Friday, June 22, 2007

Did You Know? 2.0

I blogged previously that XPLANE had offered to make the original Did You Know/Shift Happens presentation more visually appealing. Well, it’s now finished, and you can view it below. For me, this really isn’t a "sequel" to Did You Know, it’s just different. Some folks will prefer the original, some will prefer this version, some will dislike both. For me, it’s just another attempt to create a conversation, so I hope that it does.

XPLANE’s goal was to make it more visually appealing than text on a PowerPoint background, thinking that by adding some graphics and animation that it could convey the message to more folks (particularly folks whose first language is not English).

I (and Scott) had two main goals. First, I wanted to make it less us (as in U.S.) versus them. That wasn’t my intent in the original, but it certainly could be interpreted that way. It still includes some of the U.S./China/India statistics, because we felt those were indicative of the "shifts" that are occurring, but it avoids words like "we" and "they." But we want all kids to be successful, whether they are in the U.S., India, China or somewhere else. We believe these ideas and conversations should be occurring globally, and we hope this helps contribute to that conversation.

Second, one of the (many) weaknesses of the original is that it didn’t ask anything of the viewers, or direct them to any resources. (In my own defense, that’s because it was just for my staff and I was doing the follow-up. As I’ve talked about previously, I had no idea that it would spread like it did . . .). This new version asks some questions at the end and directs folks to a wiki with some additional information (the wiki is still a work in progress, but we'll get there eventually). The wiki is not intended as a "one-stop" resource, just a fairly simple jumping off point for folks that would like more information. Hopefully they will be drawn into the conversations that we all have been a part of over the last few years. (I wanted to ask even more questions – I may blog those eventually – but it would’ve made the presentation way too long – at over 8 minutes, it’s already pushing it).

If you find it useful, please use it however you’d like (Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike license). The YouTube version is embedded below, there's a Google Video version, and you can download a high-quality version in several different formats (just enter your name at the prompt) as well.



Thank you to XPLANE for some truly excellent visuals and animations, and to Scott McLeod for all his work and support. Frankly, I’m a little tired of the presentation, but I still passionately believe that we need to reexamine formal education as it’s currently being experienced by our students and that we owe it to our children to do everything we can to improve. If the presentation draws even a few folks into asking questions and getting involved in the conversations either locally or globally, then I’ll consider it a success.

54 comments:

  1. That's the power of design. Although good before, now it is even more powerful. As I librarian, I am using your video with students at Otis, a college of art and design. This version will be even more appreciated. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Really appreciate you dropping we and them language. Really like the updated design. But, I think the new music does not create the sense of something needing to be done as much as the high tempo approach in the orgiginal did.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The graphic design is rather beautiful in my opinion. Both understated and unobtrusive, it matches the music perfectly. This allows the "idea" to bubble to the surface, rather than be lost in the smoke and sizzle that many presentations become.

    Excellent work.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great stuff ...

    DK
    MediaSnackers Founder

    ReplyDelete
  5. Excellent, I like all the versions.
    One suggestion -- include the wiki URL somewhere on your blog page...I couldn't remember it and had to launch the video and watch it again just to find the URL.

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's very nice, Karl, BUT I think the original version (Powerpoint and all) does a better job of conveying your message. The new one is too commercial. The original shows how an average, highly passionate teacher can create something to educate their staff on timely events. I also think XPlane's motives was to piggyback onto your success. Sorry, but I know you appreciate honesty and that's my story and I'm sticking to it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I like the new design (found it as one of the most downloaded on SlideShare.com) but still think the slide that says "It means they have more honors kids than we have kids" brings up the us/they set up in the way you didn't want.

    That said, it really hits home. I'm interested where you found the stat that 1 in 8 marriages met on line. Very interesting!!

    I liked the first one & blogged about it in February: http://brandandmarket.blogspot.com/2007/02/putting-it-into-perspective-did-you.html

    Thanks for helping to put it into perspective.
    Chris

    ReplyDelete
  8. Chris - The one on slideshare is not the "new" version, just a "stylized" version that someone else did. The one on this post is the "new" version, and doesn't include the "more honors kids" slide.

    You can find the source for the 1 in 8 online at the original post.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks Karl and Scott and XPLANE for pushing the conversation further and adding in a call to action from viewers. And, Scott's version of Did You Know? was shown at the 2007 Model Schools Conference held in DC the first part of July. It was shown not once, but twice, at the opening and closing open sessions, because Bill Daggett thought it so important. Over 7,000 educators attended.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Karl:

    I'm sure you have a sense of humor... Someone re-did your presentation (again):

    http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/video/shifthappens2

    ReplyDelete
  11. Seems to me that this has a lot of fairly gaping holes in it's logic and is more propaganda than anything. Still, nice job generating buzz. Buzz is great. Buzz buzz.

