The Everyday Scholar

Lectures at JPL

2009-02-15T09:40:00.004-07:00

The von Kármán Lecture Series at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is available at JPL. The videos of 2008 lectures are available for download now. In addition, you'll find the January 2009 lecture, "Spirit and Opportunity: The Corps of Discovery for Mars Rolls On", by Steve Squires.

Also available is the list of scheduled lectures for 2009. For lifelong learners interested in astronomy and our exploration of the universe, these full-length lectures are a treasure trove of current and historical information

Everyday Scholar Update

2009-01-16T11:10:00.003-07:00

Just a note to explain why I'm not posting as often as I have in the past. I am working on a new writing project that is requiring all my time and attention right now.

Shortly, I'll get back to a regular schedule. In the meantime happy learning!

Learning in 2009

2008-12-31T17:15:00.005-07:00

Happy New Year!

The Everyday Scholar is looking for to a busy, very interesting 2009.

See you in the New Year!

And, be safe out there!

101 Cookbooks Blog

2008-12-21T16:39:00.003-07:00

Learning about food may be a new topic for The Everyday Scholar, but I think it's going to be a regular, maybe once a month.

Here's the second post on learning about cooking, food and recipes. One of my favorite food blogs is 101 Cookbooks. Heidi Swanson says of her quest to actually use her rows of cookbooks:

"101 Cookbooks started in early 2003 when I looked up at my huge cookbook collection one afternoon and realized that instead of exploring the different books in my collection - I was cooking the same recipes over and over. I seemed to buy a new cookbook every time I stepped out the front door - always with good intentions."

She specializes in whole foods, with a lot of vegetarian recipes and she's an expert at making even complicated dishes seem easy. You can sign up to receive her frequent recipe alerts and you don't have to worry about resulting spam or unwanted emails.

I highly recommend 101 Cookbooks to lifelong learners and wanna be chefs.

Local Foods with Molly Watson

2008-12-14T10:48:00.004-07:00

Yes, here's a first for The Everyday Scholar. This week we're going to talk about food and resources for lifelong learners. I guess the idea started with Thanksgiving and trying to decide whether to go traditional or expand our horizons and try some new recipes. While doing the required research, I discovered some great places to learn about what's going on with food these days.

Lifelong learners have to eat and since we are learners after all, let's take a few posts and investigate resources for learning about food and cooking.

Let's start with "Local Foods" and to me that means starting with Molly Watson. She is the About.com Guide to Local Foods and she does a great job of explaining what going "local" is all about. From how and why to eat local, to what's in season when, then on to recipes and everything in between, Molly can teach lifelong learners some new tricks when it comes to food.

See what you think about Local Foods. The next post will introduce you to the 101 Cookbooks Blog.

Mars 3-D Photos Released

2008-12-09T15:27:00.004-07:00

If you need a break and want to check out some really cool Martian landscapes, here is today's post on The Coconino Chronicles:

Mars 3-D Photos Released

Remember the Mars Exhibit at Lowell Observatory? Now you can seesome spectacular pictures online, at the Arizona Daily Star. Thanks to Arizona Geology Blog for this link.

The University of Arizona High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter did fantastic work.

Kudos!

Our Vanishing Night at National Geographic

2008-11-30T16:04:00.006-07:00

Thought you might enjoy this post from my Northern Arizona Blog, The Coconino Chronicles:

The November 2008 issue of National Geographic has a very welcome article, Our Vanishing Night, on light pollution and its effects on nature and on humans. In the third paragraph down on page 3 of the web version of the article, the writer, Verlyn Klinkenborg, writes about the mission to limit light pollution and protect the dark skies. He mentions Flagstaff and its pioneering civic efforts to control light and protect the viewing at Lowell Observatory. He also writes about the implementation of even more stringent lighting regulations in Flagstaff and its designation as the first International Dark Sky City.Be sure to take a look at the beautiful photographs by Jim Richardson and read Glynnis McPhee's interview with him.We do appreciate National Geographic publishing this story that highlights the ever-growing problem of light pollution and acknowledging the efforts of cities around the world to control that pollution.

I just found a print copy of the November 2008 issue and it is beautiful.

A Grain of Sand

2008-11-10T16:07:00.004-07:00

If even you aren't into geology, you're going to want to look at Dr. Gary Greenberg's "A Grain of Sand Picture Gallery" at geology.com. He's taken microscopic photographs of grains of sand, with amazing results.

These photos are a sample of what are included in his book "A Grain of Sand: Nature's Secret Wonder." His website for the book is here. While you're there take a look at some of his other microscopic subjects. The flowers are awesome.

Dr. Greenberg gives one a different view of some of nature's beauty.

Understanding Science at Berkeley

2008-11-04T12:58:00.004-07:00

The beta version of Understanding Science, created by the UC Museum of Paleontology of the University of California at Berkeley, is up and running.

This is going to be a great resource for lifelong learners and teachers. The official launch will be after the first of the year, most certainly to coincide with the beginning of the Year of Science 2009. But, don't wait for January to roll around, go check it out now.

Be sure to subscribe to receive updates.

Impact of Global Warming in Alaska

2008-11-02T17:05:00.000-07:00

"While the earth has warmed approximately 1°F in the last 50 years, according to the National Assessment Synthesis Team, Alaska has warmed approximately 4°F during this same time period. In many ways, Alaska is the “Paul Revere of Global Warming”, and serves as a sentinel for the impacts of global warming."

Sounds like something we want to find out more about doesn't it? Lifelong learners should find this article, Impact of Global Warming in Alaska, and its associated content very interesting. As usual Deborah L. Williams has done an excellent job explaining about "early warning" area.

Southwest Crossroads

2008-10-30T15:07:00.004-07:00

If you're a lifelong learning searching for resources about the Southwest United States, the go take a look at Southwest Crossroads which describes its website, "Southwest Crossroads: Cultures and Histories of the American Southwest is a dynamic, interactive, on-line learning matrix of original texts, poems, fiction, maps, paintings, photographs, oral histories, and films that allows users of all ages to explore the many contentious stories that diverse peoples have used to make sense of themselves and the region."

It's also a great website for teachers, since the material can easily be used for classes.

Arizona Geology Blog

2008-10-24T10:34:00.004-07:00

Whether you live in Arizona or not, if you're a lifelong learner studying geology, then this blog, Arizona Geology, will be a resource you'll want to check often.

Lee Allison, who writes this blog, is State Geologist and Director, Arizona Geological Survey and he is very dedicated in his posting.

Not just an excellent source of geology news and information, Arizona Geology provides us with a great dose of optimism. You can tell that geology is more than a job to Lee Allison.

You can read his first blog post, Arizona lives and dies by its geology, on Monday, January 01, 2007.

Hallie Eakin at Encylopedia of Earth

2008-10-17T14:33:00.003-07:00

Earth Portal's Topic of the Week Environment in Focus: Human vulnerability to global environmental change by Hallie Eakin is a must read for lifelong learners with a passion for learning about environmental change and the human population.

This is just one article in a long list of environmental topics available at the Encyclopedia of Earth.

History at Boise State

2008-10-15T15:34:00.002-07:00

History courses by Dr. E.L. Skip Knox can be accessed at Boise State University. You'll find four courses:

Lots of good material here for lifelong learners. Be sure to check the copyright page.

On the Origin of Species

2008-10-12T12:43:00.003-07:00

Ever stumble across a book that just grabs you and you can't get it out of your mind? That happened to me at Barnes and Noble last week. Yes, I know that those of you who have been reading The Everyday Scholar for awhile realize that I have a thing about books. Some would say that I've never met a book that I couldn't find something good to say about it. But....

This new On the Origin of Species: The Illustrated Edition, edited by David Quammen really is fantastic! For visual lifelong learners out there, the new illustrated edition will change the way you think about this Charles Darwin classic. It is so readable! The illustrations are so perfect for the text. And the graphics showing pages from The Voyage of the Beagle tie together his thoughts during that voyage with his conclusions in the Origin. For everyone else, you'll be impressed also.

Please put this on your lifelong learner's wish list and let everyone know its what you want for your next gift-giving occasion. You won't be sorry.

