Put the Needle on the Record

MVD Entertainment Group

This award-winning documentary explores the evolution of electronic music and the rise of the DJ in pop culture. Filmed in Miami during the Winter Music Conference—a yearly, weeklong event attended by over 20,000 electronic music professionals and fans—the program takes an inside look at a growing global phenomenon. Interviews with top artists, footage from events around the globe, and a brilliant soundtrack come together as a highly energetic piece of filmmaking. Director Jason Rem brings the unexplored genre of electronic music to the masses for this rare glimpse at a movement that is driven by passion, creativity, and business. (106 minutes)

Just Trial and Error: Conversations on Consciousness

M & M Films

An exhibition about consciousness and the human brain at University College London inspired the making of Just Trial and Error, in which cognitive neuroscientist Brian Butterworth, perceptual neuroscientist Beau Lotto, sculptor Antony Gormley, and Twain Luu, an Internet entrepreneur well-known for her study of the “global brain,” explore the meaning of consciousness as it is understood in their respective fields. Over the course of the film, they offer insights into the human brain, perception, the space art occupies, the role of the Internet, global consciousness, and much more. A provocative multidisciplinary documentary that is, in the words of New Scientist magazine, “a meditation on consciousness in today’s society and the overwhelming sense that we need to place greater value on qualitative approaches.” Directed by Alex Gabbay. (63 minutes)

Shedding Light on Reflection

Liacos Educational Media

Using exciting live-action demonstrations and easy-to-understand animation, this video delves into the fundamental concepts of reflection and its relationship to light, vision, and the physical world. Topics include: What is reflection? How do mirrors form images? How do they reflect light differently depending on their properties? In what way are mirror images different from two-dimensional photographs? How does our ability to see in three dimensions affect the way we see mirror images? Can animals see things in mirrors? And how do periscopes work? These questions, and many more, are answered in this entertaining and informative program, which includes a variety of optical illusions and magic tricks that incorporate reflection. Viewers will never look into a mirror in the same way again! (45 minutes)

What Is Science Doing for the Future of Food? Ever Wondered? (Series 1)

Scorpion TV

In this episode, host John Watt takes viewers out of the cafés and kitchens and into the laboratory to discover how science is not only changing but also shaping the foods of the future. He travels up and down New Zealand meeting scientists involved at the sharp end of food research and development. On the menu: a scientist developing an antianxiety mood-food beverage, an iconic ice cream company producing an extra-special flavor, a bunch of overachieving black currants, and a machine that prints techno-food to your exact personal tastes and nutritional requirements. A part of Ever Wondered? (Series 1). (22 minutes)

Researching Health: Research Methods Made Accessible

ClickView Pty Limited

In this program students are provided with a sound introduction to three key research methods used in conducting investigations into health. Questionnaire-based surveys are examined, with detailed explanations of instrument design and administration of survey studies. The video then looks at research studies based on interviews, with a helpful analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of this technique. Finally, observational research-both open and covert-is addressed, along with the ethical issues raised by the use of this method. Produced in Australia. A viewable/printable worksheet is available online. (28 minutes)

Control Systems in Design and Technology

ClickView Pty Limited

As technology becomes progressively more complex and an intrinsic part of modern work and life, we are increasingly reliant on computer-controlled technology to extend human capabilities. This program introduces computer-controlled systems, block diagrams, open and closed loop systems, microprocessors, and sensors and actuators. In addition, the video examines EFTPOS machines, robots, manufacturing and product control, and multimedia entertainment, educational, and medical applications. A viewable/printable worksheet is available online. (19 minutes)

Decision Making in Groups

ClickView Pty Limited

Sometimes when teams or groups of people are charged with making a decision, they are not as effective as they could be and time and energy are wasted. It’s important to be aware of the different types of decision making so you can identify which is most suitable for a particular situation. This video explores problems with group decisions, consensus decision making, majority-vote decision making, minority-vote decision making, expert decision making, random-choice decision making, how to agree up front on decision-making technique, and gut-feeling decision making. Viewable/printable educational materials are available online. (15 minutes)

10 Powerful Networking Skills

ClickView Pty Limited

Are you a passive, active, or proactive networker? In this program, viewers learn how to become more successful with their networking by implementing ten powerful skills. (18 minutes)

Blogging: Serious Media or Just a Rant?

ClickView Pty Limited

The rise of the Internet has meant that ordinary people can be both producers and distributors of information and opinions through the use of a Weblog (blog). But with more than eight million blogs already in existence, how many bloggers are really being heard? And is what they have to say serious, well-researched journalism, or just a rant—and should it matter? This program profiles the emergence of blogs, looks at their negatives and positives, and debates whether they are an opportunity for alternative voices to be heard, or just uncensored tirades. Produced in Australia. A viewable/printable worksheet is available online. (25 minutes)

Through These Eyes

National Geographic

For years, photographer Steve McCurry has traveled to war zones and captured the human face of conflict. He is perhaps best known for his striking photographs in National Geographic, especially the haunting image of a young Afghan refugee in a red shawl. Yet, he says, his previous experiences have no parallel in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, which he witnessed and photographed just hours after arriving home to Manhattan from Asia. In this program, McCurry visits some of New York’s Muslim communities—photographing, among other things, a prayer service at the largest mosque in Brooklyn—to show how the events of 9/11 changed life here forever. A National Geographic Production. (26 minutes)

Easy Ways to Use E-Learning

ClickView Pty Limited

As e-learning assumes a growing role in professional development, many teachers remain unsure about how to incorporate it. Meanwhile, students use technology in nearly every aspect of their lives and largely expect e-learning to be a part of their education. This program helps beginning and veteran teachers stay relevant in the area of instructional technology, providing practical, stress-free examples of successful e-learning. Viewers discover how laptops, handheld devices, interactive whiteboards, and cameras can be used in the classroom environment to enrich the student's experience and boost his or her academic development. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (25 minutes)

Housing Styles

VISUALZ

The study of American homes is an architectural tour through time. This video shows examples of a variety of influential housing styles from the 1800s to today. Featured styles include Georgian and Dutch colonial, French, Spanish, Neoclassical, Tudor, Victorian, Cape Cod, brownstone, prairie, craftsman, ranch, multilevel, split-entry, international, contemporary, and eclectic. A mix of basic and intermediate architectural terms, such as gable, hip roof, dormer, quoin, bay window, frieze, cornice, and broken pediment, are defined. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (17 minutes)

