Category Archives: Instructor

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Get Ready for Fall 2017

The Fall 2017 edition of Speaking of Bicycles is just around the corner. We’ll meet for the first time in our assigned classroom on the Lone Mountain campus at 12:45 pm on Tuesday, August 22.

If you have a bike, feel free to bring it to campus! Because we are an urban campus, there are some special considerations involving security and storage of bikes. Best to email me before you arrive so I can help you figure that out (jonathan.hunt@usfca.edu).

Frequently asked questions:

Why aren’t there any books at the bookstore?

Great question! All course materials (such as readings, videos, etc.) will be available at no cost to you. Many of the materials are “open source” and available to all; others are restricted by copyright and will be available only to students in the course.

Class is four hours long! How will I survive!

Good point! Instead of meeting twice a week or three times a week for shorter class session, we’ll meet for one long session once per week. But don’t worry, it’s not going to be a long lecture! In fact, we often won’t meet in our classroom at all, but instead explore some part of the campus or the city. But still, it’s a long class — hopefully the professor will bring some snacks.

Do I have to ride a bike around San Francisco?

Great question! No — but we will travel around in San Francisco, but there are lots of ways to do that. A bike is probably the cheapest and most efficient way to travel in the city, but other ways work great, too (walking, driving, public transit, taxis or transportation network companies such as Uber).

Because we’re going to be traveling around, it’s best to dress comfortably, with practical shoes, layers, and a backpack or bag that’s not too heavy.

How can I learn more about the class?

You can start by looking at the Syllabus link and other links — Modules, Partners, Policies, etc. (above).

 

Spike in Pedestrian Deaths

Use Caution!

A new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association shows a continued rise in pedestrian injuries and deaths as a result of traffic collisions.

While total traffic deaths have increased slightly (after falling for years due to increased safety requirements for autos), pedestrian deaths have increased 25% since 2010, with the highest increase rate (11%) in 2016.

More than 700 pedestrians were killed in California in 2016.

My home state (Delaware) had the highest per capita death rate for pedestrians: 3.38 deaths per 100,000…. 🙁

One explanation offered by the report: “A more recent factor contributing to the increase in pedestrian fatalities may be the growing use of smart phones by all road users, which can be a signicant source of distraction for both drivers and pedestrians.”

You can read the full report here: http://www.ghsa.org/sites/default/files/2017-03/2017ped_FINAL_4.pdf

The story in the SF Chronhttp://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/California-No-1-in-U-S-study-showing-spike-in-11040076.php

 

Duarte on Audience

The first section of Nancy Duarte’s HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations focuses on audience.

The HBR Guide is focused on the needs of presenters in the business world, but Duarte’s ideas may apply to other situations.

You can read Duarte’s first section on Canvas: https://usfca.instructure.com/courses/1568307/pages/duarte-on-audience

Duarte has also given a TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_duarte_the_secret_structure_of_great_talks

and has an extensive website on presentation strategies: http://www.duarte.com