--What changes do you think will occur in the environment surrounding "media" in the future?

Before the advent of Twitter, Facebook, and smartphones, I don't think anyone could have imagined how widespread they would become in society at large, and I feel the same way. However, there are always experts who are involved in these fields professionally on a daily basis, and these people are able to see the future a little earlier than the average person. That's why at Cocoiku, we invite experts in their fields to teach. Rather than education experts, we receive instruction from experts in each genre.

--One of the attractions of media is that it connects us to the world without being tied to a specific location.

That's right. At YCAM, we've also held workshops on remote islands, and the environment for programming and creating slideshows is exactly the same as that of kids in Tokyo. However, the themes we use are often fishermen or the natural environment of rural areas, which is naturally different from that of big cities. I think it would be interesting to use the same animation production platform to foster interaction between urban and rural areas through the exchange of works.

--The concept of Cocoiku is "creativity." What kind of creativity can you acquire through media?

At Cocoiku, we have a clear definition of creativity. It's not the ability to neatly and tastefully put together art or design; we define it with a completely different precision. For example, when an unexpected problem arises, two types of people emerge: those whose thought processes freeze in the unprecedented situation and are unable to do anything, and those who can carefully observe the situation, think about what to do next, and take a step forward. Those who can take the next step have the ability to overcome the situation, and we would like to define this ability as "creativity." Because society is changing rapidly and the future is uncertain, we need the flexibility, courage, and deep thinking skills to take a step forward in any situation. To achieve this, we believe it is important to directly experience the diverse "creativity" of experts in various fields, rather than simply learning how to use media.

--But why do thought processes freeze?

I think the reason people often give up is because they've been severely scolded for failing, which can be traumatic. Repeated experiences that allow them to try things out and express themselves without fear of failure make them more comfortable to try new things. I think children, in particular, need an environment where they can fail safely. Cocoiku wants to be that kind of place.

--So you need an environment where you can fail safely.

I think an "environment where you can fail safely" can actually be called education. For example, when posting something online, it's scary to do something that could be irreversible, with your real name exposed. In a sense, education is about trying things out in a protected environment, learning that writing in a certain way can hurt others, or thinking this way when you've been hurt. It's important to provide a "place where you can fail safely."

--Starting next spring, Cocoiku will also be offering classes for parents. When it comes to "media," the pace of change is so rapid that it's on a completely different level from teaching the Japanese alphabet.

That's right. Even Internet professionals continue to debate how their children should interact with the Internet. Still, constructive discussions are more effective than amateurs screaming, "It's just too dangerous!" Rather than a binary choice of "let them use it" or "don't let them use it," families need to work together to find ways to interact with the Internet that are appropriate for their child's developmental stage. In fact, some college students are only connecting to the Internet when they start job hunting. If they suddenly find themselves immersed in the Internet and get into an accident, the person who naively "banned" them won't take responsibility. Rather than a relationship where parents teach their children everything, it might be better to create a space where parents can learn together with their children. Ultimately, I think this will be more effective as an environment where children can grow up as they go along.

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