[1324] in UA Senate
Thoughts on MIT Online from Senate Meeting
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Michael E Plasmeier)
Mon May 2 01:16:19 2011
From: Michael E Plasmeier <theplaz@MIT.EDU>
To: "mit-online@mailman.mit.edu"
<IMCEAEX-_O=NT5_ou=8552B615DCB90B4D947A88AD9BD1AF63_cn=809DEBB9101F46408C17CAC3CA535084@EXCHANGE.MIT.EDU>
CC: "ua-senate@mit.edu" <ua-senate@mit.edu>
Date: Mon, 2 May 2011 01:16:13 -0400
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Hello,
My name is Michael Plasmeier, I am a sophomore in 15 and 6-2. I was at the=
Online Study Group presentation to the UA Senate last week and I wanted to=
comment on what I had heard. Sorry this is not on the nice sheet of blue h=
ardstock.
It seems that the only way this would be possible/students (who were at the=
meeting) would be comfortable with this is if it was a separate organizati=
on - which did not pull away from campus resources. I think all campus res=
ources from faculty to grad students to undergrads are strained at capacity=
for what they are able to do. It was suggested that the online program wo=
uld be staffed with its own team of lecturers, who would be funded by reven=
ue from the program. No one spent much time talking about online activitie=
s inside the traditional academic structure - for students not yet affiliat=
ed with MIT through traditional means.
In addition, most of the students were in favor of giving it a separate bra=
nd name to distinguish it from the "real" experience. Another student then=
commented that many of MIT's classes cannot be easily put online. Only co=
ntent based classes, 18.03 was offered as an example, could easily be put o=
nline. Much of the value of an MIT education are the other students - whic=
h you don't get online. In addition, MIT's motto is "Mind and Hand." The =
latter part is hard online.
However, after thinking about it, what was suggested, can be offered by any=
one. The material is out there, granted the curriculum at MIT might be sli=
ghtly better (though we give that away via OCW), but what would this MIT-ow=
ned side division add? A better crop of adjuncts vs other programs? Curri=
culum not on OCW? And this division would be asked to break even - which v=
ery few educational programs do. This would put serious constraints on the=
program. I have serious doubts that MIT could run a division where there =
is pressure to "break even" without it feeling like a profit-minded venture=
, like many online schools. It seems to me that we are just trying to incr=
ease revenue or scale for the Institute. We should have a competitive adva=
ntage - that is not our brand name.
As what was described is a separate division, with a separate brand, teachi=
ng generic content-based classes, I just don't see the need for it. MIT sh=
ould not try to aim to increase its scale unless it is able to do it in a u=
nique way. You might have had something you were not willing to share quit=
e yet, but from what I hard at the meeting, I do not see a compelling reaso=
n for MIT to offer what I just described.
Thanks
Michael Plasmeier
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=3DEN-US link=3Dblue vli=
nk=3Dpurple><div class=3DWordSection1><p class=3DMsoNormal>Hello,<o:p></o:p=
></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>My name=
is Michael Plasmeier, I am a sophomore in 15 and 6-2. I was at the O=
nline Study Group presentation to the UA Senate last week and I wanted to c=
omment on what I had heard. Sorry this is not on the nice sheet of blue har=
dstock.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D=
MsoNormal>It seems that the only way this would be possible/students (who w=
ere at the meeting) would be comfortable with this is if it was a separate =
organization – which did not pull away from campus resources. I=
think all campus resources from faculty to grad students to undergrads are=
strained at capacity for what they are able to do. It was suggested =
that the online program would be staffed with its own team of lecturers, wh=
o would be funded by revenue from the program. No one spent much time=
talking about online activities inside the traditional academic structure =
- for students not yet affiliated with MIT through traditional means. =
<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNor=
mal>In addition, most of the students were in favor of giving it a separate=
brand name to distinguish it from the “real” experience. =
Another student then commented that many of MIT’s classes cannot be =
easily put online. Only content based classes, 18.03 was offered as a=
n example, could easily be put online. Much of the value of an MIT ed=
ucation are the other students – which you don’t get online.&nb=
sp; In addition, MIT’s motto is “Mind and Hand.” Th=
e latter part is hard online.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> =
;</o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>However, after thinking about it, what was =
suggested, can be offered by anyone. The material is out there, grant=
ed the curriculum at MIT might be slightly better (though we give that away=
via OCW), but what would this MIT-owned side division add? A better =
crop of adjuncts vs other programs? Curriculum not on OCW? And =
this division would be asked to break even – which very few education=
al programs do. This would put serious constraints on the program.&nb=
sp; I have serious doubts that MIT could run a division where there is pres=
sure to “break even” without it feeling like a profit-minded ve=
nture, like many online schools. It seems to me that we are just tryi=
ng to increase revenue or scale for the Institute. We should have a c=
ompetitive advantage – that is not our brand name.<o:p></o:p></p><p c=
lass=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>As what was desc=
ribed is a separate division, with a separate brand, teaching generic conte=
nt-based classes, I just don’t see the need for it. MIT should =
not try to aim to increase its scale unless it is able to do it in a unique=
way. You might have had something you were not willing to share quit=
e yet, but from what I hard at the meeting, I do not see a compelling reaso=
n for MIT to offer what I just described.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNorma=
l><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>Thanks<o:p></o:p></p><p class=
=3DMsoNormal>Michael Plasmeier<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>=
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