|
__NOTOC__ The Great Courses (TGC) is a series of college-level audio and video courses produced and distributed by The Teaching Company (TTC), a Chantilly, Virginia company, via mobile and tablet apps, CD, DVD, or MP3 and MPEG-4 download formats, and streaming media.〔. 〕 The series differ from most online learning platforms in that they are produced for enrichment purposes only and offered without schedules, homework, exams, or certificates. == Background == The company was founded in 1990 by Thomas M. Rollins, former Chief Counsel of the United States Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources.〔 〕 Rollins had been inspired by a 10-hour videotaped lecture series he watched while at Harvard Law School, and began recruiting top professors and experts based almost entirely on customer feedback.〔 〕 As of 2015, the company offers over 525 courses ranging in length from six lectures to over ninety lectures in several subject categories: business, economics, fine arts, music, ancient and medieval history, modern history, literature and English language, philosophy and intellectual history, religion, science, mathematics, social sciences, professional development and better living.〔 〕 Course offerings are targeted to adult lifelong learners; there is also a series for high school students. Courses are not verbatim recordings of college lectures, but rather are developed by The Teaching Company in conjunction with the professor to fit the chosen medium. Professors must first pass auditions that are screened by The Great Courses' customers.〔 〕 Video versions of courses include graphics and green screen effects. Courses also include supplemental "guidebooks" prepared by the professor with outlines of the individual lectures, recommended reading lists, general bibliographies, and questions to consider. Full printed transcripts are also available.〔 In 2012, the company produced the first of several cooking courses in partnership with The Culinary Institute of America, and announced an expansion of that partnership in 2013. In 2014, the company announced a partnership with The National Geographic Society to jointly produce courses on photography and expedition travel, and a ten-year partnership with The Smithsonian to produce new courses on History, Science, Travel and the Arts. Courses are available for online video and audio streaming or may be purchased in many formats including CD, DVD, audio and video downloads, and verbatim transcript books.〔 The company also offers more than 350 audio versions of The Great Courses to Audible.com subscribers. Unfortunately, although the video streaming is marketed specifically in the UK, it does not work properly with standard UK broadband, but the company is striving to improve this. and has made its first video titles available to Netflix subscribers. On October 2, 2006, the company was acquired by Brentwood Associates, a private equity investment firm.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Great Courses」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|