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Hi Wayne:

Ref: The Teaching Company.

I haven't seen the particular series mentioned, nor have I listened to
the particular person doing that series, Steven L. Goldman, but...

...I am always happy with The Teaching Company. I always learn something
completely fascinating. 

I have listened to Teaching Company general science series by Robert
Hazen, and he's very interesting to listen to...
http://www.teach12.com/store/professor.asp?id=18&d=Robert+M%2E+Hazen

I've also liked Barbara King...
http://www.teach12.com/store/professor.asp?id=205&d=Barbara+J%2E+King

However, The Teaching Company and the other documentary producers you
mention (Nat Geo, Science Channel, PBS, etc) are in two different ball
parks. 

The Teaching Company records professors giving lectures in very long
series and provides lecture notes. Their target audience seems to be the
college educated adult. Their material is appropriate for professional
development for your educational staff, but I wouldn't show these DVD's
to a public audience or a classroom and expect huge numbers of them to
return for the 2nd lecture. 


Ref: Other science documentary producers

The commercial studios you listed produce documentaries for TV or Cable
and sell DVD's for about $20 - $40. There are other companies that
produce documentaries _solely_ for classroom and those can be up to $159
for a 30 minute video. Those companies market aggressively to community
college professors, so you can ask any college in your location to pick
a catalog out of the garbage for you and you scan the titles. 

Once you scan the titles and pick one you want to see, you can sometimes
get them via InterLibrary Loan (ILL)...


Ref: Netflix for science documentaries

There are a number of sources, but I haven't found one-stop-shopping.

- You can get some science documentaries via online streaming. Some are
free (not great quality, some are even on UTube), and others are offered
on a subscription basis. I can't remember the companies that offer
streaming video subscriptions, but if you surf for "science
documentaries streaming" you can start there. Those companies also
market to Community Colleges, so you can possibly get that info from the
same place you get a catalog suggested above. 

- I get a lot of stuff via InterLibrary Loan. Public libraries often
don't ILL their DVD's, but if all your staff have library accounts in
all the different places they live, then you have more access. Also, if
you have any affiliation with any college it's more likely that you'll
get the videos from college libraries. 

- I also share stuff with other institutions... friends who work at
different institutions, especially colleges, can often take out a video
for me even if their library won't send it by InterLibrary Loan. 

- Check out your local "independent media" or "indy media" networks.
There are likely a number of independent documentary producers in your
city who will show their film and discuss the topic to an audience. I've
seen some really top-notch stuff produced by local people. 


happy viewing
diane 


<-----Original Message-----> 
>From: Wayne Watson [[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: 4/4/2008 4:54:41 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Netflixs for Science and Teaching Co. Science Wars
>***********************************************************************
******
>
>Is there some company like Netflix that provides DVDs for science 
>subjects at modest costs? I'm thinking of somewhat short topics like 
>those one hour shows on the PBS, National Geo or Science channels, as 
>opposed to complete series like Cosmos or Planet Earth. Maybe there's 
>such a company that even copies Netflix in that one can sign up for a 
>category, and they more or less send random selections every month or
week.
>
>The Teaching Company, Great Courses, offers a set of DVDs titled
Science 
>Wars (what scientist know and how they know it) on sale until April 6. 
>Has anyone seen it and can comment on it? <www.teach12.com>
>
>-- 
> Wayne Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
>
> (121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
> Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet
> 
> "The only laws of matter are those which our minds must
> fabricate, and the only laws of mind are fabricated
> for it by matter." -- James Clerk Maxwell
> 
> Web Page: <www.speckledwithstars.net/>
>
>***********************************************************************

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