The Math Code: Prediction

Open University

For a few weeks every year starlings migrate, creating shifting, synchronized formations of nearly a million birds that flow across the sky like a well-choreographed dance. How does each bird anticipate where its neighbor will fly? Studying data from Google allows analysts to predict flu outbreaks—so why can’t weather be forecast more than a few days in advance? And if winning a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors depends on random chance, how is it that some people continually beat the odds? In this program, Professor Marcus de Sautoy discusses mathematical models that help predict outcomes, touching on game theory, chaos theory, and the butterfly effect. Produced by the Open University. Part of the series The Math Code. (60 minutes)

Online Marketing Strategies

ClickView Pty Limited

As a marketing medium, the Internet now ranks ahead of TV, radio, and print as the preferred marketing method for businesses, brands, and organizations around the world. As a result, understanding and implementing online marketing strategies has become essential for anyone in business. From small and medium enterprises to multibillion-dollar corporations, online marketing must be included in any marketing strategy. This program contains interviews with online marketing experts and professionals as it explains and analyzes a range of concepts—such as search engine optimization, pay-per-click, viral and e-mail marketing, and coordinating an online marketing campaign. Specific case studies will help students develop essential skills and knowledge for a future on the wild frontier of the online universe. Viewable/printable educational materials are available online. (18 minutes)

Erasing David: Surveillance vs. Privacy in the 21st-Century Data State

Cinetic Rights Management LLC.

Filmmaker David Bond lives in the U.K.—surprisingly, one of the top surveillance states in the entire world. From ubiquitous street corner traffic cameras to countless business, medical, and government databases, there is a disconcertingly huge amount of personal information that has been collected on him and his family. In this film, David documents a harrowing experiment in which he tests just how much privacy he really has by attempting to drop out of sight for 30 days after inviting a pair of security experts to try to track him down. His unsuccessful flight, in combination with his investigation into data collection and data loss/misuse, paints a dystopian portrait of life in a surveillance state where even if people have nothing to hide, it doesn’t mean they have nothing to fear. (80 minutes)

Gender War/Gender Peace

Educational Video Group

This program focuses on the communication problems that prevent us from understanding the opposite gender. In addition to dynamic presentations of research, the video features interviews with gender communication authors Aaron Kipnis and Elizabeth Heron, as well as college students sharing their frustrations. Highly recommended for introductory courses in communication and gender studies. (30 minutes)

Breaking the Wall of Data Deluge: How Efficient Data Exploration Enables New Scientific Discoveries

Falling Walls Foundation

Science has entered its fourth paradigm: after being observational, empirical, and theoretical, scientific discovery is now data-intensive. Anastasia (Natassa) Ailamaki, professor of computer sciences at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and winner of the Eppendorf European Young Investigator Award and a Sloan Research Fellowship, is pushing the limits of the speed of research and our capacity to deal with massive amounts of information. In this video of Ailamaki’s lecture at the 2011 Falling Walls Conference, she presents her most interdisciplinary studies, which are currently empowering scientific teams to take on previously impossible experiments. Ailamaki's databases are being used in astronomy to determine the shape of the universe, in seismography to forecast the effects of earthquakes, and in brain simulations to aid in data visualization, analysis, and interpretation. (13 minutes)

Breaking the Wall of the Flat World of TV: What Three-Dimensional Television Pictures Will Look Like

Falling Walls Foundation

In only 15 years' time, we will be watching television in a radical, three-dimensional form. This 2009 Falling Walls lecture video features Thomas Wiegand, professor at the Technische Universität Berlin and head of the Image Processing Department of the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich Hertz Institut, whose work is transforming television and our viewing habits. Having studied electrical engineering at the Universities of Hamburg and Erlangen-Nuremburg, Wiegand quickly became one of the pioneers writing the code for H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, the standard for video compression. His forays into coding, visualizing, and streaming 3-D environments are regarded as the most promising developments in the telecommunications standardization sector. In 2009, Wiegand received the Innovation Award of the Vodafone Foundation for Research in Mobile Communications. Watch him transform our ways of seeing. (13 minutes)

The Magic of Memory

BBC Worldwide Learning

This studio-based program introduces Michael Gruneberg, Ph.D., an internationally recognized authority on methods of learning. Dr. Gruneberg’s Linkword language courses offer several memory-enhancing principles including association, a method that not only speeds learning but also increases the amount that can be learned. Memory is essential to the management of our everyday lives. Our short-term memory helps us manage matters in the present, and our long-term memory stores past events and learned meanings. In this program, Dr. Gruneberg gives viewers a fascinating summary of his methods to help us make better use of our memories. A BBC Production. (47 minutes)

ICT in the Real World: Publishing a Magazine

ClickView Pty Limited

Using an Australian publishing company as an example, this program demonstrates the use of Adobe Creative Suite and other information and communication technology programs to develop and produce two commercial magazines. It provides practical examples of how InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and QuarkXpress handle fonts, templates and house style guides, color correction, and other production elements. The video also touches on transmission to printers, downloadable freeware, and the flexibility of ICT programs to adapt to Kindle and iPad formats. A viewable/printable worksheet is available online. (22 minutes)

Learning with Wikis and Blogs

ClickView Pty Limited

Their popularity in the online business and publishing world is well known, but wikis and blogs are also increasingly used as tools in the classroom-and not just because young learners can easily access them. They are easy to create as well, giving students another powerful method of communication and self-expression. This program presents the basic concepts behind wikis and blogs. It also shows, through visually engaging examples, how these digital forums can be used to promote collaboration, discussion, and class participation. Additionally, viewers are given objective information about the world's most successful and widely used wiki site, Wikipedia.org. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (21 minutes)

Practical Use of Materials: Textiles

ClickView Pty Limited

Going inside the world of fibers, fabrics, and yarns, this video provides students with an understanding of textile classification and how textiles are processed and tested before being used in end products. A textile researcher demonstrates how fibers are turned into fabric and explains differences between the properties of natural and synthetic fibers. A fashion designer describes the characteristics that he looks for when choosing fabrics to produce his collection, and the tests that he conducts to ensure the best materials are selected. Finally, a flag manufacturer discusses how dyes and finishes are applied to fabrics in making his products. Viewable/printable educational materials are available online. (18 minutes)

Promoting Your Designs

ClickView Pty Limited

For some designers, the thought of promoting their own work is overwhelming. They may even believe that having creative talent means they should leave the advertising and marketing to others. With a strong focus on designers and artists, this program explores strategies for achieving commercial success. The benefits of having a professional portfolio, photographs, business cards, and a Web site are emphasized, along with how to use the five Ps: product, price, people, placement, and promotion. The video also addresses the use of promotional strategies when seeking employment, the concept of branding, and the best way for creative people to get their work into the public eye. (21 minutes)

Assistive Technology: Powerful Solutions for Success

National Professional Resources

Utilizing the principles of Universal Design for Learning, this program takes viewers into classrooms where low- to mid-tech AT solutions are helping students with disabilities to become confident, independent learners. The video covers auditory process supports (interactive whiteboards, Inspiration software, and FM Classroom Amplification systems); fine-motor and writing supports (AlphaSmart, MathPad Plus, UltraKey, Franklin Spellers, Ginger Software, and Livescribe’s Pulse Smartpen); and reading supports (WYNN software, TestTalker, Kurzweil 3000, Bookshare, the WizCom Reading Pen, and materials from Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic). (37 minutes)

