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Re: Electrical Wire Safety



Even a kid flying a kite with a damp string is at risk with
the higher voltage lines as is the person with the aluminum ladder and the
pool sweeper pole. Sadly, in the rush to teach more theory we do not often
mention these dangers in school. It would take only 5 minutes....


There certainly are enough ads that warn people of dangers with respect to
touching electrical wires, even indirectly. In addition there are warnings
on TV antenna booms... It takes a lot more the 5 minutes because in general
people do not pay attention to such warnings. In addition many people have
paradigms of how electricity works that precludes understanding the
warnings.

Learning theory by standard methods really does not improve understanding of
the concepts as anyone who gives some of the physics conceptual evaluations
knows. Just telling does not significantly improve the results on these
evaluations.

Giving them the 5 minute lecture about theory may legally CYA, but it will
not enhance their safety at all.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX