In our highly visual age, anything that combines moving pictures and nonfiction is considered "educational." Much of it is simply propaganda, and some of it is pernicious, and the actually educational bits are scattered and scarce. So what are we doing carrying "educational videos" at Exodus Books, we who claim to be purveyors of quality educational materials?
Well, not all educational videos are created equal. Many that claim to be actually are, and even more surprising, many videos manage to be educational without propagandizing! And while we don't approve of the marginalization of books and reading in favor of mindless watching that seems to be popular nowadays, we also realize that sometimes the best way to learn about something is to see it.
This is particularly true when it comes to science. A book going on and on about the flight patterns of bees is likely to make little sense to most readers of any age, but a video revealing actual footage of bees going out of the hive and returning laden with pollen will certainly get the information across. Plus, watching stuff is fun, and while we want our kids to work hard at their studies, we also want them to enjoy learning. As far as we can tell, educational videos are a win-win.
Another excellent topic for the video format is apologetics. Christian thinkers often deal with pretty intense theological and philosophical concepts, and distilling those ideas into a one or two hour program with pictures and lecture footage is a lot more accessible than a big tome with an abstruse title you may or may not be able to pronounce.
We've kept this section fairly moderate, though we're working on expanding it. Our offerings are mostly Christian, and that's not likely to change; a lot of the topics best covered in video are also best covered from a Christian perspective, since the director's worldview often determines the material likely to be included. We offer the titles below without reservation, except maybe to say if you burn the popcorn because you're so drawn into the program, it's not our fault.
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Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur.Read more of his reviews here.
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