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In online education, the focus is often on the technical side of the equation (so to speak). This should come as no surprise; after all, the World Wide Web was originally created for physicists, and the internet at large has been the domain of computer scientists, mathematicians, and other species of geek from the beginning.This does not mean, however, that our liberal arts explorations on the Web should be limited to Wikipedia surfing! There are many fantastic websites created to advance the study of the humanities. Here are just a few of the most stimulating and useful:
1. neh.gov
The official website of the U.S. government’s National Endowment for the Humanities offers links for grant-seekers, students, and professors, links to websites, apps, and video content supported by NEH grant, as well as fascinating in-depth articles from their official magazine, Humanities. You can also apply for funding to attend seminars, workshops, and institutes. Topics featured on the front page on one day ranged from medieval English miracle plays to baseball, Nietzsche to Gertrude Stein to Wendell Berry.
2. loc.gov
The U.S. Library of Congress is another superb public resource online. Besides being able to search their vast collection of physical holdings, you can digitally access a wealth of resources from the Library including historic newspapers, video clips of historic films and performances, antique sound recordings, maps, photographs, and one-of-a-kind manuscripts and letters. A series of webcasts from important speakers are also available (on one day, for instance, the site featured the ex-president of Mexico, a Jungian psychologist, and historian David McCullough).
This site is divided into the three “rooms”: The Conservatory, The Gallery, and The Library, for music, art, and literature respectively. There’s also a History section and Philosophy and Mythology are under construction. The entries in each database can be sorted alphabetically, chronologically, and by nationality and theme (as well as by medium for art, genre for literature, and form for music).
4. incredibleart.org
Founded in 1994 by an elementary school art teacher in Indianapolis, Indiana, the “Incredible @rt Department” can boast of being the oldest art education site on the Web. Unfortunately, “oldest” is not always a word of praise online, and the graphic design here (especially for an art-centered venture) is a bit cluttered and clunky. But there’s a wealth of information for art teachers and students, including lesson plans and job-seeking resources.
What other websites do you use to explore history and culture?
A blogger and freelance writer, Melissa Miller specializes in sharing education tips with readers. For instance, even in this tough economy, did you know that job seekers will still find associate degrees in demandat all kinds of companies?
