The Mechanical Universe…and Beyond<\/em>\u00a0is a critically-acclaimed series of 52 thirty-minute videotape programs covering the basic topics of an introductory university physics course. The series was originally produced as a broadcast telecourse by the California Institute of Technology and Intelecom, Inc. with program funding from the Annenberg\/CPB Project. The Mechanical Universe<\/em>\u00a0is based on the physics course developed by Dr. David Goodstein at the California Institute of Technology. It was one of twelve projects initially selected for funding by the\u00a0Annenberg\/CPB Project<\/a>. Course development began with the creation of a set of\u00a0phantom lectures<\/em>\u00a0for the 52 lessons, covering the scientific revolution begun by Copernicus through to current quantum theory. The project was a joint production of\u00a0Caltech<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Intelecom<\/a>, the largest college television consortia in the United States. The production team included distinguished scientists, video industry professionals, and gifted educators all working in collaboration. The Mechanical Universe…and Beyond<\/em> was designed to cover the typical curriculum of a university freshman physics course. As an aid in viewing the topics and subject matter found in the 52 programs, one version of the Table of Contents is presented below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Mechanical Universe<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
Each program in the series opens and closes with Caltech Professor\u00a0David Goodstein<\/a>\u00a0providing philosophical, historical and often humorous insight into the subject at hand while lecturing to his freshman physics class.\u00a0The Mechanical Universe<\/em>\u00a0contains hundreds of computer animation segments, created by\u00a0Dr. James F. Blinn<\/a>, as the primary tool of instruction. Dynamic location footage and historical re-creations are also used to stress the fact that science is a human endeavor.
Upon completion of the broadcast telecourse, Professor\u00a0Richard Olenick<\/a>, Associate Project Director, received funding from the National Science Foundation to produce a seven-hour High School Adaptation suitable for high school physics students.\u00a0The Mechanical Universe<\/em>\u00a0has been translated into nine languages, and a Spanish language version of the High School Adaptation has just been completed.
The series has been broadcast as a telecourse over the PBS television network and can still be seen on many PBS stations. Available on consumer VHS videocassette and laserdisc, and accompanied by textbooks,\u00a0The Mechanical Universe<\/em>\u00a0is arguably the most successful attempt to date to use video technology in the presentation of rigorous physics instruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To ensure the highest degree of academic and technical quality, a series of checks and balances was built into the development process. Each program underwent rigorous evaluation by an\u00a0academic team<\/a>\u00a0and a\u00a0production team<\/a>, as well as an Oversight Committee, a\u00a0Local Advisory Committee<\/a>\u00a0of educators and a\u00a0National Advisory Committee<\/a>\u00a0comprised of distinguished professionals in film, science, education, and national affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n