Online learning

Wall Street Journal reporter Melissa Korn writes that 2U, an education technology company, will acquire edX for $800 million. The proceeds flow to a new nonprofit, led by MIT and Harvard, which will “focus on reducing inequalities in access to education. It will maintain the open-access course platform built by edX, research online and hybrid-learning models, and work to minimize the digital divide that still serves as a barrier for many younger students and adults,” writes Korn. 

Writing for Inside Higher Ed, Shigeru Miyagawa, senior associate dean of the Office of Digital Learning, and Meghan Perdue, a digital learning scientist at MITx, explore how the shift to remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic has transformed education. “Faculty are now more aware of the ‘whole student,’ acknowledging their lives outside the classroom,” they write. “They have a heightened awareness of the need to create teaching practices that keep the students engaged and to use technology tools that enhance their teaching.”

Krishna Rajagopal, dean of Digital Learning, speaks with Julia Brodsky of Forbes about the history, educational philosophy and future of MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) as the platform celebrates its 20^th anniversary. “OCW is one of the jewels of MIT, fully embodying its spirit of openness and its mission to unlock knowledge and empower minds,” says Rajagopal.

In an article for Inside Higher Ed, Joshua Kim writes that “Grasp: The Science Transforming How We Learn,” a book by Sanjay Sarma, MIT’s vice president for open learning, and research associate Luke Yoquinto is “an important contribution to the literature on learning science and higher education change.” Kim adds that “Grasp can provide the foundations of what learning science-informed teaching might look like, with some fantastic real-world examples of constructivist theory in pedagogical action.”

Curt Newton, director of MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW), and Krishna Rajagopal, dean for Digital Learning, explore how open educational resource tools are reaching students in Africa, spotlighting MIT OCW’s efforts to extend knowledge worldwide. “We aim to support learners with a wide range of backgrounds and goals. They may be students enrolled in a formal programme, or dedicated independent learners following their curiosities and improving their lives,” they write.

Writing for Forbes, Anant Agarwal, president of edX, explores how to get the most of our online learning opportunities for workers. “The reality is, learning itself is a skill to practice and hone,” writes Agarwal. “But there are five proven steps based on established learning science principles of practice, application, and reflection that you can leverage to make the knowledge more ‘sticky.’” 

Mashable reporter Joseph Green highlights the wide range of courses available on edX. “You can take comprehensive courses on everything from machine learning with Python to creating policies for science, technology, and innovation, without spending a penny,” writes Green. “We don't need to tell you how much of a great opportunity this is.”

Writing for Inside Higher Ed, Joshua Kim spotlights Prof Justin Reich’s new book, “Failure to Disrupt: Why Technology Alone Can’t Transform Education.” Kim writes, “‘Failure to Disrupt’ is an argument for educational tinkering over radical disruption. Reich sees potential in scaled online learning to benefit some learners in some circumstances.”

Vice President for Open Leaning Sanjay Sarma speaks with Jeffrey Young of EdSurge about how the brain works when understanding new concepts. "I question a lot of the structures and dogmas in education that are very closely held, but not necessarily based on science,” says Sarma. “And if we have the courage to reexamine these assumptions and reconstitute education, there's an incredible opportunity to change the game.”

Prof. Justin Reich speaks with NPR’s Anya Kamenetz about digital teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic and how children and teachers are adjusting to the new experience. "There's [approximately] 10% of people for whom it works better," Reich says. And for these students, "this is actually a better version of school."

Writing for the Chronicle of Higher Education, research scientist Ben Armstrong explores how “silent meetings” can help encourage to participate in virtual classes. “My case for silent meetings is that they can help educators examine the questions we find important while giving students more time to deliberate before they discuss,” writes Armstrong. “And they can help students who might otherwise feel excluded from conversations contribute new ideas in tandem with their classmates.”

Shigeru Miyagawa, senior associate dean for Open Learning, and instructor Meghan Perdue write for Inside Higher Ed about how the transition to online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic may change how educators teach. "What struck us is that this uncontrolled experiment, as a scientist might put it, may lead to a fundamental change in the way we approach education," they write.

Researchers from MIT’s Task Force on the Work of the Future have released three new briefs that “explore the fragmented U.S. workforce training system for low- to moderate-skilled workers, as well as comparable programs in Europe,” writes Paul Fain for Inside Higher Ed. Fain notes that the briefs also examine “lessons from learning science and new technologies that could help make online education and workforce training more effective.”

Writing for Fast Company, edX President Anant Agarwal about how educators can use technology to create the most engaging educational experience for students who are learning both in person and remotely. “This unprecedented period in history has taught us that online education is a thoughtful practice of designing learning experiences for the medium,” writes Agarwal.

New Scientist spotlights “Grasp: The Science Transforming How We Learn,” a new book by Sanjay Sarma, vice president for open learning, and Luke Yoquinto, a research affiliate at the MIT AgeLab. The book explores how “scientific findings in wildly different fields are transforming the way we learn and teach.”