[1326] in UA Senate
Re: Thoughts on MIT Online from Senate Meeting
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Timothy Robertson)
Mon May 2 12:18:10 2011
In-Reply-To: <BANLkTikPRQQNwka=K0R3=MxN5GUxq8BHmQ@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 2 May 2011 12:18:06 -0400
From: Timothy Robertson <tim_r@MIT.EDU>
To: Jessica Chen <jessicachen.dbhs@gmail.com>
Cc: Michael E Plasmeier <theplaz@mit.edu>,
"mit-online@mailman.mit.edu" <IMCEAEX-_O=NT5_ou=8552B615DCB90B4D947A88AD9BD1AF63_cn=809DEBB9101F46408C17CAC3CA535084@EXCHANGE.MIT.EDU>,
"ua-senate@mit.edu" <ua-senate@mit.edu>
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I feel the same as Jessica. I do not want our suggestion to be mistaken as
an approval of the online system, rather it is an option should the program
be pushed forward.
Additionally, it concerns me that MIT is now following the rest of the
colleges in a fashion not representative of an Institute working towards
progressive changes. It would seem we are rather opting to fit into the mol=
d
other schools are implementing.
On Mon, May 2, 2011 at 11:00 AM, Jessica Chen <jessicachen.dbhs@gmail.com>w=
rote:
> Hi Hi!
>
> I don't think the students who were in chambers that night were necessari=
ly
> stating they WANTED a separate brand. At least that's not what I got away
> from it. I feel that they were just saying if MIT was to continue pursuin=
g
> an online system, they would prefer it to be a separate brand. I do remem=
ber
> they did say that doing nothing was an option, I think students just got =
a
> bit wrapped up in what was proposed that night that they felt the need to
> protect the MIT name and therefore, suggested the separate brand. Just my
> thought! :D
>
> Sincerely,
> ~Jessica Chen
> MIT 2014
>
>
>
> On Mon, May 2, 2011 at 1:16 AM, Michael E Plasmeier <theplaz@mit.edu>wrot=
e:
>
>> 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 wan=
ted
>> to comment on what I had heard. Sorry this is not on the nice sheet of b=
lue
>> hardstock.
>>
>>
>>
>> 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
>> organization =96 which did not pull away from campus resources. I think=
all
>> campus resources from faculty to grad students to undergrads are straine=
d 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, who would be fu=
nded
>> by revenue from the program. No one spent much time talking about onlin=
e
>> activities inside the traditional academic structure - for students not =
yet
>> affiliated with MIT through traditional means.
>>
>>
>>
>> In addition, most of the students were in favor of giving it a separate
>> brand name to distinguish it from the =93real=94 experience. Another st=
udent
>> then commented that many of MIT=92s classes cannot be easily put online.=
Only
>> content based classes, 18.03 was offered as an example, could easily be =
put
>> online. Much of the value of an MIT education are the other students =
=96
>> which you don=92t get online. In addition, MIT=92s motto is =93Mind and=
Hand.=94
>> The latter part is hard online.
>>
>>
>>
>> However, after thinking about it, what was suggested, can be offered by
>> anyone. The material is out there, granted 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 program=
s?
>> Curriculum not on OCW? And this division would be asked to break even =
=96
>> which very few educational programs do. This would put serious constrai=
nts
>> on the program. I have serious doubts that MIT could run a division whe=
re
>> there is pressure to =93break even=94 without it feeling like a profit-m=
inded
>> venture, 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
>> competitive advantage =96 that is not our brand name.
