In the late 1800s, Skagen, a town at the very northern part of Denmark, was home to a group of what was then considered intellectual radicals. The group is mostly famous for painters such as P.S. Krøyer and Anna and Michael Anker and more, but other forward thinkers were involved as well. During the day these highly knowledgeable people would work on their projects, and in the evening they would gather at a hotel to eat, drink, and share ideas together. Creativity flourished and the group members became icons in Danish cultural heritage.

Social learning facilitates creativity.

In early 1999, Sugata Mitra and some colleagues sunk a computer into the opening of a wall in New Delhi, India. In the nearby slum poor people were desperately struggling to survive. The screen was visible from the street, and the PC was available to anyone who passed by. The computer had internet access and a number of programs available, but no instructions were given for its use.

What followed was astonishing: children from the slum were glued to the computer. They couldn't get enough – they explored and learned.