PhysicalGeography.net

2008-10-10T10:11:00.004-07:00

If you need more material for physical geography study, take a look at the website that Dr. Michael Pidwirny is developing. Though still under construction, PhysicalGeography.net already offers quite a bit of material, including the Fundamentals of Physical Geography ebook.

This looks like it is going to be an excellent portal to physical geography on the Internet. Be sure to check out the links for each chapter of the ebook. Add this one to your learner's toolbox if you're interested in geography.

Geology of National Parks at Salem State

2008-10-08T15:05:00.006-07:00

Here's a great geology for non-majors course: Geology of National Parks GLS110 01, Fall 2008. This one includes an enormous amount of excellent material. Professor Lindley Hanson uses Annenberg's Earth Revealed geology videos as a core to present the geological history of the United States and its national parks.

Be sure to follow all the links to available material. You don't want to miss anything here.

Scottish Enlightenment at OpenLearn

2008-10-06T14:59:00.006-07:00

Open University makes many of its courses available through OpenLearn. One extremely interesting course is Science in the Scottish Enlightment.

This is a good introductory course, a jumping off point to more indepth study for lifelong learners.

History of China At UC Berkeley

2008-10-04T10:01:00.003-07:00

If you're searching for a framework within which to put your introductory study of the history of China, you might want to consider a course at the University of California at Berkeley. Professor Michael Nylan teaches this course, History 6A - Fall 2008 History of China: Origins to the Mongols.

This course is not podcast, so it is actually just a framework, but it does have a complete reading list, including books for further reading. With a little Google research, you should be able to find some of the additional reading material from the course reader which is not available, but the author and title of the articles are given.

This should be a good resource for lifelong learners interested in the history of China.

EBooks at Encyclopedia of Earth

2008-10-02T16:29:00.002-07:00

Lifelong learners can find a nice selection of environmental ebooks at The Encyclopedia of Earth EBooks.

Environmental Classics offer access to online versions of several historical ebooks, including Walden by Henry David Thoreau, Theory of the Earth by James Hutton and Tragedy of the Commons by Garrett James Hardin.

Energy at Earth Portal

2008-09-30T07:50:00.002-07:00

Here's another great article from Earth Portal. Fundamental principles of energy offers and excellent overview of energy, with top notch graphics and an examination of the basics of energy science.

Earth Portal and Earth Encyclopedia alway include very helpful reading lists, but this one is exception in its scope and its depth. The Energy further reading section is extensive and inclusive from energy and economics to conflict, to environment and health.

Lifelong learners should find this an extremely beneficial resource.

Freshwater at the Encyclopedia of Earth

2008-09-29T09:37:00.003-07:00

Lifelong learners can find excellent material in the article Freshwater published on the Encyclopedia of Earth. The further reading section has links to three additional websites devoted to earth's freshwater.

You will learn about freshwater, from its definition to its inventory and on to freshwater use around the earth.

A very useful addition to our learning resources.

Anthropology at Palomar College

2008-09-27T11:10:00.005-07:00

Anthropology Tutorials pages at Palomar College offer lifelong learners extensive biological and cultural anthropology tutorials.

This an extremely resource-rich site. In addition to in-depth information on each sub-topic, many of them also have practice quizzes, flashcards and a Related Internet Sites page. In additional learners have access to a good glossary of terms, with audio pronunciation.

The "how anthropologists do their work" topics give very helpful insight.

Lifelong learners interested in anthropology will want to add this study material to their learning toolbox.

Political Philosophy at Yale

2008-09-26T10:03:00.004-07:00

Open Yale Courses offers an excellent Fall 2006 course to lifelong learners, called PLSC 114: Introduction to Political Philosophy.

This course makes available a full set of materials for each class session, including audio, video and online readings.

Course description:

"This course is intended as an introduction to political philosophy as seen through an examination of some of the major texts and thinkers of the Western political tradition. The course will focus on three broad themes that are central to understanding political life: the polis experience (Plato, Aristotle), the sovereign state (Machiavelli, Hobbes), constitutional government (Locke), and democracy (Rousseau, Tocqueville). Particular attention will focus especially on the way in which different political philosophies have given expression to various forms of political institutions and our ways of life."

This course is a nice addition to the resources of lifelong learners with an interest in political philosophy.

Biodiversity in Africa

2008-09-24T08:23:00.004-07:00

Want to understand another piece of the environmental puzzle? The Encyclopedia of Earth presents an in-depth view of Biodiversity in Africa that should be of great interest to lifelong learners interested in understanding the interactions of earth's environments.

This article gives an excellent overview, as well as an extensive reading list. I will just let the piece speak for itself, because it has an eloquent voice.

Cambridge Festival of Science 2008

2008-09-21T10:12:00.004-07:00

Think you might need a few more lectures to add to your lifelong learning resources? Then, check out the 2008 Cambridge Festival of Science video and podcasts. There you'll find 29 lectures, ranging from Sustainable Energy-without hot air to Gifted Scientists and Autism: Is There a Connection.

These lectures are available in several formats and some have lecture slides available.

You might want to bookmark Cambridge Science Festival 2009. Cambridge celebrates its 800th birthday.

Quote of the Week #1

2008-09-20T10:24:00.001-07:00

"A scholar must shape his own shell, secrete it, one might almost say, for secretion is only separation, you know, of certain elements derived from the materials of the world about us. And a scholar's study, with the books lining its walls, is his shell."--Oliver Wendell Holmes

Getting Ready for Year of Science 2009

2008-09-18T11:00:00.003-07:00

The Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS) Year of Science 2009 is a great resource for lifelong learners and offers a way for us to get involved in the promotion of science in our society.

Don't miss the COPUS Blog. And you can sign up for updates from COPUS.

Also, launching in October 2008 is Understanding Science at the University of California at Berkeley. According to Understanding Science, speaking of the first phase of this project, "This content will be appropriate for teachers themselves and for the general public and will clarify what science is, how it works, and misconceptions about science. Concepts will be illustrated with both historical and modern exemplars."

Looks like something to keep an eye through the Year of Science.

Crayons for Creative Inspiration

2008-09-16T15:21:00.005-07:00

Tired? Overwhelmed? Need some inspiration? Then head over to COLOURlovers Blog. This post from April 22, 2008 is all about 120 crayon names and color codes.

We all need a little color in our lives and this site was just recommended to me. I haven't explored much further than the blog, but I think it's going to be a favorite place to take a deep breath and enjoy the color.

Even when lifelong learners love what they're studying, sites like COLOURlovers can be a valuable source of inspiration.

Enjoy!

Centre for Editing Lives and Letters

2008-09-13T19:43:00.005-07:00

Some great work is being done over at CELL, the Centre for Editing Lives and Letters. Of special note to lifelong learners, is the material available on the CELL Projects page. The Hooke Folio Online is an exceptional project. The introduction to it states, "In May 2006 a long lost manuscript of the papers of Robert Hooke was returned to the archive of the Royal Society. Lisa Jardine played a significant role in the recovery of the folio, which she described as 'an absolute treasure trove of new information about the day to day activities of the early scientific establishment'."

Lisa Jardine has done some great work, including On a Grander Scale: The Outstanding Life and Tumultuous Times of Sir Christopher Wren, Ingenious Pursuits: Building the Scientific Revolution and Worldly Goods: A New History of the Renaissance.

Ingenious Pursuits is an excellent choice to start with, if you aren't familiar with her books. The biography of Christopher Wren was so welcome because it filled a gap in readily available materials on this most intriguing player in the history of science.

There are also some very interesting podcast titles available on the CELL Podcast page. However, I am having trouble opening them, so I'll have to get back to you on that.

Ground Water at USGS

2008-09-11T13:46:00.004-07:00

Ground-Water Availability in the United States was published in July 2008 by the USGS. You can now download the 79-page pdf.

This report provides a wealth of information on our most important resource. From USGS: "This report examines what is known about the Nation's ground-water availability and outlines a program of study by the U.S. Geological Survey Ground-Water Resources Program to improve our understanding of ground-water availability in major aquifers across the Nation. The approach is designed to provide useful regional information for State and local agencies who manage ground-water resources, while providing the building blocks for a national assessment. The report is written for a wide audience interested or involved in the management, protection, and sustainable use of the Nation's water resources."

This should prove valuable to most lifelong learners.

Beyond the Human Genome Project

2008-09-10T20:18:00.004-07:00

We recently talked about the Royal Society podcasts. So just an update here. Check out Beyond the human genome project by Eric Lander. It's listed under Chemistry & Biology, but I can't link directly to the video.

I've had some really positive feedback on this one. The lecture provides insight into the breakthroughs in DNA sequencing and the possibilities for the future.

Sounds like biology students are going to have some very interesting years ahead of them in fighting the some of the worst diseases we face.

Aldo Leopold at Earth Portal

2008-09-07T14:07:00.006-07:00

Earth Portal's Topic of the Week is Environment in Focus: A Voice in the Wilderness by William Cronon. This article written in 1998, is introduced thus, "William Cronon pays tribute to a remarkable man and his book that altered forever the landscape of the environmental movement."

Cronon describes Sand County Almanac:

"Sand County is very different, which is probably why it feels as fresh today as it did when it was written-the mark of a true classic. To the first-time reader, it presents itself as an unprepossessing collection of nature writings, brief essays offering reminiscences of landscapes and encounters in natural places, all cast in a spare, lucid prose that is far more elegant and literary than polemical.

Only as one reads more deeply into the book does one begin to recognize the arguments and insights that lie almost between the lines, or appreciate the quiet passion that informs its call for a new human sense of moral responsibility toward the natural world. The voice is that of a first-rate scientist and naturalist, a cool-eyed observer not just of nature but of the human condition, and the tone is far more meditative and ironic than polemical or belligerent. One gets the sense that the author would be much happier getting out into the woods with his dog than finding himself mounting the barricades on behalf of a political cause.

And yet these little essays bespeak nothing less than a revolution in ways of thinking about the human place in nature - a revolution as yet unfinished, but very near the heart of environmental politics in the second half of the 20th century and beyond. By putting into words the deep questions and concerns that would persuade millions of Americans to join the environmental movement in the years after its author’s death, A Sand County Almanac earned itself an indelible place in history."

In addition to the moving essay by Cronan, you will find many links to supplemental reading, related News in Focus articles and website links. Please be sure to follow the link to the Aldo Leopold Archives at the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections.

There is a wealth of study material here for the lifelong learner looking for environmental history resources. Enjoy!

Impacts on Native American Lands

2008-09-05T13:14:00.003-07:00

This is a very good collection of study materials from Carleton College, Integrating Research and Education, called Impacts of Resource Development on Native American Lands.

It covers six case studies:

Uranium Mining on the Navajo Nation
Gold Mining and the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation
Coal Bed Methane and the Crow Reservation
Water Resources and the Nez Perce Indian Reservation
Gold Mining and the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
Resources of the Pribilof Islands

This actually just one part of many sections of Integrating Research and Education, including one on Hurricane Katrina and the Yellowstone Geoecosystem.

I think lifelong learners will find this to be a very nice addition to their study resources.

Serendipity at Darwin College

2008-09-04T09:14:00.007-07:00

What a wonderful find! This 2008 series about Serendipity is truly a delight to listen to. These lectures provide insight into the part that serendipity has played in astronomy, archaeology, biology, a writer's life, politics, physics and anthropology. They are made available by Darwin College at Cambridge University.

Please note that the first lecture is Serendipity's Guide to the Galaxy by Andy Fabian, so they are listed in reverse order on the Darwin Lecture Series - Podcast page. I mention this because, the introduction to Andy Fabian's lecture provides a bit of background about the lectures.

The speakers also include Richard Leakey and Simon Winchester. I won't diminish your enjoyment of Simon Winchester's The Unanticipated Pleasures of the Writing Life by telling his first story, but you will enjoy it.

This is an extremely enjoyable, as well as educational, resource for lifelong learners.

A.P. European History

2008-09-01T15:42:00.005-07:00

This course from historyteacher.net is not a college course, but a high school Advanced Placement European History course. However, it contains an enormous amount of study material.

Many, many primary document links are most welcome. Plus links to appropriate subject websites are mostly active--only a few broken. Some great PowerPoint slides are also available.

You'll be glad you checked this one out. Have fun.

Podcasts at the Fitzwilliam Museum

2008-08-30T16:16:00.004-07:00

I just discovered this little collection to add to our lifelong learning resources. It's a series of podcasts--audio with slides--about the treasures in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK.

You can either listen to the lectures and watch the slideshow online or download the podcast. Be sure if you're downloading, that after you grab the media file, you scroll down and save the pdf containing the slides for the lecture.

If you're interested in museums at all, you'll really find these lectures to be exceptional.

UC Berkeley Podcast Schedule Up

2008-08-29T10:41:00.003-07:00

Now we know which Fall 2008 courses Berkeley has chosen to podcast. In fact, the first lectures are already online. This time frame between lecture and posting is much-improved over previous years.

So, what's available? Check it out here. You will find biology, chemistry, computer science, cyber culture, economics, education, electrical engineering, engineering, English (literature), geography, history, international studies, law, mechanical engineering, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, public health, sociology and statistics.

Of course, as you see, my favorites professors, George Brimhall and Nathan Sayre, are no where to be found. I'm hoping they will be back on the list soon.

California History Lectures

2008-08-27T14:33:00.002-07:00

Take a look at these Bancroft Library (UC Berkeley) lectures. They're one-hour audio lectures about the history of California--seven of them:

The California Mission as Symbol and Myth
Like America Only More So: The Origins and Power of California's Image
Heaven on the Half-shell: Mark Twain in California
California's Greatest Thirst: A Glance at the Contentious History of California's Water
An Entrepreneurial Genius: Henry J. Kaiser
Kick Out the Southern Pacific
A Library for California

This is an exceptional collection to supplement any lifelong learner's California history resources.

Biology at University of Hawaii

2008-08-26T09:22:00.004-07:00

Offered by the University of Hawaii, Biology 101 Biology and Society is taught by Dr. George Wong, Botany Department.

This course website makes available 41 lecture pdf's and 18 sets of background links for some of the lectures. The only broken links found are for the Blue Planet Biomes in Lecture 7. I will see what site can be substituted for these and do an update shortly.

These materials will make a nice supplement for the lifelong learner's ecology projects.

International Relations at University of Oregon

2008-08-25T10:30:00.005-07:00

Here's an interesting course taught by Professor Ronald Mitchell, PS205: Introduction to International Relations, at the University of Oregon.

What's available? Excellent resources, including:

Syllabus
Lecture notes for 20 class sessions
Case study assignment, including a pdf of materials for assignment and links to use (great assignment for lifelong learners)
Targeted links to websites pertinent to the course

This is definitely a course you will want to add to your independent learning resources for understanding how our world works today.

History of Science at Princeton

2008-08-23T10:52:00.004-07:00

Take a look at History 398 Technologies and Their Societies: Historical Perspectives, taught by Professor Michael S. Mahoney.

This 2006 course website offers an enormous amount of information on the history of science, focusing on technology. Almost all of the links are active, though sadly, a few are broken. Each week has extensive readings and links to material pertinent to the current topic.

One link of note is to The Emergence of Advertising in America: 1850 - 1920 at Duke University. I was not familiar with this archive that contains over 9,000 images in this one collection, plus many more collections. One area which I found very interesting was the collection of advertising cookbooks from 1878 to 1929.

Lifelong learners should find this course an interesting addition to learning resources.

Geobiology at MIT

2008-08-22T13:18:00.004-07:00

One of MIT Open Courseware offerings is 12.007 Geobiology. This course uses Steven Stanley's Earth System History and additional readings are recommended. Lecture slides (pdf's) and text lecture notes are available. Several assignments give lifelong learners guidance on how to structure learning projects. "Take-home" exams top off the materials offered.

The course home page uses this description: "The interactive Earth system: Biology in geologic, environmental and climate change throughout Earth history. Since life began it has continually shaped and re-shaped the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and the solid earth. Introduces the concept of "life as a geological agent" and examines the interaction between biology and the earth system during the roughly 4 billion years since life first appeared. Topics include the origin of the solar system and the early Earth atmosphere; the origin and evolution of life and its influence on climate up through and including the modern age and the problem of global warming; the global carbon cycle; and astrobiology."

