Monday, February 25, 2013

Video activity: How social media can make history

Listen and watch this video from TED talks by clicking on this link. Or, simply internet search the title.
Instructions: Listen to the talk without subtitles or a transcript and take notes. When you have listened once, look at your notes and try to summarize the speaker's main point in a few sentences. Next, read the questions below and watch the talk again with the transcript. Answer the questions. When you have finished, proceed to the writing task.

1. Shirky claims there is a “huge transformation” and makes a claim about the moment our historical generation is living through. What is his claim? (1:55-2:10)

2. Shirky names three big changes in the modern media landscape.
First big change (3:44):Second big change (4:10): Third big change (4:48):

3. In Shirky's “second story”, an earthquake happened in China. What was different about this earthquake in terms of communications and the media (5:45-6:10)?

4. Shirky describes the current media landscape as ______________, ________________, _______________, and _______________. (11:13/14:48)

5. What is the “really crazy change” about society and the media? (11:41)

6. What is the choice we face? (15:26)

Writing
Gather your notes and examine your answers to the questions.

  • summarize the the author's main points in one or two paragraphs (tip: the speaker restates many of his main points at the end of the talk, 14:33)
  • Develop a reaction/argument about the effect of these changes happening in social media and communications. Consider the examples given about the earthquake in China and the website of Barack Obama. Do social media have a positive effect on society? Why or why not?



For optional extra reading related to this content see the following articles:





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