New Berlin Wall Podcast from 'iMinds'

I've been convinced of the educational value of the podcast for several years now, and was interested to hear of a new set of files devoted to the Berlin Wall by iMinds. Unlike the other podcasts I've spoken about on here, you have to pay for it, but having listened to them I think they're worth it for the right person. Basically, it's a set of six thematically linked podcasts commemorating and explaining the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Each is a little over eight minutes long. The wall itself is well covered, and there's a fair examination of the differences between east and west.

The material is introductory: there's nothing for those already familiar with the subject, but plenty for newcomers. There's a lot of repetition between the segments - for instance, much of the first three minutes of the eight minute 'Fall of the Berlin Wall' is covered elsewhere - but if you're learning about it for the first time this is useful reinforcement. Of course, it can be slightly off putting if you're listening to them all in one go, but one strength is that this isn't a lecture you need a full hour for, but something split into short segments you can spread over a week.

The facts and interpretations are good, and I only had two minor problems: the background music will be a matter of taste, but I found it intrusive. Equally problematic is it's unclear - at least in my package - in what order you should listen to the podcasts for optimum understanding. Those problems aside, I was very pleased with it, even more so by the fact the package of six costs $3.99, which is only just a small step above free. Overall, I think it's good for the beginner and priced accordingly. I hope future sets will have more of a consistent flow between the units, but I also hope this model is more widely adopted; there are students who would benefit greatly from hearing this. iMinds cover other areas of European history, and other - sometimes very esoteric - subjects, but I haven't heard those and can't comment. You can find them at the iMinds site.