Can pre-school save the US economy? Economist Timothy Bartik thinks it just might be possible.
From his TEDxMiamiUniversity talk:
I want to present a different idea for why investing in early childhood education makes sense as a public investment.
It’s a different idea because, usually, when people talk about early childhood programs, they talk about all the wonderful benefits for participants … better K-12 test skills, better adult earnings. And that’s all very important — but what I want to talk about is what preschool does for state economies, and for promoting state economic development. And that’s absolutely crucial, because if we’re going to get that increased investment in early childhood programs, we need to interest state governments in this.
If you look at the research evidence — that’s extensive — on how much early childhood programs affect the educational attainment, wages, and skills of former participants in pre-school as adults, and you take those known effects — you take how many of those folks will be expected to stick around the state’s local economy and not move out — and you take research on how much skills drive job creation, you will conclude from these three separate lines of research, that for every dollar invested in early childhood programs, the per capita earnings of state residents go up by $2.78. That’s a 3 to 1 return.
Now you can get much higher returns — of up to 16 to 1 — if you include anti-crime benefits; if you include benefits to former preschool participants that moved to some other state; but there’s a good reason for focusing on these $3 because this is salient and important to state legislators and state policymakers. And it’s the states who are going to have to act.
For more of Bartik’s insights on early childhood education and economics in the US, watch his whole talk here »
![Vladimir Franz at TEDxBrno. The professor, composer, painter is in the running to be the next president of the Czech Republic.
TEDx speaker runs for president: Vladimir Franz, an opera composer, painter, professor and TEDx speaker, is now third in the running for the next president of the Czech Republic, with elections taking place this week.
The first-time candidate has never held a political position, but decided to run after fans of his work started a “Franz for President” initiative, says the Associated Press. He received 88,000 signatures from voters in favor of his inclusion on the ballot, AP reports, far more than the 50,000 required by law.
In 2011, he spoke at TEDxBrno, held at the same theatre where he debuted his 2009 opera, Valley of the Dry Bones. At the event, he gave a talk entitled, “Soustavně upadající víra ve vzdělanost a vědomí souvislostí na přelomu tisíciletí” — or in English, “Steadily declining faith in education and awareness of context at the turn of the millennium” — on the importance and purpose of art in society, over time and today.
Asking potential artists to keep the “magic” in art, he proposed art as a potential salve for the onslaught of information overload people face in the 21st century. He warned of the danger of societies adopting a view of art that is too calculated or scientific, because, he says, “as opposed to science, art is badly measurable…suggesting scientific methods to art is nonsense [and then] art becomes…[merely] a chain of information.”
This is a message that seems to be in key with his slightly-unorthodox political views: embracing intellectualism, artistic values, and rejecting the current state of Czech politics. This, and his slightly-unorthodox “look” — a body covered head to toe in tattoos (which gained him the nickname “Avatar”) — seem to have made him a superstar of the media, with articles popping up all over the Internet.
Vladmir Franz at TEDxBrno: Steadily declining faith in education and awareness of context at the turn of the millennium
It’s yet to be determined whether Vladmir’s views on art, politics, and new ideas will grant him a position as the next Czech head of state, but the curious do not have long to wait: the first round of official elections in the Czech Republic take place this Friday and Saturday, January 11-12, 2013.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/ea3eb0dc52125c985f9aa8d2a2d0d382/tumblr_mgda9wvSjU1qedf7ko1_r1_500.jpg)
Vladimir Franz at TEDxBrno. The professor, composer, painter is in the running to be the next president of the Czech Republic.
TEDx speaker runs for president: Vladimir Franz, an opera composer, painter, professor and TEDx speaker, is now third in the running for the next president of the Czech Republic, with elections taking place this week.
The first-time candidate has never held a political position, but decided to run after fans of his work started a “Franz for President” initiative, says the Associated Press. He received 88,000 signatures from voters in favor of his inclusion on the ballot, AP reports, far more than the 50,000 required by law.
In 2011, he spoke at TEDxBrno, held at the same theatre where he debuted his 2009 opera, Valley of the Dry Bones. At the event, he gave a talk entitled, “Soustavně upadající víra ve vzdělanost a vědomí souvislostí na přelomu tisíciletí” — or in English, “Steadily declining faith in education and awareness of context at the turn of the millennium” — on the importance and purpose of art in society, over time and today.
Asking potential artists to keep the “magic” in art, he proposed art as a potential salve for the onslaught of information overload people face in the 21st century. He warned of the danger of societies adopting a view of art that is too calculated or scientific, because, he says, “as opposed to science, art is badly measurable…suggesting scientific methods to art is nonsense [and then] art becomes…[merely] a chain of information.”
This is a message that seems to be in key with his slightly-unorthodox political views: embracing intellectualism, artistic values, and rejecting the current state of Czech politics. This, and his slightly-unorthodox “look” — a body covered head to toe in tattoos (which gained him the nickname “Avatar”) — seem to have made him a superstar of the media, with articles popping up all over the Internet.
Vladmir Franz at TEDxBrno: Steadily declining faith in education and awareness of context at the turn of the millennium
It’s yet to be determined whether Vladmir’s views on art, politics, and new ideas will grant him a position as the next Czech head of state, but the curious do not have long to wait: the first round of official elections in the Czech Republic take place this Friday and Saturday, January 11-12, 2013.
