Three Exceptional iTunes U Courses
I learn best from listening. Whenever I had difficulties in my studies, I bolstered my knowledge by listening to lectures on subjects I had trouble with. iTunes U is a great resource for this type of learning. It gives me the ability to access high quality lessons on almost any subject that I am interested in. Historically, access to this type of information was reserved only for the students of elite universties. While I will not obtain credit for the courses, many of the lessons added significant value to my life. (and they were free)
Over the years, a few courses continue stand out as truly exceptional.
1.) Yale. History of the Greeks. Dr. Donald Kagan.
In 24 lectures, Dr. Kagan takes us from the murky dark ages of the Greeks; recorded though archeological finds and the epic mythology of Homer, on through the age of the Athenian Empire and into Peloponnesian War. His study of ancient history drives home it's relevancy to our modern democracy. He illustrates that democracy is not an inevitable social evolutionary state. Rather, it is a relative accident of circumstance; something truly special and fragile. The war with Sparta was a devastating war of superpowers. There are striking resemblances to the Cold War of the 20th century. What is most interesting is the aftermath of this struggle. I will not spoil the outcome and leave that for you to enjoy.
2.) Harvard. This is CS50 (Computer Science). Dr. David J. Malan.
I am not a programer. I do live in (and am from) the City of San Francisco. The technology industry is a huge cultural force in my city. Listening in to these lectures helps me to better understand the thought processes behind the forces that are reshaping San Francisco. CS50 is an introductory computer science course. Hardcore CS majors take this course, and so do students exploring the subject. It is dynamic, and some parts generate the excitement of a multi-media music event. If you do not complete the exercises you will, like me, fall behind the lectures and not complete the entire series. However, it is worth exposing yourself to as much of the series as you are able. The most valuable parts for me were the explanations of how we as humans interact and instruct computers. Programing languages are human friendly tools to program machines. They are limited in the translation by how machines actually process information through 0's and 1's. This process informs a systematic way of thinking and problem solving. Basic understanding of this thought process has been valuable to me both as an approach to my own work, but also as a tool to connect with people who use this method daily.
3.) MIT. World Business Leadership. Various.
Whether or not we are experienced leaders or in junior roles, we all need to develop our leadership competencies. Leadership is personal, it is social, it is technical; and we must refine it continuosly. This series provides broad spectrum exposure to business thought leadership. Produced in 2010, the series explores vital business concepts in a globalized world. My favorite lecture is by far, "A Conversation with Jack Welch”. He speaks to the need to communicate the assessment of people's performance assertively, objectively, and honestly. He advocates no surprises in the performance appraisal. Rather, we must accurately communicate expectations and define performance based upon measures that are tied to our business objectives. 55 minutes and 39 seconds well worth your time.
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