Alternative to Sponsor Visits?

As I  enjoy my third year teaching Senior Project, experience has taught me that an occasional week may crop up when students can't see their sponsor for reasons ranging from snowstorms to accidents to miscommunication to sponsor unavailability, and so on.  This morning, while shaving, I had an epiphany; have them select and visit a sponsor on-line if the visit falls through!  Where can they find a sponsor ?  TEDtalks can be a starter.

My friend Mr. Carrol actually turned me on to this site: http://www.ted.com/talks . Go to it and you will find gifted speakers who serve as experts in their fields.   The longer talks are only 20 minutes.  Some of them are so great that they can be life transforming!

While we're at it, the students can make digital field trips to other great sites where they can meet experts in their Senior Project fields. Yes, there's quality video out there that Youtube just doesn't have. Try any of the following and type something relevant in the search engines:

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml

http://www.charlierose.com/

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/sunday/main3445.shtml

Students, this is alternative to missing a sponsor visit through no fault of your own.  Make sure to be thoughtful when you write up your Sponsor Visit # ? blog.  Include what you learn, how you were inspired, or what you would like to ask your field's expert.   You must also include the link so that the rest of us can watch it if we choose.  You may use these resource as material for "Connections Blogs."  Have fun and here's to a lifetime of learning.