YouTube EDU: Not just for the nerdy

By Mindy on March 27, 2009

What was the world like before YouTube? I mean, would the average modern college student be able to survive in a universe that was YouTube-free? Honestly, it scares me to think too hard about it.

TechCrunch had a post today about a new YouTube sub-site called YouTube EDU. The feature aggregates thousands of video channels from more than 100 colleges around the country. Now you can watch lectures from professors at MIT, Harvard, Berkeley, Stanford and Yale for free online.

You can browse the directory for a specific university to find lectures or even full courses. I pulled up MIT’s course called Exploring Black Holes: General Relativity and Astrophysics. It’s quite informative. I made through exactly 4 minutes and 29 seconds of the first video. But I also don’t have the best grasp on astrophysics. My science class in college was on earthquakes.

This video is the most watched on YouTube EDU. A University of Minnesota professor puts a scientific spin on the new movie The Watchmen. Really really cool (speaking of Watchmen, check out the link below to Marvel's new film writers program).

All in all, I’m really impressed with the site. It takes procrastination to a whole new and enlightening level. As in, “I could write my term final or I could learn about Quantum Physics on YouTube.”

Now go forth and learn something for free.. Oh and don't forget The Links:

/Film Uncovers: Marvel is starting a new writers program. The post reports on "rumors" that Marvel wants to find at least half a dozen film writers to work on some future comic book movie projects.

Brazen Careerist's Kelly Giles Says: That sending a post career fair thank you note can make a big impression. She has some links to good sample thank you notes and weighs in on the e-mail or snail mail dilemma.

Chris Anderson Points Out: That tweeting about how much you hate your job is really dumb. But apparantly everybody does it. If you are one of the people he found in this search, then we need to review our social media rules. Rule #1: You must remove all questionable drunk photos from Facebook. Rule #2: Tweet wisely.