Archive for November, 2009
Illustrated videos as a powerful form of education
Nov 6th
I’m always interested in learning something new, and this first video (Flu Attack!) was right up my street when it popped up as a ‘post’ within my Google Reader. I already understood most of how viruses multiply from my science classes which I enjoyed. Still it was good to see a visualisation of it to get the gist of how a virus is shared and how our bodies fight it.
I also liked seeing the credit crunch explained in a video. This was from a year and a bit ago, back when it was all kicking off in everyones awareness:
What would you like to see illustrated in a video? What would make more sense to you if you saw it illustrated or in real time?
For me a good explanation of profit and loss with T account balancing and double book keeping would have saved me a lot of aggrow back in Uni!
2009 seems to be the year of video and strangely enough the year of the written word. Its a balancing act between different consumption styles, some people prefer to be more vocation and also see what is being taught, while others learn by reading. Most learn via a mixture of the two styles of presentation.
Personally .. I’m loving the way of screencasts and also illustrated videos that teach. Makes me wonder about that saying ‘Seeing is believing’, is seeing also the way to understanding?
The obituary of Common Sense, may he RIP …
Nov 4th
image by soy alex reyes
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An Obituary printed in the London Times – not a joke and it makes you think.
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; Why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn’t always fair; and Maybe it was my fault..
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled some in her lap, and was promptly awarded a cash settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.
He is survived by entities known as:
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I’m A Victim
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
America vs UK and Mac vs PC
Nov 3rd
image by Business Pundit
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The photo above from BusinessPundit.com tickled my funny bone, this is obviously an american lecture hall and its predominantly mac’s and one visible PC. In the UK its very different, the UK universities rarely support Mac laptops / desktops and Macs don’t have a large share of the computer market in the UK yet but it is growing.
I just find it humourous that we have a photo of the american students in a lecture theatre and if you came here to the UK student lecture theatres you’d firstly find less laptops visible and even then they would predominantly be PCs!!
Reminds me of when I came across Digital Cribs which is done by Cicso advocating a networked and wireless world, see the ‘coolest geek’ at Harvard!