PhysicalGeography.net

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.

Anthropology at Palomar College

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.

Land Use History of North America at USGS

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.

History of Science at University of Delaware

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!

Voice of the Shuttle at UC Santa Barbara

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

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.

Geography of World Affairs at BYU

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.

It's a Blogging World

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

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!

Microsoft Live Search Images

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.

Nature's Wonders in a Grocery Cart

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

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

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.