>>
>>
>>
>> As what was described is a separate division, with a separate brand,
>> teaching generic content-based classes, I just don=92t 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 s=
hare
>> quite yet, but from what I hard at the meeting, I do not see a compellin=
g
>> reason for MIT to offer what I just described.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Michael Plasmeier
>>
>
>
--=20
Tim Robertson II
MIT 2011
Mechanical Engineering
UA Senate Office Hours:
EC-B515 Sunday 5-8pm
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I feel the same as Jessica. I do not want our suggestion to be mistaken as =
an approval of the online system, rather it is an option should the program=
be pushed forward. <br><br>Additionally, it concerns me that MIT is now fo=
llowing the rest of the colleges in a fashion not representative of an Inst=
itute working towards progressive changes. It would seem we are rather opti=
ng to fit into the mold other schools are implementing. <br>
<br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Mon, May 2, 2011 at 11:00 AM, Jessica Che=
n <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:jessicachen.dbhs@gmail.com">jessi=
cachen.dbhs@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_q=
uote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1e=
x;">
Hi Hi!<br><br>I don't think the students who were in chambers that nigh=
t were necessarily stating they WANTED a separate brand. At least that'=
s not what I got away from it. I feel that they were just saying if MIT was=
to continue pursuing an online system, they would prefer it to be a separa=
te brand. I do remember they did say that doing nothing was an option, I th=
ink students just got a bit wrapped up in what was proposed that night that=
they felt the need to protect the MIT name and therefore, suggested the se=
parate brand. Just my thought! :D<br>
<br clear=3D"all">Sincerely,<br><font color=3D"#888888">~Jessica Chen<br>MI=
T 2014</font><div><div></div><div class=3D"h5"><br>
<br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Mon, May 2, 2011 at 1:16 AM, Michael =
E Plasmeier <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:theplaz@mit.edu" target=
=3D"_blank">theplaz@mit.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"g=
mail_quote" style=3D"margin:0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204=
, 204, 204);padding-left:1ex">
<div link=3D"blue" vlink=3D"purple" lang=3D"EN-US"><div><p class=3D"MsoNorm=
al">Hello,</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">=A0</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">My name =
is Michael Plasmeier, I am a sophomore in 15 and 6-2.=A0 I was at the Onlin=
e Study Group presentation to the UA Senate last week and I wanted to comme=
nt on what I had heard. Sorry this is not on the nice sheet of blue hardsto=
ck.</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">=A0</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">It seems that the only=
way this would be possible/students (who were at the meeting) would be com=
fortable with this is if it was a separate organization =96 which did not p=
ull away from campus resources.=A0 I think all campus resources from facult=
y to grad students to undergrads are strained at capacity for what they are=
able to do.=A0 It was suggested that the online program would be staffed w=
ith its own team of lecturers, who would be funded by revenue from the prog=
ram.=A0 No one spent much time talking about online activities inside the t=
raditional academic structure - for students not yet affiliated with MIT th=
rough traditional means.=A0 </p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">=A0</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">In addition, most of t=
he students were in favor of giving it a separate brand name to distinguish=
it from the =93real=94 experience.=A0 Another student then commented that =
many of MIT=92s classes cannot be easily put online.=A0 Only content based =
classes, 18.03 was offered as an example, could easily be put online.=A0 Mu=
ch of the value of an MIT education are the other students =96 which you do=
n=92t get online.=A0 In addition, MIT=92s motto is =93Mind and Hand.=94=A0 =
The latter part is hard online.</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">=A0</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">However, after thinkin=
g about it, what was suggested, can be offered by anyone.=A0 The material i=
s out there, granted the curriculum at MIT might be slightly better (though=
we give that away via OCW), but what would this MIT-owned side division ad=
d?=A0 A better crop of adjuncts vs other programs?=A0 Curriculum not on OCW=
?=A0 And this division would be asked to break even =96 which very few educ=
ational programs do.=A0 This would put serious constraints on the program.=
=A0 I have serious doubts that MIT could run a division where there is pres=
sure to =93break even=94 without it feeling like a profit-minded venture, l=
ike many online schools.=A0 It seems to me that we are just trying to incre=
ase revenue or scale for the Institute.=A0 We should have a competitive adv=
antage =96 that is not our brand name.</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">=A0</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">As what was described =
is a separate division, with a separate brand, teaching generic content-bas=
ed classes, I just don=92t see the need for it.=A0 MIT should not try to ai=
m to increase its scale unless it is able to do it in a unique way.=A0 You =
might have had something you were not willing to share quite yet, but from =
what I hard at the meeting, I do not see a compelling reason for MIT to off=
er what I just described.</p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">=A0</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">Thanks</p><p class=3D"=
MsoNormal">Michael Plasmeier</p></div></div></blockquote></div><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><br>-- <br>Tim Roberts=
on II<br>MIT 2011<br>Mechanical Engineering<br>UA Senate Office Hours:<br>E=
C-B515 Sunday 5-8pm<br><br>
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