5 TED Talks to Support Innovation

"Laura Devaney from eSchool News has 5 innovative TED Talks she wants you to look at—see them all at the links below in this article."

Every educator needs some inspiration now and then, and these days, such inspiration can be found online in just a few seconds.

The internet brings inspiring and motivational speakers and experts to anyone with a connection and an internet-ready device.

TED Talks are some of today’s most popular examples of the internet’s power to expand learning opportunities to all.

Each month, we’ll bring you a handful of inspiring TED Talks. Some will focus specifically on education; others will highlight innovative practices that have long-lasting impact. But all will inspire and motivate educators and students alike.

Did you miss our most recent TED Talks features? You can find them here: http://www.eschoolnews.com/2014/04/18/ted-talks-tech-134/ http://www.eschoolnews.com/2014/05/27/may-ted-talks-893/

1. Education innovation in the slums

Charles Leadbeater went looking for radical new forms of education — and found them in the slums of Rio and Kibera, where some of the world’s poorest kids are finding transformative new ways to learn. And this informal, disruptive new kind of school, he says, is what all schools need to become.

2. The key to success? Grit

Leaving a high-flying job in consulting, Angela Lee Duckworth took a job teaching math to seventh graders in a New York public school. She quickly realized that IQ wasn’t the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. Here, she explains her theory of “grit” as a predictor of success.

3. What I’ve learned from my autistic brothers

Faith Jegede tells the moving and funny story of growing up with her two brothers, both autistic–and both extraordinary. In this talk from the TED Talent Search, she reminds us to pursue a life beyond what is normal.

4. The 100,000-student classroom

In the fall of 2011 Peter Norvig taught a class with Sebastian Thrun on artificial intelligence at Stanford attended by 175 students in situ–and over 100,000 via an interactive webcast. He shares what he learned about teaching to a global classroom.

5. My daughter, Malala

Pakistani educator Ziauddin Yousafzai reminds the world of a simple truth that many don’t want to hear: Women and men deserve equal opportunities for education, autonomy, an independent identity. He tells stories from his own life and the life of his daughter, Malala, who was shot by the Taliban in 2012 simply for daring to go to school. “Why is my daughter so strong?” Yousafzai asks. “Because I didn’t clip her wings.”

—Via eSchool News

About Laura Devaney

Laura Devaney is the eSchool News Managing Editor. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Laura interned at eSchool Media while attending UMD, and upon graduating, Laura was lucky enough to join the eSchool Media team. She enjoys covering mobile and handheld technologies, BYOD trends, equity in broadband access, and special education. When she isn't wrangling her two children, Laura enjoys running, photography, home improvement, boating, and rooting for the Terps. Find Laura on Twitter: @eSN_Laura http://twitter.com/eSN_Laura