The Universe Video Clip Collection

QA International

For the limitless imagination of a scientific mind, the ever-expanding universe is an ideal subject of inquiry! This collection of 50 video clips (45 seconds to 2 minutes, 30 seconds each) uses high-quality film footage and detailed animations to investigate the structure of the universe, the stars, the solar system, the planets of the solar system, Earth and the Moon, astronomical observation, and space exploration. Video clips include: • The Structure of the Universe—Introduction • The Big Bang • The Size of the Universe • The Galaxies • Galactic Clusters • The Milky Way • Active Galaxies • The Stars—Introduction • Origin and Classification of Stars • Low-Mass Stars • Massive Stars • Black Holes • Star Clusters • Star Clusters • The Constellations • The Solar System—Introduction • The Structure of the Solar System • The Sun • The Asteroids • Comets • The Planets of the Solar System—Introduction • Mercury • Venus • Earth • Mars • Jupiter • Saturn • Uranus • Neptune • Earth and the Moon—Introduction • The Origins of Earth • The Magnetosphere • Earth’s Atmosphere • Geographical and Celestial Coordinates • The Seasons • The Moon • Eclipses • Meteorites • Astronomical Observation—Introduction • The Electromagnetic Spectrum • Telescopes • Astronomical Observatories • The Hubble Space Telescope • Radio Telescopes • Extrasolar Planets • Space Exploration—Introduction • Surrounding Earth • Space Probes • Exploration of the Moon • Exploration of Mars • Exploration of the Solar System (78 minutes)

Athens and Side Trips

Rick Steves Europe

The thriving capital of Greece sprawls out from the foot of its magnificent Acropolis. Become a “temporary local” and discover the hidden treasures of Athens with best-selling author and travel expert, Rick Steves. We’ll tour the must-sees of ancient Athens: the Parthenon, Agora, and amazing National Archaeological Museum. We’ll take the fast-paced pulse of the modern city, but waste no time getting to Rick’s favorite side-trip destinations: the ruins of the mystical oracle at Delphi and a fast boat to the romantic, traffic-free Isle of Hydra. (30 minutes)

The Building of Bath

UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF ENGL

This program traces the development of the English city of Bath, which is famous for its imposing Georgian buildings. Among the architecture examined in the program is the Royal Crescent, which was begun by John Wood the Younger in 1767. The program explains the architectural principles that influenced the design of Bath's buildings and describes the nature and form of their construction. (25 minutes)

Wikis in the Classroom

Carmelina Films

Web 2.0 technologies, such as wikis, have enabled educators and students to become instant creators of shared online content. This video describes what wikis are and how they can be employed as educational tools at both the school and college level. Benefits of wikis are cited, and the use of wikis within academia and far beyond is covered, with examples ranging from student projects, classroom management, and teacher-to-teacher resource sharing to international cultural exchanges. The video also offers cautionary advice about reliance upon Wikipedia as a primary research source. (20 minutes)

Orthodoxy: From Empire to Empire

Open University

On July 16, 1054, a dramatic event occurred during the worship service in the Church of Hagia Sophia: a papal delegation delivered a document excommunicating the Patriarch of Constantinople, and the Patriarch promptly excommunicated the Pope in return. Known as The Great Schism, the act divided Eastern from Western Catholic Christianity. Going on location to the most venerated sites in the Byzantine world, this program presents a history of Eastern Orthodoxy. The video focuses on the tenacity of the Church as it survived Muslim invasions, the destruction by Crusaders of its holy city, the crumbling of the Byzantine Empire, czarist exploitation, and being shut down by the Soviet regime. It also covers the conversion of the Slavs, the use of icons—banned in a desperate reversal of loyalties as Rome sided with Islam in condemning religious images—and the rise and fall and rise again of the powerful Russian Orthodox Church. Produced by the Open University. Part of the series A History of Christianity. (59 minutes)

Health Care Applications: Electronics in Medical Imaging

Pumpkin TV

Nothing can replace the skills of good doctors and nurses, but without digital technology and advanced electronic systems, the field of medicine would soon collapse. X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, and MRI and PET imaging all use electronics to map different aspects of the human body and convert the information into a visual format. This program visits one of the world’s leading research centers in medical imaging and explores the ins and outs of electronic health care technology, including the signals used, both digital and analog; how those signals are received, amplified, and transferred to a computer; how the information is converted to produce various images; and how other electronic applications are used in health care. Part of the series Understanding Electronics. (20 minutes)

Printed Circuit Boards: Uses, Design, and Manufacture

Pumpkin TV

As technology progresses, printed circuit boards, or PCBs, are becoming ever more central to daily life. As such, an understanding of basic circuitry and how to apply it to PCB assembly is vital to almost any engineer or technical designer. This program highlights the importance of PCBs and follows their industrial manufacture from design brief to completion. It illustrates the benefits of new technologies such as prism component placing machines, minute quality control cameras, automated connection checkers, and CAD/CAM packages. The video will aid in developing a working knowledge of basic IT packages and an awareness of more complex ones. It will also help students consider chemistry issues which play an important part in the board manufacture process. Part of the series Understanding Electronics. (20 minutes)

Life-Cycle Assessment

Pumpkin TV

Volvo’s ReCharge hybrid car has an electric motor in each of its wheels, helping to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide created when being driven. But a car’s performance on the road is only one part of its overall green rating. With the ReCharge serving as an example, this program shows how life-cycle assessment, or LCA, is employed to evaluate the environmental impact of manufactured goods—from their raw materials, to production, usage, and disposal. Designers used recycled materials for much of the ReCharge, but it lost the “new car smell” after toxic components were eliminated. The video takes a close look at the production phase of LCA with a tour of Volvo’s energy-efficient assembly plant; and at end-of-life recovery at a dismantling facility. Part of the series So You Want to Be a Designer? (25 minutes)

John Bowlby: Attachment Theory Across Generations

Davidson Films

John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory shows how relational patterns set early in life affect emotional bonds later in life. This program’s focus is on attachment theory as it explains many aspects of personality development from childhood through adulthood, with a special emphasis on issues related to attachment in later life as people seek to establish new ties and cope with separations and losses. Therapeutic applications of the theory as developed by Dr. Bowlby and others are illustrated, along with more recent insights that have come by way of the field of neuroscience. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Giants of Psychology. (35 minutes)

Older Brains, New Connections: A Conversation with Marian Diamond at 73

Davidson Films

Marian Diamond’s research indicates that given the right conditions, the brain continues to grow all during life and not just in the early years. In this program, Dr. Diamond presents a summary of her research and its practical implications in her cordial, accessible manner. Topics include research into the genetic components of Alzheimer’s disease, the exciting discoveries that the brain can generate new neurons, her research into the brain’s role in autoimmune disorders, and data from longitudinal studies of aging nuns. In addition, she provides suggestions for applying this knowledge and shares her own fitness plan to keep her body—including her brain—healthy. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Gerontology. (30 minutes)

How Children Learn

Davidson Films

This classic program uses brain research, cognitive development research, and educational practice as windows into the process of learning. Animation depicts the firing of synapses, the growth of dendrites, and the concept of brain plasticity, making the point that learning is as basic a human activity as breathing or eating. Also, factors that lead to school success are presented in a model that reflects the work of Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, and Lev Vygotsky without mentioning them by name, so the video can serve as a starting point for a range of audiences interested in educational matters but leery of jargon-filled expositions. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (23 minutes)

Computer Systems, Computer System Sensors

Shopware

To understand whether or not a vehicle is functioning properly and determine its potential problems, a service provider now has to understand computers. This video offers guidance in the complex workings of a car’s nerve center and the sensors that bring information, from mass air flow to engine coolant temperature, into an automotive computer system. Viewers can sharpen their skills and knowledge in interpreting real-time scan-tool readings for cars that often boast over 50 microprocessors. Examples of modules that technicians frequently deal with are shown as the video discusses OBD-II procedures and a variety of sensors, such as those for throttle position, heated oxygen, manifold absolute pressure, intake air temperature, and more. Correlates to ASE and NATEF standards. A viewable/printable instructor’s guide including an ASE/NATEF task correlation checklist is available online. A Shopware Production. A part of the Engine Performance ASE Certification Series. (25 minutes)

Points and Lines

Media4Math

Can the protons in a hydrogen atom be thought of as geometric elements? In this program the collision of subatomic particles in CERN’s Large Hadron Collider is used to clarify the definition of a point, and the city of Houston, arranged on a grid of parallels and perpendiculars, illustrates why lines are preferred over curves as a way to organize a community. The video also suggests the Parthenon as a good example of how geometric elements—in this case, points, planes, and lines—are employed in architecture. Points in space, collinear and coplanar points, parallel and perpendicular lines, line segments, angles, and planes are all covered. Part of the series Geometry Applications. (32 minutes)

American Jets on Display, 1960

British Pathe

Jets on display at American Armed Forces Day show. Copyright The WPA Film Library.

Electronics (Boneyard)

A&E

Our lives depend on the power of electricity. Cell phones; computers; televisions; toasters: every one of our electronic devices contains a number of both toxic and reusable materials. Heavy metals and batteries are potentially very damaging to our environment. But what happens to these items after they are broken, worn out, or obsolete? This episode of Boneyard looks at the afterlife of electronics. This innovative look at the ultimate in “reuse, recycle, reduce” reveals some surprising items that are repurposed and reconditioned. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Cool: Quirky Science

Looking Glass International

Cooling is more than a luxury—nowadays it's a necessity. Without refrigerated shipping and stocking, fresh food wouldn’t reach our supermarkets so easily. Can you imagine living without it? Air-conditioning, on the other hand, was invented as a means to control the humidity that was ruining the paper of printing offices, rather than as the technology we now use to cool off. This program discovers that you can’t create cold; you can only “move” temperature from one place to another. Learn how early refrigeration units used all sorts of chemicals that were harmful to the environment—and how new technology may provide a solution: cooling via the vibrations of sound. That does sound cool. Part of the series Quirky Science. (25 minutes)

Istanbul City Guide: Pilot Guides

555 Productions

This episode of Pilot Guides follows Estelle Bingham's exploration of the ancient city of Istanbul, starting at the famous Topkapi Palace, former home of sultans and their concubines. From there she visits the former seat of Christendom, the beautiful Aya Sophia church. She interrupts her sight-seeing for a day trip to Gallipoli, the site of an infamous World War I battlefield in which thousands of Allied soldiers died. She makes time to visit the opulent Pera Palace hotel, take a belly dancing lesson from some gypsies, tour the Florence Nightingale museum, and shop around the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest markets in the world. She takes another day trip to the amazing Edirne Wrestling Festival, with over 1000 well-oiled men competing for the gold belt, before ending her trip by visiting the famous Blue Mosque and going to see some whirling dervishes. (48 minutes)

Health and Safety Issues in ICT

ClickView Pty Limited

Information and Communication Technology is used so constantly for both work and play that it’s easy to forget about the dangers it can pose in the form of back pain, eye strain, or simply tripping over a tangle of cluttered cables. This program discusses health and safety issues pertaining to the use of ICT, covering topics such as ergonomics, the positioning of computer hardware, keyboarding and mousing, and problems that can arise from not stopping to take breaks. The video includes a range of exercises designed to prevent injury. A viewable/printable worksheet is available online. (19 minutes)

Commercial Printing Processes

ClickView Pty Limited

This program examines common commercial printing processes in use today, including offset lithographic, digital, screen, and flexographic. Types of binding and finishing that will be used for books, food wrappers, plastics, and other applications are also discussed. In addition, industry experts explain how commercial printers can help clients decide on the best way to present their product by considering choices in paper quality, cost, and printing and finishing methods. A viewable/printable worksheet is available online. (25 minutes)

Kraftwerk and the Electronic Revolution

MVD Entertainment Group

As innovative as they are influential, Kraftwerk's contribution to the development of electronic music remains unsurpassed. Having inspired everyone from Bowie to Coldplay and Siouxsie to Radiohead, this collective has also proven partly responsible for the development of entire genres, such as electronica, synthpop, and techno. This film reviews the career and music of Kraftwerk, from their inception in the late 1960s (as the pre-Kraftwerk ensemble Organization), through their most celebrated period in the mid 1970s, and culminating with their resurgence during the 1980s with the popularity of synthpop and techno. The program further explores how Kraftwerk both fitted in and pulled away from the electronic wing of what is often lazily referred to as "Krautrock." Features rarely seen photographs, live and studio footage of Kraftwerk and their contemporaries, and exclusive interviews with former Kraftwerk members, other German ambient and electronic musicians, and German academics, writers and journalists.

How Are Science and Technology Aiding Medical Research? Ever Wondered? (Series 1)

Scorpion TV

In this episode, host John Watt discovers what advances in science and technology are doing to assist unwell and elderly citizens in New Zealand. Ever Wondered? sheds light on an amazing technicolor breakthrough led by a father-and-son team from Christchurch and on a flow cytometry suite in Wellington, where lasers are used to excite fluorescent dyes in a quest to develop immune-based therapies for the treatment of a host of diseases. Back in Auckland, viewers are introduced to biomimetics, where artificial muscles, soft machines, and prosthetics are being used to imitate and assist our natural systems—and, at a retirement home, viewers also get to observe a bunch of helpful healthbots, or health robots, hard at work. A part of Ever Wondered? (Series 1). (22 minutes)

Computer Networks

ClickView Pty Limited

Australia’s largest independent digital media and entertainment company, destra, relies on a robust network for its day-to-day business. Using destra as a case study, this program begins with an overview of computer networks and then introduces issues involving architecture and infrastructure, processes and procedures, maintenance, security, and disaster recovery. An informative illustration of the technological requirements of an e-business leader. Original title: Networks. (27 minutes)

Securing the Web

ClickView Pty Limited

The consequences of lax Internet security are severe. Use Securing the Web to awaken your students to the very real dangers posed by online security threats. In this video, a couldn’t-care-less computer user is transported into his PC where he learns firsthand about phishing and pharming, spyware and adware, viruses and Trojans, and denial-of-service attacks and zombie networks. Weapons in the security arsenal—firewalls, antivirus software, software patches and updates, strong passwords, encryption protocols—are also profiled. This is vital information disguised as a darkly humorous sci-fi action drama. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (31 minutes)

How to Make Digital Stories

ClickView Pty Limited

This video guides viewers through each step of making a one-minute/150-word digital story based on the theme “Who Am I?”—a project that relies on editing software such as Final Cut Pro to integrate digital snapshots, original or royalty-free music, and voiced-over narration into a multimedia essay. Technology is reshaping the way students learn and relate to each other; use How to Make Digital Stories to nurture multi-literacy and prepare your students for life in a world where digital expression and online collaboration are quickly becoming the norm. Ideal for courses in communications and computer science—and anywhere projects involving creative nonfiction can be used as a learning tool. Helpful for teacher education, as well. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (24 minutes)

Model Making: Tools, Materials, and Techniques

ClickView Pty Limited

As much an art as it is a science, the model maker’s trade requires an unwavering dedication to craft and a profound knowledge of materials, methods, tool operation, and tool upkeep. This program provides an informative look at all facets of industrial model construction. It contains five main sections: the different types of model making; the correct and safe use of hand tools; portable power tools; a comparison of human-made products and natural products; and the various techniques used in the woodworking room. An ideal primer for students starting a design technology course or those wishing to refresh and enhance skills. Correlates to all National CTE Organizational Standards (including the provisions of the Perkins Act). Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (20 minutes)

Sociological Theory and Methods

ClickView Pty Limited

This multi-section program addresses classical social theory, examining the origins of sociology through the efforts of Marx and Comte to build a holistic science of society; positivism, through a case study of students using surveys to do research on education; interpretivism, through a parallel case study in which students use interviews to carry out their research; and realism, comparing it to classical, positivist, and interpretivist approaches. The video also draws upon a case study of suicide to illustrate how positivist and interpretivist approaches lead researchers to ask very different questions about this key sociological topic. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Understanding Sociology. (41 minutes)

Introduction to Polymers

ClickView Pty Limited

This in-depth, graphics-driven program introduces students to the world of synthetic and naturally occurring polymers. The video sheds light on a number of monomers and the processes of addition polymerization and condensation polymerization which produce a desired polymer. Properties of thermosetting and thermoplastic polymers are also investigated; likewise, the relationship between the physical properties of a material and the type of bonding that occurs both within and between molecules. The video also looks at elastomers, various degrees of cross-linking, and the process of vulcanization pioneered by Charles Goodyear. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (29 minutes)

Geographic Information Systems

ClickView Pty Limited

The aim of this program is to excite students about geographic information systems and encourage the use of GIS in the classroom. Spotlighted applications of GIS include ways that urban planners in India are using it to map traffic flows; how it's being applied in London to plans for projected mass transit use during the 2012 Olympics; how it's being used by disaster response teams to prepare for possible nuclear reactor leaks; and ways that police are using it to track and reduce crime. Original title: Geographical Information Systems (GIS). (24 minutes)

Sustainable Communities

ClickView Pty Limited

What do we mean when we talk about sustainable communities? How can they be created? This program joins architects, urban planners, civic leaders, business owners, and community residents in three separate localities as they respond to the challenge of building a sustainable community. A number of environmental and urban-planning questions are addressed, including: Is the architecture sound, pleasing, and eco-friendly? What transport links does the community have? What health, recreational, and retail services are provided? Will all residents enjoy the same level of safety and security? This is a valuable teaching aid for human geography, environmental studies, and many other subjects. Original title: Sustainable Communities: What People Want? (51 minutes)

The Biofuel Myth: Harsh Realities in the Developing World

Journeyman Pictures

Once widely considered a sustainable energy source, some forms of biofuel are now seen as exploitative and environmentally harmful. This program examines the global dilemma over palm oil—a fuel source championed by the European Union before the effects of its cultivation became apparent in the developing world. Viewers meet members of Indonesia’s Orang Rimba tribe who have drawn sustenance from the rain forests for millennia and now watch as their lands give way to palm oil plantations. The film highlights efforts by tribal and Western activists to fight deforestation, as well as the work of E.U. leaders like Claude Turmes, who once supported agrofuel quotas but now recognizes their destructive impact. (44 minutes)

Slaves of the Cyberworld

Java Films

It goes by many names—digital outsourcing, micropayment, or an assortment of other harmless monikers. But when the hungry and desperate supply round-the-clock online labor for pennies or nothing, the term “slavery” starts to gain validity. This program examines the issue on a global level as it reveals the human cost of exploitative Internet businesses. Viewers meet struggling Serbian camera slingers who supply image after image to avaricious stock photography sites; a French waitress trying to make ends meet as an online translator, despite earning only a fraction of the minimum wage; and Chinese teenagers who, after working brutally long shifts testing video games, wait for paychecks that may never come. (54 minutes)

Nanos, Nanos, Everywhere: Applications of Nanotechnology

La Compagnie des Taxi-Brousse

Materials with properties copied directly from nature, manufacturing processes that rely on self-assembly, hyper-efficient energy production: these are some of the promises of nanotechnology. In this program, Nobel Laureate Alan J. Heeger and other leading researchers open their labs to viewers, displaying nanotech applications ranging from intelligent textiles and self-cleaning glass, to electron-spin transistors and flexible-screen OLED devices, to solar cells made of semiconductor “ink” printed onto thin plastic film and hydroxide-consuming nanoparticles that can restore a Renaissance fresco. Produced by La Compagnie des Taxi-brousse in partnership with UER/EBU, EEC DG Research, CNC, Region L-R, PROCIREP-ANGOA, France5, UR, RTBF, and TFO. A part of the series Welcome to the Nanoworld! (52 minutes)

Upgrade Me! Tech Gadgets and Society

BBC Worldwide Learning

The future is digital, but is it beautiful? In this program, technology enthusiast Simon Armitage seeks to understand the world’s love affair with all things tech and why consumers have bought into an upgrade culture where the “next big thing” may be more about desire and status than it is about functionality. Raising many thought-provoking questions, Armitage introduces viewers to a generation of digital natives for whom tech tools are the norm; delves into the psychological factors that have turned many people into gadget junkies; examines the ceaselessly accelerating production cycles for upgrades of all kinds; reveals scientific advances underpinning items in Samsung’s ultracool consumer product lines; and questions the effects of tech on people’s relationship with the world and with each other. He also looks to the future, where “Upgrade me!” may become literal as the line between human and machine grows more and more blurred. Original BBC broadcast title: Upgrade Me. (57 minutes)

Alvar Aalto: Technology and Nature

Deutsche Grammophon GmbH

Filmed in his native Finland, Italy, Germany, and the U.S., this program looks at the life and work of Alvar Aalto and examines his creative style in the context of his time, the traditions he inherited, and the country and climate in which he lived. For Aalto, the Finnish landscape was much more than the background to which he successfully molded his own creations; he had an almost mystical affinity with it which was central to his whole achievement. Throughout his long career, Aalto's work embraced almost all the key public institutions as well as public and private housing. In the 1930s and 40s, almost single-handedly, Aalto made his country a place of pilgrimage for all who sought enlightenment as to the aesthetic possibility of the new architecture. (60 minutes)

