19-02-2012

TED Talks are a brilliant resource for all thinkers :-)

This tongue in cheek (or is it?) TED Talk by Yossi Vardi on the dangers inherent in blogging and the use of laptops by men in particular is very funny, in fact it is one of the TED Talks that I regularly listen to again  as are any of the talks by Sir Ken Robinson the TED below from Hillel Cooperman on LEGO is also a great view
I could listen to Marcus de Sautoy explaining Math too me for hours.... these are just some of the myriad of highlights that can be browsed at the TED Talks site
 

Pranav Mistry at TED India November 2010

As many UK teachers prepare to head to the BETT2010 Show at Olympia in London I happened upon the video above delivered by Pranav Mistry at TED India late last year.

Pranav was showing the 'Sixth Sense' device which appears to offer cheap(er) devices allowing us to interact with the world around us. I was particularly struck by the paper based laptop which uses the microphone from a webcam attached to the paper to act as the receiver and the webcam to fix the image this is then projected onto the paper as a functional laptop and gaming device ( watch the driving game on the paper laptop!).

My mention of the BETT Show is that even though it does promote the innovative use of simple technology by teachers in the UK this is sadly swallowed in the horribly over the top commercialisation of the main show halls - I rather feel that Pranav would be pushed to the side by the likes of Promethian and Smart and MS with their new and expensive 'Interactive Table' ( unless there was a market and they could then push product).

There is a need in the UK for a series of conferences perhaps at the NCSL in Nottingham and other venues for the specific promotion of simple technology to schools - I know that this has been attempted by NAACE however I think there is the need now to develop this from grassroots teachers similar to the Isle of Wight conference organised by Joe Dale.... come on BETT it is time to evolve!

The amazing Eva Zeisel (TED Talks)

Watch as the amazing Eva Zeisel  ( now 102! )casts a spell over her audience as she describes her career as a ceramic designer (who likes curvy shapes see below her Schramberg tea set) starting in 1920's to the present. Eva plays with her audience in a truly amazing display. I just love the way she asks for some additional time in order to conclude her talk - watch and enjoy.

                                                       Eva Zeisel's Schramberg tea set

Eva Zeisel Forum

Check out the MS Photosynth video on the right ( thanks for the link Allanah in New Zealand ) or watch the presentation from the TED Talks March 2007, where developer Blaise Aguera Y Arcas shows how this software enables the amalgamation of pictures stored on the web tagged with a specific place tag. These images can then overlaid via Photosynth to enable zoom in and pan functions using multiple images to give depth and detail - each image is brought via the web enabling zoom by only bringing you the specific data from required images. ( you don't ever store all of the images on your pc ). Cool stuff...

It seems to be one of those days where bloggers from around the UK are beginning to warm to the task. Not only today did I find Ewan's blog fascinating, but then followed this up by following a thread to Tom Barrett's Blog.
Tom has for a while now been blogging about the 'seemingly' insatiable need for Interactive Whiteboards ( the dreaded IWB's - fed by The Powers from Above!!!) in education ( particularly noticeable if you have been to BETT over the past few years where IWB's are everywhere). I know that there are companies out there who can see the drawbacks. ( such as Promethian with their voting handset - and those advocating the use of a mobile wireless tablet as an input interface which can be out amongsat the pupils - not stuck at the front of the class!)
But if you watch Jeff Han's presentation to the TED conference in Monterey I am sure that your mind will immediately begin to see ways in which the touch sensitive interface which he demonstrates can be used within an education setting. It got me thinking immediately about its possible application in Key Stage 1 classes and in classes with learning/motor difficulties where I am sure it would prove extremely useful. I am very grateful to Tom for posting this piece, do take a look and make a comment on Tom's blog I am sure he would appreciate it. Thanks Tom