Big Think

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Big Think
Type of site
Web portal
Created byVictoria Brown and Peter Hopkins
URLBigThink.com
Launched2007; 14 years ago (2007)
Current statusActive

Big Think is a multimedia web portal founded in 2007 by Victoria Brown and Peter Hopkins.[1][2] The website is a collection of interviews, presentations, and roundtable discussions with experts from a wide range of fields. Victoria Brown is the acting CEO. Peter Hopkins is the acting president of the company.

History[]

The company began when the pair met while working with Google Video to digitize the VHS archives of the Charlie Rose show in 2006.[3] Brown and Hopkins began contemplating how to organize information into "short-form intellectual videos targeting online audiences".[3] They envisioned "an online platform where the world’s leading experts could weigh in on current issues".[4] Hopkins envisioned the platform as being a YouTube for intellectuals.[1]

In 2008 they launched with only video content. The materials involve short clips but with enough content so that they foster thinking, learning, and debate.[5]

In 2009, they branched into blogs and written content. Their first notable blogger was Dr. Michio Kaku. Other personalities include Angelina Jolie, who joined a panel of experts in a discourse over displaced children in Iraq, and Esther Dyson who talked about the opportunities from space exploration.[5]

In 2012, Big Think started live-streaming and providing individual and companies with "real-time interaction with notable guests". The platform also serves as a resource for educators and researchers, facilitating online learning.[6] As of March 2012, the Big Think YouTube channel passed 20 million views, and the video archive of the website included more than 12,000 clips from 2000+ experts.[4]

Big Think has created video series on 'Courageous Collaborations', 'Academic Freedom' and 'Education Innovation' sponsored by The Charles Koch Foundation.[7]

Expansion[]

Big Think has since spun out other sites: Big Think Edge for Business and Floating University for Higher Education.[8][9]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Arango, Tim (2008). "Ex-Harvard President Meets a Former Student, and Intellectual Sparks Fly". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  2. ^ "Big Think Company Profile: Valuation & Investors | PitchBook". pitchbook.com. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  3. ^ a b Melber, Ari (2008-03-31). "YouTube for Smart People". The Nation. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  4. ^ a b Kanani, Rahim. "Cofounder and President of BigThink Talks Getting Smarter Faster". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  5. ^ a b Bonk, Curtis J. (2009). The World Is Open: How Web Technology Is Revolutionizing Education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass. p. 226. ISBN 9780470461303.
  6. ^ Sutton, Brian; Basiel, Anthony (2014). Teaching and Learning Online: New Models of Learning for a Connected World. New York: Routledge. pp. xi. ISBN 9780415528566.
  7. ^ "Sponsored by the Charles Koch Foundation". Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  8. ^ Edge, Big Think. "Big Think Edge | Modern Video Learning for Your Organization". www.bigthinkedge.com. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  9. ^ Editors, Big Think. "Welcome to The Floating University: Big Think Launches E-Learning Platform". Big Think. Retrieved 2018-03-26.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)

External links[]

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