Even without podcasts, which we are always expecting in our courses now, this is an excellent independent scholar's resource.

Just a side note: The image used on the course home page is one of Ron Blakey's great maps. See this post on The Coconino Chronicles.

Seeing in the Dark

2008-08-22T07:57:00.003-07:00

The Astronomical Society of the Pacific has a great e-newsletter called The Universe in the Classroom. The archive contains a lot of good overview material on astronomy topics.

The Fall 2007, Special Issue: Seeing in the Dark, is about the PBS special done by Timothy Ferris which aired on September 19, 2007. In the program Ferris explores amateur astronomy and highlights some of the contributions that those amateurs have made and are making to our body of astronomical knowledge.

The PBS companion website, in addition to information about the program, the people behind it and its filming, has several study topics listed, appropriately enough, under "Astronomy Topics."

It's a good starting point for lifelong learners wanting to add amateur astronomy to their learning projects.

The Ancient Olympics

2008-08-20T14:12:00.004-07:00

Since the 2008 Olympics is taking place right now, here's a nice little diversion for you from the Perseus Digital Library Project, called The Ancient Olympics.

It's a really easy read, but quite a few "just so you know" bits of information, like the different views on how the Olympics got started. It's a little dated on the modern side as it talks about the "coming Atlanta games." But, since it focuses on the ancient games, that really isn't a problem.

Take a peek and see if you can find a little lifelong learner's nugget about the Olympics that you didn't know. Oh, and enjoy the remainder of the 2008 modern Games.

Natural History at Dickinson College

2008-08-16T10:45:00.004-07:00

Romantic Natural History: A website designed to survey relationships between literary works and natural history in the century before Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species (1859) is not a course, but it is a nice resource for lifelong learners interested in natural history.

Most of all it is a visual feast and it will only get better, since it is a work in progress, with materials added often.

This is one resource to visit again and again. Ashton Nichols and student researchers are doing a great job at Dickinson College.

Romantic Natural Histories--the book was published in 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Astrobiology at University of Hawaii

2008-08-13T16:50:00.005-07:00

This Spring 2008 course, A281 -- Astrobiology, taught by astronomer Karen Meech, is a great course, with syllabus, lecture slides, handouts and homeworks available for download.

The textbook used is Life in the Universe, 2nd edition, by Bennett and Shostak.

The extensive handouts include a 79-page Astrobiology Primer: An Outline of General Knowledge--Version 1, 2006.

Professor Meech is a working astronomer, involved, with the 8th NASA Discovery mission, Deep Impact and many other projects.

You may also want to check out the Institute for Astonomy and the Astrobiology Institute at the University of Hawaii.

Astronomy Lecture Podcasts

2008-08-12T13:21:00.005-07:00

The Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures presented at Foothill College are available as audio podcasts. You can get some of them as video from iTunes. These lectures have been given since 1999, but only 2 sets of podcasts are accessible, twelve lectures. It appears that this year's lectures will be added as they occur.

The lectures include many very interesting topics by notable speakers. The speaker on Oct. 4, 2006, Dr. Alex Filippenko (U. of California, Berkeley): Dark Energy and the Runaway Universe will be familiar. Everyday Scholar profiled his course, Astro C10 / LS C70U Introduction to General Astronomy, at Berkeley, on August 3, 2008.

Thanks to the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Foothill College and Andrew Fraknoi for this great resource for lifelong learners.

Conservation Biology at UIUC

2008-08-11T13:59:00.004-07:00

IB 451 (ENVST 420, CPSC 436) Conservation Biology is Professor Ken Paige's Spring 2007, course at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His course website contains excellent lecture slides and lab readings. All resources are accessible. The lectures are in PowerPoint, with lecture notes in Word, and the readings are pdf's, so they're all easy to download.

He uses the textbook: Principles of Conservation Biology, Martha J. Groom, Gary K. Meffe, C. Ronald Carroll, 3rd edition.

All in all, lots of good information for lifelong learners studying conservation biology.

Physical Geography at Sofia

2008-08-09T14:16:00.003-07:00

Here's a really well structured Physical Geography course at Sophia Open Content, by Allison Lenkeit-Meezan, Foothill College.

Textbooks used are:

Geosystems 5th edition (Christopherson)
Goode’s World Atlas 20th edition (Hudson)

This is a complete introduction to geography course which includes:

Syllabus
Schedule--A frame-work for lessons, readings, labs, quizzes and finals
Lessons--Eleven
Assignments (labs)--Six
Exams--Eleven quizzes, two study reviews, a midterm exam and a final

Everything you need to guide you through a "semester" of physical geography. This is expecially beneficial to lifelong learners who like to have all the pieces in one place.

Land Use History of North America at USGS

2008-08-08T11:15:00.006-07:00

From Mars Hill

Flagstaff, Arizona

Credit Marilyn Crain

This time we get "two for the price of one." Go visit Land Use History of North America (LUHNA) and Colorado Plateau-Land Use History of North America (CP-LUHNA) for a good contribution to your resources on the environmental history of the United States. It goes a long way toward explaining the delicate balance between the viability of our environment and its plant and animal inhabitants and the needs of our human population.

The CP-LUHNA is exceptional in the quality and quantity of material available. These two sites are definite assets to be added to your learning toolbox.

Lifelong learners, enjoy.

The Royal Society Podcasts

2008-08-06T15:16:00.006-07:00

This is so fantastic! Check out the Royal Society Library Events and Archive - complete list of webstreams. You'll find audio and video of Royal Society lectures back through 2006. Many of the lectures are also available as podcasts, ready to download. It doesn't get any better than this.

How about hearing a lecture from Bill Bryson: A short history of nearly everything or John Gribbin: The roots of the "Royal" and the Scottish connection or John Heilbron: Benjamin Franklin in Europe?

These are full-length lectures by the people we want to hear, on the subjects we're interested in. Can't wait to see who's coming up next.

Berkeley Book List

2008-08-05T14:02:00.004-07:00

Here's another one of those "take a break and enjoy" resources. Ralph Hexter, executive dean of the College of Letters & Science, introduces the new Berkeley Book List by saying, "In this first annual edition of the list, distinguished faculty recommend a feast of books — some topical, some classics, others just favorites — across a range of subject areas. For those of you who are avid readers and who relish staying abreast of a particular field of knowledge, the Berkeley Book List is your ticket to indulge your curiosity."

This site is an easy read, profiling the the book lists of 15 (of more than 800) professors from the College of Letters & Science. My favorite, George Brimhall, who teaches EPS 170 (L&S 170AC) Crossroads of Earth Resources and Society isn't here, but you can meet him via the podcasts of the course. You'll see why I think he is the coolest professor around. Can't wait to listen to his Fall 2008 lectures.

Alex Filippenko, professor, Astronomy and Walter Alvarez, professor, Geology are here with their lists of books. You'll remember Professor Filippenko from our post on Introduction to General Astronomy.

Just a nice break to see what these academics consider a good read.

Introduction to General Astronomy

2008-08-03T15:05:00.005-07:00

Alex Filippenko says that his class, Astro C10 / LS C70U Introduction to General Astronomy, is a description of the entire cosmos. He also says that this is one of the golden ages of astronomy because there are so many discoveries being made.

This is an excellent overview of the universe and introduction to Astronomy.

This course has video podcasts, as well as mp3's. Each video presents excellent slides in addition to the instructor's powerful lecture. This is one case where you can say, "He knows his astronomy so thoroughly that he wrote the book." Literally, he is the co-author, with Jay M. Pasachoff, of the textbook used in this course, The Cosmos: Astronomy in the New Millennium.

The companion website to this book provides some additional study materials, plus a link out to Jay Pasachoff's Astronomy 101 The Cosmos course at Williams College. I just discovered this additional resource while preparing for this post, so I have not yet looked at any of these videos. This will be interesting to see the difference in the presentations of these two professors. Let's rethink this--after further review, it appears both of them may be doing these lectures. I'll update this post after I have time to explore these lectures.

So far, I have not found a course website for either of these.

Looking Forward to Fall

2008-08-01T09:31:00.004-07:00

While doing the dinosaur post yesterday, I discovered that the course had already been updated for Fall 2008. It's always so much fun to see what the new semester will bring from our favorite professors.

