Unit 4 Project - Aligning Perception with Reality

Throughout this unit you have learned that in the past 100 years or so humans have made a lot of gains.

We have created the United Nations whose aims are all positive: promoting global peace and human rights including health care and education for all. In these regards, the UN has been wildly successful. Per capita, very few of us die in wars or other violent conflicts compared to centuries past. We have eradicated many diseases, and are healthier by every measure than at any other point in history. Globally poverty, which was the norm of human existence, is now relatively rare. We enjoy more rights and freedoms now than at any time in the past. Relatively, the people of today live in a utopia. Yet, that is not what we hear on the news and it is not how most of us feel each day.

Your assignment here is to create a slideshow or illustrated report in which you first define the problem which puts our perceptions of the state of the world out of sync with reality before creating a plan explaining what you can do to align your perceptions with the global reality.

Step 1

Start by watching the 19 minute video below in which Swedish global health professor Hans Rosling explains the nature of this issue - assisted by his son Ola Rosling.


You can read the entire transcript of the talk below.
Step 2 - Defining the problem
In your own words, work out what the nature of the problem is as you see it. You will need to answer the question "Why is our perception of the world not aligned with reality?" You can start by narrowing it down. Is this problem defined by human nature, by the media, poor communication or something else?
Write your answer down using several sentences of a few points. Find an image that helps to illustrate it.
Step 3 - Solving the problem
You will now define three actions that you can take to make sure that your perception of the world is more in line with reality. You must provide concrete actions based on the ideas presented by the Roslings. Once again, find images which support and further your message.
Step 4 - Conclusion
Wrap this up by explaining how you see your solutions solving the problem and by making clear what kind of difference that this will make in the world.
This is not a research assignment, but if you do consult outside sources be sure to cite them properly.
This can be completed as a slideshow or illustrated report according to the project rubric below.