Current Events Impact Learning Trends at The Great Courses Plus

19 Jul 2016, 00:00 AM EDT

Middle Eastern and South Asian History join computer programming atop
‘What America Is Learning’ chart for lifelong learners

CHANTILLY, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#TheGreatCourses–Perhaps in response to the monumental events on the global stage during
the past month, the June “What America is Learning” chart of
most-popular lectures from The
Great Courses Plus shows subscribers want top professors to teach
them more about the Middle East and South Asia. Computer programming
also is popular this month.

“World events and the global economy appear to be influencing course
selections,” said Ed Leon, Chief Brand Officer of The Great Courses.
“Our members specifically looked East this month with many lifelong
learners educating themselves on the history of the Indian subcontinent
and the Muslim religion. The South Asian subcontinent contains 20
percent of the world’s population and is a thriving center for global
business, so it is becoming vitally important to understand the history
of this region.”

A recent survey
conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 73 percent of adults
consider themselves lifelong learners. Of those polled, 63 percent said
the direction of their study has been connected to career advancement,
thus it is no surprise that this month saw classes on computer
programming occupying two of the top 10 spots.


The 10 chart-topping lectures from June:

1.		Earliest History of the Indian Subcontinent (from A History of India)

		A look into the role geography has played on the culture and development of the region, as taught by Professor Michael H. Fisher.

2.		What Is Programming? Why Python? (from How to Program: Computer Science Concepts and Python Exercises)

		An explanation and tutorial exercises for what is considered to be an ideal language for beginning programmers, as taught by Professor John Keyser.

3.		An Introduction to Drawing (from the course How to Draw)

		The history and impact drawing has had on culture; how analytic and abstract thought enhance artistic ability; and a basic drawing exercise focusing on our ancestors’ art, as taught by Professor David Brody.

4.		Introduction to the Spanish Language (from the course Learning Spanish)

		The basics of how to approach, study and speak Spanish, as well as an introduction to the basics of conversation, as taught by Professor Bill Worden, Ph. D.

5.		Migration and the Adivasi (from A History of India)

		A history and analysis of the aboriginal forest dwellers known as the Adivasi who once dominated the entirety of the region and an update on their status in India today, as taught by Professor Michael H. Fisher.

6.		Drawing Materials for Line (from the course How to Draw)

		A closer look at the tools to be used throughout the course and suggestions for maximizing your workspace, as taught by Professor David Brody.

7.		Muslim Empires: Land, Language, Religion (from Turning Points in Middle Eastern History)

		A synopsis of the conquests, political alliances, invasions and the rise of Islam in the Middle East, as taught by Professor Eamonn Gearon, M.A.

8.		Variables: Operations and Input/Output (from How to Program: Computer Science Concepts and Python Exercises)

		Beginning with an explanation of the memory hierarchy and moving on to an introduction of arithmetic operation and input/output commands, as taught by Professor John Keyser.

9.		Europe on the Brink of the Black Death (from The Black Death: The World’s Most Devastating Plague)

		A guide to the religious, economic, and political structures of mid-14th-century Europe just prior to the onset of the Black Plague, as taught by Professor Dorsey Armstrong.

10.		The Origins of Modern Archaeology (from Archaeology: An Introduction to the World’s Greatest Sites)

		An overview of the evolution of archaeology and the popular misconceptions associated with it, as taught by Professor Eric H. Clin.

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#SouthAsia #MiddleEast #Spanish #drawing #computerprogramming #python

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