Academic Earth

But first, business:

I have decided, based on observational data indicating that the current trajectory of this blog is taking it nowhere, to cancel my plans to write a play. Shocking I know. My writing time is currently focused on another project. Oddly, that may actually be a good thing for this blog because it means I may start updating it again- and not just with update posts.

However, I'm thinking of changing things a bit. Back when I was still updating frequently I was posting stories, but often they were incomplete things, an opportunity to lick the banquet without hope of eating from it. This probably won't be the case any more. There will still be random stories, because that is what I like doing, but there will also be posts just talking about random topics.

This for instance:

Academic Earth is an amazing new site. Well, relatively new. I think it was launched in March or something. It's an odd mix of Youtube and Higher Education. The site enables you to 'attend' a full series of lectures taught by professors from Yale or MIT (for example) on a wide range of subjects. More importantly, it's free.

Currently I'm enjoying 'Introduction to Astrophysics' and comparing it to the 'Astronomy' course I already paid for and, of course, also enjoyed. There are distinct differences between physically taking the class and watching a video that are worth mentioning. Most notably, you get credit when you pay for it. You also get access to the professor and there can be times when asking a question can be invaluable to understanding what you're learning. The 'hands on' aspect is also lacking with a video. What can be hands on about Astronomy? Well, nothing you can't read about, but the night sky holds a certain amount of wonder that slips through any sieve of words. Plus, when else do you get the chance to wield a shield made of a heat resistant panel from an old space probe against a man with a blow torch?

I do not mean to dismiss the idea of watching recorded lectures. Quite the contrary, as I stated from the onset, Academic Earth has amazing potential. I have always thought the focus of school should not be the grades involved, but the information you glean from it. This site provides an opportunity to learn that is not limited by your budget or the direction of your career. Even if you are already in college, it can be used as either a supplement to what you are studying or as a method to study a subject that is outside of your choices for course selection. I would have loved to be able to sample classes like this when I was trying to pick a direction of study back during my senior year of high school.

All in all, I highly recommend at least checking it out. I predict Academic Earth will really take off once it gets enough acclaim, especially if they ever add a forum or some competency tests. In my hyperactive imagination I can see them eventually having user profiles that sport an online trophy rack for passed competencies and millions of people studying hard to get a new trophy for their profile. Thus leading the internet on a valiant quest to fill people with knowledge and banishing the forces of ignorance!

Yay.