The Hunt for AI

BBC Worldwide Learning

Mathematician Marcus du Sautoy is on a journey of discovery to find out just how close we are to creating machines that can think like human beings—and what it would mean if true artificial intelligence became a reality. In this program, the Oxford University professor attempts to communicate with robots that are developing their own private language, learns how a computer named Watson beat human contestants on the Jeopardy quiz show, and determines whether machines can be intuitive and creative. A BBC Production. (52 minutes)

Solar Storms: The Threat to Planet Earth

BBC Worldwide Learning

Activity on the surface of the Sun is ramping up, increasing the risk of massive storms of plasma. And what’s more, these storms will continue to happen for a number of years. But what are solar storms, and what do they mean for life on Earth? Is there a way to lessen their impact? This program goes to the Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado, and to the National Solar Observatory to investigate. A BBC Production. (59 minutes)

Marrakech/Dubai City Guides: Pilot Guides

555 Productions

This Pilot Guides episode features Marrakech, called the great desert city of Morocco, and Dubai, the world’s break-out city of luxury. In Marrakech, a fusion of Africa, Europe and the Islamic cultures, KT Comer takes a carriage to Koutoubia Mosque, which marks the western edge of the old walled city, and explores the markets of the souk, featuring traditional arts, regional crafts, snake charmers, and other performers. She learns about Moroccan leather, listens to traditional Berber healing music, tours the Majorelle Gardens, attends a carpet auction, participates in the Folklore Festival, and visits the Jewish cemetery. In Dubai, Megan McCormick goes downtown to the docks where trade is done between Iran and Dubai. She takes a riverboat to the gold souk, admires the luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel, tries on an Arabic 'abaya', learns about Ramadan, visits the “Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding,” tours the Jumeira Mosque, and takes a trip to Abu Dhabi, business center of the oil rich Gulf and home to the best golf courses in the world. (49 minutes)

Arc of Light: A Portrait of Anna Campbell Bliss

Cynthia Walker

Taking inspiration from science and technology as well as art history, Anna Campbell Bliss developed a style that synthesized many of the movements of early 20th-century modernism. This film traces the broad spectrum of Bliss’s life and work, ranging from the influences of her early childhood and her groundbreaking career as a Harvard-trained architect to her emergence as a cutting-edge artist fusing a wide range of elements: mathematics, computers, printmaking, calligraphy, and more. Featuring interviews with Bliss and her husband, Robert, as well as with other notable art world professionals, the documentary shows how Bliss’s career was shaped by her studies with Bauhaus exponents Walter Gropius and György Kepes, and how associations with Josef Albers, R. Buckminster Fuller, and other figures were also crucial. In addition, the film touches on what may have been Bliss’s greatest personal challenge—a period, thankfully temporary, in which cataracts threatened to destroy her eyesight. (51 minutes)

The Hole in the Wall: An Experiment in Learning and Technology

Globalvision

When Indian researcher Sugata Mitra embedded a touch-screen computer in a wall separating his IT firm's New Delhi offices from an adjacent slum, he discovered that street children quickly taught themselves how to surf the net, read the news, and download games in what he calls "a spiral of self-instruction." What's more, when one child stumbled upon a shortcut or a new function, he quickly taught it to several other children. In this inspiring program, Mitra tells the story of the electronic hole in the wall that enabled some of India's poorest children to leap the digital divide and improve their future prospects, and Mitra to test his theory of minimally invasive education. Just how far will kids go if allowed to teach themselves? Mitra was awarded the prestigious TED prize in 2013 for continuing the educational innovations documented in this film. (59 minutes)

How Is Science Pursuing New Energy Technology and Alternative Energy Sources? Ever Wondered? (Series 1)

Scorpion TV

The global demand for energy is ever-increasing; however, the ability to fairly meet this demand now and in the future is rapidly diminishing. This episode tackles the pressing issue of what can be done to break away from dependence on imported liquid transport fuels. Viewers will find out what research scientists in New Zealand are doing in the field of new energy technology and what discoveries have been made in their search for alternative energy sources. Original title: New Energy Technology and Alternative Energy Sources. A part of Ever Wondered? (Series 1). (22 minutes)

Venom Power

National Geographic

Nature is a tough place to live and animals need to avoid getting eaten. Many creatures make their own venom for protection against attackers while some use it to kill prey. After nearly dying from a rattlesnake bite, scientist Bryan Fry has has always been intrigued with things that can kill you, and has made it his mission to seek out and study the most poisonous venoms in the world. This scientist-turned-venom-hunter collects toxins which could hold the key to future life-saving drugs. In this episode, he goes after the three most-deadly venoms found in North America. A National Geographic Production. (52 minutes)

Low Carbon: The Economics of Climate Change

Java Films

Some conservatives paint the environmentalist movement as socialist or worse, but the key to reducing humanity's carbon footprint may actually appear in new manifestations of capitalism. From electric car technology to the production of ethanol out of waste products, fighting climate change is in fact creating new economic opportunities and could actually steer the planet away from a plunge in Gross World Product. One of the countries leading the charge is Spain. As it promotes solar and wind energy and the widespread use of bicycles, the second-largest country in Western Europe is embracing the challenges of green commerce. What can be learned from the Spanish example? This program investigates. (57 minutes)

Beijing Stadium

National Geographic

You can’t host the Olympic Games without a world-class facility, and for 2008, China’s built the world’s largest enclosed facility: the Beijing National Stadium. Using 42,000 tons of twisted steel and hundreds of tons of concrete, this stadium seats 90,000 people—one of the biggest and most ambitious constructions projects ever attempted in modern China. Against the backdrop of China’s rush to the Olympics, our program examines the unique features of what’s been affectionately termed the “Bird’s Nest” stadium, following its design, engineering, and construction up until the ultimate test, where we’ll find out if this ambitious project comes together as planned. Using aerial photography and computer generated images, this film brings you as close to the construction site as the design engineers and construction workers who formed cement, welded beams, and operated hydraulics and lifting jacks during the incredible construction project. A National Geographic Production. (52 minutes)

Information Overload: Classroom Issues

ClickView Pty Limited

Many teachers argue that young people cannot spell properly and often prefer to use mobile phone text messaging versions of words. Other areas of concern include reading, math, and verbal communication skills. This program explores some impacts of information technology on young people in the classroom, and challenges viewers to debate whether IT is helping or hindering academic and interpersonal abilities. With expert opinions, student feedback, and statistical and historical information, the video asks how the incredible power of IT can best be harnessed for quality educational outcomes. A viewable/printable worksheet is available online. (16 minutes)

Birth of a Nation: The Acquisitions and Achievements of the Achaemenid Empire

Mystic Films

At its height, the Achaemenid Empire of ancient Persia embraced all previous civilized states of the ancient Near East—a multinational empire without precedent. This program presents the history of the First Persian Empire, with particular attention paid to the historic architecture of the period’s major cities and palaces. Insights into the development of the region by rulers such as Cyrus the Great, Darius the Great, and Xerxes are offered. The ruins of royal residences are also emphasized, and explanations of the architecture and reliefs of palaces, including the Hall of Apadana and Taçara, provide a historical backdrop to the program. A part of the series Pre-Islamic Persia: The Forgotten Glory. (52 minutes)

Prelinger Archives: [Gould Can 5127.1: Western Electric Sound Film Promo]

Prelinger Archives

Western Electric sound film promo. No audio. (1 minute)

Crime and Combat: How Does That Work?

