The document discusses various free resources for self-education including online video sites like TED that provide lectures on a wide range of topics, open online courses from universities like Yale, MIT and Harvard that offer course materials without cost or credits, and podcasts available through iTunes U that allow users to download audio recordings of university lectures for listening offline. It also highlights library resources for self-education including video tutorials, language learning materials, and course collections available through services like Lynda.com and Mango Languages. Users are encouraged to ask the Darien Library for additional information on free learning materials.

1. Learning for Life Resources for Self-Education Heather Martyn User Experience Librarian Darien Library December 6, 2010

2. Introduction Why? Three Types: Online Videos Podcasts via iTunes Library Resources

4. Accompanying materials

6. TED Talks Video Site www.ted.com Twenty minute videos on a vast array of topics. Searchable by speaker, topic & theme Accessible to everyone TEDx Darien: Darien Library Conference Room, December 19 at 4 p.m.

7. Going to University Without Paying the Bills Of course, you won’t get credits or a degree… Many people are interested in university-level learning for the sake of knowledge itself. Open Educational Resources projects are one way to take advantage: A tool for current students A benefit to the learning community as a whole

8. Open Yale Courses “Open Yale Courses provides lectures and other materials from selected Yale College courses to the public free of charge via the internet. The courses span the full range of liberal arts disciplines, including humanities, social sciences, and physical and biological sciences.” http://oyc.yale.edu/ Courses include syllabi, suggested reading and problem sets. Audio-only and transcripts are also available. Streaming only.

9. Harvard University Extension School:Open Learning Initiative “The Harvard Extension School’s Open Learning Initiative brings a selection of noncredit online courses featuring Harvard faculty to the public for free.” http://www.extension.harvard.edu/openlearning/ Syllabi, readings, etc. available on the course websites Audio-only available Streaming only

10. MIT Open Courseware “MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) is a web-based publication of virtually all MIT course content. OCW is open and available to the world and is a permanent MIT activity.” http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm Different classes have different materials Streaming only

11. Cornell University CyberTower “CyberTower's Tower Topics series features short videos highlighting some of the most fascinating research being conducted by Cornell faculty members. The series also shines a spotlight on some of the hidden treasures in the Cornell University Libraries.” http://cybertower.cornell.edu/ Streaming only

13. Downloadable

15. iTunes U “Learn anything, anytime, anywhere” “iTunes U — a powerful distribution system for everything from lectures to language lessons, films to labs, audiobooks to tours — is an innovative way to get educational content into the hands of students.” You can download these recordings to listen offline You can sync them (use them) with an iPod or other mp3 playing device

17. Technology Instruction Videos

19. More Resources: We have just scratched the surface of what is available. Other sites for finding free lectures and learning materials are: Open Culture http://www.openculture.com Video Lectures http://videolectures.net/ Darien Library: Ask us! Information Services: (203) 669-5236 Email: askus@darienlibrary.org Instant Message (AIM & Y!): deweydarien Text Message: Text AskDL to 66746 (standard message rates apply)