Fall 2020 Update from Dean Krishna Rajagopal to the OCW community

TL;DR

OpenCourseWare (OCW) continues to thrive during the pandemic, with increased site visits and 2.6 million YouTube subscribers. The Chalk Radio podcast offers insightful discussions on remote teaching, language, culture, and teaching with open educational resources. The upcoming NextGen OCW platform will enhance global educational equity and access.

Transcript

[SQUEAKING] [RUSTLING] [CLICKING] KRISHNA RAJAGOPAL: Hi, there. As we were doing the last time I spoke with you, the OCW team and I continue to work from our homes and produce OpenCourseWare remotely in light of the ongoing pandemic. My very best wishes to all of you and yours. Be well and stay well wherever you are. Throughout this prolonged seaso... Read More

Key Insights

• ✋ OpenCourseWare has experienced increased engagement during the pandemic, with higher site visits and a substantial YouTube subscriber base.
• 🤗 The Chalk Radio podcast offers valuable discussions on various educational topics, including remote teaching and the potential of open educational resources.
• 👤 The upcoming NextGen OCW platform aims to improve global educational equity and access through enhanced user experience and streamlined content creation processes.
• 🤗 Open educational resources play a vital role in understanding complex issues, such as public health crises, systemic advantages and disadvantages, and climate change.
• 💄 OpenCourseWare's 20th anniversary represents a longstanding commitment to sharing educational resources and making a positive impact on learners.
• ❓ The NextGen OCW platform seeks to share the vibrancy and energy of MIT's teaching with millions of learners worldwide.
• 😤 OCW's continued success is attributed to the dedication of its learners, educators, and the MIT team working remotely during challenging times.

Questions & Answers

Q: How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected OpenCourseWare's production and viewership?

As a response to the ongoing pandemic, the OCW team has transitioned to remote work, maintaining the quality of content production. Daily site visits have significantly increased compared to the previous year, indicating a rise in learners accessing OCW resources during this time.

Q: What topics are covered in the first season of the Chalk Radio podcast?

The first season of the Chalk Radio podcast delves into critical conversations about remote teaching during the pandemic, the correlation between language, identity, culture, and power, as well as the advantages of teaching with open educational resources (OER).

Q: How will the NextGen OCW platform improve global educational equity and access?

The upcoming NextGen OCW platform aims to enhance educational equity and accessibility by optimizing the user experience across all devices, providing an enhanced search experience, and enabling a streamlined process for content creation. These improvements will ensure that millions more learners worldwide can benefit from OCW.

Q: What is the significance of OpenCourseWare's 20th anniversary?

OpenCourseWare will mark its 20th anniversary next year, reflecting on its impact on education and its unchanging commitment to sharing educational resources. It serves as an opportunity to celebrate the millions of learners who have benefitted from OCW and the power of open education.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• OpenCourseWare (OCW) team continues to produce content remotely, observing increased site visits and surpassing 2.6 million YouTube subscribers.

• The Chalk Radio podcast's first season explores timely themes such as teaching during the pandemic, language, culture, and the benefits of open educational resources.

• Next year, OCW will celebrate its 20th anniversary, reflecting on its impact while unveiling the NextGen OCW platform to improve educational access and usability.