An interesting session last week. One thing that has come out of it is the idea of either banning online videos or supplying headphones - so as not to distract or annoy others. Dale has also instigated a Minecraft competition with a prize, which has the kids v excited.
One parent mentioned that her child had been 'trapped' within the Minecraft server by another participant that week (ie while playing Minecraft from home) and had been very upset by this. Interestingly enough, by the next day (during the Lab session) the two boys involved were playing together again, collaboratively building a bridge structure within Minecraft.
This brings up a discussion point in regard to multiuser spaces like Minecraft: might they extend and even amplify feelings of being bullied in the real world? And/or: can they be used for building a sense of resilience, for rehearsing what happens 'out there' and learning to deal with it in a positive manner for oneself? In Minecraft you can destroy or build - it's up to you, and it seems the rough and tumble of the real world will happen to some degree online. So where do we draw the line between providing a protected space and 'cotton wooling'? This is something we're still negotiating on a weekly basis.
These discussions are also informing the current development of the code of conduct, which is underway by Trish.
It also raises questions about moderation levels. Some participants it seems like the presence of moderators in online forums...one likes that someone is watching over him (he dislikes being called a 'noob'). This is the case for the Minecraft server, but it's very lightly moderated.
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