Hopefully, this fall will also bring more new courses to the podcast world. I am especially looking forward to the Fall 2008 update to UC Berkeley Webcasts. For the last week, I have been checking every day. The shell is usually up early, with the names of the courses that will be podcast during the new semester. For the last few years, more courses have been added each semester, so I am hoping that will be the case this fall.

I know that I sometimes (often) repeat myself about how fortunate we are to have access to ever-increasing resources on the Internet. But, it is true and I know that we lifelong learners do appreciate the opportunities that we have.

If you want to share your favorite resources, please post a comment.

Dinosaurs at Dixie State College of Utah

2008-07-31T16:03:00.004-07:00

Thinking about dinosaurs? Take a look at Dr. Jerry D. Harris' course, Geology 1040 - Introduction to Dinosaurs. It's been updated already for Fall 2008.

Looks like some very solid material contained in 23 lectures, downloadable in pdf or PowerPoint format. Note that the ppt files will need to be saved as read-only to download.

Hope this be be a good addition to geology and dinosaur resources.

Writing to Learn

2008-07-30T11:12:00.003-07:00

William K. Zinsser's book, Writing to Learn, is one of my favorites. Of course, you probably already know that I have many favorite books. But, really this is an exceptional book.

It offers a lot of food for thought for the lifelong learner. We are always looks for ways to reinforce our learning or measure what we have acquired from a given resource. His suggestions on writing to learn are very applicable to our needs.

And on top of that, he is just plain fun to read. And you immediately sense his admiration for writers across many subject areas, like science and math.

Just a bit about his background--He started out at the New York Herald Tribune, he's taught at Yale, and at the New School, in New York and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

I just wish he would do an updated, expanded version. I was sorry when I finished this book and have re-read it many times.

Americans and the Global Forest at UC Berkeley

2008-07-28T12:17:00.005-07:00

Professor Lynn Huntsinger has an impressive amount of material on the website for her course at Berkeley, ESPM C11: Americans and the Global Forest. She says that the "course explores different ways of thinking about forests and our relationship to them." It does indeed do that. I especially like that she uses Simon Schama's Landscape and Memory. Now, if I can only pull out of storage, that one box holding this book captive.

There are notes available for 15 lectures. A few of the pdf's are password protected, but most of them are not. These pdf's are lecture slides and readings. Even with the few files that are unavailable to us, this is an excellent addition to the lifelong learner's resources for environmental history.

Biology at Clermont College

2008-07-27T16:04:00.003-07:00

The University of Cincinnati, Clermont College, Biology Home Page is the portal to biology courses. By selecting "Courses" you will have access to numerous biology courses, for both biology majors and non-majors.

Each course offers a wealth of resources. For those lifelong learners who want podcasts of course lectures, this may be a disappointment, but the courses offered here give an enormous amount of information online. Note there are also links to The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library.

These should prove to be good additions to our biology resources.

History of Science at University of Delaware

2008-07-26T15:30:00.004-07:00

Lifelong learners who are looking for history of science resources should add this website to their learning toolbox. It is at the University of Delaware Library, under Subject Guides, Internet Resources for History of Science and Technology.

There are so many Internet resources here that I won't even try to give an overview. Go have a look. It should keep us all busy for awhile. Enjoy!

Earth Portal Features Rachel Carson

2008-07-25T11:20:00.006-07:00

Here's a most interesting topic of the week over on the Earth Portal. This week the topic is Environment in Focus: Rachel Carson's environmental ethics.

The author is Philip Cafaro, assistant professor in philosophy at Colorado State University. I haven't yet checked to see if any of his courses have websites.

As is always the case on Earth Portal, this article is more like a crash course, profiling Rachael Carson and her work. Throughout the very long piece there are link-outs to other supporting information and a long list of additional reading suggestions, related news links and external links to sites about Rachel Carson.

This is an extremely useful paper for any lifelong learner studying the environmental movement. In addition, this site is a valuable addition to our learning toolbox. In our next post we'll talk about the Earth Portal.

Introduction to Archaeology at UCSB

2008-07-24T14:59:00.006-07:00

Here's another archaeology course you'll want to check out, Anthropolgy 3 Introduction to Archaeology at UC Santa Barbara. Lots of great content in the Study Guide. Assignments are laid out for you and two essay exams that you can use. Take a look at the Writing Guide.

One tip that might be helpful--as of this writing, I had a problem getting to the instructor's homepage, which has more interesting information. Dr. Stuart Tyson Smith's homepage is here.

Don't miss the "Hollywood" page. Looks like Dr. Smith was involved in the Mummy movies and Stargate.

Introduction to Archaeology MATRIX Course

2008-07-23T16:48:00.004-07:00

Matrix at Indiana University offers some really cool archaeology resources. This course, Introduction to Archaeology, by Dr. Nancy White is excellent. MATRIX is a website for archaeology instructors.

Dr. White provides 17 detailed lecture modules, 16 exercises, 6 tests and assessments, syllabus and an extensive bibliography.

This should be a great addition to your lifelong learner's course list.

Voice of the Shuttle at UC Santa Barbara

2008-07-22T11:20:00.003-07:00

Are you searching for resources in the humanities? The Voice of the Shuttle at UCSB has been reworked (actually is still in the process of being updated, so you might encounter a few glitches) and promises to be one of the most comprehensive websites for humanities research.

Take a look and see what you think.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory Blog

2008-07-21T19:49:00.005-07:00

JPL Blog--this is going to be so good. Only two posts so far, but this one already looks like a winner.

July 14, 2008Here We Are … at Saturn - by Bob Pappalardo (project scientist for the Cassini Equinox Mission to Saturn.) Update on what's going on four years after the Cassini spacecraft entered orbit around Saturn.

July 17, 2008--Water Ice and Soil Samples on Mars - by Deborah Bass (deputy project scientist for the Phoenix mission to Mars, part of the science team studying findings from the lander.) Lots of behind the scenes insight.

I already have this on my home page. Thanks JPL. We are going to look forward to every one of these posts.

Gems at UC Berkeley

2008-07-19T11:13:00.006-07:00

Are you interested in gemology, but don't have a strong background in science? Then, according to Professor Jill Banfield, this introductory earth science course at UC Berkeley should give you what you need.

The EPS 2 Gems and Gem Minerals course website provides all the basics that you need online. There is no required textbook, however Gemology by Hurlbut and Kammerling is recommended for additional information.

Just click on the "students arrow" and dive right in. There are six modules, with extensive materials in each. Starting with "What is a gem?" each section is loaded with information, beautiful illustrations and movie clips to show how things work.

Lifelong learners wanting to find out about gems will definitely benefit from this course. The only negative about this online course, if there is one, is no audio or video of the lectures. We are very quickly becoming spoiled with the so many available resources.

U.S. History at the University of Minnesota Part II

2008-07-18T10:56:00.001-07:00

Today, as promised, we'll highlight History 1302W United States from 1865 to the Present, a U.S. history course at the University of Minnesota. This course website is not as impressive as the one for History 1301 U.S. History to 1865. However, it does give a nice outline for studying the period. Lecture outlines are just that, short outlines. There are no online readings as there are for History 1301, but you will find a nice (active) links page. The assignments will prove to be a good addition to a lifelong learner's collection of material for the study of U.S. history.

All in all, this site offers some good supplemental materials if you're designing your own course of study.

U.S. History at the University of Minnesota

2008-07-17T10:27:00.004-07:00

Want a writing intensive U.S. History course? Then, take a look at History 1301 U.S. History to 1865. In the syllabus, it is described as an innovative survey course that uses the themes of “authority” and “rebellion” to explore American history from the early colonial period through the Civil War. The lectures and discussion sections are organized around seven significant topics that offer different viewpoints into the contests over authority in American history:

Encountering the “Other” in early America
Religion and the Social Order
Making a Revolution
Framing a New World Order
Expansion and Exclusion
Slavery and Social Reform
War and Memory

You will find detailed writing assignments and links to many of the primary documents referenced. Also available are 21 PowerPoint lecture presentations.

Tomorrow we will look at History 1302W United States from 1865 to the Present.

