What to watch instead of TV and YouTube this fall
In recent years, the number of online courses has grown steadily. New platforms are appearing, and more and more universities are getting involved in e-learning. That is why some students dive so profoundly into online courses that they have no time for writing assignments. They simply type in the search bar “pay someone to write my paper” and make sure their papers are taken care of. And the courses themselves are becoming more enjoyable, convenient, and accessible, and the design and layout of some of them can beat the best TV programs. Check out Kadenze or FutureLearn: You can watch them instead of watching TV in the morning, during breakfast, or in the evening after work. You watch and get aesthetic pleasure. Two other essential tasks are done in parallel: mastering exciting subjects.
Teachers, in general, are in a free zone: in fact, they get an opportunity to intern at foreign universities, where they can observe the work of their colleagues, compare ways of presenting material, and find inspiration and motivation for self-improvement. The latter is especially important in this field. That is why we always recommend mass online courses at the best online learning platforms to undergraduate and graduate students. Here’s what we’d recommend watching this fall.
World Religions Through Their Scriptures (edX)
Harvard’s World Religions Through Their Scriptures series. Each course promises to deal with how to understand one of the world’s religions in general (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism) and scripture in particular. The main focus is on the historical and social context. The authors will explore the problems of interpreting each of the scriptures through such themes as gender and sexuality, violence and power, and art and science.
China and the Modern World (edX)
Another Harvard series: five courses on Chinese history, China and the Modern World. “I’m willing to fight to the death with anyone who says that ChinaX is not the most dynamic, intelligent, creative, and coolest online course in the universe,” one enthusiastic student writes in a review. Others note that they learned a lot, even though they have studied China at Western universities for a long time.
Graphic Design History (Kadenze)
The professional writers from the best college essay writing service say that Kadenze is an excellent resource for art historians, and graphic design is an integral part of modern civilization. Speaking of education here, we also mention the design and design of electronic courses. MICA teachers aim to talk about the people and processes in design history that have changed not only artistic styles but also ways of communicating. It’s also an excellent opportunity to learn about the Merrill K. Berman collection.
Touring Modernism: From the French avant-garde to American Pop and Beyond (Kadenze)
A course in 200 years of modern art history, from the 1780s to the 1980s: modernism, postmodernism, and beyond. Social and political history will be the backdrop for discussing radical modern artworks. The introductory video features many intriguing exhibits. Here, too, they promise an introduction to a unique collection: course participants will be able to penetrate the rich holdings of the Art Institute of Chicago. It’s worth a try, if only for the sake of it.
Sports and Society (Coursera)
Duke University’s course on big sports and significant societal issues. The course instructor from the Department of Social Anthropology uses the tools of sociology, history, anthropology, and other disciplines to see the games we watch or play in new ways. Week two of the course, for example, looks at sports from globalization, nationalism, and social activism perspectives. And week four looks at women’s sports, homophobia and fitness fashion.
Introduction to Ancient Egypt and Its Civilization (Coursera)
A major advantage of Coursera is the availability of extensive academic courses on entire historical eras. The University of Pennsylvania launched a course on Ancient Egyptian history. The curator of the Egyptian Division of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania is leading it. This museum organized several important expeditions to Egypt and Mesopotamia in the early 20th century. Now, artifacts from its collection will serve as a visual accompaniment to the distance lectures.
Homo Floresiensis Uncovered: The Science of ‘the Hobbit’ (FutureLearn)
The Science of the Hobbit. It’s about the ‘hobbits’ from the island of Flores in Indonesia, whose remains were first found in 2004. These strange people, nicknamed hobbits for their small stature (not more than a meter), had tiny brains and made perfect stone tools. They recently lived less than 20 thousand years ago, when the Neanderthals became extinct and sapiens widely scattered over the Old World. A four-week course is devoted to the mystery of anthropogenesis.
WW1 Heroism: Through Art and Film (FutureLearn)
“World War I in Art and Film” is a two-week interactive program developed by the University of Leeds. The authors present it here: “We’ll begin by examining recruitment posters and look at how words and images changed during the war. We’ll look at war art, and you’ll have the opportunity to curate your own online exhibition. We’ll move on to film in the second week, particularly modern German cinema. In the end, you will be asked to write a review of a film, book, or TV program.” Such short courses are conveniently built right into the learning process.
An Introduction to Japanese Subcultures (FutureLearn) According to the best writing services, “An Introduction to Japanese Subcultures” is probably the kind of subject many people would like to study by now. Both those who have long been crazy about anime and manga and those who want to understand the reasons for the popularity of Japanese subcultures worldwide. The authors will present new visions and kinds of subcultures and attempt to make sense of the significance of “infantilism” and “vulnerability” in Japanese youth culture.