Re: Teckids workshop at DebConf15
On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 10:11 PM, Dominik George
<dominik.george@teckids.org> wrote:
> Hi,
>
>> When we arranged events for kids we tried to target as young as possible.
>>
>> Having cables and bread bords enables three year olds to play with
>> technology. With some help they can build basic electronic circuits.
>
> sure enough, kids aged three and above *can* play with technology. But
> it is not our primary goal to have kids play with technology, but to
> encourage them to use technology in a creative and responsible way,
> including education about free software and the likes. It is,
> psychologically, impossible and, moreover, quite ridiculous to call for
> such reflective behaviour in children of such a young age.
Three year olds generally have a quite elaborate understanding of the
world accompanied with a fabulous reflective ability. I don't see why
anyone shouldn't be able to participate according to their abilities?
I just want activities for younger humans also. Both out of personal
"needs" and an interest to introduce technology and free software to
young children.
> In general, pedagogics is backing away more and more from early
> intervention in child's play, as we now know that child's play needs to
> be undirected and, to some extent, even mindless to warrant for healthy
> development.
I fail to see what the difference between using GCompris and playing a
board game or assemble a jigsaw puzzle (which both are directed) could
be.
Of course free undirected play is indeed very important, but that does not
mean that there is no room for directions at all.
> That said, if Teckids runs workshops at DebConf, such a gaming station
> will be provided for; however, why anyone would need a *workshop* for
> playing SuperTux is a mystery to me.
Firstly, I might have targeted other groups than you/Teckids. Secondly,
the workshop wasn't limited to playing SuperTux of course, but rather
established a venue for parents on a free software conference to explore
free software (distros, software, game, electronics etc) for children.
--
Per
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