A Thousand Words

The short lecture below is an interesting example of how data visualization software can be used to present complex relationships and trends. The chart you see was not produced just for this video, but is based on graphics from a site called Gapminder (www.gapminder.org) which allows the user to create similar animated charts using a variety of data sets in a variety of configurations. Watch this video and then explore the software and see what you can discover for yourself.

PowerPoint and Keynote can give you easy access to images, effects, and animations. But sometimes the simple act of drawing it out on the board can still be the best way to teach. Check out this presentation on the current economic crisis in this presentation by Marketplace Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch. It is very simple, yet it the clarity of his words and his images make the topic very accessible.