OpenCourse Learning

The website produced by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was the first open course management system that I observed this week. What came to mind was the movie “Goodwill Hunting” with Matt Damon in which a janitor solves complicated mathematical coding while doing routine maintenance in one classroom. This story may not be a factual representation of the realities of MIT but the events in this fictional scenario are not that much removed from the truth. The connections I see between the movie and the website are ones of a real human outreach. Because this website is free it is also “open” to anyone with the interest to pursue many noncredit learning experiences including traditional lecture style information seekers and mathematical problem solvers. The idea of free course which appears to mean “freely given”. With the generosity of many supporters and educators I found open learning inviting. In the text “Teaching and Learning at a Distance-4th ed.” the potential of open learning is defined as “Open source software is intended to be freely stated and can be improved upon and redistributed to others. The code in which the software is written is free and available to anyone to do just about anything with it, as long as the uses are consistent with a 10-part definition maintained by the Open Source Initiative (OSI)”. I was impressed by the commitment to learning exhibited with each page. The only real requirements are the internet, a computer and abilities to navigate a course management system. The authors do expect proper format when using the sight which included citing “MIT OpenCourseWare”.

The simplicity and thrifty logo and the subtle colors with magenta highlights limit the extraneous information and allow me to read black text on a pure white professional background. The personal stories reveal daily practical learning for many in remote areas of the world. Donations of time, money, and teaching are given with thoughts of empowering the learning mind and of equalizing learning barriers. In support of the MIT Opencourse Gurda Sandhu a US student remarks “OCW is a “boundary breaker”-and a means to spread equality and build a better future.” This comment is also a testimonial to the purpose of online learning

To begin with, I observed the expansive first step with realizing the RSS feed available for viewing. Many departments from A-Z starting with Aeronautics and Astronautics and ending with Writing and Humanistic Theory allow communications with audio, video, scripted text and closed caption. Some courses also have language translations. The date at the bottom of page indicates this site has been in use for over eight years from 2002-2010 after first announcements in the “New York Times”. OCW began publishing courses in 2002 with 50 courses and proceeded till today with 2000 courses. The statistics indicate that there have been over 103 million hits from every country with 73 million worldwide viewers. http://ocw.mit.edu/about/site-statistics/. The majority of the viewers are students and self learners with a “wide range of purposes”. As a viewer I appreciated the clarity of text and the global visionary process that was in place. A great example of analyzing the learner was included in a PDF copy of analysis and evaluations. (MIT 2005) Here is a comment from a physicist Wendy Ermold who appreciates the availability of opencourse learning. “It puts a previously untouchable subject within reach for anyone who is interested.”(MIT, 2010)

My final impressions were imprinted by a letter written by MIT President Susan Hockfield accompanied by her picture with outreached hand. Her message of gratitude and hope for globalized learning was very inspiring. As she encourages learners with this message “There is no limit to the power of the mind” a sense of wanting to participate evolves along with an invitations to participate. (MIT OpenCourseware, 2010) This was a very real example of the instructional design purpose of change to the world around us. When the idea was proposed in 2000 many committed teacher (90%) took on the challenge to share teaching materials and participate in this innovative field of information sharing. I am not at all surprise to know that TIME Magazine selected MIT as one of the 50 top Websites of 2010. Media coverage is astounding with press releases that list some of the rewards and accomplishment that surpasses the RSS feed listings.

One drawback to this sight was the distance between teacher and student and noncredit status to the courses. I understand that some may not need credit but with most learners learning also involves career choices. I didn’t notice student participation, like we have at Walden and believe that students require feedback and the chance to learn from each other. In the article “Open Courseware: How You Can Take Classes at MIT, Stanford, and Harvard for Free” the pros and cons have been listed with far more advantages but the limits are given with a reminder “OpenCourseWare is a phenomenal information-sharing trend, but it’s not a magic bullet.” The limits are then noted as a degree, money, and attention from professors which are extremely important aspects of education and instructional design. There is always the potential of fraudulent use others charging fees for materials that were not intended for individual profit. (Williamson, J. 2007)

Also as I observed some of the videos, they were more like a videotaped lecture rather than a constructive process. This component of the importance of the learner can’t be left aside. The content was strong and the benefits of MIT will touch many, near or far in an open equitable way. I often think of those learners often removed from the mainstream. For one reason or another they can’t participate in the group learning experiences but need regular intellectual stimulation. In open learning students can absorb and accommodate materials choosing what and where they are to learn.

Overall I was inspired with this week’s resources at Waldenu.edu. and believe this is another example of resources given to us with the Wow factor!! This website has captured many lessons in time through basic and subtle colors and carefully planned organizations. The given examples from this week sessions provided a specific example of a multimedia learning sight. Although, an assessment of the learners was assumed, the learner with self-analysis skills, which include many, can reserve this step more as a personal choice. The choice for me as an educator is to know the learner! Through direct and indirect contact I change and grow also. This summary defining the learner is what I plan to continue to use.”Assessing learners’ attributes is essential to reaching anticipated learning outcomes. Smith and Ragan (1999)categorize learners’ attributes within four categories: cognitive characteristics such as aptitude for learning, reading level, language development, and learning processing styles; physiological characteristics such as age, health and sensory perception; affective characteristics such as interests, motivation to learn, attitude toward subject matter, and academic self-perceptions; and social characteristics such as tendency toward cooperation or competition, moral development, socioeconomic background, ethnic affiliations, and role models.” There is so much more to designing instruction than lecturing. Dr. Michael Simonson says it best when he talks of distance as a two sided coin. (Simonson, 2010) Both sides define the learning process in the code and the equation. Open-course learning is an opportunity to extend learning but not a replacement.

Hockfield, S. (2010) President’s Message MITOpenCourseWare Massachusetts Institute of Technology http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

Sandu, Gurda, (2010) MITOpenCourseWare Massachusetts Institute of Technology http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

Simonson, M. , Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvachek (2009) Teaching and Learning at a Distance-4th Edition Pearson Publishing New York, NY

Williamson, J., (2007) Open Courseware: How You Can Take Classes at MIT, Stanford, and Harvard for Free Distance Education.Org

http://www.distance-education.org/Articles/Open-Courseware--How-You-Can-Take-Classes-at-MIT--Stanford--or-Harvard-for-Free-45.html