Are the kids attracted to your program because of robotics?
or
Are the kids attracted to your program because of the violence portrayed and embodied by the robots?
If you all can parse out the differences for yourselves you would realize that you could continue to attract the kids you do and do all (and perhaps more) of the good work you have been doing by focusing on the robotics and eliminating the violence out of it. If you think that eliminating the violence out of your robotics exercises will also be a detriment to attracting more kids, then you ought to consider abandoning the program! You ought to know better given that you are a Philadelphian and I'm sure are aware of the seriously escalating gun violence rates in the city. You may think that you are helping the kids involved in the program but think about the public who will visit your "show" and what ideas and impressions they will go home with concerning robots and violence...you ARE impacting the public perception of an academic endeavor in a negative way.
I think, what we all are pleading to you is not to stop your program, but think about the implications of the context in which you are putting the robots and these students and the public who will come to see them. You can achieve the same results (and attract an even more diverse set of kids) by changing the context to something more socially helpful and devoid of violence.
Your programs are commendable in a number of ways and with a little conscious shift of focus could do even better.
This really truly is a moment for you all to sit back and think and reflect about it.
Violence in robotics
Manny:
It is a simple question to ask yourself.
Are the kids attracted to your program because of robotics?
or
Are the kids attracted to your program because of the violence portrayed and embodied by the robots?
If you all can parse out the differences for yourselves you would realize that you could continue to attract the kids you do and do all (and perhaps more) of the good work you have been doing by focusing on the robotics and eliminating the violence out of it. If you think that eliminating the violence out of your robotics exercises will also be a detriment to attracting more kids, then you ought to consider abandoning the program! You ought to know better given that you are a Philadelphian and I'm sure are aware of the seriously escalating gun violence rates in the city. You may think that you are helping the kids involved in the program but think about the public who will visit your "show" and what ideas and impressions they will go home with concerning robots and violence...you ARE impacting the public perception of an academic endeavor in a negative way.
I think, what we all are pleading to you is not to stop your program, but think about the implications of the context in which you are putting the robots and these students and the public who will come to see them. You can achieve the same results (and attract an even more diverse set of kids) by changing the context to something more socially helpful and devoid of violence.
Your programs are commendable in a number of ways and with a little conscious shift of focus could do even better.
This really truly is a moment for you all to sit back and think and reflect about it.