    Did you know? There is 1000000 times more buzz about this presentation today than there was four years ago? In fact, there is buzz today about something that didnt even EXIST four years ago.

    Did you know? I am one of trillions of people. "I" is one of billions of words. The odds that I would post this post under your post are one in a billion billion, yet I can do it twice by hitting the submit button twice. The fabric of space and time will rip in two!

    Come on, guy.

    http://mittechnical.com/BOSTON-SEO-WORDPRESS/shift-happens-kinda/2007

    Josh Milane

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm looking forward to starting the conversation with my staff as we prepare for the new year. Thanks for putting this powerful message into such a beautiful format. http://scheney.edublogs.org/
    ~Stephanie.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Karl,

    It was incredible before. Now it's even better. The Michigan Council for the Social Studies is planning on showing this presentation to a plenary session at our fall conference.

    Check out my living textbook: http://www.pass-ed.com/Living-Textbook.html

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love the presentation! The new version has that little extra that makes it perfect! I was wondering if you could post the music for version 2 or point me in the right direction to where i can download it. I think it's really sweet and would like to sit in the sun and listen to it ;)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Choddan - you can find the music on the wiki.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Karl,

    On education statistics you have showed in the video "Did you Know 2.0", I found it incorrect.

    This is what I found from the OECD database for year 2005.

    US -> 3.1 million graduates

    To make the point you are trying to make, I would compare engineering graduates between US, India and China, which is articulated in this article(follow the link).
    http://inhome.rediff.com/money/2006/jun/09bspec.htm

    Innovation is where engineering talent is and the talent will follow, where the economic incentives are higher.

    Anyway, I see the point you are trying to make.

    Thanks
    Saravana

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great job - crucial information well-presented.

    Did you know that millions of literate viewers won't notice that you used the adjective "everyday" instead of "every day" in your presentation.

    But a picky 57-year old teacher just might.

    ReplyDelete
  18. @rws5 - Yes, I know, I didn't catch that and it slipped through. I asked XPLANE if they would change it, but apparently it would take a fair amount of time to fix and re-render, so we're stuck with it. I keep hoping someone will download the source file and fix it - I'd be happy to post it. Do you know Flash well enough to do it?

    ReplyDelete
  19. I really enjoyed the first "Did You Know?" but I plan to use the new version with my students who are 100% English as a Second Language. I agree with Xplane that the visuals enhance for people less experienced in English. One thing that I miss though, which forced me to dig for you in Google, is that I would really appreciate you citing where you found the statistics. Your videos, via YouTube, are circulating at various teacher workshops, discussion groups and more. To me it is important to identify your source for the stats and predictions. Thanks for the work! Very enlightening!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I do not believe that many busineses understand the challenges they will be facing over the next decade. I would like to post these videos on my websites so that both the educational institutions and businesses are fully aware of what is coming.
    I believe this would be considered a commercial use and would like to find out how I could get permission to use these excellent resources. I don't want to break any rules.

    ReplyDelete
  21. @Larry - Can you give me a little more info about your websites and how you would use this? In general it's not a problem to post on your website, but we just don't want folks to use the presentations in an overly commercial way (i.e., in a direct attempt to make money).

    ReplyDelete
  22. Most business people have no knowledge on how the info in this presentation can affect there business. I want to use your presentation or portions of it to inform them of what is coming an their need to embrace technology, specifically the Internet.
    I am a consultant that teaches (and sells) Internet Marketing to small and medium sized businesses. Education to this group on technology is almost non existant. This will obviously benefit my business so you may not want me to use it.

    ReplyDelete
  23. The music is really annoying but the message is extremely powerful. The statistics used in the presentation really enhance the message. I like it a lot however it is still frightening how powerful change can be and how quickly change occurs. I think that success in the future depends on the willingness of individuals to adapt to the changing technological climate. Nice job. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  24. If you do make a 3.0 version you might want to include Facebook. It's one of the fastest growing online communities - surpassing Myspace.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Karl,
    Just wanted to say very interesting video! As a teacher in a high school of 2400 students and two smartboards for the whole building, I would love to play this video for my administrators. Unfortunately, by the time they found a laptop and projector that worked and someone competent enough to download everything, the information would probably be outdated. The statements in the video are truly thought-provoking to say the least. And the implications for future graduates, teachers and students are mind-numbing. Or perhaps my mind is just numb from the 10,000 hours of TV I've watched.
    Thanks for the conversation topics!