Parthenon Entertainment

Modern technology has given law enforcement new, non-lethal options when subduing an individual or controlling a crowd. There have also been advances made in body identification autopsies. This film examines the use of Tasers, rubber bullets, and beanbags in crowd control as well as the use of computers and software to identify bodies and perform autopsies. Part of the series How Does That Work? (23 minutes)

Space: How Does That Work?

Parthenon Entertainment

For generations, space travel was the stuff of science fiction with a few lucky humans actually having the experience. This film looks at the cutting-edge technology of space travel that may one day lead to tourist space flights. See how these new discoveries are being added to existing space technologies like the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. Part of the series How Does That Work? (24 minutes)

Tomorrow's World: How Does That Work?

Parthenon Entertainment

Architectural technology has led to the creation of smart houses and greener buildings. This film explores the technology behind compact houses that rotate with the flick of a switch to take advantage of sun exposure and examines how safer skyscrapers are being built. See how this technology is being integrated into civilian and military buildings and get a look at how we might one day live in space. Part of the series How Does That Work? (24 minutes)

Robotics: How Does That Work?

Parthenon Entertainment

Advances in the field of robotics are offering hope to millions with cybernetic limbs now being developed that look, move, and feel like the real thing. This film explores the world of humanoid robots that are ready to perform tasks at home and in the office, as well as the race to create real artificial intelligence. Part of the series How Does That Work? (23 minutes)

Future Gadgets: How Does That Work?

Parthenon Entertainment

These days, we all have gadgets that we take everywhere we go. Some of us see our cell phone, tablet, or iPod as a necessity, not a convenience. This program looks at the future of gadgets and how they will affect our lives. From new computer gadgets to traffic-beating scooters and satellite navigation for your cell phone, it seems like we’ll be relying on our gadgets more and more. Part of the series How Does That Work? (23 minutes)

High-Tech Lifestyles: How Does That Work?

Parthenon Entertainment

How is technology changing our lives? Form our daily commute to dramatic changes in the offices where we work, this film examines the lifestyle changes that have already taken place thanks to technology. See how advances in textiles have led to the development of clothing that can adapt to the weather and even tell you when they need to be washed, and the research being conducted that will change the way we sleep. Part of the series How Does That Work? (24 minutes)

Defense Science: How Does That Work?

Parthenon Entertainment

Technological advances on the battlefield have led to a decrease in the number of casualties and led to better communication systems. This film looks at how surveillance drones, remotely powered vehicles, and improvements in training and equipment that help soldiers survive poison gas attacks. See how modern technology is changing the way we fight wars. Part of the series How Does That Work? (24 minutes)

Learning from the Light

Parthenon Entertainment

World-renowned architect I. M. Pei was already in his 90s when he took on designing the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. This documentary, from award-winning filmmaker, Bo Landin, visits Alhambra and Cordoba in Spain, and Cairo to search for references to understand the essence of Pei’s architecture that will find its historical place in an Islamic world stretching from Cordoba to Samarkand. (57 minutes)

Computing: Ancient Discoveries

Parthenon Entertainment

Basic computing functions make automatic calculations and are the epitome of the modern age. The first electrical computers only emerged in the Second World War and the first mechanical ones barely a century before that. This film looks at machines in ancient Greece from more than 2,000 years ago that did exactly the same thing. Part of the series Ancient Discoveries. (50 minutes)

Solving Systems of Equations: Algebra Nspirations

Media4Math

When choosing between two competitive cell phone plans or two rental car offers, it helps to apply common sense—but a little algebra never hurt either. A multi-variable and multi-relation mathematical model, also known as a system, will do the trick. Written and hosted by internationally acclaimed math educator Dr. Monica Neagoy, this video introduces students to systems of linear equations in two or three unknowns. The program features a variety of methods: four involve the TI-Nspire graphing calculator (spreadsheet, graphs and geometry, matrices, and nSolve) and two are the classic algebraic methods known as substitution and elimination, also called the linear combinations method. The video concludes with a summary of the three possible types of solutions. (28 minutes)

Logarithms and Logarithmic Functions: Algebra Nspirations

Media4Math

The scientific advances of the 16th and early 17th centuries involved huge amounts of numerical data, and a computational device was desperately needed to make time-consuming calculations easier and more efficient. This video begins with a historical overview of John Napier’s response to the dilemma—including his introduction of the term logarithm, or logos (“reason”) combined with arithmos (“number”)—which forever changed the world of computation. Led by internationally acclaimed math educator Dr. Monica Neagoy, the program then derives the properties of logs, examines logarithmic functions and graphs, and finally explores the well-known Richter magnitude scale. Featured concepts include functions, inverse functions, logarithms, exponential functions, and logarithmic functions. (31 minutes)

Programming the Nation? The History of Subliminal Messaging in America

Sideways Film

With eye-opening footage, expert interviews, and many humorous anecdotes, this provocative program explores the alleged use of subliminal messages in advertising, music, film, politics, and the military. Documentarian Jeff Warrick leads viewers through the subconscious mind while examining the history, scientific validity, and potential effects of such techniques on society. From hidden sexual imagery in Disney cartoons and satanic messages in rock music to the now-discredited experiment where “Drink Coca-Cola” was flashed between frames at a cinema, Warrick challenges his audience to question whether subliminal programming is an urban legend, or if these manipulative tactics could actually alter human behavior. (103 minutes)

Excusez-Moi, Where Is the...? Dealing with Directions

BBC Worldwide Learning

When traveling, finding one's way around is a big part of the adventure. This program demonstrates how to ask for and give directions when touring in urban and rural settings and how to say where one lives and works. Architectural landmarks such as Le Corbusier's Cite Radieuse, in Marseille, and the magnificent mansions lining the Cours Mirabeau, in Aix-en-Provence, are featured. Original BBC broadcast title: Talk French, Program 3. (French and English, 16 minutes)

Flor de Cacto: Para Empezar... ?Que es la Poesia?