Human Impacts on Ecosystems

2008-07-16T06:48:00.003-07:00

Are you looking for a course that will give you an overview of the impact humans are having on the earth's ecosystems? Check out this Oregon State University Winter 2008 course, BI 301 Human Impacts on Ecosystems. Dr Patricia Muir makes available extensive resources, good solid information, on the course website. She describes the course, "... we will examine selected human impacts on ecosystems in depth, including management of agricultural and forest resources, altered air quality, and changes in global climate. The causes, approaches to investigating, and potential solutions for each issue will be discussed from scientific and social perspectives. For each environmental problem, we examine how human activities are transmitted through linkages among air, land, water, and the biota."

In addition to lecture notes, there are also study guides and supplementary readings for each unit of the course:

Human population
Agricultural issues
Air quality issues
Global climate change
Stratospheric ozone depletion
Biodiversity and forestry issues

The website is still being updated for fall, but it appears all links are live.

Free Lectures--New York 1900

2008-07-15T11:04:00.006-07:00

Think lifelong learning is a new concept? Here's an article from the New York Times, October 20, 1900, Saturday Review of Books and Art, that might interest you. It's titled, FREE LECTURES., Courses in History, Literature, Art, and Science Under the Board of Education.

"The popularity of the free lectures to the people given under the auspices of the Department of Education of this city was long ago demonstrated. Begun as they were experimentally as long ago as 1888, when the lectures were given in only six places, they have been gradually extended until last year the lecture centres numbered fifty-one, and the attendance reached the enormous total of 533,084. There are many persons to whom knowledge comes by means of these free lectures who could not have it otherwise. They are "the other half," the common people, the workers, who toil early and late, and who could not study if they would, since they lack the needful books, the time, and the energy. And yet they are anxious to gain knowledge. They love art, and often appreciate it in its higher forms more than we suspect. The Social Settlement and the University Extension movements have been surprising in the revelations that have spring from them. The lecturer sows the seeds of knowledge so easily and by means of his lantern slides makes his subject so luminous that those in his audience learn almost in spite of themselves, and if they forget the words of the lecturer they do not forget the pictures thrown upon the screen. Lacking the school and the college, therefore, the lecture hall supplies the deficit, and a little learning, instead of being a dangerous thing, is found rather to be a stimulation to add to the small stock that has been gleaned with most beneficial results.

The present lecture season, which began on Oct. 1 is the thirteenth undertaken by the Department of Education of the School Board for the Boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. As a result of twelve years of experience the lectures given are arranged in two great classes, viz.; those which are elementary in their character, and whose purpose, generally speaking, is to give information in a pleasing way, and thus to form an antidote to the lurking snares and temptations of a great city. and those whose object is to follow a prearranged and definite line of study.

The themes generally considered last year having proved quite satisfactory in secured results will be continued this year. Travel, geography, history, literature, music, physics and electricity, natural science, and art appear in the bulletins just issued as lecture topics, preference being given to these subjects in the order of enumeration. Astronomy, first aid to the injured, education topics the human body, and New York City also appear less prominently and less numerously as lecture motifs.

Dr. Henry M. Leipziger, the supervisor of lectures, will make an effort this year to introduce scientific lectures, in which experiments and demonstrations with apparatus shall be made a feature. The use of the "Platform Library" will be continued, and a larger number of books bearing upon the lecture themes will, it is hoped, be made available for reference and circulation. When a condition of idealism is reached every school will not only have an adequate library, but also an auditorium for lectures and class meetings."

You can finish reading the article which gives a list of the locations of the first quarter lectures and the a partial list of lecture topics.

Yes, the writer appears to consider himself a bit above "the other half" for whom these lectures are intended. But, isn't it amazing that over 500,000 learners attended these lectures during the one season, 1989-1900? The desire to learn seems to be embedded in our DNA. Wouldn't you love to be able to attend one of those lectures? What a scene!

Galileo Project

2008-07-14T13:09:00.007-07:00

Portrait of Galileo

Justus Sustermans circa 1639

This is what Connexions says of its approach, "Connexions is an environment for collaboratively developing, freely sharing, and rapidly publishing scholarly content on the Web. Our Content Commons contains educational materials for everyone — from children to college students to professionals — organized in small modules that are easily connected into larger collections or courses. All content is free to use and reuse under the Creative Commons 'attribution' license."

Here's just one course, the Galileo Project by Albert Van Heldon at Rice University. He and his students have been working on the Galileo Project for many years. He presents several in-dept modules, including Introduction to Galileo, his family, his science, instruments, theories and observations.

An excellent overview for independent scholars interested in the history of science.

Geography of World Affairs at BYU

2008-07-13T10:29:00.005-07:00

If you're looking for some resources to supplement your study of geography, check out Geography 120 Geography of World Affairs at BYU. This course uses Rowntree et al 2006. Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development, 3rd Edition, one of my personal favorites. Dr. Brandon Plewe also recommends Goode's World Atlas, which is a must-have for every lifelong learner's toolbox. You'll also find a link to the Prentice Hall companion textbook which you will find to be another great resource.

The essay assignment is excellent, with detailed instructions. It is sometimes hard to come up with one's own assignments, so Dr. Plewe has laid out all the requirements for this one.

You'll really enjoy the slide presentations, however, some of the topics don't have slides, which is a disappointment, especially after viewing the ones that are available.

Note: Amazon.com sometimes has excellent prices on this textbook and the atlas. If you can find them at an affordable price, they will give you many hours of excellent study time.

One World Journey: The Sonoran Desert

2008-07-12T12:57:00.005-07:00

Just can't get enough of the American Southwest? Want to learn a bit more about the Sonoran Desert on the U.S.-Mexico border? Then, here's a website for you.

The Sonoran Desert: 5000 Square Miles of Silence enables you to join a One World Journey team as they travel the historic El Camino del Diablo to explore the history and environment of the Sonoran Desert and efforts to preserve it.

Here you will find gorgeous photography, audio expedition journals, essays and a timeline of human interaction with the desert.

This is one resource that is well worth your time to explore.

Clovis to Coronado at University of Arizona

2008-07-11T12:46:00.004-07:00

Want to learn about the prehistory of the southwest United States? Here's an excellent course for you. ANTH205 Clovis to Coronado: Prehistoric Peoples of the Southwest, taught by Dr. J. Jefferson Reid, gives access to the syllabus and 24 lectures (notes and links). Some of the readings are not available (password protected), but several are, so be sure to check each one.

You'll also find several links at the bottom of the last page of each lecture.

The Archaeology of Ancient Arizona and Grasshopper Pueblo, A Story of Archaeology and Ancient Life by Jefferson Reid and Stephanie Whittlesey are the texts used.

This is an exceptional class.

History of Life at College of Wooster

2008-07-10T14:22:00.003-07:00

Here's another course for the geologically inclined lifelong learners among us. Mark A. Wilson teaches Geology 100 History of Life. The website currently loaded for the Spring 2008 course. You'll find extensive resources for each class session, including Preparation Questions (excellent) and thoughtfully chosen links. As of this posting, all links are active.

Wicander, R. and J.S. Monroe. 2006, Historical Geology: Evolution of Earth and Life Through Time, (Fifth Edition) Thomson, Brooks/Cole is the recommended text. Obviously, this one is going to be expensive, but you can usually find an older edition at Amazon.com priced very reasonably. There is also a link out to the textbook companion website.

This one is going to take some time. You'll find several very interesting trails to follow from each class session. Enjoy!

Lifelong Learners Meet the Philosophers

2008-07-09T13:49:00.006-07:00

Would you like to have an overview of philosophy? Want to know who is considered a great philosopher? Are you looking to understand some of the terms associated with philosophy?

If the answer to those three questions is yes, then The Great Philosophers: From Socrates to Foucault by Jeremy Stangroom and James Garvey should work very nicely for you. It is currently available at Barnes & Noble stores, as a special price book, for $7.98.

From the back cover, "Philosophy's long walk continues, and you will find here the thoughts which make its contemporary form what it is, and perhaps what it is on the way to becoming. Philosophy is very much still under way and The Great Philosophers pays regard to both the discipline as it is practised now, and to the history which made contemporary philosophy possible."

It's a good addition to the lifelong learner's library. If you're looking for an introduction to philosophy, this just enough information, but not too much.

