You really should NOT need a video...

<p>&nbsp;<em><span style="font-size: 14pt; ">I recently heard that the upcoming generation will be the first in history to end up less educated than their parents.&nbsp; Not so surprising, with every kid I know being glued to a telephone or video game screen nowadays, and I don't want to be part of the problem.&nbsp;</span></em></p> <!--break--> <p><em><span style="font-size: 14pt; "> But one of the top 5 most common things being asked this year through robot game support is &quot;Will there be a video for the missions?&quot;&nbsp; And the people asking for them seem paralyzed without them.&nbsp; So I'm faced with two judgment calls...&nbsp; 1)&nbsp; Is it more important for me to be an unflappable advocate for reading, or for me to make as many coaches as possible have an easy time administering FLL?&nbsp; 2)&nbsp; Will a video actually help more teams than it will hurt?</span></em></p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;<em><span style="font-size: 14pt; ">I've decided to go ahead and release a video in the style of last year's video at Google, which was pretty well received, which didn't cause as many problems as videos from the past, and which set the precedent that people now want to see continued.&nbsp; I've tried hard to make it as obvious as possible that it should not stand in place of the text, but I'm writing to warn you about some likely negative consequences I've experienced before, even when the missions were read WORD FOR WORD.&nbsp; I can't predict how widespread or intense these problems will be, but...</span></em></p> <p style="font-size: 13px; ">&nbsp;<em><span style="font-size: 14pt; ">In addition to the fact that video in general makes it LESS likely that people will read the Robot Game materials at all, much less with the depth needed, causing confusion, questions, and event blind sides, the video will unavoidably bias people, since it's absurd to give someone a riddle or a problem and then demonstrate anything about the solution.&nbsp; Anything the video shows will either be planting ideas or narrowing ideas.&nbsp;&nbsp; Teams will get ideas they wouldn't have, they'll fail to think of ideas they would have, and they'll over-interpret what they see as the only &quot;correct&quot; or &quot;allowable&quot; way.&nbsp; The video will also prompt questions even from teams who HAVE read the Rules well, since there are BOUND to be subtle inconsistencies between the fun/conversational treatment given in the video, and the official/legal treatment given in the text.&nbsp;</span></em></p> <p style="font-size: 13px; ">&nbsp;<em><span style="font-size: 14pt; ">So this note is a heads-up to you that this type of fallout is not unlikely, and I'm requesting that any time the video or its fallout come up, please remind people it's just a visual aid, and that ONLY the text documents have standing.&nbsp; Refer people to the Robot Game pages, as well as my Robot Game Support address whenever possible.&nbsp; Thanks very much.&nbsp;</span></em></p> <p style="font-size: 13px; "><em><span style="font-size: 14pt; ">---Scott</span></em></p> <p style="font-size: 13px; ">If, after Scott's disseration above, you still think you HAVE to see the video, you'll find it linked <a href="http://www.youtube.com/fllglobal#p/c/0/RC1IbIgu3os">here</a>.</p>

<p>&nbsp;<em><span style="font-size: 14pt; ">I recently heard that the upcoming generation will be the first in history to end up less educated than their parents.&nbsp; Not so surprising, with every kid I know being glued to a telephone or video game screen nowadays, and I don't want to be part of the problem.&nbsp;</span></em></p>

sites/fll.coloradofirst.org/files/pictures/picture-4.jpg

a:20:{s:13:"form_build_id";s:37:"form-39cd72140ba662b26b3e46cd5435fb7a";s:7:"contact";i:1;s:14:"picture_delete";i:0;s:14:"picture_upload";s:0:"";s:11:"newsletters";a:1:{i:1;i:1;}s:17:"messaging_default";s:5:"debug";s:27:"notifications_send_interval";s:1:"0";s:18:"notifications_auto";i:0;s:18:"profile_first_name";s:4:"Ross";s:17:"profile_last_name";s:7:"Parrent";s:11:"profile_age";s:5:"Adult";s:19:"profile_tshirt_size";s:1:"L";s:21:"profile_primary_phone";s:12:"303-588-7219";s:13:"profile_state";s:2:"CO";s:21:"profile_why_volunteer";s:23:"Glutton for punishment!";s:26:"profile_volunteer_interest";s:22:"Technical / Head judge";s:20:"profile_organization";s:13:"ColoradoFIRST";s:18:"profile_heard_from";s:10:"grape vine";s:23:"profile_technical_judge";i:1;s:21:"profile_years_service";s:1:"7";}