[Ted Talk] Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work

We believe that we should work to be happy, but could that be backwards? In this fast-moving and entertaining talk from TEDxBloomington, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that actually happiness inspires productivity.

 

A different type of TED Talk

TED-Ed’s mission is to capture and amplify the voices of great educators around the world. We do this by pairing extraordinary educators with talented animators to produce a new library of curiosity-igniting videos. You can nominate a teacher, nominate an animator or suggest a lesson here:
http://education.ted.com

 

Sheila Nirenberg: A prosthetic eye to treat blindness

 

At TEDMED, Sheila Nirenberg shows a bold way to create sight in people with certain kinds of blindness: by hooking into the optic nerve and sending signals from a camera direct to the brain.

 

TED Talk Tuesday

An Irish flavour this week! First, Keith Barry shows us how our brains can fool our bodies — in a trick that works via podcast too. Then he involves the audience in some jaw-dropping (and even a bit dangerous) feats of brain magic.

 

Ted Talk Tuesday

At TED’s Full Spectrum Auditions, comedian Joshua Walters, who’s bipolar, walks the line between mental illness and mental “skillness.” In this funny, thought-provoking talk, he asks: What’s the right balance between medicating craziness away and riding the manic edge of creativity and drive?

 

TED Talk Tuesday

For anyone who follows this blog, you may have noticed I’m a fan of TED Talks so I’ve decided to try out having a TED Talk Tuesday!

First up is Sir Ken Robinson who has a very witty talk on how schools are killing creativity.

 

Week in Review

Ola and welcome to our ongoing week in review initiative. Lots of interesting and informative articles this week, as well as two very inspiring videos.

We are delighted to see Caroline Casey, CEO of Kanchi sharing her story with the world at TED. Check out her video here: Looking past limits 

Also this week, three very powerful pieces on the individual experience of living with a disability, caring for children who have disabilities and campaigning for better services:

1. They asked me why would I want to live
2. ‘You cry, but this is life. You have to just get on with it’
3. The level of shocking disregard for cystic fibrosis needs . . . is palpable. This Government doesn’t feel very new

For anyone interested in new technologies, check out Roger Ebert at TED talking about his jounrey to find a computer voice that would sound human! Roger Ebert: Remaking my voice.

Finally some food for thought from Headstrong boss, Tony Bates: Turning our conflicts into conversations

And in other news:

Community action central to tackling suicide, says FG

Teacher’s pet: Has there ever been a Minister for Education like Ruairí Quinn?

Job Shadow Initiative

Most suicidal people reacting to specific events, says counsellor

Special needs education claims cost €14.5m

Hard work pays off as Trinity names a record 85 scholars

Urgent need to boost literacy, says Quinn

Letter to the Editor: Living with motor neurone disease

Campaign to put suicide crisis centres close to all

Students of pioneering college course travel to Berlin

Call for literacy co-ordinator in schools

Pilot scheme boosts literacy skills

Children from poorer families face double hit at third level

Employment opportunity for people with disabilities.

Jane Lynch Battles Hearing Disability

DFI Newsletter April 2011

Frustrating delays facing special kids

The university of YouTube

An industrious view of higher education

Can Disability Be Sexy?

IVEA Congratulates City of Dublin VEC on being chosen as single awarding authority for student grants

How William drove into the Irish history books

Schizophrenia research breakthrough

Call for change in legislation to retain graduates

Scandal of illiteracy

Catherine Zeta Jones ‘received treatment for manic depression’

Children forced to wait five years for hearing aids

Special needs cuts hit thousands of children

Mental health ID checks

National newborn hearing screening to be rolled out

Education funding – Savings must start at the very top

Time to Talk, Time to Change – interactive video

Deaf children not being diagnosed ‘until it’s too late’

College grants to be paid into bank accounts

Algae genes could restore sight in the blind

Limited Resources must not become an obstacle for ratifying the Disability Convention

Pupils with special needs may face resource teacher shortage