Theme: Chances and Changes

TEDxBangkokPatanaSchool is a student-led event aimed at spreading valuable ideas with the school and wider community. It is centered around the theme “Chances and Changes”, stemming from the constant and rapid state of flux experienced by almost all facets of human life today. The aim of the event is to inspire audience members to take chances and make positive changes within themselves and our local community. From topics such as Thailand’s hidden neolithic and prehistoric heritage to the implications of a rapidly aging society, the vast array of quality thought shared will undoubtedly serve to alter perspectives and encourage the consideration of new opinions.

(All tickets are free of charge with complementary refreshments)

Black Box, Bangkok Patana School
643 La Salle Road
Sukhumvit 105
Bangkok, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, 10260
Thailand

Aidan McDonagh

Educator

What are the factors that influence how we retain knowledge? Is it simply a function of understanding – that is, the better our understanding of the topic, the more likely we are to retain knowledge of it - or is there more to it than that? I'm a teacher who has been wrestling with this question for the past five years since I began training to be a teacher in 2013. I taught in London for four years and was involved in teaching mathematics, training teachers and raising standards of numeracy across the curriculum. These experiences have taught me about what effective teaching for retention looks like. Now, in 2018, I'm in the final year of my Masters study in Mathematics Education. In my final report I write up my findings on this topic of memory and retention. My studies have directed me to the areas of Cognitive Science, Pedagogical Theory and Classroom Research. I believe that the answers I've found from both theory and practice will have a far-reaching impact on education.

Amanda Jayapurna

Student

When someone tells us their own personal story, we catch a glimpse of a view of the world that may be slightly or radically different from our own. When we see the world as they see it, or walk in their shoes, the experience can inspire empathy within them. Film & Animation have the ability to simplify or exaggerate, and abstract or clarify. It’s the perfect vehicle for storytelling and character development. Film can explore truly meaningful subject matter, and are definitely more than bright colors and catchy songs. These films resonate with children in their most impressionable years; presenting messages and values that they will carry for life. As I enter my final few months of high school, in this reflective time, I want to share how storytelling and film has not only affected my life, but the impact it has globally—even inspire a member of the audience to share their own story or experience, be it a big global issue or simply a small, insightful encounter.

Chana Mahadumrongkul

Student

People age every day. However, as populations around the world continue to grow and healthcare becomes even more progressive, people are also living longer. By 2050, the number of people in the world 65 and older will have doubled from 10% to 20%. For one thing, we have an aging population that is going to need food, money, housing, healthcare -- the list goes on. For another thing, an aging population puts a psychological strain on the society as people grow frail and lose mental acuity as they age. How can we, as the younger generation, approach this problem collectively but effectively to best support our baby boom cohorts? I am a 17-year-old girl who is advocating for people doubled my age or older. In my talk, I will explore “The Truth of Aging Time Bomb,” one of the biggest challenges we are facing. Having visited and researched a numerous number of nursing homes all over Thailand, this is now a chance for me to speak about the problem that I genuinely care.

Ishani Saran

Student

We all see the world differently. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t link in some way. Each piece we place in our lives brings us closer to seeing the bigger picture. That’s what we are best at: connecting themes together to create one simple idea. Here is an idea I want to talk to you about how much choices affect our lives. I’m Ishani, a Year 8 student and I would like to share how each small choice can have a huge impact in our lives. I love reading and here is a quote from one of my favourite authors that describes this perfectly. “It is our choices that show who we truly are far more than our abilities”. There is a catch though: we don’t see people in light of the choices they make, but by the outcomes of their choices. Every story has many crossroads that lead to the final destination. However, we only see one side of the story. Let me take you to the world of looking at the larger picture and together we can make sense of the jigsaw of choices.

James Penstone

Educator

We are experiencing a relatively new era of disposable plastic. While over-reliance on disposable plastic is a relatively recent economic and cultural change (just 60 years old), it has fundamentally changed the makeup of this planet. From a global scale (the impacts on ocean ecosystems) to an individual scale (plastic in our bloodstreams). I will explore why it is difficult for us to change our collective habits. I will also touch on the notion that it is a matter of how we perceive disposable plastic and how it maintains cultural acceptance, as supported by its low cost and the high levels of convenience which it offers. An educator at Bangkok Patana School and resident of Thailand for nearly 13 years, I have supported students to lead whole school environmental initiatives for the past five years. I am passionate about seeking solutions to the problem, and I am privileged to be able to share these issues with the audience.

