My concerns have been raised by an article by Robert Hart which appeared on the on-line magazine for the organisation called ICTOPUS on January 5th 2008
Now ICTOPUS have removed from their blog site all the comments, many of which were critical, referring to this article. At present I have received no explanation.
The article in question can be seen by enrolling with ICTOPUS, which is free, or I can send you a copy - email me at gd at tygh.co.uk
As I received copies of most of the contributions made to the Ictopus Blog, I am reproducing these here. Some, also, were never published.
My main criticism was that Robert Hart did not declare his connection with the clubs that he was reviewing. The article gives the impression that it presents the results of some research he has carried out as Director of Intuitive Media. He is in fact the promoter of the two clubs Superclubsplus and Goldstarcafe that his research is based on.
My concerns are
The close connection that ICTOPUS have with Intuitive Media and their reluctance to allow debate.
The climate of fear of predators that this organisation promotes.
The encouragement of children age 8 to 12 to spend so much time (two hours every evening of the week) chatting to other children.
The suggestion that this is a good thing for the child's education.
The potential for activity in the absence parents, neighbours and people of the wider community with the only adult involvement coming from teachers or 'mediators'.
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7 comments:
I am distinctly uneasy about Bob Hart’s article.
The statement “The human species is evolving rapidly” immediately put me off.
Then the statement that Emily is a real child doesn’t ring true. Is she not fictional and ‘representative’?
Is this not about an organization that has provided the facility for children to communicate with each other but not with adults. This worries me - yes with each other but surely far more important with adults as well - or is the great monster pedophilia lurking. Surely children need contact with more adults not less. Schools are already a very artificial environment with few adults.
The internet provides an ideal opportunity for adults and children to share interests - then children will come to realize that seventy year olds are only big kids still with kids interests - they just have wrinkly skin. Had a lovely dance at a disco the last night - it was great having a lot of space to fool around making ridiculous movements with my partner. Most seven year olds would have enjoyed it too (if we could give them the confidence that this is also a cool thing to do)
Which reminds me of a village fair I was at as a kid in France when the whole town from five to ninety were on the dance floor with live music.
How do the rest feel?
Comment by Geoff Dellow | January 5, 2008
To make my point clearer may I pose the following question:
On reading the article, were you left with the impression that the results presented were encouraging, discouraging or from a totally unbiased viewpoint?
Did not the first statement
“The human species is evolving rapidly.”
not try to put a positive spin on what was to follow?
How would it feel if we read:
“The human species is regressing rapidly.”
Which for me would be an equally valid viewpoint based on information given.
Much more to follow when I have gathered as much information as possible on this organization.
Comment by Geoff Dellow | January 7, 2008
To make my point clearer may I pose the following question:
On reading the article, were you left with the impression that the results presented were encouraging, discouraging or from a totally unbiased viewpoint?
Did not the first statement
“The human species is evolving rapidly.”
not try to put a positive spin on what was to follow?
How would it feel if we read:
“The human species is regressing rapidly.”
Which for me would be an equally valid viewpoint based on information given.
Much more to follow when I have gathered as much information as possible on this organization.
Comment by Geoff Dellow | January 7, 2008
I’m glad the Emily Connected article stimulated some thinking. Perhaps I can respond to Geoff Dellow’s comments:
GEOFF: Then the statement that Emily is a real child doesn’t ring true. Is she not fictional and ‘representative’?
ROBERT: She certainly is real. Her name is fictionalized, as is her image - to protect her privacy. She is also representative of a large number of children who seem to be communicating and performing better in a rich, friendly online environment than they do say they do at school. We’ve taken pains to indicate exactly how she varies from the norm for the large group we researched.
GEOFF: Is this not about an organization that has provided the facility for children to communicate with each other but not with adults.
ROBERT: The children can communicate with trusted adults - that is their own Teachers and the Mediators and visiting Experts - authors, athletes, artists etc. Geoff is right in that we do not allow other adults into the community - and yes, that’s so we can keep the bad guys out and they can learn and be creative in safety.
GEOFF: Surely children need contact with more adults not less. Schools are already a very artificial environment with few adults.