    ReplyDelete
  26. The information and statistics provided in this video is mind-boggling. It does an awesome job of showing where we were 20-30 years ago and where we are headed in the next 10-20 years from now. It shows us that world is changing at a rapid pace whether one likes the direction it is taking or not. At the rate the technology is taking over human brain, it would be interesting to know how it would influence the future generation children. Would computers replace professional working people in the future? The video is successful in making people aware of things that they might know about but might not have thought about it, it is impressive and leaves one with asking some insightful questions. Excellent job. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Karl,
    The information presented in the video makes me hopeful, and a little concerned. I'm hopeful because billions of people who, for a number of reasons, have been locked out of traditional training will eventually have access to the internet. That possibility alone is world changing. Our methods of learning and understanding will change as will our priorities. We will have to address some of our biggest problems, but as was the case of Muhammad Yunus we will find new ways to consider new solutions. The idea that we can eliminate poverty would have been ridiculed thirty years ago. Now many of us understand that we can eliminate poverty as soon as we choose to share in more substantive ways. The conversations we are having are excellent and are a testament to American leadership.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Karl,

    I wanted to thank you (belatedly)for sharing this resource. I've started playing "Did You Know" at the beginning of the Internet Safety workshops I do for my district. By starting with a compelling argument for bringing classrooms into the 21st century, it's much easier to overcome the MySpace hysteria that many teachers/parents bring with them into the workshop.

    ReplyDelete
  29. This is a remarkable way to show the world and especially students how important it is to "keep up with the times". It is also scary because not every child will be prepared enough to be successful in the modern world. This just goes to show if you don't keep up with the world around you it is not going to wait for you.

    ReplyDelete
  30. THE VIDEO SHIFT HAPPENS WAS VERY INTERESTING AND INFORMATIONAL. IT GAVE ME ALOT OF STATISTICS I DIDN'T KNOW. I KNEW THAT TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY WAS ADVANCING OUR CHILDREN, BUT NOT TO THE DEGREE THAT IT IS. I HAVE A 4 YEAR OLD SON AND HE KNOWS HOW TO USE A COMPUTER, SOMETHING THAT I COULDN'T OF IMAGINED AT HIS AGE AND I'M ONLY 28. IT'S MAKES ME WONDER WHAT OR HOW OUR WORLD WILL BE LIKE WHEN HE'S IN COLLEGE.

    ReplyDelete
  31. So we're putting more effort into technology in the U.S than we are into children's educations? Maybe I'm just jumping to conclusions here.

    Anyway, great video. Oh, and as a 22-year-old, it was somewhat frightening. 14 jobs by age 38, ouch. Of course, that isn't the case for everyone. Who knows? Maybe in some cases that's a good thing.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I was really impacted by this presentation. 34 babies every sec..makes one think what are we doing for the next generation? As a mother and future educator, I strongly believe our children need to be redirected into a meaningful life (meaning away from the 10,000 hours of video games)!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Well I can see from the 2.0 version that I few of the stats were updated. Also I enjoyed the cartoon, it kept me interested with all the pictures.

    Now on to the topic of discussion, will computers "take over". Yes, for a certain extent. We, as humans, have become so dependent on technology that is our solution for even the simplest addition of 2+2 equals 4. There is no longer the task of using pen and paper or critically thinking of a solution. These methods are outdated and time-consuming. Everyone has become so "high-paced" and anything seen as less is useless.
    And the countries that are poorer are doubling their offspring from the US. One will question why or see it as a lack of contraceptive education. But the truth is, they are doing so for the advantage of increase the population to overtake. While we limit our family planning to 1 or 2 children, they are ensuring survival of a culture and country by increase the amount.
    What is it that builds an army...children.

    ReplyDelete
  34. The "Did You Know?" video was very interested to watch. It was an eye opener on how things can change sooner than we expect. It’s amazing how technology has advance over the past decade imagine how it will be in the next upcoming decades.

    I just cannot believe that the United States had less college graduates in 2006 compare to Indian and China. I don’t know if some of you are aware that foreigners student are brought to the US to continue their studies and everything is paid for them that’s a disadvantage to our America Children. Why not invest that money in their education. This is definitely a warning to our education system and parents that changes need to be done immediately to prepare our children for the future.

    I believe parents can start by not allowing their children spend 10,000 hours playing video games instead they should let their children spend that time in learning constructive things. Wait let me guess parents do not have enough time for this or perhaps they just lack good parenting skills. : )

    ReplyDelete
  35. I found all this information interesting. I was actually very shocked when I saw the statistics given. I can't not beleive that China is predicted to be the #1 English speaking country in 10 years when their native language is not English. I think all people who live in the states should be encourage to learn English.

