Technology is the Equalizer: MIT OpenCourseWare OTL

Mewati routinely shares his apps and the MIT Open Learning resources with a network of more than 1,000 teachers across India

A few decades ago now, one of the early waves of “OTL EdTech” involved courseware available online at no charge, or for small fees…. anywhere there was a relatively, for then, “decent” Internet connection.

OTL costs over the years have varied greatly across the higher learning landscape; not all courseware was affordable at every institution. Somehow, some universities’ prices for OTL became just about as costly, or on occasion even more costly than in classroom education.

(a process perhaps akin to how digital books mysteriously became as costly to download as the heavy paper versions previously were to purchase and ship).

But MIT has kept the “for free” faith..

MIT OpenCourseWare was a pioneer in that effort, and that has only become more powerful as broadband access has proliferated that supports decent video. As has been noted, smart phones are everywhere, and today’s smart phones can play back video files in third world settings.

Of note: US Educational pushback about screens-in-the-classroom threatens the use of OTL… as well as AI .. as educational tools. See below GPT analysis for current uptake of OTL in US and worldwide, and below that the MIT article about OpenCourseWare in rural India today.

Those supporting widespread adoption and use of AI (and OTL) in Education specifically cite the need to compete with other nations such as China and India. Yet those opposing screens-in-classrooms seem to have other priorities.

In an advanced AI world, the US likely cannot compete long term if we don’t graduate enough students that are more… or at least as technologically advanced.… as those countries’ students. For example: Both China and India graduate engineers in multiples of what the US currently does.

The graduation count measures an educational pipeline. Engineering capability also depends on:

The particular program: its faculty, laboratories, curriculum, and assessment standards.

Practical experience: internships, substantial projects, and subsequent workplace training.

The specialty: software, civil engineering, electronics, and manufacturing require different expertise.

The working environment: capable engineers need equipment, experienced colleagues, and organizations that can develop and deploy their work.