tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4985496129019023125.post3922880375882106116..comments2023-07-03T02:26:39.855-07:00Comments on Okenko Books: Monkey Jack-in-the-BoxJitka Adelekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01885040459230218187noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4985496129019023125.post-30027220511178399732011-01-06T17:43:26.439-08:002011-01-06T17:43:26.439-08:00Ian,
thanks for your comment, you retold my post i...Ian,<br />thanks for your comment, you retold my post in a more sophisticated and more opinionated and well referenced way, as always :)<br /><br />I am sending you an email with some more (skeptical:) thoughts at the same time.<br /><br />Happy New Year and all the best, JitkaJitka Adelekehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01885040459230218187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4985496129019023125.post-62098828991146246342011-01-02T01:34:47.076-08:002011-01-02T01:34:47.076-08:00Hi Jitka,
I think there are two things going on. ...Hi Jitka,<br /><br />I think there are two things going on. One is that educational play has been commodified by the toy industry, so that simple things like the sock monkey which are wonderful in themselves aren't thought of as learning, despite it being a little bit of magic and fun. That's just not true, from a research point of view. Play IS learning, cognitively:<br /><br />http://forum.momswithapps.com/general-discussion/old-fashioned-play-builds-serious-skills/<br /><br />So is just a play old sock, some cotton wool and some sticky beady eyes. So I think you absolutely did good by having fun.<br /><br />The second is that people are cashing in on the crisis in education, and the recognized need for education reform, so they start branding everything as "educational" regardless of whether it has any merits, research or pedagogy behind it. The only way can be fixed is by having serious dialog with parents and giving them the skills to discern whether a product actually has educational merit for the price that the toy manufacturers are charging. That is a slower process, to be done by many, but I believe that it will gradually happen. People over time will understand what's important and what's not an d hopefully the manufacturers will lift their game, so that educational toys really ARE educational AND fun.<br /><br />Thank you for sharing your thoughts. The monkey sounds lovely!<br /><br />All the best,<br /><br />- IanIan Chia (from Being Prudence)https://www.blogger.com/profile/04764008016738676886noreply@blogger.com