Ali Carr-Chellman: Gaming to re-engage boys in learning

SUMMARY:

In this video, the speaker Ali Carr-Chellman, the instructional designer and author who studies the effective ways to teach the kids, gives us information about the boys’ problem that they do not feel comfortable in present environment of the classrooms, i.e., the presence of boys in the classrooms is decreasing day by day.  The speaker gives three main reasons for this problem.  Firstly, zero tolerance, as a boy, they have to write what the teacher says to him, not by his wish, i.e., they do not like writing and teacher thinks that he is a boy and may be done wrong.  Secondly, fewer male teachers, in most of the elementary schools, there are female teacher and in that situation, there is a lack of male role models for boys and they think that this is a place for girls only not for boys.  Thirdly, kindergarten is the old second grade, compressive curriculum effects the boys’ mentality and development.  The speaker gives few solutions to re-engage boys in the learning process such as design better games, talk to teachers, parents, school boards members, and politicians, find more money for game design, and look at teacher’s attitude, so that boys feel comfortable in the classrooms and get education. (Word count:206)

RESPONSE:

I strongly agree with the speaker’s view about re-engaging the boys in learning.  We always think that women need more attention and facilities for better life, but we cannot avoid that serious problem.  We need equality of genders in every field not disproportion.  Today, if we see the studies, we can easily understand how presence of boys in the classrooms is decreasing rapidly.  In the universities, 62% women get degree, so where the boys are.  It is a collective responsibility of society, parents, teachers, and governments to solve this problem.  As speaker mentions few solutions for that, we should follow that solutions to re-engage boys in learning process, so that the boys start taking interest in studies and go to school regularly.  It is time to change our ideology and accept the boy culture in the classrooms, so that they feel comfortable in the classrooms. (Word count:145)

Thulasiraj Ravilla: How low-cost eye care can be world-class

SUMMARY:

In this video, the speaker Thulasiraj Ravilla, the executive director of Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology, which works in preventing blindness, gives us information about Dr. Venkataswamy who is the founder of Aravind Eye Care System and methods of working of this organisation.  It was established in 1976 with 11-bed clinic by Dr. V. and he invested his whole life savings and also took some loan for it.  Aravind Eye Care System follows three main things value system, delivery system, and innovation.  In delivery system, Dr. V. followed MacDonald’s delivery system like without discrimination of race and religion produce same product in everywhere in the world.  Similarly, same techniques and methods use to solve the same problem worldwide.  With latest technology, Aravind Eye Care provides eye treatment in the far distant places and they do free surgeries for poor patients who do not able to pay the fee of eye surgeries.  Only 40% patients are able to pay fee for this.  In 1992, they set up their own Aurolab for ophthalmic supplies to make eye treatment affordable.  With community’s participation and financial support and even after doing free surgeries, they still make profit from this eye care system.  The speaker points out different conditions and solutions regarding implementation of eye care policy.  About 1000 surgeries are done by Aravind Eye Care Hospital everyday and give their contribution in solving the problem of blindness.(Word count:234)

RESPONSE:

I like this informative video very much.  Before watching this video, I was unaware about world famous Aravind Eye Care System in India and even though I am an Indian.  As we all know, India is second largest populated in the world and there are lot of problems in India.  It is not easy for government to avail all facilities in far distant places, but Aravind Eye Care Hospitals do this through proper channel from main base hospital to primary eye care centre.  They transmit data with use of satellite signals through ISRO from VSAT van to base hospital and even they provide telemedicine consultations and free eye surgeries to poor people.  Before coming to Canada, I lived in Northern India and I saw many times that NGOs and private clubs organised free eye checkup camps.  Now, it is clear to me that this whole concept comes from South India (Aravind Eye Care Hospitals).  If government implemented Dr. V’s strategy in other fields, then we will see a new picture of India.  My hat’s off to you Dr. V. for such wonderful job for society and whole humanity.(Word count 188)

