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A worldwide known astrophysicist and scientist Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s MasterClass has gained a lot of popularity since its release.
What are you Going to Learn?
In the class, Tyson helps his students gain a deeper understanding of his world and his point of view of the glorious world that the people see. 😇😇
He is a famous critic, and he has a ton of critics as well. He claims that this MasterClass will change the way one thinks.
But how right is he? Is this MasterClass overhyped? Are the critics right about his class? Here, we list down all the pros and cons of his class to determine if this is the right MasterClass for you.
Who is Neil DeGrasse Tyson?
Neil DeGrasse Tyson was born in New York and raised there. He attended public schools and got his undergraduate degree from the Bronx High School of Science. He then went ahead to earn his BA in Physics from Harvard and his Ph.D. in Astrophysics from Columbia University.
He is a planetary scientist, an author, and an excellent science communicator. He was appointed to serve on a twelve-member commission that studied the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry by then US President Bush in 2001.
His report had evidence to promote space exploration, a thriving future of transportation, and US security. That was just the beginning of his career. Tyson had authored dozens of professional publications. 👊
His fifteen books include his memoir, ‘The Sky is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist; and ‘Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution, co-written with Donald Goldsmith.
He was also awarded the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal in 2004, the Klopsteg Memorial Award in 2007, and the Public Welfare Medal in 2015. He is a public figure and has been a regular guest on The Colbert Report and a lot of other late-night talk shows.
He also made a guest appearance in “Brain Storm” of Stargate Atlantis along with Bill Nye and The Big Bang Theory among many others. 😍
In 2004 and 2007, he was featured in Fifty Most Important African-Americans in Research Science, and Most Influential, Harvard Alumni magazine, Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was elected a fellow of the American Physical society in 2010.
Course Overview (What You’ll Learn?)
Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s MasterClass is not just about science. It is about teaching the people how to access their inbuilt cognitive biases, as well as those foisted upon them by their culture, and how to spot the inconsistencies in thinking.
He also talks about communication and how important it is. He breaks down complex theories into simple terms for everyone to understand, and explains how science unfolds and how the greatest minds have critical thinking.
He stresses that it is never a matter of ‘what you know, but it is always a matter of ‘how you communicate it well.’ Neil’s class teaches how information is only valuable when it can be communicated. He also teaches how to be an effective communicator of scientific thinking. 😊
He also talks about how to understand an audience, about which he says that it is never enough research. He uses real-life examples of how he goes about when talking to a certain audience.
He explains that understanding their vision, references, while also keeping their vicinity in mind is very relevant. He teaches how to inspire an audience to generate curiosity and learning.
Neil DeGrasse Class Lessons
Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s MasterClass consists of 13 videos in HD quality, and there’s a 24-page PDF workbook to have a physical copy of all the lessons Tyson talks about. There are also exercises and tests to help students understand and practice the ideas.
The lessons amount up to 2 hours and 14 minutes and are packed with excitement from start to end. This MasterClass is one of the shorter classes, which makes it perfect for students with a short attention span. The lessons can be downloaded, to listen to anywhere and anytime.
There are also audio lessons for students to listen in the car, or while being on the go. The lessons are categorized very carefully to provide a smooth flow of understanding and knowledge. The style of teaching is fast-paced and exciting, and Tyson makes sure his students aren’t bored even for a minute.
Here is a rundown of the lessons:
- What You Know Is Not as Important as How You Think
- The Frontier of Science
- The Scientific Method
- Be a Skeptic: Ask Questions
- Cognitive Bias
- Beware of Cultural Bias
- Our Systems of Belief
- Scientific Measurement: Calculating the Incalculable
- Communication: It’s Not Enough to Be Right
- Preparing Your Audience
- Communication Tactics
- Inspire Curiosity in Your Audience
- The Future of Our World
Pricing of the Course
Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s MasterClass can be accessed through an All-Access Pass subscription that currently costs $180, which is charged annually. This comes down to $15 per month or just $0.49 per day.
When students buy the pass, students have access to every class on the platform for a full year, including many classes by renowned personalities. Along with Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s MasterClass, students also get to learn from Chris Hadfield about space exploration. 😉
You can also learn filmmaking from the best of the directors including Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, or even learn to cook from Gordon Ramsay. All MasterClass memberships also include access to mobile apps and TV applications. Students will also get access to high-definition videos, and downloadable class workbooks.
Pros and Cons:
👍Pros
- Timings: The classes are only 2 hours and 14 minutes long. But they are packed with information. The class timings are best for those who would want to have shorter classes but want to learn fast.
- Worksheets: Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s MasterClass also includes PDF material and a worksheet for the students to practice their lessons and gain a better understanding of the concepts.
- Thinking to yourself: One of the main lessons of Tyson’s classes is encouraging you to think to yourself. He teaches how to think like a scientist and communicate efficiently.
- Understanding audience: In this class, students will know how to understand an audience before any event to deliver the right information. To understand the point of view, references, and demographics, Neil says, there is a lot of processes.
👎Cons
- Timings, again: While the class is perfect for those who can’t devote time, it is not for the ones that would want to get longer, in-depth lessons on science, communication, and education.
- Questions: While MasterClass stresses how the question-answer section is perfect, Neil’s students have often complained that the brilliant scientist does not answer the questions on the MasterClass Hub. This can be frustrating, as the students would want to have a ton of questions from the short duration of the class.
Conclusion – Is this Class Worth the Hype?
The cost of Neil’s MasterClass is a plus point, and with the subscription, students will get all access to the other classes as well. He breaks down complex theories and puts them in simple ways for the students to connect and understand better.
Yes, the lessons can be easily found on YouTube, but to have the miraculous scientist explain the theories himself is a great way to learn more organically. Neil himself agrees that there’s a gazillion hours of content featuring him on the internet, especially YouTube. 😚
However, he says that this class is a special part of him that the internet hasn’t seen before. The critical thinking explained in the class is definitely worth giving a listen to.
However, if the students have any bit higher than an intermediate level of understanding of Physics, they would immediately find this class underwhelming.
While Neil has a ton of experience and knowledge that he brings to the table, the class mostly fails to provide detailed insights. While to cost-utility ratio is high with the MasterClass, there are still a ton of options in the market that deliver the same results.
FAQs 🤔
Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s MasterClass can be accessed through an All-Access Pass subscription that currently costs $180, which is charged annually. Students also can get the MasterClass as a gift, and the classes are costed individually at $90.
Tyson’s MasterClass, just like all the other MasterClasses comes with a 30-day guarantee. This means that once the student decides the class isn’t for them, they can email the company within 30 days of the date of purchase the subscription, and get a full refund.
Students can cancel their MasterClass subscription at any time. however, if the payment is made prior, students will not get a refund for the unlistened classes until it is done in 30 days.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s MasterClass can be viewed only individually. Group viewings are discouraged on not just this class, but all MasterClass classes. Students are requested not to copy or redistribute class materials in any way. Students can, however, get in touch with the teachers at any time. There is a ‘ask Neil DeGrasse Tyson’ form that students can fill out on StarTalk Radio.
There is no option for a free trial of the MasterClass, but the students can get a full refund if they don’t like the class.
With MasterClass, students can learn anytime, anywhere, including on their smartphone, personal computer, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku streaming media players. Students can also download their favourite lessons and watch on the plane or listen during their commute in audio-only mode.
The MasterClass is for everybody – from beginners to experts. It is ideal for people who love science and want to understand the role science plays in the everyday world.
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