Eleven 40–60 minute color videocassettes have been produced to supply all the practical and theoretical background for an eleven week optical mineralogy training course. The tapes use extensive down-the-tube microscopy which was produced with a direct color-TV linkage. The TV camera is also used for live laboratory discussions. The tapes greatly relieve the problem of recognition of optical properties and figures and achieve, with rapid transition from diagram to microscopic views, a strong link between simple theory and practice. Interactive computer graphics exercises in three-dimensional crystallography and optical crystallography are being assembled to aid in visualization. The goal is self-taught, self-spaced optical mineralogy.