Becoming TED Speakers in School: Student Development Through Participation in TED-Ed Clubs

Authors

  • Melina Furman CONICET, Buenos Aires and School of Education, Universidad de San Andrés http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9610-6082
  • Inés Taylor School of Education, Universidad de San Andrés http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6840-5619
  • Ariel Merpert Clubes TED-Ed - TEDxRiodelaPlata, Buenos Aires
  • Tobías Yatche Clubes TED-Ed - TEDxRiodelaPlata, Buenos Aires
  • Mariana Jacobs Clubes TED-Ed - TEDxRiodelaPlata, Buenos Aires
  • Melania Ottaviano Clubes TED-Ed - TEDxRiodelaPlata, Buenos Aires
  • Celina Benegas Universidad de San Andrés
  • Mariana Luzuriaga School of Education, Universidad de San Andrés http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4677-0097

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jyd.2019.775

Keywords:

social development, organized activities (after-school, extracurricular), education/school, adolescence, self-image

Abstract

This case study explores adolescents’ experiences of participating in TED-Ed Clubs in Buenos Aires, Argentina. TED-Ed Clubs is a school-based, extracurricular program in which 12- to 18-year-old youth develop and deliver a “TED-style” talk to their peers, teachers and parents. In particular, we explore changes in participants’ self-development, communication skills and overall school experience. We conducted in-depth interviews with teachers, principals and focus groups of students from 8 representative schools. We find that students struggled considerably to establish what they had to say that was worth sharing with others, and—after a long process of self-reflection—ended up developing talks which were deeply personal in nature. Overcoming the challenge of finding and presenting a topic provided participating adolescents with a sense of accomplishment and pride. In addition, all participants reported changes in relationships with peers and adults, particularly with regards to discovering new sides of themselves and others through listening empathetically. Teachers also reported seeing their students through new lenses as they revealed new sides of themselves which had not been shown in other academic spaces. Overall, we find that the TED-Ed Clubs program appears to create new spaces in schools where adolescents can grow as individuals, and develop their own voice.

Author Biographies

Melina Furman, CONICET, Buenos Aires and School of Education, Universidad de San Andrés

PhD in Science Education from Columbia University. Currently adjunct Professor at Universidad de San Andrés, Argentina and Researcher at CONICET. Director of the Science Education Research Programme at School of Education, Universidad de San Andrés.

Inés Taylor, School of Education, Universidad de San Andrés

BSc Biology (University of Bristol) and PGCE Science (Kings College, London). Currently a Research Assistant on the Science Education Research Programme at Universidad de San Andrés, Argentina. Limited Research Teacher Trainer Ltd Team Leader (Tanzania 2014, Ghana 2017 and Belize 2018).

Ariel Merpert, Clubes TED-Ed - TEDxRiodelaPlata, Buenos Aires

AA in Multimedia Design (Da Vinci Multimedia Arts School, Argentina). Currently the Coordinator of Education at Chequeado and Director of Clubes TED-Ed, Argentina.

Tobías Yatche, Clubes TED-Ed - TEDxRiodelaPlata, Buenos Aires

BA in Education (Universidad de San Andrés, Argentina). Director of Vivadí, Brazil and Programme Assistant at CIPPEC, Argentina. Currently involved in Clubes TED-Ed.

Mariana Jacobs, Clubes TED-Ed - TEDxRiodelaPlata, Buenos Aires

Social Communication Teaching Certificate (Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina) and Specialist in Education (Universidad de San Andrés, Argentina) and Prison-based education (Teacher Training College 17, La Plata, Argentina). Professional photographer and secondary school teacher.

Melania Ottaviano, Clubes TED-Ed - TEDxRiodelaPlata, Buenos Aires

Consultant to the Secretary of Innovation and Education Quality, Ministry of Education, Argentina. Director of the Diploma of Design and Coordination of Education Innovation at Universidad Siglo 21, Argentina. BA in Education Psychology (Universidad del Salvador, Argentina), MA in E-learning Platform Development (Universidad Carlos III, Spain) and currently undertaking a PhD in Education at Universidad de San Andrés, Argentina.

Celina Benegas, Universidad de San Andrés

Student of BSc Economics, Universidad de San Andrés, Argentina.

Mariana Luzuriaga, School of Education, Universidad de San Andrés

BA Education from the Universidad de San Andrés, Argentina. Current tutor on several graduate and postgraduate courses in the School of Education, as well as Research Assistant of the Science Education Research Programme, Universidad de San Andrés.

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Published

2019-12-16

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 4 (2019)

Section

Program & Practice Articles

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