Online learning for kids that works: The Khan Academy

Salman Khan's TED presentation on his free, online academy for math and science.

From the TED website:

"Salman Khan talks about how and why he created the remarkable Khan Academy, a carefully structured series of educational videos offering complete curricula in math and, now, other subjects. He shows the power of interactive exercises, and calls for teachers to consider flipping the traditional classroom script -- give students video lectures to watch at home, and do "homework" in the classroom with the teacher available to help."

I am mulling over how this approach can be applied in a workforce training setting....

Amanda Cox: Developing Inforgraphics at the New York Times

In case you did not see this post by Information Aesthetics, they have four great videos of Amanda Cox, from the NYT graphics department, speaking on the development of infographics.  She is crystalline in her synthesis of, and ability to discuss, their goal in their work and theory behind great infographics.  She is so articulate and enthusiastic, in fact, that she runs out of breath as she speaks.

She says that one major goal the NYT strives to is clarity.  She goes on to explain that the graphics department works to provide clarity of understanding through:

• Revealing Patterns
• Providing Context
• Describing Relationships

She goes on to comment that one of the qualities of a great infographic is how interesting pieces of information will reveal themselves through the structure of the infographic chosen.

I also found intriguing her description, and example, of how others leverage the data for further, deeper analysis.  She calls it "annotation."

Well worth the time.  I started with her presentation at "New Media Days" in Denmark.  A good place to begin...