Mosque

Orbis Books

Islam is the dominant religion throughout large portions of Asia and Africa and especially in the Middle East. Although Islam and its more than 900 million adherents worldwide are more familiar to Westerners than ever before, their religion nonetheless remains a mystery to most. This program, filmed in Cairo, Egypt, introduces a mosque and Muslims and provides a respectful introduction to Islam. (29 minutes)

Norman Foster

Deutsche Grammophon GmbH

A free spirit of modernism, Sir Norman Foster has long been known for the brilliant way he brings natural light into the buildings he designs. This documentary explores the extraordinary range of work he has undertaken, focusing on the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, the Carré d’Art in Nîmes, Stansted Airport, and the Lycée Albert Camus in Frejus. The program also looks at some of Foster’s most recent projects, including the construction of the new Reichstag in Berlin—a daring masterpiece that combines traditional and modern elements with both courage and delicacy. Interviews with the architect’s current and former partners and colleagues are included as well. (50 minutes)

Fantastic Voyage: Nanotechnology and Space-Age Medicine

Electric Sky

Given the limits of today’s medical technology, a three-year trip to Mars would place astronauts in grave danger. Thus, NASA has divided its attention between outer and inner space, aiming to create self-sufficient nanomedicine by the year 2020. This program studies health care research driven by that goal. With exciting animation sequences and conversations with top-level experts, the video introduces microbivores, respirocytes, dendrimers, and other innovations designed to search out and destroy diseases in the earliest stages. Interviews feature NASA scientists Dr. Kathie Olsen and John Hines; nanotech pioneers Dr. Ralph Merkle and Dr. Carlo Montemagno; and cancer expert Dr. Carol Dahl. (50 minutes)

Blogging in the Classroom

Carmelina Films

Blogs may be driving print journalists out of business, but they're doing wonders for the teaching profession. This program helps educators learn more about blogging and the best ways to integrate it into the classroom. Showing how blogs help communicate ideas and connect readers worldwide, the video focuses on the benefits of blogging for both teachers and students. Specific topics include blogging strategies for increasing student motivation, reading comprehension, writing skills, collaboration, and healthy social interaction. Viewers will also learn about blogging for course announcements, reading assignments, professional development networking, student journalism, and other purposes. (24 minutes)

Prelinger Archives: On Guard! The Story of SAGE (c. 1956)

Prelinger Archives

This Prelinger Archives film introduces SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment), a computerized early warning system designed to guard against enemy aircraft. State-of-the-art in 1956, the system was composed of room-sized computers and giant "Displayscopes." The film represents an effort to describe the system without alienating a technologically unsophisticated public. "You are listening to the heartbeat of the SAGE computer," says the narrator. "Every instrument in this room is constantly monitoring, testing, pulse-taking, controlling." With images of children playing and a little girl sleeping, the film asks, "What better reason for an electronic defense?" and tells us that "the future of America is secure." Glimpses of huge mainframes maintained by well-tailored men and women are a far cry from the casual sensibility we associate with Microsoft and Silicon Valley. Produced by the IBM Corporation, Military Products Division. (12 minutes)

China: Sustainable Homebuilding

System TV

Having overtaken the U.S. as the world’s biggest CO2 polluter, China is now responsible for 11 percent of all greenhouse gas production. Can the country reduce its carbon footprint without slowing its unprecedented economic growth? This program shows how that question is playing out in the Chinese construction industry, highlighting the creation and practical application of new homebuilding standards. Collaboration between French and Chinese experts has led to groundbreaking insulation techniques—illustrated here in conversations with architects, site managers, building residents, and instructors in the sustainable development program at the Wuhan University of Science and Technology. Part of the series Sustainable Development: The World Challenge. (27 minutes)

Senegal, Tunisia, and Laos: The Private Sector in Economic Growth

System TV

Does the future of capitalism favor the global corporations of the West-or small, competitive businesses that are homegrown in the developing world? This program offers valuable case studies that clearly illustrate both the challenges and the enormous potential of non-Western entrepreneurship. In Senegal, plastics manufacturer SIMPA has obtained funding for equipment upgrades and employee training, while clothing designer Kali Abu Sol has opened a Dakar boutique and is moving full steam toward international recognition. The film's Tunisia segment features the Hannibal Clinic, a state-of-the-art cancer treatment center, and the Laos portion covers fair trade measures for boosting coffee production, quality, and profitability. Part of the series Sustainable Development: The World Challenge. (26 minutes)

The Netiquette Edge

VISUALZ

This video provides basic lessons in netiquette with the help of a fun musical metaphor. Teens get a taste of ballroom dancing—and quickly realize that learning the steps of technology manners is like learning dance steps. By applying good manners to the Internet, cell phones, iPods, and other gadgets, students learn to keep in touch without losing the personal touch. Dynamic visuals and dramatizations assist students in absorbing the etiquette lessons and concepts. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (20 minutes)

Go Green Around Your Home

VISUALZ

Sustaining the world’s resources for future generations can start with small changes around the home. In this video, the Go Green Team takes action against waste by coming up with Earth-friendly ways to create a healthier lifestyle and environment. Over the course of the program, viewers will learn about little ways to save lots of energy, important items to recycle, environmentally safe products to use, green ways to shop, and more. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (20 minutes)

Eyes (Evolve)

History Education

This program illustrates how the eyeball evolved, from ancestors of jellyfish that developed light-sensitive cells to primates that use visual adaptations, including the ability to see color, to better exploit their habitat. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series Evolve. (45 minutes)

Shape (Evolve)

History Education

This program explores the evolution of animal shape and how the slightest alteration of a leg or a head can mean the difference between existence and extinction. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. A part of the series Evolve. (45 minutes)

Aqueducts: Man-Made Rivers of Life (Modern Marvels)

Modern Marvels

Man-made rivers quenched the thirst of millions in the American west and around the world. Without these aqueducts some of the world's largest cities would turn into gigantic ghost towns. Their technology has been in use for over 2,000 years, but today these engineering marvels cost billions of dollars to build, requiring thousands of men to toil for years on end. Aqueducts have made some men famous and others fabulously wealthy. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Computers (Modern Marvels)

Modern Marvels

This program takes a detailed look at the evolution of computers as it traces their development from the days of the ENIAC to IBM’s awesome ASCI White, which can perform 12 trillion calculations per second. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Golden Gate Bridge (Modern Marvels)

Modern Marvels

Called one of the wonders of the modern world, the Golden Gate Bridge is a monument to technology. This program tells the story of Joseph Strauss, an engineering visionary who won the support necessary to create a masterpiece of design and function. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Consumer Choice and Protection

ClickView Pty Limited

Becoming a clever consumer begins with developing some fundamentals: a realistic understanding of personal needs and wants, alertness for tricky advertising and outright scams, knowledge of how to shop online securely, and awareness of consumer law and how it can be of assistance. In this video, Christopher Zinn, media spokesperson for CHOICE Magazine—the Australian equivalent of Consumer Reports—offers valuable insights into making smarter purchasing decisions. Knowledge is power! Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (23 minutes)

Lost Treasure of the Alexandria Library (In Search of History)

History Education

What did the legendary Alexandria Library look like? Where, exactly, did it stand? What did it contain? How—and why—did it vanish? This program searches for answers. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

El Andaluz

BBC Worldwide Learning

Andalusia is a Spanish autonomous community resplendent with cultural and architectural treasures, many of which evoke the nation’s Islamic influence. In this program, Manuel Falces, one of Spain’s top photographers, documents unforgettable images of Andalusia—and, in doing so, helps introduce the best ways to ask for directions and travel guidance in Spanish. Viewers encounter breathtaking images of the Alhambra, the eighth-century fortress of La Alcazaba, and Almería’s old fisherman’s quarter, while learning about Manuel’s personal goal of establishing a permanent, high-tech photo center or fototeca in the region. A BBC Production. Part of the series Sueños: World Spanish. (Spanish and English,14 minutes)

Electric Highway: Has the Era of the Electric Car Arrived?

SW Pictures LTD

In addition to accelerating the depletion of the planet’s oil reserves, gasoline-powered vehicles on America’s roads spew hundreds of millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually. Currently there are two major alternatives to oil-based fuel, both of which result in zero emissions at the point of use: hydrogen—a source of energy that will likely still be unavailable for widespread use for decades to come—and electricity. This program addresses the necessity of reducing vehicular impact on the environment, while considering some of the latest developments in electric car technology. (25 minutes)

Army Corps of Engineers (Modern Marvels)

Modern Marvels

Throughout the 19th century, the defense of America was the main task of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It eventually took on the closely related duty of civil works. Because of the incredible diversity of projects the Army Corps of Engineers has taken on, it continues to remain on the cutting edge of science and technology. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Household Wonders (Modern Marvels)

Modern Marvels

The Industrial Revolution in America began in the 1850s, creating a new middle class and all but eliminating house servants. This transformation was responsible for the invention of today's household wonders including the stove, microwave, sewing machine and refrigerator. Learn how and why these machines became indispensable to modern homes. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Victorian Reborn (Save Our History)

History Education

In this program, The History Channel, Lowe’s home improvement store, and This Old House’s Steve Thomas team up to restore the 1891 McCubbins-McCanless House of Salisbury, North Carolina. Documenting the revival of the once-magnificent Queen Anne Victorian mansion, the video covers repairs and renovations to every facet of the home, from the foundation on up to the four chimneys. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (48 minutes)

The Blind Watchmaker: The Evolutionary Ideas of Richard Dawkins

BBC Worldwide Learning

British biologist Richard Dawkins is blunt in his support for evolutionary theory as opposed to "special creationism." This program, inspired by Dawkins' book, allows each side to present its best arguments-with some bias toward Darwinian evolution. The evidence is well-organized and current. Creationist ideas are vividly contrasted with contradictory data through observation, computer simulations, robotics, experiments, and close examination of designs in nature. The central argument here is that the diversity we see in such complex adaptations as the eye and insect mimicry can best be explained by cumulative natural selection over long periods of time. A BBC Production. (49 minutes)

Color

The Arts Council of England

Color is perhaps the most powerful artistic element, but it is also the most difficult to control. In this program, artist June Redfern goes to Venice to see one of her favorite paintings—Titian’s Assumption of the Virgin. Analyzing Titian’s innovative use of color, Redfern traces other color innovations pioneered by artists like Monet, van Gogh, and Mark Rothko. (30 minutes)

Yesterday the Moon, Tomorrow Mars?

Cambridge Educational

How did we get to the Moon? What have we accomplished in the years since? And what challenges lie ahead? To answer these questions, this video tracks the history of Projects Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo; touches on Skylab, the International Space Station, the space shuttle, and the crew exploration vehicle; and considers next steps toward colonizing Mars, including robotic data-gathering missions involving the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the Mars Science Laboratory. Plans to return to the Moon are also discussed. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. Correlates to National Science Education Standards, National Educational Technology Standards, and standards of the Association for the Advancement of Science. A Cambridge Educational Production. (24 minutes)

The NewsHour: Technology

NewsHour Productions

Has the high-tech revolution enhanced or inhibited our quality of life? This selection of NewsHour segments reveals examples of digital technology applied in both beneficial and potentially destructive ways. The program focuses on LED-based lighting, state-of-the-art sports training, nanotechnology for hydrogen fuel cells, and the computer-aided reconstruction of King Tut's true appearance. It also looks at what some experts say are cases of technological overconfidence-such as computerized voting machines and the American military's proposed National Missile Defense System-as well as the dark menagerie of worms and viruses coursing through cyberspace. Original broadcast dates: 10/23/03 to 11/10/05. (76 minutes)

Hot Off the Press: Inside a Daily Newspaper

ClickView Pty Limited

Believe it or not, print journalism is alive and kicking in the digital age. This video takes viewers behind the scenes at a large daily newspaper, exploring in detail how staff members fulfill their writing, illustration, and assembly duties, and how the paper-based periodical has adapted to high-tech documentation, communication, and delivery methods. News and feature reporters, sub-editors, photographers, and the paper's news editor and print manager all discuss their challenges and responsibilities in detail-shedding light on how newsworthy events are tracked, stories are assigned, fieldwork is accomplished, pages are digitally laid out, and other aspects of journalism. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (26 minutes)

The Pyramids

Southern Star

Although their function and architecture have inspired centuries of debate, the Egyptian pyramids harbor yet another enigma, having to do with their location. This program looks at why particular places were selected for pyramid-building and why new sites were chosen as Egypt's culture evolved. Explaining the architectural leap from the mastaba to the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the program explores reasons for abandoning Saqqara, building on the Giza plateau and at Abu Roash, and returning to Saqqara. The availability of construction resources in these areas is analyzed, as well as an equally important religious factor-focusing on Heliopolis, the hub of sun worship. (25 minutes)

The Study of Memory

Uniview Worldwide

This program introduces the basic terms used in the study of memory—such as encoding and storage and retrieval—and looks briefly at the historical ideas about memory. Modern theories are explained using diagrams and real-life examples, and the program then goes on to discuss current research in the area of everyday memory. The reasons for forgetting are explored and the biological basis of memory outlined. In addition, the program examines ways of improving memory. The program emphasizes the radical shift from laboratory-based research to the study of memory in everyday life. The program also includes eight exercises for viewers to take part in, including memory tests and a video clip of a robbery to test recall for eyewitness testimony. (74 minutes)

Bivariate Data: When y Depends on x

University of Sheffield Learning Media Unit

This program demonstrates how "qualitative" bivariate data can be visualized by using a modification of the simple Bar Chart. Quantitative data is dealt with by developing the Dot Plot into the Scatter Diagram, which allows any correlation to show itself in a linear relation. The program explains how this correlation can be modeled by calculating a "Line of Best Fit," how to calculate 95% Confidence Bands, and how to calculate a summary measure for any correlation called the Correlation Coefficient. Finally, the program explains how to deal with data that indicates a curved Line of Best Fit by either finding a way of re-plotting to provide a linear correlation or, alternatively, how to calculate a curved Line of Best Fit. (20 minutes)

Early Television Is Demonstrated by John Logie Baird ca. 1929

British Pathe

John Logie Baird was one of the early inventors of the television. In March 1925, he held one of the first demonstrations of the new technology, which he named the "televisor" at a department store in England. Copyright The WPA Film Library.

The WPA Film Library: Lab Technicians Test Drugs on Animals ca. 1956

The WPA Film Library

The use of animals in scientific research has always been controversial. During the 1950s, when the pharmaceutical industry began to grow, companies that tested vaccines and other drugs on laboratory animals such as chimpanzees and gerbils released films downplaying the issue of cruelty to animals while emphasizing the importance of animal testing to consumer product safety. The Animal Welfare Act of 1966 aimed to improve conditions for some laboratory animals.

Jihad TV: Terrorism and Mass Media

Journeyman Pictures

In al Qaeda’s global jihad against the West, videos of smiling suicide bombers and insurgent ambushes have become as important as the attacks they glorify. This program illustrates in chilling detail how Islamic extremists use the power of the Internet and the network sound bite. From the markets of Baghdad, where brightly packaged jihadist DVDs are snapped up by young consumers, to the broadcast studios of Al Arabiya, where editors debate the merits and consequences of airing graphic violence, the program explores the inextricable links between media technology and terrorist agendas. One scene features training footage from the Global Islamic Media Front explaining how to use Windows Movie Maker to craft an effective video. Viewer discretion is advised. (Portions in Arabic with English subtitles, 47 minutes)

Architects at Work

NewsHour Productions

City planning that puts people before cars, sculptural museums that are as artistic as the masterpieces they contain, commercial spaces that redefine retail—these are some of the paradigm-shaking ideas of today’s architects at work. This compilation of recent NewsHour segments introduces viewers to Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas, Daniel Libeskind, Vincent Scully, and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk—visionaries in the world of architecture. Episodes include: • Frank Gehry on the Guggenheim Bilbao: Elizabeth Farnsworth talks with architect Frank Gehry about the process of designing and building the Guggenheim Bilbao. Segment also sold as a part of Pritzker Prize-Winning Architects. • Vincent Scully and the New Urbanism: Ray Suarez and architectural historian Vincent Scully discuss the rethinking of urban form through city planning that de-emphasizes cars and focuses on community. Segment also sold individually. • Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk and the New Urbanism: Ray Suarez interviews Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, coauthor of Suburban Nation, on the New Urbanism as exemplified by the Kentlands, a housing development in Gaithersburg, Maryland. • Rem Koolhaas and the Architecture of Shopping: Using the Prada store in Manhattan’s SoHo district as a springboard, Ray Suarez talks with architect Rem Koolhaas about a new approach to designing commercial space. • Daniel Libeskind on the Denver Art Museum: Jeffrey Brown and Daniel Libeskind discuss the Denver Art Museum and the Rocky Mountains, from which the architect drew his inspiration. (54 minutes)

Electric Current

Films for the Humanities & Sciences

This program explores how electric energy became an essential tool with the advent of electricity storage, allowing the flow of current to do useful work. Conductors and insulators, voltage, and current are defined and examined, using a water flow model to help ensure understanding. The difference between electron flow and current flow models is explained, and the nature of direct and alternating current (both one- and two-phase) is developed. Specific modules include Tapping a Source, Conductors and Insulators, Direction of Flow, Potential Difference, Measuring Voltage, Measuring Current, Alternating Current, and AC Voltage. Correlates to all National CTE Organizational Standards (including the provisions of the Perkins Act). A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. A Shopware Production. (26 minutes)

How We Move: The Brain and Biomechanics

German United Distributors

At the twilight of an active life, Anna is now bedridden due to a serious fall. What makes the elderly-even those who are in full possession of their mental and physical faculties-more prone to falling than younger people? As this program demonstrates, the answer lies not in the body or the brain alone, but in their interconnection. Exploring Anna's past dreams of becoming a ballerina, the film shows how complex physical motion such as dancing or even typing requires sophisticated coordination between the body's neural, muscular, and skeletal systems. How aging affects such coordination, and how new artificial limb technology enables movement, are important themes in the program. (52 minutes)

CyberEthics

Cambridge Educational

Most people learn traditional standards of behavior and respect for others by the time they are teenagers—but many don’t realize that those rules are just as valid in cyberspace. This program helps students take the high road on the information superhighway and avoid the temptations of the fast lane, pointing the way toward an ethically sound Internet presence and lifestyle. Guidelines for the use of intellectual property are featured, with emphasis on the consequences of illegal downloading, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. Pornography, gaming sites, chat rooms, and online social networks are also discussed, helping viewers steer clear of antisocial and abusive activities, especially cyberbullying. Comments from experts, as well as questions from peers who are confused about the fine points of cyber legality, serve to clarify central ethical principles. A viewable/printable instructor’s guide is available online. Correlates to National ISTE Technology Foundation Standards for Students. A Cambridge Educational Production. (14 minutes)

Information Technology

Visual Education Centre

Students can learn a lot from women who have found success in the IT field. This program profiles Coraleigh Hine, a computer service support technician specializing in sales and installation; Shawna White, a desktop support analyst who troubleshoots and repairs client problems; and Nancy Nadeau, a software developer producing high-end tools for digital image creation. Interviews with coworkers and supervisors help to create well-rounded descriptions of each job. Part of the series Career Options for Women: Emerging Opportunities. (25 minutes)

Robotic Surgery

Information Television Network (ITN)

Less bleeding, less infection, shorter hospital stays—robot-assisted surgery offers these and other benefits, and will probably become the standard in time. This program educates viewers about robotic surgery, focusing on two difficult procedures—prostatectomy and heart bypass surgery—that robotic support has vastly improved. Featuring the da Vinci robot, which gives doctors remote surgical capability and ultrafine dexterity, the program offers the expert testimony of Dr. Jonathan Hwang of Washington Hospital Center, Dr. Farzad Najam of George Washington University Medical Center, and Dr. Robert Poston of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. A helpful prostatectomy case study is included. (25 minutes)

The Moorish South: Art in Muslim and Christian Spain from 711 to 1492

BBC Worldwide Learning

Under Muslim rule, Spain became the most advanced, wealthy, and populous country in Europe, with great leaps forward in art, architecture, and many other fields. In this program, art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon travels from Córdoba to Seville and on to Granada as he tells the story of art in Islamic and medieval Spain. Richly designed and decorated buildings such as the Great Mosque in Córdoba, the Alcazar in Seville, and the Alhambra in Granada are examined, along with ornate gardens, other objects of art, and even culinary innovations. All of these striking visual examples help viewers understand the debt which both modern Spain and modern Europe owe to Moorish Spain. Contains some objectionable language and images. Original BBCW broadcast title: The Moorish South. (51 minutes)

Computer Security

Skillbank Solutions Ltd

Some data thieves break into PCs electronically from remote locations, while others walk right in the front door during business hours. This program addresses the vulnerability of data stored on hard drives, on file servers, on removable media, and in computer memory, as well as of data passed over the Internet. Case studies of both large and small companies provide an opportunity for computer security experts to explain measures that every company should take in order to protect its information assets. Fire walls, virus containment, encryption, authentication, access controls, and the development of a corporate culture of security are stressed. (30 minutes)

