Resources: Videos

For a student with papers to write and projects to finish, going on YouTube would seem counter-productive to, well, productivity. However, YouTube is an invaluable wellspring of videos that aim to inform and educate viewers in digestible and visually engaging videos. Here are some educational channels (and one website) that I've watched over the semester that you might find interesting!

Nerdwriter1

While not quite educational in the way the other channels are in this list, NerdWriter1 is nonetheless a very insightful channel that produces weekly video essays that mainly dissects the themes or techniques used in visual media - be it film, TV, cartoons, or YouTube videos. NerdWriter1 also has a series of videos that look at pieces of classical art and breaks these images down detail by detail to help viewers gain a better understanding and appreciation of what they're seeing.

PBS Idea Channel

From politics to Pokemon, PBS Idea Channel covers a variety of subjects in an analytical, but easily understood manner by relating it to relevant and interesting subtopics. Their channel also cites all of the material they reference, as well as provides links to majority of the visuals they use - habits not found in every educational YouTube channel I've come across. Idea Channel also actively engages with their audience by dedicating every other episode or so to discuss comments and other perspectives on whatever topic is covered that week.

Discovering Psychology

Rather than a YouTube channel, Discovering Psychology is a collection of videos that examine different aspects of psychology. Don't let funky, dated hairstyles and 80's video quality fool you. Discovering Psychology is certainly still relevant today and introduces key themes and subjects in psychology in an interesting and sometimes poignant manner. I was introduced to this series in select parts from my psychology class this semester and was surprised to find the same series available not on only on YouTube, but also on Annenberg Learners' website complete and free. The series itself is hosted by a graduate from Stanford University, psychologist Dr. Philip Zimbardo, and was even awarded the Sagan Award in 2002 for "Outstanding Achievement in Improving the Public Understanding and Appreciation of Science," so with such commendations, its certainly worth a look.

The Ling Space & Phloneme

The Ling Space and Phloneme are both linguistics channels that my linguistics professor introduced to us this semester and both . Phloneme is an older channel that unfortunately hasn't updated within the last year and only has a handful of videos available, but their content is still very informative, as well as humorous. The Ling Space is the slightly newer of the two and certainly the more active. I've referred to both channels out of my linguistics class to aid my understanding of particular topics in our reading and lecture.