The Victorians Are Here!

2008-07-07T19:42:00.006-07:00

The Young Queen Victoria

Franz Xavier Winterhalter 1842

Queen Victoria reigned longer than any other British monarch, from June 20, 1837 until her death on January 22, 1902. This period is known simply as the Victorian era.

For those lifelong learners interested in this period in British history, this course at Lewis & Clark College is a gold mine of information. For his research seminar, Hist 450 The Victorians, Assistant Professor of History, David Campion, has done an enormous amount of work. He says, "The goal of this seminar is the development of a substantial and original research paper addressing one aspect of the British experience in India."

He gives you all the resources you need to be able to fulfill that goal, if you choose to do so. But, regardless of whether you write that research paper or just use the information he provides on this website for your study of Bristish history, you'll certainly come away with a much better understanding of the Victorian Era.

It's a Blogging World

2008-07-06T13:02:00.008-07:00

This morning in Flagstaff, Arizona, it rained. Rain may not be a big deal in your part of the world, but here it is cause for celebration. Since it stopped snowing, precipitation as been practically non-existent. So, when it started raining, I grabbed the camera and headed to the deck. I only got three photos before the blowing rain stopped my little adventure.

Why, you ask am I telling this story on a blog about lifelong learning? It's all about what I did with those photographs, using the tools independent learners have at their finger tips.

First of all, I don't have a really expensive camera, just my trusty little Olympus. It did come with a USB cable so that I can just connect the camera to my computer and immediately upload my pics.

And that's just what I did this morning. Then, I logged on and opened a new post on The Coconino Chronicles, my blog about Flagstaff and Northern Arizona. Within that post I was able to click an icon and upload those three pictures. I wrote some suitable comments about the rain and added an apology for my "rain celebration" to the local farmer's market and gave them a little nod with a link to their website. Within minutes, I published that post. Instantaneously, it was available around the world.

Of course, when I finished I just had to go find my partner in lifelong learning and wax eloquent about the amazing resources we have access to. That led to bemoaning the fact that I couldn't come up with an idea of where I might submit an article about the opportunities blogging opens up to us. The response immediately was, "Why aren't you writing a post for The Everyday Scholar? That's the best place to publish it." That was truly a "what was I thinking" moment. So here I am, within minutes, posting this article.

If you don't already have a blog, I strongly encourage you to give it a try. You have a choice of many free or almost free blog hosts. I have only used Google Blogger and I love it. But, I know a lot of bloggers who prefer TypePad or WordPress. No matter which one you choose, just jump in and start your blog.

For me, a journal for a lifelong learning project is just the perfect use of a blog, whether you choose to make it public or not. When you try it you'll understand. It allows you to hone your writing skills, to follow your creative urges and to keep a record of what you are learning. We definitely will revisit this subject later. Another great addition to the learning toolbox.

Natural Science From the Inside Out

2008-07-05T09:04:00.005-07:00

If you're interested in natural science, and what lifelong learner isn't these days, then the USGS CoreCast is just waiting for you. As of today, you have access to 52 podcasts, starting with episode 1, Hurricanes and Extreme Storms, August 2007 and up to Episode 52, Tribal Canoe Journey to Help Restore Salish Sea Resources, July 2, 2008. And in between you can learn about droughts, floods, wildfires, sinkholes, monthly hazard roundups, big oil in North Dakota and Montana, plus five episodes on Earth Science Week. This just a partial list, so you'll have to go take a look for yourself.

It's difficult to single out one or two episodes to highlight, but try these two. Of particular note are episodes 15 and 37. Episode 15, Who Do We Think We Are?, covers an overview of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Episode 37, Science as it Happens--Glen Canyon Dam High Flow Experiment offers video, audio only, a slideshow, as well as a transcript and related links.

The podcasts range from approximately 3 to 20 minutes in length. Transcripts of all episodes are available. Don't miss the links for additional information. You have to scroll all the way to the bottom of each transcript page to find the list of links for that podcast.

This is just one resource made available by the USGS. We'll discuss more of their contributions to our learning toolbox in coming posts. Enjoy!

Independence Revisited at the Library of Congress

2008-07-03T16:07:00.005-07:00

Happy 4th of July!

Chicago World's Fair Fireworks
Gottscho-Schleisner 1939 or 1940

What do lifelong learners do to celebrate the Fourth of July? Of course, they head over to the Library of Congress American Memory project to see what's now available about the Declaration of Independence (click on 1700-1799) and the people who wrote it. For example, you'll find the Thomas Jefferson Papers at the Library of Congress.

Be sure and check out the Collection Connections. Just too many resources available to list. There is one link to Declaring Independence: Drafting the Documents that you'll definitely want to look at. The objects in the exhibition page is also a must see.

The Library of Congress is continually adding to its online resources. So, look around while you're there.

Fossils in Oregon

2008-07-02T10:53:00.010-07:00

Want to take a break and enjoy a feast for the eyes? Then head over to John Day Fossil Beds at the National Park Service. This virtual tour is one of the best I have ever seen. I suggest starting with the slideshow. The colors and textures of the rock formations will take your breath away.

Painted Hills
John Day Fossil Bed National Monument
National Park Service Photo

The NPS has really kicked its park websites up several notches. The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument site is definitely an example of that. In addition to the five pieces of the virtual tour, you'll be able to see two more beautiful and informative slideshows. You can also get an overview of the history and culture of the area. Under Natural Features & Ecosystems, you'll find surprisingly in-depth materials, including a link to browse images in the park collections. There are also lots of teacher resources and educational materials. The maps are also worth taking a look at.

Hope you independent scholars enjoy that virtual tour as much as I did. I'm going to check out some more of the NPS park sites to see what other pages may have been upgraded since I last visited them.

Microsoft Live Search Images

2008-07-01T16:56:00.003-07:00

Where have I been hanging out? That's what you'll ask when I tell you that I just discovered Live Search Images. Just thought I'd share my find, in case you've in the dark like I have.

Anyway, when I searched on books, it came back with "1-12 of 188,000,000" images. Is that possible? I didn't try to follow all the way to the last one, since if that is true, I don't have long enough to get there in my life time.

It does look like a great way to search for images and video and more. Now if I can just learn to refine my searches so I just get copy-free images, which I haven't been able to do in Google. Lifelong learners can always use more pics and videos.

Open Yale Courses

2008-06-29T15:32:00.004-07:00

So many resources, so little time. This is one of those weekends when I am just overwhelmed with the sheer quantity and quality of the resources that lifelong learners have available on the Internet.

It's hard to know what to share today. I guess it has to be Yale University. What this site, Open Yale courses, lacks in number of courses, it makes up for in resources for each course. You can take a look a very diverse line-up, from astronomy to poetry.

ENGL 310 - Modern Poetry with Professor Langdon Hammer looks very interesting, as does PLSC 114 - Introduction to Political Philosophy with Professor Steven B. Smith.

You can choose from audio or video lectures and quite a bit of supporting material for each course.

It's getting ever more difficult to be an independent learner. Just choosing what to study can be extremely taxing. What wonderful dilemas we find ourselves facing.

Extremophiles at the NSF

2008-06-28T13:47:00.006-07:00

The Special Report X-treme Microbes at the National Science Foundation presents a compact overview of radiation-eating and amazing survivors extremophiles. At first you think it's just a simplistic little program, but look further and be sure to "click" on everything available or you'll miss some great information.

Available for download are pdf's and a most interesting video. The related resources pages add other dimensions to the report in case you want to learn more. A text only version is available by clicking the button in the left lower corner.

Of course, you know how we independent learners are, never satisfied, can't have enough resources. So, guess what? I can't wait to see what else NSF has to offer.

Nature's Wonders in a Grocery Cart

2008-06-28T11:23:00.005-07:00

Buying study materials in the food market is not standard operating procedure for me. But there I was, standing in line to check out. I had all the groceries out of the cart and a good two minutes to spare. So what to do? Browse the magazine displays of course. Guess what I found right between the weekly tabloids and the The Next Big Diet? A beautiful addition to my independent learning resources.

It's like the planet in a nutshell. Time, Inc. has done it again. Portrait of the Planet: TIME Nature's Wonders, The science and splendor of Earth's most fascinating places is 121 pages of amazing photos and concise explanations. It's the earth from a different point of view.

