In John's April Newsletter

Chalk Radio: Visualizing the Future of Spaceship Earth with Prof. Dava Newman

Text reads "The time to act is now." by Prof. Dava Newman. An image of Earth from space is on the right.

In this episode, Prof. Newman fields listener-submitted questions about climate change.

Professor Dava Newman is an aerospace engineer whose career has largely focused on developing improved space suits for eventual interplanetary travel.

But in recent years, she has turned her sights back toward Earth, using the vast amounts of data collected by satellites in near space to inform and motivate the public for the fight against catastrophic climate change.

> Read the complete article

Check out the latest on our YouTube page, which recently surpassed 3 MILLION subscribers!

As we mark 20 years of OCW, we are celebrating the community of learners, MIT faculty, and collaborators who have made OCW a change agent for education at MIT and around the world, and helped launch the modern open education movement.

Our April 7 online event celebrated 20 years of open sharing with a discussion of what OCW means to the world, and its impact. The event also offers a glimpse of an even more ambitious vision for the future of OCW as we work to develop the NextGen OCW website and efforts.

Did you see us on MIT News?
"OpenCourseWare: The foundation of free access to education"

Your support can help us evolve.
Make a gift by April 30 to help us build the next generation of OCW:

Donate

A United States Armed Forces Joint-Service Color Guard marches. (Image by mark6mauno on Flickr. License: CC BY.)

17.S916 All the President's Generals: Civil-Military Relations in the US and Beyond

This course introduces the unique characteristics of militaries and explores the roles they play in the societies they are constructed to defend, with a special focus on the relationships between the military and their civilian leaders and popular publics.

Topics include a modern history of relations between US presidents and the military, coups and military governments, public trust in the military, racial integration of the military, and the military-industrial (and tech!) complex.

A crowd is shown at an anti-Brexit protest outside the Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom.

A crowd gathers for an anti-Brexit protest outside the Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom. After a 2016 referendum, the UK became the first and only country to formally leave the European Union after 47 years of membership. (Image courtesy of Steve Eason on Flickr. License CC BY-NC-SA.)

17.561 European Politics

This course examines similarities and differences in politics and political economy in Britain, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. In particular, the course focuses on the structure of political power within the state, and on important institutions that form the link between state and society, especially political parties and interest organizations.

A skeleton view of a construction site-- pillars can be seen with columns holding the structure up.

The development of artificial intelligence, and the management of its relationship with human beings, presents new ethical challenges (Photo by Tolu Olubode on Unsplash).

11.438 Economic Development Planning

This course examines why we plan for economic development, how government is funded in the US, what strategies are commonly used to attract and retain development, and how effective they are at accomplishing goals. We look at the tools and techniques of development through a variety of lenses, including those of effectiveness, equity, sustainability, and impacts on other aspects of public finance.

How MIT OpenCourseWare became an educational resource to millions around the world

A collage of multiple images OCW has used to preview courses on their website.

Of OpenCourseWare’s founding in 2001, MIT professor and Dean for Digital Learning Krishna Rajagopal says, “It was the best thing MIT could have done at that moment for MIT and for the world.”

Celebrating 20 remarkable years, MIT OCW looks to the future, informed by learning needs underscored by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the 20 years since it began, MIT OpenCourseWare has become a pillar of the open education community, an exemplar of the MIT ethos, and an invaluable resource to millions of learners around the world. People of all ages and all walks of life have used the lectures, videos, problem sets, and other content to pursue their curiosity and passions, improve their careers, and get a leg up in their studies.

Now, the team looks to the future with a clear sense of purpose, informed by the learning needs underscored by the Covid-19 pandemic.

> Read the complete article

What 20 Years Means to OCW Learners in 15 Quotes

An assortment different colored Post-It notes with words, doodles, and other miscellaneous things written and drawn on.

Image by Wallpaper Flare.

One of the highlights of hitting this milestone has been hearing from learners and educators around the world about their experiences with OCW, and the impact specific OCW courses, professors, and resources have had on their lives—from introducing perspectives that jumpstart a new educational journey to providing tools to make change in their communities.

Here are a few of the inspiring reflections on what 20 years of OpenCourseWare and the potential of open education mean to our learners.

> Read the complete article

For free resources for high school teachers and students, check out: