Learn how to use and create with Raspberry Pi with online video tutorials at Lynda.com | Photo courtesy of Lynda.com
Hi everyone! I know the weather has been nice lately, but we definitely have to maintain our social distance to keep the spread of the coronavirus at bay. Keep safe everyone and stay the course! As mentioned in prior calendars, events and festivals around the city have been cancelled to follow the directives of the B.C. Office of the Provincial Health Officer. So for this calendar, I’ve compiled a list of interesting online courses that you can take to learn something cool! All of these courses (and more!) are offered for free from various universities around the world.
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Ancient Philosophy: Plato & His Predecessors
The University of Pennsylvania
Philosophy is one of my favourite subjects and where best to begin studying philosophy than at the beginning of Western philosophical thought in ancient Greece? This course, offered by The University of Pennsylvania, will trace the origins of Western philosophy from the pre-Socratic thinkers like Thales and Heraclitis, who sought to explain the world from non-religious, non-mythological lens, to Socrates who insisted on the importance of the fundamental ethical question: “How shall I live?” Plato and Aristotle, both of whom developed elaborate philosophical systems to explain the nature of reality, knowledge and human happiness, will also be discussed.
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De-Mystifying Mindfulness
Universiteit Leiden
www.coursera.org/learn/mindfulness
In this era of global pandemic, it might be helpful to take a step back for contemplation and meditation. Mindfulness has become the basis for numerous therapeutic interventions, both as a treatment in healthcare and as a means of enhancing well-being and happiness. This course, offered by Universiteit Leiden in the Netherlands, aims to provide students with a responsible, comprehensive and inclusive education about (and in) mindfulness as a contemporary phenomenon.
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The French Revolution
The University of Melbourne
www.coursera.org/learn/french-revolution
The French Revolution is rightly considered one of the most pivotal moments of European and world history. You’ve probably heard about the little corporal, “let them eat cake,” the guillotine and the Reign of Terror, but why not take an online course from The University of Melbourne and dig in deep to the causes and effects of the Revolution. Examine the social and institutional structures of the Ancien Régime, the fall of the Kingdom of France and, of course, the career and legacy of Napoleon Bonaparte.
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HTML Tutorials
Lynda from LinkedIn
Modern web pages viewable in a browser are mainly programmed in a language called HTML, which stands for Hypertext Markup Language. It is the first building block to creating a presence on the world wide web. Lynda (LinkedIn Learning) offers a series of training videos and tutorials on how to program a webpage in HTML. Learn how to build and design websites and web applications. Start understanding basic markup language and work up to mastering web development with Lynda’s start-to-finish web design training.
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Pyramids of Giza: Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology
Harvard University
www.online-learning.harvard.edu/course/pyramids-giza-ancient-egyptian-art-and-archaeology
One day, hopefully, I would definitely love to explore the wonders of the world, especially the Great Pyramid of Giza, the only wonder of the ancient world still in existence. Harvard University offers a course which will explore the art, archaeology, and history surrounding the Giza Pyramids. Learn about Egyptian pharaohs and high officials of the Pyramid Age, follow in the footsteps of the great 20th-century expeditions and discover how cutting-edge digital tools like 3D modeling are reshaping the discipline of Egyptology.
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Raspberry Pi Tutorials
Lynda from LinkedIn
www.lynda.com/Raspberry-Pi-training-tutorials
A Raspberry Pi is a small single-board computer designed to teach basic computer science. But beyond that, it has gained popularity as a tiny, low-cost desktop computer, with wide-variety of uses from acting as a home video server, a weather station, a music box, a retro gaming console and more. Learn how to use and create with Raspberry Pi, from beginner basics to advanced techniques, with online video tutorials taught by industry experts at Lynda (LinkedIn Learning).
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The Rise of Superheroes and Their Impact On Pop Culture
The Smithsonian Institution
www.edx.org/course/the-rise-of-superheroes-and-their-impact-on-pop-cu
I grew up with DC Comics and I was an avid fan of Green Lantern. Green Lantern was always about the person who wielded the emerald power ring, limited only by the wearer’s imagination and willpower. In some ways, Green Lantern is a modern manifestation of the Greek god Hephaestus who forged and wielded weapons of Olympus. The Smithsonian Institution offers a course examining how cultural myths, world events and personal experiences shaped the first modern superheroes and challenges you to design your own superhero!
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Shakespeare Matters
The University of Adelaide
www.edx.org/course/shakespeare-matters
With news that the Bard on the Beach has cancelled its summer festival, get your Shakespearean fix from the University of Adelaide’s course, “Shakespeare Matters.” Willam Shakespeare’s work has influenced the way we think about our relationships and ourselves. His plays are still as relevant today as when they were written almost 400 years ago. In this introductory course, students will learn how Shakespeare uses emotion in his plays, how his characters experience and manipulate emotions, and how the emotional resonance of the plays makes them powerfully relevant to the modern world.
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Søren Kierkegaard – Subjectivity, Irony and the Crisis of Modernity
The University of Copenhagen
www.coursera.org/learn/kierkegaard
One of my favourite philosophers is Søren Kierkegaard, the 19th-century Danish philosopher best remembered today as the father of Existentialism. His passionate writing and thoughtful musings about the nature of life and living made a lasting impact on the way I think about existence. This course offered by The University of Copenhagen will examine how Kierkegaard deals with the problems associated with relativism, the lack of meaning and the undermining of religious faith that are typical of modern life.
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Star Trek: Inspiring Culture and Technology
The Smithsonian Institution
www.edx.org/course/star-trek-inspiring-culture-and-technology
Star Trek is one of my favourite television series and pop culture landmarks so of course I’d have to recommend a course about Star Trek’s appeal and influence on culture and tech. In this course offered by The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., discover the connections between Star Trek and history, culture, technology and society, examine how Star Trek tackled controversial topics, such as race, gender, sexuality and ethics, and ask fundamental questions about how we relate to the world around them.