ROBERT: A good point. I agree. One day we’ll look back at the way we’ve locked kids up away from society, work, adults, babies, hospitals, parks etc for most of the day and see how silly that was. I’m sure the underlying reason is so that their parents can go out to work. Perhaps when most parents no longer go out, but work from home, we’ll see kids back in the world making a valuable contribution again.
GEOFF: The Internet provides an ideal opportunity for adults and children to share interests.
ROBERT: Agreed. Let me know when you find a way for them to do that without being exposed to predators.
GEOFF: Which reminds me of a village fair I was at as a kid in France when the whole town from five to ninety were on the dance floor with live music.
ROBERT: Yes, and the parents were present, watching over the kids. And everyone in the village knew everyone else. The Internet is not a village - we don’t most of the people out there and sadly (very sadly) we need to watch out for the kids.
GEOFF: Did not the first statement “The human species is evolving rapidly.” not try to put a positive spin on what was to follow?
ROBERT: Yes it did, of course. I am rather happy that this child Emily is able to blossom online, and from other research (done independently by University of Hertfordshire - commissioned by DCSF and others) we’re finding that kids (including those with low self-esteem an with learning difficulties) who have a chance to be creative and productive online and work with supportive friends derive a range of important educational and social benefits and “become better learners”.
Yes, there are downsides too, and I’d love to discuss them further.
Thanks for the stimulating comment, Geoff.
Comment by Robert Hart | January 8, 2008
Originally on the Ictopus Blog (now removed.
Many thanks for replying in such a constructive way.
I am preparing my reply, which will be moderately long, as it will analyse the reasoning behind what was a very strong emotional reaction to your article.
It has been very helpful to come to understand why one reacts the way one does and I believe your article has deeply influenced the emphasis of my future work for which I thank you.
Comment by Geoff Dellow | January 9, 2008
ROBERT: Agreed. Let me know when you find a way for them to do that without being exposed to predators.
GEOFF: I don’t need to do that as you’ve obviously found one yourself – your ability to find mediators and experts.
I’m extremely tired and working hard physically renovating a house at the moment but just to keep the ‘pot boiling’ here is one (or two) thought!
GEOFF: The Internet provides an ideal opportunity for adults and children to share interests.
ROBERT: Agreed. Let me know when you find a way for them to do that without being exposed to predators.
GEOFF: I don’t need to do that as you’ve obviously found one yourself – your ability to find mediators and experts.
May I suggest you use the Internet to reach out for retired people like myself (age 72) that are looking for contact with young people. People for whom sex was a long lost dream and have found more satisfying things to pursue. You could start with the U3A - the University of the Third Age - membership 187466 at present http://www.u3a.org.uk/
At a recent meeting we all agreed that we get bored silly, mixing all the time with ‘old foggies’ (my description). “But how do we make contact with young people?”
Obviously join your organization as mediators and experts.
Come on now - are you up for it Robert - they’d be great people (enough for one a child) to see off any ‘predators’ - many have grand children they feel very protective towards. Maybe they could even persuade the kids that their parents weren’t ‘the enemy’ so that P.O.S. (– Parents are looking Over my Shoulder) was no longer a part of their chat vocabulary.
How do you screen them - you get The U3A to do it for you - a large number of them are retired teachers with known track records. You can put me down as an expert to start with - especially if the kids want good web sites. I’m the world expert on using Macromedia’s Flash with 6 to 14 year olds - and you’ve never contacted me? ! ! !
With more mentions in the Guardian than even you have! (As far as Google tells me using (“Robert Hart” Guardian “Intuitive Media” and that was this last Tuesday January 8, 2008 talking about software – they never report what you want them to! Compare “Geoff Dellow” Guardian.
Again In the TES two each!
Think how much fun your kids would have using Flash on their sites and how much problem solving they’d do and all my tuition in their on line free http://www.tygh.co.uk/menu.html look around my site for inspiration of what kids can do with Flash!
Help me persuade Adobe to release Flash 4 again - they’re on the point of buckling! I was going to put pressure on them this last week until your article came along . . . . You owe it to me . . . . ! !
(Tired? Does one ever get tired when talking about oneself and one’s ideas! – Off to happy dreams – Much more to follow) –
From Doc Geoff as the kids call me!
Comment by Geoff Dellow | January 10, 2008
Il semble que vous soyez un expert dans ce domaine, vos remarques sont tres interessantes, merci.
- Daniel
merci!
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