Comments on: Wrapped in Cotton Wool http://betch.edublogs.org/2008/01/09/wrapped-in-cotton-wool/ education + technology + ideas Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:37:18 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Coyley http://betch.edublogs.org/2008/01/09/wrapped-in-cotton-wool/comment-page-1/#comment-863 Coyley Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:06:40 +0000 http://betch.edublogs.org/2008/01/09/wrapped-in-cotton-wool/#comment-863 This is such an important issue Chris. I agree with Derek as well that there are parallels with our attitude to being online to. I was at a conference talking about an email project I was trying to get up and running when I was told by one teacher that their school (secondary) had banned email. I was gob-smacked! The one suggestion that I really liked and we don't seem to do much at all was taking things apart. I sometimes feel my students (secondary)are part of a black box culture now, they don't care how it works as long at it does and they don't want to know how to fix it, if it breaks just get a new one! If we did a little more investigating and allowing our kids to understand that these complex systems are "knowable" then perhaps they might be more interested in finding out what actually goes on inside things. This is such an important issue Chris. I agree with Derek as well that there are parallels with our attitude to being online to. I was at a conference talking about an email project I was trying to get up and running when I was told by one teacher that their school (secondary) had banned email. I was gob-smacked!

The one suggestion that I really liked and we don’t seem to do much at all was taking things apart. I sometimes feel my students (secondary)are part of a black box culture now, they don’t care how it works as long at it does and they don’t want to know how to fix it, if it breaks just get a new one! If we did a little more investigating and allowing our kids to understand that these complex systems are “knowable” then perhaps they might be more interested in finding out what actually goes on inside things.

]]> By: susan http://betch.edublogs.org/2008/01/09/wrapped-in-cotton-wool/comment-page-1/#comment-855 susan Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:49:58 +0000 http://betch.edublogs.org/2008/01/09/wrapped-in-cotton-wool/#comment-855 I love this. And I agree. We need to let our kids have a chance to fail, too. It's all about the learning that results. I love this. And I agree. We need to let our kids have a chance to fail, too. It’s all about the learning that results.

]]> By: Trina http://betch.edublogs.org/2008/01/09/wrapped-in-cotton-wool/comment-page-1/#comment-852 Trina Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:01:01 +0000 http://betch.edublogs.org/2008/01/09/wrapped-in-cotton-wool/#comment-852 My best friend pointed out the 5 Dangerous Things post to me last night and we compared notes. Her kids have done most of the things listed--mine have done one. Something tells me I should think about being a more daring parent... lol. My best friend pointed out the 5 Dangerous Things post to me last night and we compared notes. Her kids have done most of the things listed–mine have done one. Something tells me I should think about being a more daring parent… lol.

]]> By: Chris http://betch.edublogs.org/2008/01/09/wrapped-in-cotton-wool/comment-page-1/#comment-851 Chris Wed, 09 Jan 2008 01:04:32 +0000 http://betch.edublogs.org/2008/01/09/wrapped-in-cotton-wool/#comment-851 Exactly right Derek, and you're right about the parallels with our overprotective behaviours when it comes to dealing with the online world. But maybe that's part of the problem, maybe our overprotective nature in the physical world causes us to just naturally extend our overprotective behaviours into the online world. If you prevented a child from climbing trees, riding bikes, travelling on buses, walking down the street, going to a movie with their friends, and so on, what are you teaching that child? Very little I would think. How does one discover the boundaries if the boundaries are so close that they suffocate you? Some of the most influential people in history were the ones that knew how to push the boundaries and venture into "unsafe" territory. It worries me that we will end up with a generation of children who turn into adults with very limited notions about what it means to take a risk. Thanks for your comment. Exactly right Derek, and you’re right about the parallels with our overprotective behaviours when it comes to dealing with the online world. But maybe that’s part of the problem, maybe our overprotective nature in the physical world causes us to just naturally extend our overprotective behaviours into the online world. If you prevented a child from climbing trees, riding bikes, travelling on buses, walking down the street, going to a movie with their friends, and so on, what are you teaching that child? Very little I would think. How does one discover the boundaries if the boundaries are so close that they suffocate you?
Some of the most influential people in history were the ones that knew how to push the boundaries and venture into “unsafe” territory. It worries me that we will end up with a generation of children who turn into adults with very limited notions about what it means to take a risk.
Thanks for your comment.

]]> By: Derek http://betch.edublogs.org/2008/01/09/wrapped-in-cotton-wool/comment-page-1/#comment-849 Derek Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:01:44 +0000 http://betch.edublogs.org/2008/01/09/wrapped-in-cotton-wool/#comment-849 Well said, Chris. I've recently spent a week camping with my family, watching my young son and daughter climb trees, ride their BMX bikes and sleep rough under canvas - with interesting conversations with them about the novelty of it all, and how they simply don't do any of these things in their school or home environment in the city. Of course, there are all sorts of dangers looming in the concrete jungles we've enveloped ourselves with, but surrounding our kids in cotton wool isn't the answer. I see parallels in the approaches taken to "protecting" our kids from the "dangers" of the online environment - surely the answer in both instances lies in better education, understanding and awareness - and if we've learned anything at all from John Dewey, this should ideally involve experience (including the odd scrape to the knee, bump on the head or fright at climbing too high!) Well said, Chris. I’ve recently spent a week camping with my family, watching my young son and daughter climb trees, ride their BMX bikes and sleep rough under canvas – with interesting conversations with them about the novelty of it all, and how they simply don’t do any of these things in their school or home environment in the city. Of course, there are all sorts of dangers looming in the concrete jungles we’ve enveloped ourselves with, but surrounding our kids in cotton wool isn’t the answer. I see parallels in the approaches taken to “protecting” our kids from the “dangers” of the online environment – surely the answer in both instances lies in better education, understanding and awareness – and if we’ve learned anything at all from John Dewey, this should ideally involve experience (including the odd scrape to the knee, bump on the head or fright at climbing too high!)

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