Divided into five sections, atmosphere, hydrosphere, pedosphere, cryosphere and geosphere, it's a quick read, but you won't be able to get the photographs out of your mind. The one of the San Andreas Fault in San Luis Obispo County, CA is unlike any I have seen. I can't decide on what else to share, they're all amazing, so you'll just have to see for yourself.

You really should buy this one for your learning toolbox. At this point, I'm not sure where to direct you, although I think that bookstores like Barnes and Noble will have it on their magazine rack. You might want to check out your local supermarket first!

Update: It's also available at Wal-Mart!

Thank You Google

2008-06-21T16:19:00.005-07:00

This addition to our learning toolbox may seem obvious to all you lifelong learners. No drum roll of expectation here. However, Google Books has to be at the top of the list when you're ready to do research on the Internet.

I was reminded again today just how many nineteenth century volumes with full view are now available on Google Books. My favorite discoveries are little unexpected snippets of history that show up almost every time I do a search in Google Books.

For instance, I've been doing research on both the Lowell Institute (started because in the Lowell Observatory library there is a display that mentions Lowell Institute) and Amelia Blanford Edwards (started because I wanted to confirm when this monumental figure in Egyptology started her first American lectures.) I certainly didn't expect the two to be mentioned in the same sentence. But here it is, "The efforts made to secure a place for Miss Amelia B. Edwards as one of the lecturers before the Lowell Institute in Boston have been unsuccessful. No woman has ever yet delivered a Lowell course. The coming of Miss Edwards to America is anticipated with much interest." This popped up in on page 128 of The Literary World, Boston, April 13, 1889.

When one would normally read something to the effect that Amelia Edwards gave her first series of lectures in the United States in 1889, little jewels like this add a backdrop, a sense of what the atmosphere actually was at the time. I guess it could be called "timely local flavor."

As you can tell, it doesn't take many words to make this everyday scholar happy. I hope you enjoy Google Books as much as I do.

What Smart Students Know

2008-06-19T15:52:00.000-07:00

Lifelong learners seem to never get enough of ways to learn. What Smart Students Know, by Adam Robinson, is written for high school and college students, but has dozens of very effective strategies for studying and learning that you will use everyday. It's one of those books that makes readers wish for a sequel. And on top of that, this paperback is so reasonably priced.

Robinson says, "Forget passively accepting what the education system has to offer: being a smart student means taking charge and teaching yourself. Becoming a smart student means taking responsibility for your education. The central message of this entire book can be summed up in a sentence: No school can teach you the way you learn best, so how much you learn and how well you do is up to you."

By this, he is not advocating that high school and college students drop school and embark on self-education. He details strategies for actually learning in school, not just showing up and filling a seat.

That's a bit off the point of this post, because what I want to say is that What Smart Students Know is filled with learning tips that lifelong learners can immediately put into practice. You will be so glad that you found this book. One extremely helpful stategy that this book details is the way to tackle each type of subject differently, for instance you don't approach geology the same way you do literature or history. You will learn how to ask expert questions. Ever grappled with trying to put into words what you have just spent hours, days or weeks learning? Robinson will show you how you can rearrange and put information into your own words so you can "own it." You'll have to discover for yourself just how great this book is.

A nod is given to independent scholars under the heading: Who Should Read This Book? "... It's for adults who want to take up a new subject and teach themselves."

It really is a jewel. Who doesn't want to find ways to learn faster, easier and better? After all, there is not enough time during our whole lives to learn all we want to learn. Every time I go back over this book, I learn something I missed in all the other readings. I never get tired of it. And I do wish for What Smart Students Know II. Hope it becomes an old friend in your learning toolbox.

Ron Schott's GSCI 100 - Intro Geology

2008-06-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

Here's another "not to be missed" course if you are a lifelong learner interested in geology. I think you like Ron Schott's point of view. Dr. Schott is Assistant Professor of Geology at Fort Hays State University.

His course, GSCI 100 - Intro Geology, makes available a syllabus and lecture schedule. The schedule is the jumping off point to access:

A detailed outline for each class, with links to websites, books available at Amazon and many of his own photos that illustrate the topic at hand.
Homework
Study guides for exams so that you can understand what he expects you to learn even though you don't have access to the exams themselves.
Podcasts, actually two for each class session because he teaches two sections.

He offers a goldmine of material through 45 lectures and all associated materials. I hope you appreciate Ron's willingness to share this course. Kudos to him for a superb learning resource.

The Independent Scholar's Handbook

2008-06-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

Are you a big fan of Ron Gross? His Peak Learning is still my all-time favorite book on lifelong learning. I think the first edition is best, maybe it's the feel of the paper. The revised edition is printed on a much rougher textured paper. There seems to be no accounting for what draws us to certain books.

Did you know that you can now download a pdf of The Independent Scholar's Handbook? It's available on the website for the Canadian Academy of Independent Scholars, based at Simon Fraser University Continuing Studies, Vancouver, B.C. Go to the download page for the Digital re-issue of The Independent Scholar's Handbook.

On this page you'll also find the foreword to the digital edition. Among other things, he says, "They share my hope that the information in these pages may give fresh heart, hope, and help to all who pursue knowledge and understanding in whatever field."

And success to all lifelong learners everywhere!

Internet's Next Big Thing

2008-06-08T14:14:00.000-07:00

Last week Associated Content put out what it called "the ultimate call for content" to celebrate Internet Week New York. They wanted articles related to the Internet and what will be the one really big thing on the Internet during the coming year.

My contribution is The Internet is a Place for Education ( two sentences are left off of the introduction. It should read, "Education is flourishing on the Internet, claiming its rightful place along side news, commerce, social networking, and recreation. So, what’s next?")

I decided to participate because I believe that the very best use of the Internet is for education. Since more and more learning resources are being made available online, I think that education is going to be the next big thing on the Internet. Of course the piece of that next big thing that most interests me in independent learning. It is truly and exciting time to be a lifelong learner.

Astrobiology Course at Berkeley

2008-06-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

Something else from Berkeley. Integrative Biology 167, Fall 2004, Astrobiology: The Scientific Search for Life in the Universe. No podcasts as far as I can tell, but this is a course website with the syllabus, lecture pdf's, readings and some excellent links (a few of the links are broken, but for the most part they are active and lead to lots of information.)

Sometimes older course lectures are a bit, well old, but I think you'll find these lecture slides extremely helpful if you're looking for astrobiology study resources.

Also, check out the book companion website, Life in the Universe by Bennett, Shostak, Jakosky.

UC Berkeley Course Podcasts

2008-06-05T09:11:00.000-07:00

Want to study at Berkeley? Think that it's out of reach? Well, think again. Go here to see just how many courses you "take" using either audio or video podcast. Some courses are also available on iTunes U or YouTube.

From the Spring 2008 list, you can choose courses ranging from Introduction to Archaeology to Globalization to Introduction to Practical Reasoning and Critical Analysis of Argument. How's that for a range of subjects?

My personal favorite is Geog 130 Natural Resources and Population. Professor Sayre is a great! And you really must check out the Fall 2007 course, EPS 170 Crossroads of Earth Resources and Society. George Brimhall is the coolest Prof. This course has a website with lecture pdf's available, plus lots of other interesting course information.

Please note that some of the older courses are going to be archived and will not be available on this site, but I'm not sure what the time frame is.

Have fun! Just be aware that you're going to face a problem here. It's extremely difficult to decide what course to tackle first. This is as good as it gets, if you are not looking to get credit for courses.

EarthPortal

2008-05-31T10:10:00.000-07:00

Just discovered Earth Portal which describes itself as "a comprehensive resource for timely, objective, science-based information about the environment." This website is chock full of articles about the environment of the earth.

It is actually three sites in one, The Encyclopedia of Earth, EarthForum and EarthNews. For anyone interested in pursuing this vital area of study, this would make a perfect starting place for your learning project.

One can only image how long it would take to completely explore this site. If you go to the Encyclopedia of Earth and click on Topics, you will find extensive articles on all things environmental. Reminds me of Wikipedia, with a focus on the earth.

Isn't it incredible that so many authoritative resources are becoming available to everyday scholars?