September 21, 2012 | Ontario

As a part of their training, information technology (IT) professionals should be well informed of the latest breakthroughs in IT resources, software and other services. Various companies around the globe are extending their programs to any curious individual with access to a computer, including Coursera and the renowned online lectures and conferences provided by Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED). Recently, TED curator Chris Anderson told ComputerWorld that this surge of free online video resources will continue to be an integral part of the educational framework for students around the world.

Not only are individuals taking advantage of services such as TED, but educators who teach a variety of class levels are culling relevant video lectures and using them in the classroom, even organizing their entire lessons around some of these enlightening and interesting seminars. This style, Anderson claimed, is a better reflection of the trends of today's generation.

Organizing these lectures by speakers, subjects and themes, TED educational talks can provide students with another resource to refer to when they wish to stimulate their minds a bit further on a particular subject. Those who are pursuing careers in the IT sector can peruse the theme of technology and its evolution since the early beginnings. Discussing the future possibilities of robotics, coding and cybersecurity, the expert individuals behind each talk aim to provoke listeners to ask questions and dare them to think differently than when they first sat down to listen to the informative session.

One particular TED talk led by Misha Glenny discusses the power of hackers in today's world, bringing to light a controversial thought that these IT masterminds are some of the most intelligent and capable tech savants in the world. He urges audience members to think of several convicted coders from around the world in a different light, suggesting that if there was a positive outlet for these bright thinkers to use their skills, the world might not have such serious hacking issues in government or private networks.

Ultimately, students pursuing IT careers can stay on top of the latest trends within their field by using the array of free online resources available to them in addition to their college classes.

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