Using SnagIt for Voice Overs

Some people have said that the voice over isn't working for them in PPT once they transfer it to Google Drive. If you recall in class, I mentioned any voice over type is fine. PPT is not the only option and accomplishing the task of making a working voice over is part of this assignment.

If you are unsuccessful with the first option, start problem solving and figure out an alternative. Google and YouTube are great for learning new things.

Here is an alternative to the PPT voice over:

Shawn Anchor on "The Happiness Advantage"

Here is a fantastic video that was just recommended to me by our new Managing Director at Stamford. He mentioned that not only is it a clinic in how to give an awesome presentation, but also contained fantastic content. He was absolutely right.

Here is my favorite screen shot from the presentation. A quick "action list" of ways to create more positivity in your life, leading to happiness, and then greater success, achievement, and accomplishment.

And, while not very explicit in the video or screen shot, strong social relationships should also be mentioned. They have been the central finding in the majority of positive psychology research on what leads to "the good life" or eudaimonia as Aristotle wrote about 2300 years ago.

Sam Harris on the Differences between Conversation and Debate

Final Thoughts on Chomsky : Sam Harris

The article above contains a 10 minute podcast that describes the difference between trying to having a conversation in order to learn and change opinions or beliefs and a debate where the goal is to win. It also highlights, yet again, the importance of intention. The entire thing is in response to an earlier blog post, which Sam published after having attempted to converse with Noam Chomsky.

More Evidence on the Importance of Learning the Humanities

This article discusses the importance of the humanities and a broad liberal arts education alongside more technical fields. I've selected a few of the best paragraphs, but have not included the entire article.

On a personal note, it's always fun to see leading writers espouse things like,
I'd be an economics major with a foot in the humanities," which corresponds to exactly with the path I chose through school.

Starving for Wisdom - NYTimes.com

Among college graduates in 1971, there were about two business majors for each English major. Now there are seven times as many. (I was a political science major; if I were doing it over, I’d be an economics major with a foot in the humanities.)

“A broad liberal arts education is a key pathway to success in the 21st-century economy,” says Lawrence Katz, a labor economist at Harvard. Katz says that the economic return to pure technical skills has flattened, and the highest return now goes to those who combine soft skills — excellence at communicating and working with people — with technical skills.

“So I think a humanities major who also did a lot of computer science, economics, psychology, or other sciences can be quite valuable and have great career flexibility,” Katz said. “But you need both, in my view, to maximize your potential. And an economics major or computer science major or biology or engineering or physics major who takes serious courses in the humanities and history also will be a much more valuable scientist, financial professional, economist, or entrepreneur.”

My second reason: We need people conversant with the humanities to help reach wise public policy decisions, even about the sciences. Technology companies must constantly weigh ethical decisions: Where should Facebook set its privacy defaults, and should it tolerate glimpses of nudity? Should Twitter close accounts that seem sympathetic to terrorists? How should Google handle sex and violence, or defamatory articles?

To weigh these issues, regulators should be informed by first-rate science, but also by first-rate humanism.

John Adams had it right when he wrote to his wife, Abigail, in 1780: “I must study Politicks and War that my sons may have liberty to study Mathematicks and Philosophy. My sons ought to study Mathematicks and Philosophy, Geography, natural History and Naval Architecture, navigation, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give their Children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelaine.”

Collaborative decision making: Students hiring teachers in Australia

How many of you would be interested in participating in an experience like this during new teacher hiring?