TED talks are both interesting and informative for most people that have watched them. They change our perspectives, let us listen to experts and make us think in very powerful ways. TED has gone a long way to making sure that the content they post for the talks is legitimate, thought provoking and not average in the sense that it's something you'd find in a newspaper or magazine. I'm a big fan of TED talks, and I'm my classroom it's easy because the students are at an age where they're
somewhat ready to consider new ideas and avenues of thought. They can digest the content and the meaning that the speaker is attempting to convey with more ease then a middle school student who may not have reached the higher levels of Bloom yet. This leads me to wonder though, how might TED talks be used in the elementary/middle school classroom and is there a place for them.
This article talks at length about the uses in the classroom and really makes me want to find a way to make TED talks work for a younger audience. The author talks about the passion and the thought provoking nature of TED talks at length, and gives me some ideas to start with. However, I'd still be weary of confusing younger students or pushing them content that they're not ready for. Clearly worth some additional thought....
Article Source - http://www.edutopia.org//blog/student-passion-and-tedx-talks-nick-provenzano
When starting to read your post, I felt a little lost, or out of the loop, sort of say. I honestly had never heard of TED. I thought, who is Ted? and what does he talk about? :)
ReplyDeleteI am very glad I did read your post though Ian, as I have now bookmarked the TED website and will sign up for my own account. I look forward to seeing videos that are educational and thought-provoking all in one sight, instead of perusing through YouTube as I do now. Great post!