With Labor Day behind us, it’s offiÂcialÂly time to head back to school. That applies not just to kids, but to you. No matÂter what your age, no matÂter where you live, no matÂter what your priÂor levÂel of eduÂcaÂtion, you can conÂtinÂue deepÂenÂing your knowlÂedge in areas old and new. And it has nevÂer been easÂiÂer. All you need is a comÂputÂer or smart phone, an interÂnet conÂnecÂtion, some free time, and our free eduÂcaÂtionÂal media colÂlecÂtions. They’re availÂable 24/7 and conÂstantÂly updatÂed:
Free Online CoursÂes: Right now, you can downÂload free coursÂes (some in video, some in audio) creÂatÂed by some of the world’s leadÂing uniÂverÂsiÂties — StanÂford, Oxford, Yale, HarÂvard, UC BerkeÂley, MIT and othÂers. The coursÂes covÂer pretÂty much every subÂject — from phiÂlosÂoÂphy, litÂerÂaÂture and hisÂtoÂry, to physics, comÂputÂer sciÂence, engiÂneerÂing and psyÂcholÂoÂgy. The colÂlecÂtion feaÂtures about 400 coursÂes in total. And while you can’t take these coursÂes for credÂit, the amount of perÂsonÂal enrichÂment offered by these lecÂtures is endÂless.
Free TextÂbooks: AnothÂer tool for the lifeÂlong learnÂer. This colÂlecÂtion brings togethÂer roughÂly 150 free textÂbooks authored by proÂfesÂsors (and some high school teachÂers) across the globe. The colÂlecÂtion will parÂticÂuÂlarÂly benÂeÂfit those interÂestÂed in deepÂenÂing their knowlÂedge in ecoÂnomÂics, comÂputÂer sciÂence, mathÂeÂmatÂics, physics and biolÂoÂgy.
Free LanÂguage Lessons: Ours is an increasÂingÂly globÂalÂized world, and it cerÂtainÂly pays to know more than one lanÂguage. With the free audio lessons listÂed here, you can learn the basics of SpanÂish, French and ItalÂian (the lanÂguages traÂdiÂtionÂalÂly taught in AmerÂiÂcan schools). Or you can start bonÂing up on ManÂdarin, BrazilÂian PorÂtuguese and othÂer lanÂguages spoÂken by the new world powÂers. TakÂen togethÂer, you can Learn 40 LanÂguages for Free.
Free Audio Books: This free colÂlecÂtion gives you the abilÂiÂty to downÂload audio verÂsions of imporÂtant litÂerÂary works. DurÂing your downÂtime, you can lisÂten to short stoÂries by Isaac AsiÂmov, RayÂmond CarvÂer, Jorge Luis Borges, and Philip K. Dick. Or you can setÂtle into longer works by Jane Austen, F. Scott FitzgerÂald, Friedrich NietÂzsche and James Joyce.
Free eBooks: Once again, it’s free litÂerÂary works. But this time you can downÂload e‑texts to your comÂputÂer or digÂiÂtal readÂer. Franz KafÂka, George Orwell, Gertrude Stein, Edgar Allan Poe, MarÂcel Proust and Kurt VonÂnegut. They’re all on the list. And so too are The HarÂvard ClasÂsics, a 51 volÂume series of endurÂing works.
Great SciÂence Videos: This list pulls togethÂer some of our favorite sciÂence videos on the web. It feaÂtures about 125 videos, covÂerÂing astronÂoÂmy & space travÂel, physics, psyÂcholÂoÂgy and neuÂroÂscience, reliÂgion, techÂnolÂoÂgy and beyond.
IntelÂliÂgent YouTube Sites: Have you ever wantÂed to sepÂaÂrate the wheat from the chaff on YouTube? This list will give you a start. It feaÂtures over 100 YouTube chanÂnels that delivÂer high qualÂiÂty eduÂcaÂtionÂal conÂtent. Along simÂiÂlar lines, you may want to visÂit our colÂlecÂtion of IntelÂliÂgent Video Sites. Same conÂcept but applied to sites on the web.
CulÂturÂal Icons: If you’ve ever wantÂed to see great thinkers, artists and writÂers speakÂing on video in their own words, this list is for you. It has Borges and Bowie, Coltrane and CopÂpoÂla, Ayn Rand and Noam ChomÂsky, TolÂstoy and Thomas EdiÂson, among othÂers. 275 culÂturÂal icons in total.
Free Movies Online: What betÂter way to get a culÂturÂal eduÂcaÂtion than to watch some free cinÂeÂmatÂic masÂterÂpieces, includÂing 15 films with CharÂlie ChapÂlin, 22 earÂly films by Alfred HitchÂcock, 25 WestÂerns with John Wayne, and a numÂber of SoviÂet clasÂsics by Andrei Tarkovsky. The list of 400+ films goes on. And so does your culÂturÂal eduÂcaÂtion.…
Get more culÂturÂal nuggets daiÂly by folÂlowÂing us on FaceÂbook and TwitÂter.
nice post. keep up the good work. i’ve been through much of this, havÂing folÂlowed open culÂture for a while, but it’s good to conÂsolÂiÂdate from time to time. i will link to this and send peoÂple here. cheers!
Wow! @brain pickÂer just gave a link to your site & I am GrateÂful! Hope to start soon!