Asperger's Conversations

YouTube as Repository for Autism & Asperger Videos

While Youtube is commonly known as a source of silly videoclips for kids, there is also a wealth of interesting clips for educators and others.  I recently posted an example of using audacity as a speech therapy tool for individuals with autism.  I've also been using youtube in the classroom for show relevant educational clips, including this one of Carl Jung talking about death.

The ubiquitous nature of video might frighten a few professors, such as the instructor whose anger episode in class was caught on tape by a student with a webcam; or the politician who doesn't think the world is watching, such as Congressman Charlie Bass of New Hampshire caught recently making horrifically hateful comments at a Republican gathering in Vermont (which one blogger called anti-semitic in nature).

I've been talking it up on campus on how professors can benefit from blogging, podcasting, and using youtube as a source of educational material.  Professors who are "getting on the bus" are shifting from being straight forward lecturers to "assemblers of educational content."  Teaching in the 21st century has got to include media literacy so that educators and students can connect with the planet and truly become global citizens.

Still Learning: When Blogging Leaves a Bad Taste

Here in New Hampshire we have a Governor (John Lynch) who has been helpful to us in higher education by trying to push some more resources in our direction.  This in a state that ranks dead last in the nation in contributions to higher education.  We also happen to rank last in the US in contributions to our public schools.  So, we salute our Governor for, well, at least trying.

But, a number of us on campus were upset about a few of his recent actions including:

1. Reappointing a Director of Ports who made a series of awful racist remarks and 2. Asking for an investigation by the University system Board of Trustees in to the academic activities of University of New Hampshire professor William Woodward, after a story broke that he had been a member of a 9/11 "Truth Committee" that investigates conspiracy theories about the WTC attacks.

My head was spinning.  "Say it ain't so, Governor!"  Failing to stand up against hate?  Forgetting the basic principles of academic freedom?  So, when the Governor arrived on campus about a week ago, I grabbed my hand held digital recorder, and decided to do what any blogger would do....

You can hear the results below.  First, I spoke with the Governor following his remarks for the press and those attending in favor of State Senate candidate Molly Kelly:

Download govcomments.WMA

And, you can listen to Molly Kelly's much less political and much more honest response:

Download KellyComments.WMA

My reflection:  Holding up a microphone to the Governor created a negative atmosphere which lead to scripted content-less responses.  I should have left the digital recorder in the office and had a private chat with the Governor where I expressed my concern and asked for his thoughts.  Instead, I was left feeling like I had only put the Governor on the defensive and made no progress in getting him to talk about the complexities of dealing with hate (the Ports Director) and Academic Freedom (the Woodward affair).  My bad.