Mark Gutkowski challenges educators to stop treating Genius Hour as a novelty and recognize it as a powerful model for deep, student-driven learning. Through stories, research, and humor, he explores how autonomy transforms classrooms—and what happens when we trust students to lead. The talk is a call to action: to move beyond enrichment and start building systems that put autonomy at the center—not just for "gifted” students, but for all students.

In a rare interview about the Mastery Learning System (MLS), Tim Logan speaks candidly with Mark Gutkowski and two MLS students about the program and the relevance of this learning experience to their lives. The episode highlights four schools from around the world.

Fast forward to minute 34:35 to hear the segment on the Mastery Learning System

In this wide-ranging interview for Psychology Today, Mark Gutkowski unpacks the difference between self-directed and self-determined learning—and why the latter has the power to transform students' lives. He argues that when learners choose what they study, with the right support, they achieve more than most adults believe possible. Autonomy isn’t chaos, he says—it’s a structure built on purpose, interest, and identity. And it’s the key to the future of education.