IP: MIT OpenCourseWare misrepresented

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date:         Wed, 09 May 2001 03:07:01 EDT
> From: Rich Wiggins <wiggins () msu edu>
> Subject:      MIT OpenCourseWare misrepresented
> To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
> cc: Dr Galler <galler () g imap itd umich edu>
>
>
> Unfortunately, Gary Chapman's note in passing about MIT's
> OpenCourseWare initiative misrepresents what it is all about.
> MIT did not make an announcement about "Web-based courses."
> They announced that Web-based supporting materials for
> conventional courses will be freely available.  MIT
> OpenCourseWare is NOT distance education.
>
> This may seem like a minor distinction, but in fact it is
> a huge one.  MIT is not launching a new University of Phoenix.
> Their president, championing the OpenCourseWare initiative,
> says that the on-campus classroom/lab experience at MIT is still
> vital to an MIT education.  This is about exposing the MIT
> curriculum, and details about MIT courses, to the world.
> It does not expose the courses themselves to the world.
>
> The MIT announcement may be very profound, or it may not.
> Many professors at many universities do post their syllabi,
> Powerpoint slides, homework assignments, etc freely on the
> Web.  It's virtual courses that are protected.  MIT has
> announced a university-wide initiative to provide what
> is informally available at most universities already.
> As such, materials may be better organized and more complete,
> but not necessarily different than what's at other schools.
>
> MIT cites a "consensus" of support for OpenCourseWare.  Some
> argue that by exposing informal lecture notes in a world
> where others offer slickly-prepared virtual courses, that
> MIT will make itself look poor by comparison.  There are
> dissenters at MIT.  For details, see:
>
> http://www.infotoday.com/newsbreaks/nb010423-1.htm
>
> /rich
>
>
> > > > DIGITAL NATION
> > > >
> > > > Thursday, May 3, 2001
> > > >
> > > > Paying for Net Foils "Public Space" Idea
> > > >
> > > > By Gary Chapman
> > > >
> > > > Copyright 2001, The Los Angeles Times, All Rights Reserved
>
> ..
>
> > > > A similar rationale was behind a dramatic decision by officials at
> > > > the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who announced last month
> > > > that the university will offer nearly all its Web-based courses for
> > > > free. This decision threw other universities--many of which were
> > > > looking to distance education as a new source of revenue--into an
> > > > entirely different position.



For archives see: http://www.interesting-people.org/