Melinda French Gates: What nonprofits can learn from Coca-Cola

SUMMARY:

In this video, the speaker Melinda French Gates, cofounder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, gives us information about how we take lesson from Coca Cola strategy and apply for this in health sector for public welfare.  She travelled to India and she noticed that in villages, villagers had no running water and electricity in their houses but they had Coca Cola in their hands, this surprised her.  Then, she studied and analyzed the Coca Cola strategy and she found that Coca Cola follows three main things, which are real-time data, entrepreneurial talent, and marketing.  Firstly, they collect immediate data, and then according to feedback/data, they manufacture the product, and then sent it to the market.  Secondly, they search local entrepreneurial talent, trained them, and sell their product because these local people know how to reach in the far distant places.  Thirdly, Coca Cola localize the feeling of happiness according to different countries, for example in South Africa, Coca Cola relates happiness with community respect.  Similarly, if NGOs and governments follow these three things, they can easily provide the health services in far distant areas because local people know how to reach at hard places, their neighbourhood, and contribute in campaign of awareness regarding health issues, health services, do’s and don’ts.  Moreover, this action leads to eradicate many diseases like polio from our planet.  In conclusion, governments collect data, search local talent, train them, and provide health services in distant places. (Word count: 242)

RESPONSE:

I strongly agree with the speaker’s view that if NGOs and government follow the above-mentioned strategies then we easily eradicate disease from our planet.  As we know, health is also very important aspect of human life.  In developing countries, health is very crucial issue because these countries do not have enough health services.  For example, most of the population in India lives in villages and small towns and they do not have enough health services available.  Melinda Gates gives us an example of Indian Health Extension Program.  In this program, government trains the local people for health services.  Actually, this is a local network of communication because local people know each other and even the area.  They aware people regarding health programs, facilities, do’s and don’ts, and even they help in different vaccination programs to eradicate the disease.  In every part of India, government starts pulse polio program every year.  In this program, these health entrepreneurial workers go door to door and give two drops of polio medicine to every child who is 5 years old or under the age of 5 years and help the government to eradicate the polio from our country.(Word count: 192)

Zainab Salbi: Women, wartime and the dream of peace

SUMMARY:

In this video, the speaker, Zainab Salbi, shows us another side of the coin.  War is also like a coin and we know only one side of it that there are soldiers who fight from both sides, but on the other side, there are women who keep the daily life going during the wars.  During the war, everybody thinks about the destruction, military power, count of deaths, area to be conquered, and so on, but nobody thinks about the women who lost their loved one like their father, brother, and husband.  In addition to this, it is a universal truth that the women always pay a high cost for war just due to man’s ego and his unlimited desires and also they are being raped by soldiers during the wars and they die several times internally in their lives.  It is time to think about the fact that the women are the only hope for peace.  They can heal their children who always think about to take revenge from the killer of their father, by teaching them a lesson of love, peace, and brotherhood.  Moreover, at least 50% of the women should be included in negotiating table for peace.  If this will happen, there is no more war in the future because everyone has feeling of love and brotherhood and this world would become better place to live.(Word count:223)


RESPONSE:

I agree with the speaker’s view that women always pay high cost for wars and they die several times from inside in their lives.  Actually, this world is a male dominant world, they are the decision makers and they want to fulfill their unlimited desires and wishes at any cost.  They do not think about the women and children who suffer a lot physically, emotionally, as well as mentally during and after the wars.  We have so many examples of wars like wars of Iraq and Afghanistan and so on.  Every time why women should pay for this, so we should think about peace and in light of this, women are the only hope to fulfill this goal.  If we change our thinking, there are lot of things to do in our lives.  Many countries face so many problems like poverty, unemployment, disease, natural disasters, and so on and if governments can reduce their military budget, they can spend money to solve these problems.  Then, this world would become better place to live where everybody lives with the feeling of love, friendship, and brotherhood. (Word count:182)

Wadah Khanfar: A historic moment in the Arab world

SUMMARY:

In this video, Wadah Khanfar, the head of Al Jazeera, tells us about the recent incidents, which are occurred in Arab world. He mentions that as a reporter, he covered different wars like Afghanistan, Iraq, and so on. He wrote about destruction, bloodshed, and violence, which happened during those wars.