Cybercrime: The Invisible Threat

Ways Press International

With such widespread access to the Internet, how vulnerable to online sabotage are banks, government agencies, nuclear plants, utilities, and hospitals? This program examines the Internet's exponential growth and evaluates risks posed by groups and individuals bent on crime or terrorism. Experts from the FBI, the Pentagon, and private companies, and even a self-confessed hacker comment on the danger of online fraud and "denial of service" attacks as well as on anti-hacking and biometric identification as ways of protecting the World Wide Web-and perhaps the world itself. (53 minutes)

Marketing: The Standard Deviants(r) Core Curriculum

Goldhil Home Media International

This persuasive six-part set, adapted from the popular series developed for students to enhance their test-taking skills, combines serious academic content with a humorous presentation style to help make the subject of marketing more accessible. Each program skillfully employs elements such as clever mnemonics, high-tech computer graphics, and entertaining vignettes to boost retention and confidence while driving home core concepts through concise explanations and case studies. Modules include: • What Is Marketing? • Marketing Planning • Marketing Research and Information • Segmenting, Targeting, and Positioning • The Four P’s, Part 1: Product and Pricing • The Four P’s, Part 2: Place and Promotion Joining the Standard Deviants Academic Team in the creation of this set are John McCarty, Ph.D., of American University, and Barbara Rosenthal, Ph.D., of Miami-Dade Community College. Correlates to all applicable state and national standards. A viewable/printable instructor’s guide is available online. (1 hour 37 minutes)

Amazon.com and the World of E-Commerce

NewsHour Productions

In part one of this program, filmed prior to the foundering of the Internet economy, NewsHour correspondent Paul Solman examines the methodology of Amazon.com’s founder Jeffrey Bezos and Drugstore.com’s CEO Peter Neupert, who faced stiffening retail and online competition by innovatively adapting their business plans. In part two, correspondent Margaret Warner analyzes the meteoric rise of dotcoms and their impact on society with Anitesh Barua, co-author of a university study on Internet profitability; Andrew Shapiro, co-founder of technorealism; John Battelle, president of the now defunct Industry Standard; and former Wall Street analyst Paul Kedrosky. (29 minutes)

Your Computer, Your Way: Dell and the Direct Sales Model

NewsHour Productions

At Dell Computers, four hours is all it takes to build, test, and ship a custom PC. In this program, NewsHour correspondent Tom Bearden investigates Dell Computers' direct sales model and its impact on retailers and manufacturers. Visionary Michael Dell and top industry executives from Compaq, Gateway, and Circuit City stress the vital importance of improving supply chain management, providing single-point accountability, and leveraging efficiencies. But as Gateway and Circuit City scramble to exploit the trend toward customization, are computer manufacturers gearing up to eliminate retail altogether? (11 minutes)

Atomic Structure

Goldhil Home Media International

Atomic structure lies at the crossroads of both chemistry and physics, and this program examines a field of study crucial to both: the scientific shell game known as quantum mechanics. Schrodinger's mathematical distribution and the Pauli Exclusion Principle; electron orbitals and the three types of quantum numbers; and shells, subshells, and nodes are all discussed. A thorough demonstration of writing electron configurations is included as well. (27 minutes)

What Is Marketing?

Goldhil Home Media International

Is there a market for bacon-scented sun block? Yes-at least in theory. After explaining basic terminology such as needs, demands, and markets, this program outlines the three strategies for inducing potential customers to purchase merchandise-the product orientation, selling orientation, and marketing orientation-and defines the marketing concept, where product promotion is tailored to a target audience. (15 minutes)

Damping: Simple Harmonic Motion

Skillbank Solutions Ltd

This program investigates how the mathematical model of simple harmonic motion becomes more complex through the introduction of damping. The application of simple modeling techniques to create homogeneous linear second-order differential equations is illustrated. (44 minutes)

Freedom of Speech: Augmentative Communication Success Stories

Spectra Media

For people with special needs, augmentative communication technology is opening the door to fuller expression, better education, and higher self-esteem. This program illustrates the positive impact of augmentative communication technology on the lives of Adam and Mike. Adam, once considered mentally retarded by school staff, has become a college-educated professional-thanks in part to an augmentative device-while the parents of 7-year-old Mike, who does not speak due to autism, believe that technological advances will soon help their son. (28 minutes)

Customer Focus

RAI Trade

A customer orientation is essential to successful product and market development. Module one of this program demonstrates the concept of key account management by way of the Dutch oil company NAM, which proactively develops solutions to potential client problems, while module two extends that concept to include the operations of R.S. Components in the U.K. Module three analyzes how seemingly homogeneous goods, such as paper, are differentiated in Finland to better satisfy consumer needs. (29 minutes)

Recorded Sound: The Dream Becomes a Reality

NVC Arts International

For centuries people dreamed of being able to record and play back sound. In 1877 Thomas Edison invented the phonograph and the whole course of music was forever changed. From the jukeboxes of the 1880s to contemporary composers blending live and recorded music, this program examines the effects, both positive and negative, that resulted from the birth of the phonograph and the subsequent development of electronic and computerized music-making devices. (51 minutes)

The Industry Leaders and Online Strategy

Magnet Media

Just as in the bricks-and-mortar world, a marketing plan is a must in cyberspace. In this program, leaders in the field of online marketing cut through the confusion to lay out the principles of driving traffic, branding, and targeting on the Internet. Executives from companies including 24/7 Media, Renegade Marketing Group, Beyond Interactive, and Media Metrix offer keen insights into a wide range of topics, such as the value of online linking, how to effectively integrate offline and online brands, and the use of focus groups and site registration to gather demographic information on niche communities. (13 minutes)

Push Marketing Techniques

Magnet Media

Push marketing, the essence of traditional advertising, easily translates to the Internet. This program explores a smorgasbord of online push marketing options, from staples including search engine optimization, banner ads, and interstitials to delicacies such as promotions, affiliations, sponsorships, and even rich media. The difference between directory- and spidering-based search engines is spelled out, and the value of reinforcing an online presence with offline advertising and guerilla marketing is also considered. (22 minutes)

The Internet: The End of TV as We Know It?

SND Films

How will producers, advertisers, and consumers be affected when information and entertainment merge into the on-demand environment of the Internet? Segment one of this program deals with the displacement of broadcast TV, while segment two examines the rise of cultural capitalism and the vanishing distinction between producers and consumers. A collage of interviews with Peter Schwartz, of Global Business Network; Amazon.com's Jeff Bezos; and heavy hitters from Walt Disney, Sony Digital Media, the Hollywood Stock Exchange, About.com, TiVo, Eidos Games, and MIT explore the business, cultural, and technological ramifications of living in a world where the Internet is the new medium of choice. (2 parts, 50 minutes each)

Business Communication: Reading

Meridian Education

If Mark and his colleagues are to meet a tight research deadline, they will have to read faster-and smarter-than ever. This dramatization illustrates the value of taking a time-saving approach to reading, which includes using skimming and active reading techniques, taking advantage of reader-friendly devices designed to help pinpoint information, and diligently concentrating on the content target zone. A Meridian Production. (18 minutes)