    ReplyDelete
  36. That video was great; it really made me realize the importance of making our children computer literate.

    When you asked the question, "What do students need to be successful in the 21st century," are there any important answers, besides computer knowledge, that came up in your discussions?

    ReplyDelete
  37. This was interesting. It made me go "Wow!" at a lot of information I never would of thought to be true. It also made me realize how not-internet savy I thought I was!

    ReplyDelete
  38. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Thank you so much for this! I have just shown this to the students at Harrow International School Beijing and the reaction has been tremendous. Thank you, thank you

    Clare Wallace
    Head of ICT
    Harrow International School Beijing

    ReplyDelete
  40. i think this is something that speaks alot of blind truth. people know about it and use it every day but, they dont realize how all if it is effecting the world

    ReplyDelete
  41. The Shift Happens video was very informative. It was interesting and I learned so much especially because I wasn’t aware of the statistics. The way technology is advancing and moving at such a rapid pace is actually very frightening to me. It makes me wonder what will happens years from now and if the future generation will be able to keep up with the pace. It would be great if there were enough computers for every school district, but we’re not fortunate enough to have that yet. However, if we were then children would have more hands on experience from younger age to expand their computer skills further on. This would be very helpful for their future.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Hi Karl,

    I was assigned to view your Youtube presentation for a summer course I am taking. I was reading some of the previous comments and I see how some people might feel that this revisited version is not as concise and effective as your original powerpoint persentation. I totally disagree with that. I totally appreciated this version. Everything from the music, the chosen fonts, and display images were greatly chosen. It wasn't biased or favored any specific group. You did a well job presenting our need to direct our students with useful resources in technology advances for our school. It was a pleasure watching your video....GREAT JOB!

    ReplyDelete
  43. It's amazing how so many people overlook how much technology has affected today's society. We no longer have to write letters when we can simply send an e-mail. I agree that it's very important to prepare our youth for what issues may lie ahead of us. Thanks for posting the video, it was interesting and truly and eye opener! -Erika R.

    ReplyDelete
  44. This video really opened my mind about the way the technology influences our life. I had no idea about all those marriages, myspace and google numbers. I thought it was fascinating to know that 1 out of 8 marriages met online. Great video!!

    ReplyDelete
  45. For the last four or five commenters, I'd be curious as to what course you are taking (name of course, school, context of viewing the presentation, etc.).

    ReplyDelete
  46. The video presented a clear view of how intigral technology has become in education and the development of a global society. Countries such as India and china are are advancing quite rapidly, with more than double our number of college graduates. Programs such as One Laptop Per Child are spreading technology to more and more children each day. This is a great thing for the global community, however, if we hope to keep up with the rest of the world, we must provide our children with all the tools they need to succeed. This means getting them familiar with technology at an early age. It is wonderful that, as the video points out, many four year old children already know how to use a computer, but we must ensure that this use of technology is built into their studies as well.

    ReplyDelete
  47. So do you have anything to do with version 3.0 that has been on YouTube for several months?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpEnFwiqdx8

    If so, can you tell me how current the statistics are? What's the date that version was released?

    ReplyDelete
  48. @Pedro the Bruin - Info on that version here.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Mr. Fisch,
    This video is amazing! I am enrolled in EDM 310 right now at University of South Alabama, majoring in elementary education. I was assigned to watch this video and glad I did. The information was amazing. I have a 4 year old daughter and am surprised she hasn't used the computer yet, after watching this video.
    I am a little overwhelmed by technology. I just wonder what my students will be doing when I graduate!?
    Thanks for a great video.
    In case you wanna see the class blog:

    http://presleyjedm310fall2009.blogspot.com/sley

    ReplyDelete
  50. Mr. Fisch, Your videos are amazing! I am watching the videos for my EDM 310 class at the University of South Alabama. As I watch some of these figures come on the screen, I just sit in awe.
    I liked the fact that 70% of U.S. 4 year olds have used a computer. I have 2 sons and they both started the computer at an early age. It makes me wonder what all they will have already learned in the near future.
    I thoroughly enjoyed watching your video. I look forward to seeing more!

    ReplyDelete
  51. Mr. Fisch, I enjoyed your video and I thank you for sharing it with the rest of the world. I watched the video for a requirement for Dr. Strange's class. My class bolg is: http://wigginsaedm310fall2009.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  52. Bonjour!

    For those French-speaking readers of yours, we made this adaptation in april 2008:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuZ3hTEx7WI

    ReplyDelete
  53. I am just learning about the 21st Century tools. Fascinated by the statistics even though they are not totally up to date to 2011.

    ReplyDelete