John Burrell

Educator

The story I have to share is of a journey through Prehistoric Thailand, of Dinosaurs and cave dwellers, of rock art and Theropod trackways. In this whistle stop tour of Issan we will catch sight of the premier rock art sites, of Pha Taem and Phratu Pha. As we look on their work our minds will ask questions, who were these people, why did they paint so, what was the message. There is more though, much more, and from a time beyond the imagination, a time before man, the time of the dinosaurs. With little time to ‘stand and stare’ we will take in the spectacular dinosaur trackways of Nam Nao and Phu Faek and then onto to what is arguably one of the Worlds finest Dinosaur collections at Phu Wiang. Exploring Thailand by the less travelled by roads has opened up a deeper appreciation of this wonderful country. So the next time you reach the junction, Chiang Mai or Khon Kaen consider the road less travelled by, the change could make all the difference.

Olivo Miotto

Associate Professor at the Nuffield Department of Medicine of the University of Oxford; parent

I’ve wanted to be a scientist for as long as I could remember. As a kid, I was interested in evolution, but I was not attracted to biology. I graduated in Physics at Imperial College London, and went on to designing and programming electronic equipment. After several years as an engineer, I decided to leverage on my experience and travel the world; I took a post as a lecturer at the National University of Singapore, where I taught Software Engineering. When the first Human Genome was published, I suddenly realized that genomics and evolution was what I wanted to do. So, at a late age and with a young family, I turned my career around and started on a PhD at the School of Medicine. Today, I am an Associate Professor at the Nuffield Department of Medicine of the University of Oxford, and I study the evolution of malaria parasites, to find an effective way to combat and eliminate this killer disease.

Palis Pisuttisaran

Student

In society today, gender plays an immense role in defining who we are and who we become. From the minute we are born, we assign everyone a label - strictly male or female - and through that, incarcerate each other within rigid yet hollow roles and expectations. For as long as humans have existed, we have lived under a gender binary of male and female which rounds everyone to either ends, leaving little room for any sense of individuality or freedom for anyone to pinpoint exactly who they are. In my talk, I will be exploring what gender really means and how it impacts all of us on a personal level; I will also challenge the traditional male-female gender system in society and explain why gender today is purely an obsolete social construct we must leave behind. I will introduce the idea that there are more than two genders in the world and advocate for the rights of the variety of genders which society currently does not recognize.

Pirawat Punyagupta

Student

Linguistic prowess nourishes one's understanding of ethnographic differences. Immersing myself in the study of foreign languages has opened up innumerable avenues. What used to be unintelligible clusters of cursive have now morphed into agents of understanding. The imperialism of dominant languages has thus resonated with me on personal levels. A tongue forms the basis of our cultural identity and gives us a sense of belonging in our respective speech communities. Thailand is a country experiencing underlying linguistic pluralism under the guise of state-sponsored homogeneity, with consequences such as more fragile democratic institutions and societal disunity; depriving a people linguistically can sever the bond between a people group and their heritage. I am not advocating for any particular political agenda. From a practical perspective, I believe that linguistic rejuvenation is an effective way of ensuring long-term vitality of minorities and marginalized communities.

Purnima Ghogar Ruanglertbutr

Educator

‘Doing’ as well as ‘teaching’ “Teachers who can do, teach” is my inversion of the popular myth - “teachers don’t do, they teach”. Challenging this myth, I reveal the many facets of my identity with the question, “who am I?” - an English teacher at Bangkok Patana School, a published author of ten books, a professional artist/curator, an academic, a writer and an educational researcher. To most of you, this is something you never knew! School communities are often not fully aware of the hidden talents of their teachers who have a lot to offer - some pursue an interest professionally and others as an amateur. Having taught in Australia and the UK for the past 5 years, I have experienced first-hand the realities that affect many talented teachers who struggle to manage their creative pursuits whilst teaching full-time. My talk concludes with solutions that aim to inspire chances about an issue that I am passionate and have been publishing for seven years.