Today, students at Stanford University, U.S.A. and Orebro University, Sweden, will be meeting through marratech video conference to engage in analysis and oral rhetoric activities about contemporary speeches. They have been preparing for this encounter for a few weeks now, meeting virtually on this blog, and watching and taking notes on speeches on different themes.
The students are divided into 3 groups: on focuses on Constructing Racial and Cultural Identity; one on Technology for Liberation and Oppression; and one on Perspectives on War and Global Conflicts. Here is a list of the speeches they prepared for this encounter:
- Maz Jobrani, Comedian, Axis of Evil Comedy Tour. “Did You Hear the One About the Iranian American?” July 2010. Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/maz_jobrani_make_jokes_not_bombs.html
- Jay Walker, “The World’s English Mania”. Feb 2009. Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/jay_walker_on_the_world_s_english_mania.html
- Barack Obama, “A More Perfect Union.” 2008. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWe7wTVbLUU
- Evgeny Morozov, “How the Net Aids Dictatorships.” July 2009. Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/evgeny_morozov_is_the_internet_what_orwell_feared.html
- Gordon Brown, United Kingdom Prime Minister, “Wiring the Web for Global Good.” July 2009. Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/gordon_brown.html
- Zainab Salbi, Founder, Women for Women International. “Women, wartime, and the dream of peace.” July 2010. Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/zainab_salbi.html
- Stefan Wolff, German Political Scientist. “The Path to Ending Ethnic Conflicts”. July 2010. Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/stefan_wolff_the_path_to_ending_ethnic_conflicts.html
For the Stanford students, who are enrolled in a class on social media and communication, we hope that another added theme for discussion will be how contemporary technologies help collapse real barriers between people and cultures.
Below, it would be great if the students would comment on their experience in analyzing the themes and the speeches in their session today. What impressed you most about the texts you analyzed? What was the most memorable moment of your exchange with students from a different institution/country?
We will meet in just a few hours. The speeches are truly inspiring and challenging. I am looking forward to all your comments.
Anders Eriksson
Hey from Group C, we just wanted to say thanks for today, we really enjoyed it and found it interesting to hear your perspectives on both speeches. We will remember the toenails! Speak to you soon.
Kerry &Tim
Hello this is your Group A writing:
Thanks for the exchange of thoughts with you! we appreciated and enjoyed it, next time we eat together a banana
best regards from Örebro
Antoine, Agathe and Phio
Hello guyyss!
Elin and I think that it was really nice talking to you, a good experience! Such a pity the sound was so bad at times…
We hope you also enjoyed it!
Have a good time!
Diana&Elin
Hey Kerry and Tim,
We really enjoyed video conferencing with you, and hearing you share some of your thoughts with us. It was interesting to see that despite the cultural differences, we all shared similar perspectives and were moved by the first speech, and had the same reaction to the second speech as well. Thank you for teaching us about Doxa, and for having stayed so late at night to talk to us! We’re glad you enjoyed it too, and we hope to talk to you in the future!
- Cristina, Rachel, Charlie, and Kingston
We really enjoyed talking to you guys, too! It was really interesting to hear your perspectives on social media and its global applications. It was an eye-opening experience to hear a little about your cultures; we don’t often get to interact with students from your part of the world. Wish we could have heard you more clearly… =[
Sincerely,
The Feed a Child Foundation.
Hey all (Group A)!
We really enjoyed our time talking together!
I really liked it when Antoine tried speaking spanish with me…fresas = frais? I still don’t know since you could not understand my love for strawberries and I could barely understand your spanish. It was a funny bonding moment nonetheless.
We enjoyed learning about everyone’s culture and hearing your views on each speech! Have a great rest of the school year!
Melissa, Kyle, and Trevor