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![[Learning Curve]](15lead.jpg) ![[Learning Curve]](15lead.gif)
Vidya Srinivasa Rao
"Knowledge should be free for those who want it. In the long run, it will speed up the progress of mankind." - Anonymous.
One of the world's most respected educational institutes, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has launched the OpenCourseWare (OCW) project to openly share its course material online. MIT hopes to create a global web of knowledge that will enhance the quality of learning, by making the material accessible to everyone. What's more, it's free with no test or admission essays required to access it.
By 2006-2007, MIT plans to publish the course materials for almost all of its 2,000 graduate and undergraduate courses. While many other universities offer courseware online, they restrict access to only their students and professors. The MIT courseware is open to all and can also be distributed, copied, translated or modified for non-commercial educational purposes.
This move by MIT has evoked appreciation from people all over the world, including Nobel Laureate Joshua Lederberg. In his email to the President, he has offered to become a guest lecturer as well as a student in MIT's OpenCourseWare initiative.
(Dr Lederberg won the 1958 Nobel Prize in medicine at the age of 33 for his discoveries concerning genetic recombination and the organisation of the genetic material of bacteria.)
OpenCourseWare and its potential benefits
Students and teachers are clearly the ones who stand to benefit most. And they seem more than happy: Sandeep Muthya, a student of computer science engineering in Bangalore says, "I've always dreamt of studying at MIT. This is almost the same. I especially like the video lectures by Prof Gilbert Strang. It's a very interesting way to learn linear algebra."
Sandeep's friend Roopa Anand, a student of mechanical engineering, is frustrated with the education system here. She says, "It's very good news for students in India. The syllabus and courseware here are outdated. They don't change for years. At least now, I'll be able to 'compete' with my peers in the US." She is, however, disappointed that not much material is available on her subject at this time, and hopes it will appear online soon.
While students are hoping to make full use of this information, lecturers are not far behind. Prof B Chatterjee, who teaches electronics engineering at IIT Mumbai, says, "It helps us compare knowledge levels. It's a boon -- not only for students and teachers, but also for the advancement of the entire education system in a developing nation like ours."
Working professionals, small time businessmen and many others are also eager to get their hands on the courseware. "We will pioneer remote MIT classrooms in our cafes. I can't believe it. This is nothing short of magic…" wrote the owner of an Internet-connected resources centre in Ghana.
An Indian resident emailed MIT thus: "I write this letter to convey my best wishes for the success of your OpenCourseWare program. I am residing in India, and would have given anything to have access to such a facility when I was a student. I used to be frustrated when I wanted to learn and could not afford to buy books or simply did not have access to such books in local book shops." Likewise, Shankar Menon who runs a small software firm in Mumbai along with some friends, was delighted and wishes to find useful information and algorithms for software development.
Potential Benefits:
- Colleges and universities around the world can use the OCW materials to develop new curricula and specific courses.
- Individual learners could use these materials for self-study or additional knowledge.
- Other institutions that choose to make their content open and available could use the OCW infrastructure as a model.
- Over time, if other universities adopt this model, a vast collection of educational resources would develop and could facilitate widespread exchange of ideas about innovative ways to use those resources in teaching and learning.
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Does OpenCourseWare differ from other types of Web-based distance learning?
Distance learning involves the active exchange of information between faculty and students, to obtain some form of credential. It's also generally limited to those able to pay for materials or course delivery. According to MIT officials, MIT OCW is not a distance learning initiative as it is free and devoid of interaction with faculty members. Besides, it offers no credentials.
Our own Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has a programme incorporating video broadcast lectures and Web-based material. But a nominal fee is charged.
Can OCW replace a formal degree?
"Of course not!" says Prof Chatterjee, "It wasn't meant to replace classroom education. MIT courseware is only for reference and comparison. That's about it."
MIT spokesperson Jon Paul Potts says, "We have always stated that we are not in any way, shape or form trying to replicate an MIT education. An MIT education happens only in classroom, interacting with other students and faculty. Not by downloading some materials or even watching video lectures."
The goal here is to provide the content that supports an education, not a full-fledged degree. As Oliver J Blanchard, Department Head of Economics, MIT, puts it, "It's a clear case of a small effort and large benefits. I very much hope that our collective lecture notes become the most popular Net destination."
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