Loading...Since it’s start in 1990, everyone has grown to know the conference series TED. Whether because you saw one of their talks linked to on Facebook or you watch them every night before you go to bed, you most likely have seen one of TED’s fantastic talks. TED talks have captivated, enthralled, taught, moved, and empowered millions upon millions of people through their 18 minute lectures, and have grown quite famous for it. TED conferences have graced many cities around the globe, and have hosted talks by many famous and interesting people like Jane Goodall, the founders of Google (Sergey Brin and Larry Page), Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, and more. But less people know about TED’s great, smaller sibling, a website and YouTube channel called TED-Ed.
Rather than lectures, TED-Ed is a platform for teachers all over the world to spread their lessons in what I think it the best way possible: through video. In particular, through animation. Every TED-Ed video is a 5-10 minute mini lesson on a particular topic. These lessons are submitted and narrated (if chosen) by teachers from all over the world, and then animated by an independent, usually very skilled animator. So not only is TED-Ed good for teachers and animators, who both can use the platform/channel to share their work, but it is also good for us viewers, because we get to watch interesting, informative, and fun educational videos created by TED-Ed.
Here’s an example of one such lesson, which you can watch above. Titled What are those floaty things in your eye?, the video answers the question I’ve always wanted to know, and apparently others as well: what are those little clear floaty things in your eyes you see occasionally? Animated by Reflective Films and written by Michael Mauser, the video answers my question in an easy to understand and very visual way, by showing through animation what exactly is happening inside my eye. As it turns out, various types of floaters could be a couple of things, such as a white blood cell blocking up a capillary or a small piece of tissue floating through your retina. Altogether, the video explains the question in a very understandable and easy way, along with showing fun animations to go with it.
Not only does TED-Ed have these great videos like the one above, but on their website they have more resources for every lesson, including a short quiz, more in-depth resources, and more. The goal behind TED-Ed is, as they say on their website:
“TED-Ed’s commitment to creating lessons worth sharing is an extension of TED’s mission of spreading great ideas. Within TED-Ed’s growing library of lessons, you will find carefully curated educational videos, many of which represent collaborations between talented educators and animators nominated through the TED-Ed platform.”
And I have to say, they stick with that commitment pretty well. The platform helps amplify the message and work of teachers and animators, an their videos are great educational videos, not the boring kind but the kind you share with your friends and family.