Important TED Talks for Communications Students
Communicating is something that most people do every day. From the combination of words, tone, body language and facial expressions to the impact of the things that go unsaid, communication is a dynamic and important field to study. These five TED Talks give communications students inspiration, perspective, and additional context that builds on knowledge learned through lectures or textbooks.
Related Resource: Top 20 Best Online Communications Degree Programs
1. 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation
Celeste Headlee’s 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation is useful academically, professionally, and personally. Celeste provides ten tips for conversing more efficiently. They are at once subtle and powerful, and they can be applied to a wide variety of situations with an even wider variety of individuals. This is a great example of how to put course curriculum into practice.
2. The Secret Structure of Great Talks
In The Secret Structure is Great Talks, Nancy Duarte provides a deep dive on how to perfect speeches and presentations. Given that a great deal of communication course curriculum involves this variety of tasks, students will find themselves returning to this task over and over. It is especially helpful for students who aim to pursue careers that require public speaking.
3. The Power of Vulnerability
Every time people communicate, they make private parts of themselves public. Receiving communication puts pressure on the listener to reciprocate. No matter what a person is trying to communicate, both the listener and the speaker experience a great deal of vulnerability. However, today’s society rarely validates or even acknowledges vulnerability. Brené Brown seeks to change that through her Ted Talk, The Power of Vulnerability. She opens up about how vulnerability is tool in efficient communication, rather than a hindrance.
4. How to Disagree Productively and Find Common Ground
Too often in modern society, discussions turn to disagreements, and disagreements turn to hostility. People boomerang between two extremes, where disagreement is either unacceptable and ignored, or disagreement means nothing can be resolved. In her talk titled How to Disagree Productively and Find Common Ground, Julia Dhar explores the more efficient middle spectrum between the two extremes. This talk provides a great resource for students engaging in academic debates and studying material related to debates.
5. How to Break the Cycle of Toxic Masculinity
Many attempts at honesty and good intentions go south when listeners feel threatened or attacked through communication. People do not always mean to convey prejudices and discrimination, but when they do, communication shuts down. This is eapecially true in terms of gender as society sheds light on the current #MeToo movement. Elder Jackson explores solutions to this problem in his TED Talk, How to Break the Cycle of Toxic Masculinity. Eldra’s principles can be applied to prejudice and discrimination in many forms, making this a fantastic resource for students tackling the subject of multicultural communication.
These five TED Talks each approach communication from a unique angle. They are all the perfect balance of informative and entertaining. Communications students will enjoying listening to these talks as study tools, and they might find themselves recommending them to friends and family, as well.