Some months ago, we asked you to name your favorite TED Talk. And, more than a few of you flagged Sir Ken RobinÂson’s preÂsenÂtaÂtion from 2006, Do Schools Kill CreÂativÂiÂty? You’re in good comÂpaÂny. The talk remains one of TED’s most popÂuÂlar videos of all time. Today, TED has released RobinÂson’s sequel (of sorts). RecordÂed this past FebÂruÂary, Bring on the LearnÂing RevÂoÂluÂtion! “makes the case for a radÂiÂcal shift from stanÂdardÂized schools to perÂsonÂalÂized learnÂing — creÂatÂing conÂdiÂtions where kids’ natÂurÂal talÂents can flourÂish.” Give it some time. PerÂhaps it’s anothÂer talk for the ages.
Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the Learning Revolution!
Catch TEDxNYED Live on Saturday
A quick heads up: On SatÂurÂday, an indeÂpenÂdent TED conÂferÂence will get underÂway in New York City. It’s dubbed TEDxNYED, and a top notch lineÂup of speakÂers (includÂing Lawrence Lessig, Michael Wesch, Gina BianÂchiÂni, HenÂry JenkÂins, Jay Rosen and othÂers) will focus on a topÂic near and dear to our readÂers’ hearts: how new media and techÂnolÂoÂgy will shape the future of eduÂcaÂtion. And the best part? You can watch a live stream of the conÂferÂence here. Look for the web streamÂing to take place between 10am EST and 6pm EST. Again, this all hapÂpens this SatÂurÂday. Please spread the word! Your friends will thank you.
Bill Gates on Energy: Innovating to Zero!
The major TED conÂferÂence wrapped up late last week. And now the videos start to roll out. Above Bill Gates (to quote TED) “unveils his vision for the world’s enerÂgy future, describÂing the need for mirÂaÂcles to avoid planÂeÂtary catÂaÂstroÂphe and explainÂing why he’s backÂing a draÂmatÂiÂcalÂly difÂferÂent type of nuclear reacÂtor. The necÂesÂsary goal? Zero carÂbon emisÂsions globÂalÂly by 2050.”
The Beautiful Math of Coral & Crochet
Our readÂer GarÂnet sets the stage for this video: “MathÂeÂmatiÂcians have long declared that geoÂmetÂriÂcal hyperÂbolÂic space could not be modÂeled in the real world. Now it’s been done, through croÂchet! Watch TED video sciÂence writer MarÂgaret Wertheim explain how the art of croÂchet emuÂlates sea slugs creÂatÂing coral strucÂtures in hyperÂbolÂic space, using art to bring attenÂtion to the disÂapÂpearÂance of coral through globÂal warmÂing.” You can get more inforÂmaÂtion about this preÂsenÂtaÂtion here. And, for more TED Talks, don’t forÂget to check out this handy online spreadÂsheet.
The Neurons That Shaped Civilization
TED recentÂly took its show to India, and one of the more interÂestÂing preÂsenÂtaÂtions feaÂtured neuÂroÂsciÂenÂtist VilayaÂnur RamachanÂdran (UCSD) explainÂing how mirÂror neuÂrons, a recentÂly disÂcovÂered sysÂtem in the brain, “allow us to learn comÂplex social behavÂiors, some of which formed the founÂdaÂtions of human civÂiÂlizaÂtion,” and also helped us evolve as a species. Good stuff. You can find more TED India Talks here.
The Best of TED: A Stroke of Insight?
Last week, we wadÂed into the best of TED debate. What’s the best TED Talk out there? It’s hard to say. PureÂly subÂjecÂtive. But we can say one thing. Jill Bolte Taylor’s “Stroke of Insight” talk reachÂes the top of many lists. What hapÂpens when a neuÂroanatomist expeÂriÂences a masÂsive stroke and feels all the brain funcÂtions she has studÂied (speech, moveÂment, underÂstandÂing, etc) sudÂdenÂly start to slip away? And how do these lossÂes funÂdaÂmenÂtalÂly change who we are? You’ll find out in a crisp (and at times emoÂtionÂal) 18 minÂutes and 40 secÂonds. You can also read her book that elabÂoÂrates on her life-alterÂing expeÂriÂence. See My Stroke of Insight: A Brain SciÂenÂtist’s PerÂsonÂal JourÂney.
Your Favorite TED Talk Ever?
What’s the best TED Talk ever? That’s the litÂtle debate takÂing place on Reddit.com, and the answer is not obviÂous, seeÂing that TED now has over 500 talks availÂable in its archive. (You can find a conÂstantÂly updatÂed list of every TED Talk in a Google spreadÂsheet here.)
Now, what are some of the RedÂdit favorites? Here are five talks that get freÂquent menÂtions.
- Sir Ken RobinÂson on “Do Schools Kill CreÂativÂiÂty” (See my mea culÂpa in the comÂments.)
- Dan Gilbert on “Why are We HapÂpy”
- ElizÂaÂbeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) on NurÂturÂing CreÂativÂiÂty (Not one of my perÂsonÂal favorites.)
- Richard Dawkins on our “Queer” UniÂverse
- Dan Ariely asks “Are We in ConÂtrol of our Own DeciÂsions?”
MeanÂwhile, it’s worth menÂtionÂing that TED keeps its own runÂning list of its 10 most popÂuÂlar talks. Some good ones here. And now your turn. Tell us your favorites in the comÂments below, and don’t be shy.
Every TED Talk Under the Sun
If you regÂuÂlarÂly visÂit Open CulÂture, then you’re probÂaÂbly familÂiar with TED Talks — the series of 15 minute “rivÂetÂing talks by remarkÂable peoÂple” that TED proÂduces and makes free to the world. We’ve includÂed TED in our colÂlecÂtion, IntelÂliÂgent Video: The Top CulÂturÂal & EduÂcaÂtionÂal Video Sites, and it’s one of the best sources of intelÂliÂgent video out there. HavÂing said that, I was pleased to find this Google spreadÂsheet of every TED Talk ever postÂed online. Although TED hosts many videos on its web site (and on its iTunes and YouTube chanÂnels), these platÂforms don’t give you clean access to the entire TED catÂaÂlogue. MeanÂwhile, this simÂple and sortable spreadÂsheet does. So enjoy, and use it well.
via BoingÂBoÂing
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
TED to ChiÂna: An Inside View
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