Learn for free online

BBC ^

[widowithfoursons]

This is a boon. Kudos to MIT for allowing it.

[Lion's Cub]

Fantastic!

One of the big benefits I see to this is streamlining the career selection process. It's not just high school seniors who have to decide what field to study anymore. Many of us are looking at second or third career choices--and the "experts" say this will be common.

If this becomes common practice, being able to look at actual course material on line will help prospective students choose a course of study they are likely to do well in, as well as a field they would enjoy working in.

[Lion's Cub]

I just realized what an opportunity this would be for parents, as well as prospective students, too. By looking at actual course material, you can evaluate who's really teaching--and who's just propagandizing. It ought to spur real competition--which is why a lot of universities are likely to object...

[Prodigal Son]

Hmm. Do you get any certification for having successfully attained the knowledge in these courses? A degree or something?

[eno_]

When a private institution like MIT does this, it begs the question; Why aren't all courses at state universities at least as available, and why can't you, at state universities, sit for exams for about the cost of proctoring and grading the exam plus a bit to cover the cost of the online course bandwidth?

[Lion's Cub]

Why aren't all courses at state universities at least as available, and why can't you, at state universities, sit for exams for about the cost of proctoring and grading the exam plus a bit to cover the cost of the online course bandwidth?

While I agree that the state universities should have their courses on line, and that people should be able to sit and test out of any course for a fee, I think it's only fair that the fee include money for the professor who teaches the course. After all, he/she put the course together, did the lectures, etc.

The costs should still be vastly lower, since the professor only has to put up the course material once each semester to reach potentially thousands of students.

Also, since there would be no interaction between student and professor, no "homework", no feedback for correction, no term paper assignments, etc., I could understand if universities wanted to make some kind of distinction in degrees between those who attend on campus or take regular online courses as opposed to those who learn the material through self-study. Maybe the distinction could be as simple as Bachelors vs Self-Study Bachelors...

[eno_]

I'm working on an automated bot that simulates student interactions with a foreign grad student TA. The undergrads that are beta testing it still understand too much of what the bot is saying.

[joesnuffy]

Have your grad student fill his mouth full of soda crackers..that should cut down the numbers a tad...

[tomkat]

i had a few live versions of your bot at PSU.
stereotypes don't often arise out of thin air ...

[hoot33]

Great idea - and post.

I believe this will not only enable the intellectually curious to expand their knowledge but will also enhance the ability of convential college students to supplement and add to their on campus instruction.

Methinks FR should encourage and support MIT in the project.

[Leisler]

..also, have the grad TA's turn their backs to the monitors and type with boxing gloves.

[x]

Professor Dick Yue, MIT

I heard the idea originated with Dean I.P. Freely.

[eno_]

Acually, when I was an undergrad, there was an extremely heavy load of problem sets every week (sometimes 10 hours per course per week) and exams scores were weighted lightly compared with that liberal arts school down the road. This has two effects: one is that the problem sets come in smaller bites and are more amenable to online delivery (some exams were in large halls and proctored in the traditional way), but problem sets are easier to cheat on. It will be interesting to see how it all turns out.

[strela]

Bumped and bookmarked. More universities should consider doing this.

[Happygal]

Don't you need to know how to use a computer before you can learn computer science on-line? ;-)

[Born in a Rage]

Home education ping!!!!!!!!!!

"Why don't we, instead of trying to sell our knowledge over the internet, just give it away."

Imagine that? MIT wants people to have access to their coursework even if they don't get any money for it. I think this is a very positive and noble gesture; a round of applause for MIT!

[TxBec]

Heard about this earlier. Glad to see it's almost ready...

[savedbygrace]

http://web.mit.edu/ocw/

[freedom9]

Catch 22