The "Nation" of Children

Children never cease to amaze me at just how creative and innovative they can be.

They seem to be able to generate unique, wonderful and inspirational solutions in response to even the most mundane conundrum.

In my travels across the United States as an education TV News journalist, I’ve been lucky enough to be a ‘fly on the wall’ in many classrooms where a teacher sets a task for students to complete. The task in question may be something simple, such as: ‘demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of how to perform basic algebra.’kidsonlaptop3 500x333

As adults, if we were presented with a similar task, we’d no doubt resort to ‘firing-up’ our comparatively linear, and logical minds to create a solution in the form of a Word document, perhaps an Xcel spreadsheet, and maybe even both. If any of us were feeling especially ‘wild and creative,’ then some might even resort to creating a PowerPoint.

Without doubt, no matter what medium was chosen and used, all would get the job done, and the task would be completed. In doing so, many of us might inadvertently invent something so boring that it would become the perfect cure for insomnia, but it would still complete the task we were set.

With children it’s very different. Furthermore, I’m certain that all educators who read my short narrative will agree with me. Children never cease to amaze us adults at just how creative and full of energy they can be in producing wonderful solutions to tasks such as the one I mentioned.

I used the example task about demonstrating algebraic abilities for a particular reason. It was a task set to students who demonstrated their amazing creativity in producing a remarkable solution.

Students with the on-line pseudonyms of Kermit and Freckles, which are obviously not their real names for security purposes, chose to use the power of video to produce what has become a very famous, creative solution.

They used simple video tools such as TechSmith’s Camtasia to record their desktop and then edit their GEMDAS demonstration. Once it was completed, they securely published it to the world through their school’s Eduvision portal.

This simple, yet highly effective demonstration of the use of video, combined with power of creative young minds, captured the imagination of educators and students all across the country.

The result was that even though their real identity will always remain safe and secure thanks to Eduvision, their creative work, academic achievements, and their cool pseudonyms have become not only famous, but also synonymous with expressive video creativity.

The imagination of your students literally knows no bounds. The only constraints which are placed on the creative power of your own students, is you…
I strongly urge you to loosen the reins, ease off the control pedal and allow your students to soar to new heights in expressing their individual academic achievements in ever more creative ways.

It has often been said that young people today are ‘digital natives,’ and I would most certainly agree with that statement. However, they’re also something else. They’re ‘video natives’ too.

This is because that since birth, young people today have been immersed in the concept and use of personal expressive video as a means of social media communications.

They don’t fear it as many adults do, they accept and embrace it as being a natural part of their life.

The problem is that when young people begin school, the first thing that happens is that educators slam on the creative breaks and remove all of the technology they’re so intimately familiar with.

kidsonphone500x333Suddenly, instead of being able to create and publish video to communicate homework or other academic achievements, all via their cell phone or laptop, young people are
suddenly being asked to forsake all they know as familiar.

Instead, they’re suddenly being asked to only use the technological equivalent of ‘stone knives and chalk slates.’ Why is this? The answer is simple. It’s because of the comfort level, and emotional disconnect which many adults have with technology. Many educators simply lack the confidence to let go, and allow their students to fly.

The safety and security of students need never be a worry IF you only use an Eduvision video management and distribution portal. It’s completely safe and secure at all levels, and it affords you, the teacher, with wonderful video asset management tools, and layers of approval before a video is published.

To use anything less than Eduvision is ridiculous.

If you do, and you have chosen a free platform such as YouTube, then what it tells the world is “I don’t care about the safety and security of my students, I don’t care if they are 3 clicks away from pornography. A free video portal is worth more to me than it is for me to protect my students from potential sexual predators.”

If you don’t use Eduvision as a medium to publish school videos, then what it says about you is all of the above, and more…

In my personal opinion, and also in the opinion of many other security experts, to use anything less than Eduvision as a means to distribute your students work on video, is Russian roulette in a fast-track to your career being blighted by disaster.

Your students live in the most powerful nation on Earth, because they live in their ‘imagination.’

Don’t hold them back, and prevent them from achieving. Allow them to embrace the creative power of video and let their academic achievements soar to new heights in the process!

Brianandcamera500x375Brian Sterling-Vete spent over a decade with BBC TV news, he’s a British author, Guinness World Record Holder, and film maker. He has worked extensively on both sides of camera, and even worked as a stunt performer for several years.

In addition, Brian also uses the skills he learned while he was with BBC TV News, to coach leadership and celebrities how to stay safe if they’re faced with a crisis, and a subsequent media attack.

He encourages input and comment from readers. You can reach Brian Sterling-Vete at