Instituto Latinoamericano Comunicacion Educativa

What are the characteristics of poetry that differentiate it from all other kinds of writing? This program answers that question through stimulating discussions about the content and formal elements of poetry with three of Mexico's leading contemporary poets-Elisa Ramirez, Vicente Quirarte, and David Huerta. Lively computer graphics and images complement the discussion and recital of poetry. (Spanish, 30 minutes)

Architecture & Construction

Cambridge Educational

With over 13 million jobs in the U.S. alone, the Architecture & Construction Career Cluster is simply huge. This program offers a sense of how wide-ranging the opportunities can be by looking at the educational and training requirements, as well as the actual work of an architect, plumber, electrician, and construction and building inspector. Correlates to the National Standards for Life Work. A Cambridge Educational Production. Part of the series The Complete Career Clusters. (20 minutes)

The European Garden

Libraprim

The garden is an architectural art form as well as a mirror of man's relationship with nature, and as exemplary of the style of an age as its literature or art. This program follows the stages of Western civilization as it explores the various styles of gardens through the ages. (50 minutes)

Graphic Design: What's in a Logo?

Digital Rights Group Limited

Graphic designers with the consulting firm Navy Blue must produce a new corporate identity for Digital Animations Group, a Scottish company on the cutting edge of 3-D technology. Their task is to create a logo that captures the company's spirit and works across different formats, such as on paper, signs, windows, and Web pages. This program follows the entire process, from sitting down with the client to determine the mission, to brainstorming and pitching proposals, to unveiling the finished product. (15 minutes)

Light and Shadow

Radio Netherlands Television

The use of special light effects as a narrative element; the suggestion of an internal source of light in the work of Rembrandt and his followers; Vermeer's alternation of sunlight and shadow; the absence of shadow in Mondrian; the uses of light to relate interior to exterior space; the use of light as a material-this program looks at five centuries of light and shadow in Dutch art. (25 minutes)

Taking Risks at Intel

Hedrick Smith Productions

Andrew S. Grove, CEO, Intel Corp.Before "Intel Inside" became the sine qua non of PC manufacturing, Intel faced the prospect of being squeezed out of the microchip market by Japanese manufacturers who threatened to turn the chip into a commodity. Here, Andrew Grove explains how Intel shrugged off a business-as-usual mindset and began encouraging innovation and experimentation, enabling the company to climb back to the top of an industry where the core product is reinvented every six months. (32 minutes)

Japanese Architectural Design: East Meets West

Kyoto Broadcasting System

Beginning with the Meiji Restoration, the techniques of Western architecture spread rapidly throughout Japan. Some architects fused the two traditions, while others subtly incorporated Western details into the modernized sukiya style. Filmed in Kyoto, this program focuses on the evolution of Japanese architecture from the late 19th century up to the Second World War. Buildings toured include the Shimadzu Foundation Memorial Hall; Murin-an; Botukuden Hall, by Shigemitsu Matsumuro; the former JR Nijo Station; Gion-kaku Tower, by Ito Chuta; Chochikkyo, by Fujii Koji; Kyoto Kaikan Hall Annex; Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art; and Yasaka Kaikan Hall, by Tokusaburo Kimura. (46 minutes)

Frank Lloyd Wright's Last Dream: Monona Terrace

CableRready Corporation

He intended it as a gift to his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. It became one of the most contested buildings in American architectural history. This classic program presents the story of Frank Lloyd Wright's vision of a civic center on the shore of Lake Monona, a project that took nearly 60 years to complete. Filmed extensively at Monona Terrace, as well as Taliesin and Oak Park, the program chronicles the controversy and achievement of Wright's long career, featuring architects, former apprentices, Wright historian John Holzhueter, Wright archivist Bruce Pfeiffer, and former Madison Mayor Paul Soglin, who presided over construction of the Monona Terrace project. (47 minutes)

Supply and Demand: Christmas, a Case Study

Freelance Film Partnership

In the industrialized world, Christmas means megabucks to the businesses that can create a fad or spot a trend. Filmed from a U.K. perspective, this program illustrates the annual scramble of key holiday-related industries-toys, video games, music CDs, luxury items, Christmas trees, and holiday foods-to catch the seasonal wave and ride it to high profits. But which products within each category will capture shoppers' attention? The dynamics of-and glitches in-the global supply and demand cycle are thoroughly covered, factoring in the effects of brands, product licensing, advertising, research and development, and offshore manufacturing. (50 minutes)

Developing a Website

ClickView Pty Limited

Taking viewers into an exciting, creative, fast-growing industry, this video looks at the key considerations involved when designing and developing a website. It examines Internet basics, planning a website’s structure and purpose, website design and construction, and website testing. Several experts on media, digital marketing, and website technology and utilization appear in the program, offering their insights on the best ways to proceed. Ideal for anyone entering the fields of information technology, graphic design, and business, this entertaining visual resource provides valuable advice and insider tips on how to build a well functioning, user-friendly, and attractive website. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (20 minutes)

Electrical Circuits

ClickView Pty Limited

Introducing viewers to the basics of electrical circuits, this video looks at the various components of a circuit while describing voltage, current, resistance, and series and parallel circuits. It also demonstrates a range of calculations that are central to real-world applications of the principles of electricity. Viewers are shown how to use a multimeter and are given a solid understanding of resistors and resistance color coding. The program presents clear verbal and visual explanations of the flow of current through a circuit and how electrical energy is used, in addition to easy-to-follow examples of Ohm’s and Kirchoff’s Laws and how they are applied. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (22 minutes)

Conducting a Home Energy Audit: Residential Energy Efficiency Projects

Shopware

A professional energy audit is essential to transforming an older residence into a fuel-efficient home. The procedure lets homeowners know how quickly they are consuming energy and which parts of the dwelling need improvement to keep utility costs down. This program covers the step-by-step process of performing a home energy audit and gives details about the specific techniques and tools needed for the job. From assessing the building envelope to inspecting HVAC/R systems and major appliances, then making recommendations for the most commonly-needed improvements, the video informs viewers while providing helpful tips along the way. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. A Shopware Production. A part of the series Residential Energy Efficiency Projects. (20 minutes)

Installing a Solar Electric System: Residential Energy Efficiency Projects

Shopware

Solar electricity is a top choice for providing clean energy, and thanks to lower prices in getting a system up and running, consumer demand for this alternative keeps rising. This program explains exactly how to install a solar electric system, with segments on determining where to place the panels or modules; proper installation of both the mechanical and electrical components; testing the system, including grounding and voltage; and what to review with the homeowner in terms of the system's operation and maintenance. The video also advises on OSHA safety regulations for rooftop and electrical work, and offers smart building tips to increase the system's efficiency. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. A Shopware Production. A part of the series Residential Energy Efficiency Projects. (12 minutes)

Death: Dan Cruickshank’s Adventures in Architecture

BBC Worldwide Learning

Can architecture confer immortality, if only for as long as a structure remains standing? In this program, Dan Cruikshank travels to the elaborate tomb of Queen Hatshepsut in Egypt; Sedlec Ossuary, a Roman Catholic chapel in the Czech Republic decorated with human bones; Guatemala’s Yaxha Mayan ruins, the site of human sacrifice and where the TV show Survivor was filmed; Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno in Genoa, Italy, famed for its beautiful and sometimes erotic statues; and Varanasi, India, the sacred city where many Hindus come to die. A BBC Production. A part of the series Dan Cruickshank’s Adventures in Architecture. ( Portions with English subtitles , 50 minutes)

Beauty: Dan Cruickshank’s Adventures in Architecture

BBC Worldwide Learning

Dan Cruickshank explores the theme of beauty in architecture in this program, from the beauty of nature’s simplicity to that of extreme ornamentation. Dan goes to Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland, where he builds an igloo and learns about Inuit culture; Leshan, China, home of the ancient Giant Buddha, the largest of its kind; Russia’s Catherine Palace, a masterpiece of Baroque architecture; the Sun Temple in Konarak, India, full of erotic statues that are still shocking today; and France’s Albi Cathedral, built to suppress the local population but now an object of beauty. A BBC Production. A part of the series Dan Cruickshank’s Adventures in Architecture. ( Portions with English subtitles , 50 minutes)

Paradise: Dan Cruickshank’s Adventures in Architecture

BBC Worldwide Learning

Since the beginning of civilization, humans have paid homage to the spiritual realm by erecting beautiful structures on Earth. In this program, Dan Cruickshank visits Saint Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai desert, built where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments; China’s Hanging Temple, a Taoist monastery that clings precariously to the sheer face of a cliff; two 16th-century wooden churches in the Russian wilderness that still serve a devout congregation today; and the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Tamil Nadu, India, where Hindus come to celebrate the wonder of creation. A BBC Production. A part of the series Dan Cruickshank’s Adventures in Architecture. ( Portions with English subtitles , 50 minutes)

Shedding Light on Electromagnetic Waves

Liacos Educational Media

What are electromagnetic waves and how was it discovered that light is made of them? How were all the electromagnetic waves (like radio waves) that we can't even see discovered? And how do these electromagnetic waves affect our lives? In this exceptional program, science teacher Spiro Liacos introduces students to waves in general, and then takes a detailed and entertaining look at radio waves, microwaves, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light, X-rays, and gamma rays. Along the way he surfs, plays guitar and piano, flies a remote controlled helicopter, dives into the ocean, visits the dentist, and spends some time in the tropical sun. This program is a great way to teach students all about electromagnetic waves.

Sharing Feedback: Cutting Edge Communications Comedy Series

Seven Dimensions

Avoid defensiveness, be open to receiving and give specific balance feedback. Part of the series Cutting Edge Communication Comedy Series.

The Internet of Things: IOT

NewsHour Productions

Antonio Neves reports on the 13 billion devices connected to the Internet. Neves interviews IBM Industry Solutions Director Juri Parasczack and Dr. Steven Bellovin of Columbia University. (8 minutes)

Prosthetics that Feel

Inside Science

There are nearly two million amputees living in the United States today. Newer, high-tech prosthetics have made life easier for many of them. But even with these devices patients still can't feel what they’re touching. But biomedical engineers are working on a prosthetic arm that’s changing the game for amputees.

Building Blocks for Kids: Essential for Development

Inside Science

The popular Xbox and PlayStation games are all the rage from toddlers to teens. But whatever tech-savvy experience kids get from video games, hands-on play still may be the most important activity for them. Child development research shows us how basic toy blocks can build great minds and skills in kids.

Shattered Ground

Looking Glass International

Hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” is a new technology that has opened up immense resources of natural gas buried in deep shale beds. Some see it as the answer to the energy crisis and a chance at energy independence. But fracking is an incredibly divisive issue ripping apart communities. The backlash is unprecedented, with states and countries adopting fracking bans. Is fracking bad? Or is it truly an unexpected gift of energy and jobs? This film looks past the rhetoric and emotional arguments to find the real issues involved, the opportunity, and the potential health and environmental issues.

Investigative Reporting in the Digital Era

Films for the Humanities & Sciences

In the new world of tweets, blogs, and citizen journalism, what is the outlook for true investigative reporting? This program highlights the ways investigative journalism is changing, particularly in the context of digital and online media. Social media and globalization have changed the ways reporters connect with their readers. What are the advantages and disadvantages of nearly instantaneous access to news as it unfolds? A panel of heavy hitters from the world of journalism weighs in on these and other issues, such as emerging financial models for (costly) investigative reporting as traditional news budgets shrink. Young reporters entering the field will be particularly encouraged by many of the exciting technologies and resources available for developing stories that are more in-depth, media-rich, and engaging. Investigative journalism is a fast-evolving field, and this program helps entry-level reporters as well as veterans to bear witness more effectively in the Internet era. (17 minutes)

Curbing Electricity Use in Buildings

Inside Science

Computer scientists are helping to cut electricity costs in commercial buildings with a new system that senses when offices are empty and initiates energy-saving options.

Smart Bandages Grow Blood Vessels

Inside Science

Researchers have developed a bandage that stimulates and directs blood vessel growth on the surface of a wound to help speed healing.

Taking Better Photos for Mobile Devices

Inside Science

Neuroscientists study how people view images and recommend tips for photographers.

Altering the Sky to Reduce Climate Change

Inside Science

Atmospheric scientists are looking for ways to lessen the effects of global warming.

Facebook and Self Esteem

Inside Science

Researchers suggest that Facebook can have a positive impact on self-image.

Faster, Smarter, Everywhere - The Computer of the Future

Deutsche Welle

Already so ubiquitous we hardly notice them anymore, computers will continue permeating all aspects of our daily lives.

Stem Cell Versatility

Deutsche Welle

Scientists in Germany are working to make use of the huge medical potential of embryonic stem cells.

Inventing a Truly Sustainable Auto Industry: Hugo Spowers

The Green Interview

This episode of The Green Interview features Hugo Spowers—engineer, entrepreneur, and former racing car driver—who uses his love of auto design to tackle one of the most intractable environmental questions: how to neutralize our passionate addiction to the automobile. Through his pioneering company, Riversimple, based in Ludlow, Shropshire, England, Spowers and his colleagues have taken on the modest task of eliminating environmental damage caused by personal transport. Riversimple is building an alternative car out of unconventional materials, using a unique fuel: hydrogen. And Riversimple won’t sell cars—they’ll sell you transportation services. You can lease one of their cars, and Riversimple will recycle it when the car is worn out. In another inside-out move, the company gives away its technology freely over the Internet, and offers to help others to use the technology to build their own green cars. In this Green Interview , Spowers tells us how he and his colleagues have reimagined and redesigned not just the automobile, but the entire auto industry. (87 minutes)

The World's First Rooftop Farm: Mohamed Hage

The Green Interview

This episode of The Green Interview features Mohamed Hage, who is turning the flat rooftops of Montreal's industrial buildings into fertile farms that feed thousands—and he’s making a profit in the process. Hage, a self-described “technology geek” turned urban farmer, explains the genesis and genius of Lufa Farms in this Green Interview. After seven years, Hage and a small group of colleagues have created two rooftop greenhouse farms in Montreal and plan a third for Boston. The farms grow over 100 varieties of vegetables and herbs, and they feed about 5,000 people. Perhaps most remarkably, Lufa Farms is pesticide-free and uses about half the energy of conventional greenhouses. The farms rely on an army of carefully chosen insects to perform their pest management, and they conserve water and preserve precious nutrients by recycling rainwater. It’s an urban success story that could provide a template for revolutionizing food production, blending old-style farming techniques with sophisticated software to create local, sustainable agriculture right in the middle of the city. (63 minutes)

The Age of Big Data

BBC Worldwide Learning

In Los Angeles, a remarkable experiment is underway: the police are trying to predict crime before it even happens. At the heart of the city of London, one trader believes that he has found the secret of making billions with math. In South Africa, astronomers are attempting to catalog the entire cosmos. These very different worlds are united by one thing—an extraordinary explosion in data. Horizon meets the people at the forefront of the data revolution, and reveals the possibilities and the promise of the age of big data. A BBC Production. (53 minutes)

Immortal? A Horizon Guide to Aging

BBC Worldwide Learning

Is there any way to slow or even prevent the ravages of time? Veteran presenter Johnny Ball looks back over the 45 years that Horizon--and he--have been on air to find out what science has learned about how and why we grow old. Charting developments from macabre early claims of rejuvenation to the latest cutting-edge breakthroughs, Johnny discovers the sense of a personal mission that drives many scientists and asks whether we are really any closer to achieving the dream of immortality. A BBC Production. (52 minutes)

How Small Is the Universe?

BBC Worldwide Learning

Horizon plunges down the biggest rabbit-hole in history in search of the smallest thing in the Universe. It is a journey where things don't just become smaller but also a whole lot weirder. Scientists hope to catch a glimpse of miniature black holes, multiple dimensions, and even parallel universes. As they start to explore this wonderland, where nothing is quite what it seems, they may have to rewrite the fundamental laws of time and space. A BBC Production.

The Senses: A Horizon Guide

BBC Worldwide Learning

Touch, sight, smell, hearing and taste: the five senses help define what it means to be human. In Horizon Guide to Senses we see how our senses gather millions of details about the world around us, sending our brains a constant stream of information. This input is our only link with the outside world and an important part of human survival.

The Secret Life of the Sun

BBC Worldwide Learning

The Sun is more active now than it's been for a decade, sending eruptions of super-heated plasma and vast waves of radiation towards Earth—with the potential to disrupt our lives in dramatic ways. Using satellite images and the expertise of Britain's leading solar scientists, Kate Humble and Helen Czerski reveal the inner workings of our very own star, and the influence its cycles of activity have on our planet. A BBC Production. (59 minutes)

Paperback Writer: The Beauty of Books

BBC Worldwide Learning

As the paperback book democratized reading in the 20th century, cover art became a powerful marketing tool to sell books to the masses. The cover of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four changed over time, from its classic 1950s Penguin design to the latest artwork from Jon Gray, each iteration reflecting its respective decade's approach to selling the book to new readers. David Pelham's iconic 'cog eye' design for Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange transcended commercial design to become art in its own right. Today, the paperback and its cover have been replaced by the e-reader, with mass storage and electronic pages. As this new technology grows in popularity, the paperback book -- an important cultural entity for decades -- comes under new scrutiny. (30 minutes)

Defeating the Hackers

BBC Worldwide Learning

This film explores the murky and fast-paced world of hackers out to steal money and identities and wreak havoc with people's online lives, and the scientists who are joining forces to help defeat them. Horizon meets the two men who uncovered the world's first cyber weapon, the pioneers of what is called ultra paranoid computing, and the computer expert who worked out how to hack into cash machines. (50 minutes)

Indoor Air Quality: Green Building: Your Edge in the Home Building Marketplace

Green Planet Films

This video version of David Johnston's acclaimed seminar provides practical information about building in ways that are energy conscious, healthy and environmentally responsible. Green building movement leader David Johnston' approach has been embraced by municipalities, homeowners, building professionals and sustainability advocates nation-wide. His current book, Green Remodeling: Changing the World One Room at a Time , has been hailed as the definitive guide to green remodeling techniques. Marc Richmond has been involved with the Austin Energy Green Building Program; has helped start local green building programs in the San Francisco Bay Area for the California Public Utilities Commission; and is on the LEED-New Construction development committee. Indoor Air Quality covers how to decrease chemical pollution in the home during construction, including sealing the building, eliminating toxic building products, installing efficient HVAC systems, ensuring good ventilation, and installing appropriate filtration. (98 minutes)

Shrinking the World: Greatest Human Achievements

DCD Rights Limited

Today we can speak to someone on the other side of the world instantly and physically travel around the globe in two days. Ninety percent of our technology, upon which we base our modern lifestyle, was created within the last 150 years. We take this for granted, but the shrinking of our world is an extraordinary achievement. In a short time we progressed from horses and carts to cars, radio, television, international mobile phone calls, space travel, and the Internet. (56 minutes)

Ergonomics in the Real World

ClickView Pty Limited

Ergonomics is concerned with designing objects and spaces for maximum utility by the people who use them. This program provides a thorough overview as it explores the history of ergonomics; discusses the key ergonomic principles of safety, comfort, ease of use, productivity and performance, and aesthetics; and presents a variety of specific examples of ergonomics in everyday life, including a vegetable peeler, an adjustable car seat, the Rotasole sports shoe, architect Steven Last's "The Last Beach House," and a shopping mall. The evolution of ergonomics, with its growing emphasis on how user-centered design and manufacturing impact the natural environment, is considered as well. (20 minutes)

Prelinger Archives: Magic in the Air (1955)

Prelinger Archives

This Prelinger Archives film illustrates the basic principles of what was, in 1955, state-of-the-art television technology. Visiting a TV studio as it prepares for a live broadcast, the film shows how television equipment works--including going inside a bulky camera and examining its contents, then following the broadcast "signal" with the help of classic voltage-like animation to a TV antenna and into the home of a happy viewer. How electrons are used to scan and reproduce a picture is explained quite effectively, if not in complete scientific detail then at least to the satisfaction of the average high-school physics student. The evolution of TV technology is paralleled with that of the American car. Jam Handy Organization, for the General Motors Corporation, Department of Public Relations. (8 minutes)

Liquid Stone: Unlocking Gaudí's Secrets

Galloping Entertainment

Despite his famous quip about the enduring patience of his client, the man known as “God’s architect” never intended his masterpiece, La Sagrada Família, to remain unfinished 80 years after his death. This program examines efforts to bring Antonio Gaudí’s work to completion in a manner consistent with his original goals and ideas. Viewers meet Mark Burry, the New Zealand architect charged with deciphering Gaudí’s design patterns, which rely heavily on organic sculptural motifs encoded in mystifying plaster models. Burry’s innovative use of aeronautical design software as well as the contributions of traditional artisans enliven this fascinating final chapter in one of architecture’s great sagas. (Portions in Catalan with English subtitles, 52 minutes)

The Future Makers: Pioneering Sustainable Energy

Galloping Entertainment

While its fossil fuel exports are sizeable, Australia is also becoming a gigantic laboratory for developing renewable energy systems. This program examines the work of engineering trailblazers who have made the country a world leader in green technology design. Dr. Tim Finnigan uses bio-mimicry to create flexible seafloor structures that transform ocean currents into power. Likewise, Dr. Robert Dane’s Solar Sailor boat incorporates insect wing forms. Designs from Dr. Prame Chopra and Dr. Doone Wyborn hint at the shape of geothermal systems to come, while the Sydney-based activities of SunTech and its Chinese owner, Dr. Zhengrong Shi, evoke the global nature of the sustainable energy movement. Several other case studies are included. (45 minutes)

Cutting It in Costume: Design and Wardrobe Management

Classroom Video

When a play is performed, all eyes are on the actors—which means the costume department can make or break a production. This program introduces skills and responsibilities essential to theatrical costume design, technology, and management. After outlining the history of stage costuming, the video shows how an actor’s attire reveals his or her character, how a designer researches and incorporates period dress styles, and how various fabrics, colors, patterns, and aging effects are used in making costumes. Discussions of presets, quick-changes, and an actor’s backstage needs help students understand the wardrobe supervisor’s challenges. Costume professionals from London’s National Theatre add their expertise. A viewable/printable instructor’s guide is available online. A part of the series Treading the Boards: Theater Fundamentals. (25 minutes)

Congo Basin: Sustainable Forestry

System TV

Among the largest, most pristine areas of tropical woodland on the planet, the Congo Basin forests could easily fall prey to shortsighted and exploitative commercial interests. This program looks at sustainable lumber production initiatives taking root in the region, with a focus on cutting-edge forestry management as well as economic growth through increased cooperation between local concession holders. Viewers join a planning team and a chain-saw crew in the remote woodlands of Gabon as they take great care to preserve the fragile ecosystem, and another team of advisors as they set up meetings between small African foresters—who, despite initial skepticism, see a need for collective economic leverage. Part of the series Sustainable Development: The World Challenge. (25 minutes)

Google World

Tremer Releasing

From Internet search, to Android, to cloud computing: how has Google come so far, so fast, and what are the broad implications of Google's success? This program scrutinizes the Google phenomenon as it explores the company's history, corporate culture, business practices, innovations, and altruistic ambitions. Google's controversial experience in China is examined as well, along with its move to create gigantic server farms to house, ultimately, all the world's data. But as Google pursues its business and humanitarian goals, is social search technology under development by ex-Googlers taking aim at Google's core proficiency? Commentary by CEO Eric Schmidt and Google enthusiasts is balanced by contrarian insights from information privacy advocates Marc Rotenberg, of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, and Chris Hoofnagle, of the Berkeley Center for Law & Technology. (48 minutes)

Genres in Music: From Handel to Hip-Hop

ClickView Pty Limited

Throughout history, musicians and musical works have reflected the fashion, culture, and social attitudes of their times. Music today is more diversified than ever, from the megahits of teen pop stars to the depth and emotionality of gospel choirs to the tones and textures produced by large-scale orchestras. Add to this the unstoppable forces of MySpace, YouTube, the iPod, and a rapidly expanding community of independent labels and producers, and the result is a kaleidoscope of styles, movements, and voices. This program gives students an overview of musical genres, including forms of classical music, rock and pop, musical theater, 20th- and 21st-century film music, heavy metal, and rap. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (22 minutes)

Doing Sociological Research

ClickView Pty Limited

This multi-segment program focuses on the world of education as it addresses aspects of how to conduct sociological research. After defining what exactly constitutes research, the video defines the concepts of reliability, validity, and representativeness through a study of social interaction in schools; sheds light on essential ideas in survey research via a study of educational inequalities; considers decision-making and social capital in education while presenting the use of interviews in sociological research; and illustrates ethnography in action as it tracks a study of surveillance in schools using observational methods. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Understanding Sociology. (37 minutes)

Bohr's Model of the Atom

ClickView Pty Limited

A good way to introduce quantum theory is to profile the individuals who pioneered it. This program focuses on Niels Bohr’s contributions to our understanding of the atom and the behavior of subatomic particles according to quantum mechanics. Outlining theoretical precursors of quantum physics—including the ideas of John Dalton and J. J. Thomson—and a brief biography of Bohr, the video shows how the Danish physicist devised his atomic model and sheds light on his first and second postulates. Clever animation and helpful summaries enrich this valuable survey of the history and legacy of Bohr’s achievements. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (27 minutes)

Inside a Computer

ClickView Pty Limited

Computers: everyone uses them, but how do they actually work? This video goes beyond the desktop and program software to grapple with the system hardware itself. After a quick history of the computer, Inside a Computer takes a close look at the motherboard, with its central processing unit, RAM, and system clock; input devices such as the keyboard, mouse, and joystick; output devices like the monitor and printer; and storage devices, including internal and external hard disks and flash drives. The binary system of data management is also examined. Designed for computer novices, technicians-in-training, and experienced software users who want a better understanding of how a computer does what it does. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (27 minutes)

Self-Esteem and Identity in the Digital Age

ClickView Pty Limited

The development of authentic self-esteem and a healthy sense of self has always been a vitally important part of growing up. But this process is a challenge that has gotten even trickier to negotiate due to the widespread integration of digital technology into everyday living. Drawing on the insights of a clinical psychologist/family therapist, an adolescent psychologist, and a number of students, this program introduces the dynamics of child/adolescent psychology with a special emphasis on technology-related pitfalls associated with growing up in the digital age—particularly body image issues aggravated by the media and antisocial behaviors resulting from too much time spent online. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (27 minutes)

E-learning in Education

ClickView Pty Limited

The revolution in information and communication technology and its eager adoption by the Millennials has created significant teaching opportunities-and challenges-for instructors. This program aims both to inform and to inspire educators as it encourages them to make e-learning an integral part of the instructional mix. The evolution of youth communications in the 21st century; implications of multi-literacy, such as technology-enhanced lateral thinking; the educational potentials of computers, cell phones, and mp3 players both in and out of the classroom; and approaches to creating a top-down, school-wide culture of collaboration and learning are discussed. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (21 minutes)

Catching the Sun: The Physics of Solar Energy

ClickView Pty Limited

Electricity and heat—two forms of energy that American households and businesses can’t do without. More and more consumers and companies are realizing that we can’t rely on fossil fuels for these necessities and must switch to renewable sources. This program investigates three main ways in which solar energy is used around the world: solar hot water, photovoltaic solar panels that generate electricity for small consumers, and thermal arrays that use sunlight to produce electricity in large commercial plants. Viewers will learn about the science involved in each type, the practical challenges of implementing them, and other developments in this exciting and growing area of the renewable energy economy. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (18 minutes)

The Physics of Medical Imaging

ClickView Pty Limited

Medical imaging technologies—true marvels of medical science—give doctors the ability to analyze and interpret bodily anatomy and processes noninvasively. But how do ultrasound, hard and soft X-rays, CT scans, PET scans, and MRI scans create their remarkable images? This program thoroughly examines the physics of health-related imaging as it investigates the medical properties of electromagnetic and high-frequency sound waves. Detailed graphics appear throughout. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (27 minutes)

Manhattan Project (Modern Marvels)

Modern Marvels

Scientists, engineers, and the U.S. Army teamed up to detonate the first man-made atomic explosion. The effort to create a nuclear weapon went in to high gear after the attack on Pearl Harbor. After the bombings in Japan, some scientists regretted the role they played in brining this weapon of mass destruction into existence. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Green Power, Clean Choices

Cambridge Educational

Powering houses and heating water in more energy-efficient, sustainable ways is an important component of many remodeling projects. Whether it’s through the use of passive or active solar technologies, wind, or other renewable power sources, today’s remodelers need to understand the basics of green power so they can guide their clients toward smarter choices and then integrate these technologies into a home in the most intelligent way. Green Power, Clean Choices provides a fundamental understanding of how these technologies work and takes viewers to residential installation sites to see these systems in real-world applications. Correlates to all National CTE Organizational Standards (including the provisions of the Perkins Act). Viewable/printable discussion questions are available online. A Shopware Production. A part of the series Green-ovating: Home Renovations for a Sustainable World. (38 minutes)

Sustainable Landscaping: Growing a Greener Home

Cambridge Educational

Over the course of this video, viewers will learn how a green approach to landscaping can reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool a house. The role of landscaping as a system, the connection between the outdoor habitat and the home as a living space, the proper management of rainwater and runoff, the value of native plants, and the benefits of green roofs are also explored. Visits to residential project sites with the landscape architects and designers who created them are included as well, offering insights into the principles and design philosophies that have shaped their work. Correlates to all National CTE Organizational Standards (including the provisions of the Perkins Act). Viewable/printable discussion questions are available online. A Shopware Production. A part of the series Green-ovating: Home Renovations for a Sustainable World. (38 minutes)

Light and Dark: Light

BBC Worldwide Learning

The story of how we use light to reveal the cosmos begins in the 3rd century BC with the Greek mathematician Euclid's discovery that light travels in straight lines—a discovery that meant that if we could change its path we could change how we see the world. In Renaissance Italy, 2,000 years later, Galileo Galilei did just that by using the lenses of his simple telescope to reveal our true place in the cosmos. With each new insight into the nature of light came a fresh understanding of the cosmos. It has allowed us to peer deep into space and even revealed the composition and life cycles of the stars. In the 1670s, the Danish astronomer Ole Roemer discovered that light traveled at a finite speed, a discovery that had a profound implication. And in 1964, by detecting the cosmic microwave background, we captured the oldest light in the universe and saw as far back as is possible to see with light. Professor Jim Al-Khalili shows how scientists have used light to reveal almost everything we know about the Universe. A BBC Production. A part of the series Light and Dark. (52 minutes)

Family & Social Changes

ShortCuts TV

For a long time, sociologists developed theories about something called ‘the family.’ This program illustrates changes in the structure, organization and culture of family and how this can be linked to changes in wider society. It also looks at the alleged sexualization of children to explore the idea that childhood may be disappearing and considers the effects new communication technologies are having on family life. (30 minutes)

How to Build...A Satellite

Open University

It’s a technological miracle we rarely stop to consider—a signal sent thousands of kilometers across the globe in a matter of seconds, so that millions of people can watch a game-winning play or breaking news. This program shows how 21st-century communications satellites are designed and constructed. Going inside Astrium, a high-profile aerospace engineering firm, the film illustrates the development of satellite payloads and the assembly of precision equipment that will boost broadband, HDTV, and mobile communications around the planet. Viewers learn about work taking place in bunkers and “clean rooms” across Europe, producing components that enable orbital and interstellar flight, withstand burning heat and icy cold, and function flawlessly for up to 20 years. Produced by the Open University. Part of the series How to Build…(Series 2) (60 minutes)

Atomic Testing in Nevada, ca. 1955

The WPA Film Library

Atomic testing in Nevada Copyright The WPA Film Library.