{"id":21111,"date":"2017-11-09T13:42:00","date_gmt":"2017-11-09T18:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/clear-eyes-full-hearts-digital-education\/"},"modified":"2017-11-09T13:42:00","modified_gmt":"2017-11-09T18:42:00","slug":"clear-eyes-full-hearts-digital-education","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/clear-eyes-full-hearts-digital-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Digital Education."},"content":{"rendered":"

The traditional supply chain within education is a relatively straightforward system whereby public and private institutions provide a live forum for educators to deliver content to students.\u00a0 This archaic distribution model is offered only to small batches of students, is limited by class sizes and space constraints, and offers little in terms of customization.[1]<\/a>\u00a0 As educational institutions struggle to increase capacity to keep up with demand, tuition costs surge, student-to-teacher ratios rise, and access to a quality learning experience becomes even more scarce in certain parts of the world.\u00a0 The educational needs of individuals are changing rapidly, so is it time for the education supply chain to adapt?<\/p>\n

In 2001, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one of the world\u2019s preeminent technical universities, announced the development of its OpenCourseWare (OCW) platform to address the limitations of its delivery model.\u00a0 The purpose of OCW is to digitalize education \u201cin pursuit of MIT\u2019s mission \u2013 to advance knowledge and educate students.\u201d[2]<\/a>\u00a0 The site officially launched in 2002 with only a select group of courses available that users could access free of charge with no restrictions.\u00a0 Each course on OCW offers viewers video lectures, a syllabus, readings, and other related course materials.\u00a0 This approach to the delivery of education is quite different from the traditional classroom setting as it provides a tailored learning experience to anyone with access to the internet.<\/p>\n

Recognizing the need for digitalization to reach a broader audience, the number of online degree-granting programs and institutions has risen dramatically in the last few years. \u00a0Online degree-granting programs are currently offered at 75% of the U.S. News and & World\u2019s<\/em> Top 100 Universities<\/em>.[3]<\/a>\u00a0 While the average annual tuition for an online degree in the U.S. is roughly half that of an on-campus education[4]<\/a>, the cost and structure of these programs still precludes a sizable percentage of the population from taking part.\u00a0 However, MIT\u2019s OCW platform is completely free and offers students the opportunity to take courses at their own pace in whatever subject they choose.\u00a0 Although the institution does not offer a degree after completing the OCW coursework, the value to MIT\u2019s mission of expanding its educational reach is substantial.\u00a0 Each year, fewer than 5,000 students graduate from MIT\u2019s undergraduate and graduate schools[5]<\/a>, while nearly 1.3 million unique users gain access to MIT resources each month via OCW.[6]<\/a><\/p>\n

Today, nearly all of the undergraduate and graduate courses at MIT are available on OCW.\u00a0 Every month, more than two million educators, students, professionals, and self-learners log into OCW, half of which are based outside the U.S.7\u00a0 In the short-term, MIT is continuing to add tools to the platform to enrich learning and adapt to the needs of its users.\u00a0 Recently, OCW has added instructor insights, interactive transcripts, and industry-specific accreditations aimed at continuing education for professionals, such as its Credential in Supply Chain Management<\/em>. \u00a0Longer-term, MIT continues to build partnerships with other academic institutions and organizations like Apple, Google, and YouTube to make OCW more ubiquitous and enhance the learning experience.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s clear that OCW broadens MIT\u2019s reach, but the key question is whether or not the platform fully bridges the gap between the traditional delivery of education and this new means of digital distribution.\u00a0 MIT strives to ready its students in the classroom for the ever-evolving technological world by providing educational resources not currently offered on OCW, such as access to faculty, students, and world-class research facilities.\u00a0 As the platform matures and further develops, MIT should consider taking some of these social and experiential aspects of learning into consideration.\u00a0 Additionally, for the students utilizing OCW, the skills and knowledge that they acquire are not substantiated by a grade on a transcript or a degree.\u00a0 So, should MIT consider offering degrees to students who complete OCW coursework and demonstrate knowledge of the content?\u00a0 In the future, will mastery of a subject via digital education be viewed in the same manner as a degree?\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

(Word Count: 737)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Schuwer, Robert and Rob Kusters.\u00a0 \u201cMass Customization of Education by an Institution of HE: What Can We Learn from Industry?\u201d The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning.<\/em>\u00a0 Athabasca University.\u00a0 April 2014.\u00a0 http:\/\/files.eric.ed.gov\/fulltext\/EJ1030122.pdf.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> \u201cOCW Innovations.\u201d Massachusetts Institute of Technology.<\/em>\u00a0 https:\/\/ocw.mit.edu\/about\/milestones\/.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> \u201cThe Rise of Online Degrees at Public and Nonprofit Universities.\u201d Center for Online Education.<\/em> http:\/\/www.onlinecolleges.net\/for-students\/online-degrees-at-nonprofit-universities\/.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Vosganian, Ed.\u00a0 \u201cThe Real Price of Online College.\u201d\u00a0 Affordable Colleges Online.<\/em>\u00a0 https:\/\/www.affordablecollegesonline.org\/financial-aid\/online-college-degree-cost\/.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> \u201cMIT Facts.\u201d\u00a0 Massachusetts Institute of Technology.\u00a0 <\/em>http:\/\/web.mit.edu\/facts\/faqs.html.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> \u201cSite Statistics: MIT OpenCourseWare.\u201d\u00a0 Massachusetts Institute of Technology.\u00a0 <\/em>https:\/\/ocw.mit.edu\/about\/site-statistics\/monthly-reports\/MITOCW_DB_2017_10_V1.pdf.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MIT is teaching the education industry how to modernize its distribution model.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10408,"featured_media":21112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[3243,3242],"class_list":["post-21111","hck-submission","type-hck-submission","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digitalization-of-education","category-online-education","hck-taxonomy-organization-massachusetts-institute-of-technology","hck-taxonomy-industry-education","hck-taxonomy-country-united-states"],"connected_submission_link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/assignment\/rc-tom-challenge-2017\/","yoast_head":"\nClear Eyes. Full Hearts. 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