Of course, the big news this week is that MIT and HarÂvard announced that they’re joinÂing forces to offer free online coursÂes startÂing next fall. We gave you the scoop on that yesÂterÂday. Now we give you anothÂer MIT announceÂment that has largeÂly flown beneath the radar.
MIT is teamÂing up with Khan AcadÂeÂmy (whose founder went to MIT and will delivÂer MIT’s comÂmenceÂment speech this spring), and togethÂer they will proÂduce “short videos teachÂing basic conÂcepts in sciÂence and engiÂneerÂing” for K‑12 stuÂdents. The videos will be proÂduced by MIT’s ever-so-creÂative stuÂdents themÂselves and then be made availÂable through a dedÂiÂcatÂed MIT webÂsite and YouTube chanÂnel. You can click the links to start watchÂing the first batch of videos, or watch an examÂple above, The Physics of UniÂcyÂcling. H/T @HKPerkinson
These lessons exemÂpliÂfy the worst kinds of teachÂing. Just because they are clevÂerÂly done on monÂdern techÂnoÂlogÂiÂcal devices does not make them effecÂtice for learnÂing. They vioÂlate even the most basis ways that peoÂple learn science—experience first, name afterÂward. They are exposÂiÂtoÂry, not SocratÂic, and they simÂply are worse than traÂdiÂtionÂal teachÂing because of the hype and repÂuÂtaÂtions of the instiÂtuÂtions involved. I might add that Both MIT and HarÂvard (I have a degree from HarÂvard) have a masÂsive ratio of presÂtige to qualÂiÂty.
I for one am hapÂpy for online coursÂes like these, they’re much more effecÂtive than havÂing to enroll at some traÂdiÂtionÂal instiÂtuÂtion where the risk of encounÂterÂing bad teachÂers or everÂchangÂing trends of pedÂaÂgogy is relÂaÂtiveÂly high. PedÂaÂgogues ruin teachÂing like fanatÂics ruin reliÂgion.
I’ve been uniÂcyÂcling for 35- years… realÂly enjoyed this video. FinalÂly, I know what I’ve been doing! Thanks for makÂing it (even if it isn’t highÂbrow enough for Mr. AldrÂtidge — if that’s realÂly how he spells his name :)
lol…loving the comÂments! I like that I have a free supÂpleÂment to the teachÂing that I do at home. It won’t take the place of curÂricÂuÂla but it could help in explaÂnaÂtions. So…Yay!
That’s why it’s such a parÂticÂuÂlarÂly delightÂful treat for my sciÂence-lovÂing homeÂschoolÂer… who himÂself uniÂcyÂcles. :)