What ideas did I have about this modality/issue/resource prior to experiencing it?
My first impression of the TED concept as a whole was strictly related to the TED Talk platform and viewed it as a way to expose myself to topics I had never really considered before, and truthfully to kill time when I’m commuting to work.
As the MALAT course progressed, I was interested in learning more about what TEDEd was as the term started to pop up in some dialogue and literature throughout various courses. I realized that it was a completely different entity and served more of an educational purpose than some of the TED Talk storytelling delivery methods. When I first started exploring the modality, some of my first impressions were that the content categories and topics were all over the map, you could learn about anything from “How Squids outsmart their predators” to “How to analyze the human brain” and if you really wanted to, you could purchase an “Oh Beehive!” t-shirt from the sites gift shop. The site is far more dynamic than I was expecting and truly supports a collaborative learning environment for people to work together and create content. It is evident that it’s a destination for curious people who take an active role in expanding their knowledge and wanting to connect with other like-minded learners.
What impact might this modality/issue/resource have on learning/learners? teaching/teachers? organizations? society?
As it stands, TEDEd is completely non-profit, with funding generating from Patrons who can opt for $2, $3, $4 and upwards per month. This makes it easy for people of varying financial situations to actively support an educational platform. TEDEd also creates opportunities for teachers and educators to collaborate with members of the TedEd team and animators to create compelling content to share their knowledge. I wonder how many teachers are incorporating these segments or taking advantage of the resources this site has to offer within their own classrooms?
Like many video curated libraries, TEDEd continues to add to the abundance of knowledge being shared on the internet. However, unlike other user-generated content sites like Youtube, there is a sense of validity through a vetting process and requirement for certain credentials. For this reason, I believe the impact on learning as a whole will be positively impacted by this effort. By having all of the easy, visually appealing, and quickly digestible video clips for learners to interact with at their fingertips, it gives learners a destination they can trust.
What other examples would be worth investigating? Are there others? What might be missing?
My experience so far has been that of exploration with a narrowing focus on design methodology related to video-based learning for the sake of the critical inquiry. This has kept me focused on learning theories and design attributes that impact learning and is evident within the TEDEd process. However, there are other aspects worth investigating like regulation, licensing, incorporating TEDEd into a curriculum and many other topics. I will continue to explore concerns and opportunities in my upcoming posts.