become the cognitive and emotional matrix that
differ on individual basis, yet have universal applications. Results at MIELS are
likely to have implications for young children to develop certain life skills.
(3) On a different note, MIE research provides inputs, which change our
understanding and denition of learning. At MIELS, children are not only
attaining computing skills but also adopting positive behavior. Hence, learning
is not a separate or independent activity, but rather consists of a group of
activities. Learning at MIELS emerges as an ongoing process, embedded in the
environment:
.
Young children are open to experience, they are willing to observe, receive,
and participate in-group activities.
.
They respond to group behavior by participating in-group activities
actively.
.
Peer-related group learning is of importance as interaction with peers
characterizes adolescent life.
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.
Development of social networking, where each child interacts with varied
others and draws upon their knowledge social, educational, informational,
or emotional.
.
As a result of such social processes, the children show interest in their
interactions and start attaching value to it. They accept the particular stance
or group action. For example, if politeness is of importance in obtaining
information they quickly realize the importance of this given aspect at
MIELS.
.
Values gain signicance from experiential learning, particularly from peers.
Interactive partners create realistic social context, thereby increasing its
effectiveness. MIELS provides a natural learning habitat in comparison to
the formal structured settings in schools.
.
Collaborative efforts amongst peers lead to the organization and
conceptualization of specic value system. The modication of past
prevalent behavior and formulation of current specic behaviors is noticed.
.
Finally, this leads to the adoption of a given belief system, where it is
assumed that the child is likely to display these values in varied contexts.
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Corresponding author
Ritu Dangwal can be contacted at: ritud@niit.com
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