If you can write a twitter, why can’t you come up with an “Elevator Speech”?
In my previous post I make my case, yet again, that by and large the edublogsphere lacks effective communication about politics and policy, especially where it affects us, and our students, directly.
Here are two approaches being proposed that could show success…
Around the Corner v2 – MGuhlin.net – Triune Storyteller, echoing David Warlick, suggests a structure for effective story telling, and talks about an edublogger dismissing story telling, which is a great way to build on prior knowledge. My point in one sentence, teaching is all about building on prior knowledge and analogizing; if we do it with students, why would it be bad to do with adults. I also cite Kobus van Wyk, who is the most effective edublogger at using parables and fables to illustrate points about using digital tools. That’s an accomplishment!
dy/dan » Blog Archive » Misunderstanding Chicago makes an effective case for brevity, in the form of the elevator speech using four PowerPoint slides. He does a pretty good job at having a brief four pane ad for himself, embedded in a more long-winded post.
Speaking of dragging on. Dan makes the argument that you don’t need animation, just images and a few well choosen words. So, I present my response to Dan, first in 2 dimensions:
[slideshare id=86532&doc=my-elevator-speech-about-me4444&w=425]
Then with animation:
my-elevator-speech-about-me
You decide what you prefer. You have to give me points for having the huevos to use the justly maligned color typewriter animation.
I love it!
That is high praise indeed!
Okay, David I have a serious issue. On Scott’s summary of our positions at Dangerously Irrelevent, his summary of your position is too darn long, it’s really a quote excerpt. http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2007/07/vision-challe-1.html
I would DEARLY love to see some of your ideas boiled down. I think you DEFINITELY are a “story teller” and should keep writing extended pieces, but I’d like to be able to talk about what you are proposing in a more lean format too?
I’d like to take a stab at summarizing/editing what you put up there and on your blog? Do you mind?
I would want to focus on three things, and come up with a compelling way to convey them. But the three things are:
• New Economy (innovation and conceptualization)
• New Students (accustomed to a rich networked, digita, and high social information experience)
• New Information (Today, information is increasingly networked, digital, and overwhelming — being educated today should look the same)
I’ll have to cook this around in my head a bit…
— dave —
Cook away. Sorry to nag.