However, Arab world is very traditional and in some countries, there are dictators and kings who rule over these countries. Young people of Tunisia revolted against the government and they stepped out their homes and raised the voice against the unsatisfied system and government and they wanted change. Government tried to stop this revolt, but became unsuccessful.  As a result, Tunisian government collapsed. After that, this happened in Egypt, then in Libya, and in Yemen. So, this is a moment when youngsters of Arab world raise their voice against unsatisfied system and government. They adopt universal values, ideology, tolerance, and many other things from the world to get freedom from the unsatisfied system and government.

Moreover, according to the speaker, this is the time to change our attitude towards the Arab world that they believe in freedom, friendship, stability, tolerance, and other universal values, not in the violence and terrorism. (Word count:200)

RESPONSE:

I agree with speaker’s point of view, that we should change our attitude towards the Arab world because in my point of view, youngsters of the Arab world are wiser and understand the universal values. They want to live in peaceful atmosphere with freedom and they want the system, which can fulfill their needs. Now, it is time to look another side of the coin and to face the truth that they also believe in love and friendship. I wish that India too needs this kind of revolt because even though we have democracy, but the system is very corrupt, from top to bottom, everywhere is corruption. There are many other problems like unemployment, illiteracy, health problems, and so on. Maximum Indian leaders, it does not matter that they belong to which political party, are corrupted. They do scandals in every department of the government. Common people are unsatisfied with the government even though they chose them by themselves. In election political parties misuse the money and convince the illiterate votes and on the basis of vote counts, the candidates win.  Educated and unsatisfied voters cannot vote in the election, that’s why, I think this kind of revolt, India needs.(Word count:200)

Hanna Rosin: New data on the rise of women

SUMMARY:

In this video, Hanna Rosin gives us the information of the rise of women and the changing position of the women and men in every aspect of life. Today, women are controlled everything and before that, all things were handled and controlled by the men. Now, time has changed and women are getting positions, which are male dominant. For example, in US workforce, there is a majority of women like doctors, lawyers, bankers, and accountant and even women are doing about 50% of managerial jobs. Moreover, in the next decade, in 15 professions, there would be majority of women in the US workforce than the men.  In this global economy, women are more successful than the men.  Global economy has changed all aspects of the human life such as education, marriage, son preference rather than a baby girl. According to research, now women earn more than the men. Before that we had only manufacturing economy, but now, we have two types of economy, service economy and information and creative economy. Today's economy wants people with good communication skills, intelligent, good listeners, and able to operate at workplace and women have better skills than the men same as in the managerial field and education field. Some countries like South Korea, India, and China have some ideological changes about son preferences than the baby girl. Men’s position in work place and family has changed. Their dominance in decision making and earning has changed and even they feel change in moral support. (Word count:249)

RESPONSE:

I agree with the speaker that there are changing positions of women and men in every aspect of life. Due to global economy, there are many changes in human life such as social, cultural, and educational changes. Women are more independent than before and make their own decisions. Now, they have much wide fields to work not only the home. Before that, there was a myth that men did better in the particular field not the women, but now, the picture has changed. For example, in the managerial field of US, 50% of women are managers in their companies. Even there is change in ideology to have son preference not a baby girl in some countries like South Korea, India, and China. People do not strongly prefer baby boy than the baby girl. For example, in India before that, families were not permitted the girl to go outside of the house and get education. The parents only taught them only cooking, yarn knitting, and other home-based work. Due to that girl became uneducated. Now, girls have more freedom to get education outside the town, city, state, and even abroad. They can choose profession according to their own wish. (Word count: 198)