The Higgs Boson, breaking the sound barrier, Occupy Wall Street, oh my! — 9 TEDx Talks to remember 2012
2012 saw major advances in science, remarkable feats of human achievement, and sea-changes in politics, international conflict, and human relations. These nine talks should help you frame the essential ideas that shaped events this past year.
The Higgs Boson: What You Don’t Know: Dr. Dan Hooper at TEDxNaperville
Earlier this year, CERN uncovered overwhelming evidence pointing toward the discovery of the elusive Higgs-Boson particle — providing experimental backing for some of the most fundamental theories in physics. Dan Hooper explains what makes this discovery so special. (Filmed at TEDxNaperville.)
STRATOS - The longest free fall in history: Dr. Jon Clark at TEDxUSC
On October 14, 2012, Felix Baumgartner lept off a ledge 39,045 meters in the air, broke the sound barrier, and landed safely on the ground. Dr. Jon Clark worked on the suit that helped Felix survive. Watch the talk to find out how he did it. (Filmed at TEDxUSC.)
The aftermath of Occupy: Naomi Colvin at TEDxHousesofParliament
Last year, the Occupy Wall Street movement spread like wildfire across the globe. This year, members have struggled with critics who dismiss the campaign for its inability to articulate specific demands. Naomi Colvin thinks they miss the point entirely; that the protests were not about rushing into specific negotiations based on conventional principles, but about disrupting the way we reform altogether. In this reflective talk, she lays out a new vision of political identity. (Filmed at TEDxHousesofParliament.)
Be optimistic about the US and China: Geoffrey Garrett at TEDxSydney
When, in April of this year, civil rights activist Chen Guangcheng fled from house arrest to seek asylum at the US embassy in Beijing, the US and China faced a delicate situation that challenged both countries’ policies and basic ethics. Geoffrey Garrett believes that because the issue was resolved with relative ease — he can outline a vision of the future where these codependent superpowers can peaceably exist. (Filmed at TEDxSydney.)
What are your universal rights?: Philippe Sands at TEDxHousesofParliament
In addition to leaving thousands and countless homeless, the ongoing conflict in Syria has tried international stability — forcing every nation to reflect on its philosophy of intervention. In a call for consistent international conduct, Philippe Sands reframes intervention as a moral issue. He makes the case that no government should be free to abuse its citizens, that the rights of individuals supersede those of the state and that those rights must be protected by a powerful international force. (Filmed at TEDxHousesofParliament.)
Fixing election coverage: Jay Rosen at TEDxColumbiaEngineering
In November, America re-elected Barack Obama. But before they could do that, they were inundated with a barrage of press coverage, most of which, according to Jay Rosen, wasn’t very helpful. In this talk, he lays out the problems with the press’s election coverage and offers a simple fix. (Filmed at TEDxColumbiaEngineering.)
How Curiosity Changed My Life, and I Changed Hers: Adam Steltzner atTEDxNewEngland
Aside from representing a major achievement in science, engineering, and the exploration of space, the Curiosity rover is simply, incredibly cool. Adam Steltzner, landing lead for the Curiosity rover, explains how NASA got a 1-ton SUV onto Mars. (Filmed at TEDxNewEngland.)
Hate Speech Beyond Borders: Nazila Ghanea at TEDxEastEnd
In September, a hate-filled video posted to YouTube sparked a slew of violent protests across the Arab world and left serious questions about how cultures of free speech can peaceably coexist with cultures of censorship. Oxford professor of International Human Rights Law, Nazila Ghanea, gives us a look into the wider international picture of contemporary hate speech and the nature of the violence it incurs. (Filmed at TEDxEastEnd.)
A History of Violence: Steven Pinker atTEDxNewEngland
Several times this year, headlines described traumatic, violent events. But, through it all, it’s essential to remember that we live in the least violent time in history, says philosopher Steven Pinker. In this talk, he breaks down the numbers behind the decline of violence and lays out his expectations for the future of conflict. (Filmed at TEDxNewEngland.)
“We live in the privileged region of Orange County, California, one of the safest counties in the US,” says the organizer of TEDxOrangeCoastWomen in California, Mojdeh Eskandari. “Although we share many women’s issues with others in the world, we do not experience them to the same degree. The first response if you Google “Women in OC” is The Real Housewives of Orange County.
“But while our lifestyle is somewhat different” she says, “we have more in common with all women in the world than we have differences.”
On December 1st, they will join TEDxWomen’s conversation on the state of affairs for women worldwide — not just in California or the United States — but for all of those who, they say are brave enough to “challenge and redefine traditional rules and roles.”
“There may never have been a better time to host TEDxWomen than following the historic 2012 election when a record number of women were swept into public office in the United States,” the TEDxOrangeCoastWomen team writes in a blog post detailing their event. “Twenty women will serve in the 100-member Senate and at least 81 of the 435 members of the House of Representatives will be women. Of the newly elected, three women are the first female senators from their states, two have military experience, one is the first Hindu in Congress and one is the first Asian-American woman in the senate.”
But why do the team at TEDxOrangeCoastWomen feel this is important to their event?
“Aside from the practical matter of having half of the country better represented in its own governance,” they say, “it indicates that more women than ever are seeking an active role in society, and society agrees there’s value in that.”
Today and tomorrow, over 150 events will join in the conversation taking place during TEDxWomen in D.C. and around the world. But until Saturday, check out TEDxOrangeCoastWomen’s website, and find out more about the TEDxWomen initiative here: http://tedxwomen.org/
