Every year, we submit a report that shares the highlights of our unit activities at MIT. For a number of years now I’ve been the primary author of this “record” of our collective work. Drawing nearly verbatim from this report, below is a list of the major activities I was involved with for the last fiscal year (running July-June). You can also look back on reports from 2016-2017, 2015-2016, 2014-2015, 2013-2014, 2012-2013 and 2011-2012.

Open Learning Projects – July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018

Projects supports initiatives between MIT and other universities, foundations and trusts, non-governmental organizations, and national governments in their efforts to advance and transform educational opportunity through digital learning. Through these initiatives, MIT is furthering its mission to advance learning worldwide.

Summary and Highlights

In FY 18 (2017-2018), Projects focused on [three] international projects [I was involved with] that shared MIT’s expertise and approach to teaching and learning with K-12 and university students and faculty. Projects promoted MIT’s unique approaches to digital learning with these international audiences.

• For the Connected Learning Initiative (CLIx) in India, Projects supported the design and development of curriculum modules in English, Math and Science; delivered final versions of an assessment platform, interactive tools and a standalone curriculum delivery platform; and co-designed and participated in ongoing learning outcomes and adoption research. CLIx aims to reach 478 schools, for 33,000 students, and 2,400 teachers in four states (Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Mizoram) through 2019.
• For SRM University, AP Amaravati in India, Projects supported SRM University faculty in using course materials from three sub-licensed MITx courses (6.00x, 8.01x, 18.01x) with their inaugural class of 240 students. The sub-licensing agreement includes a total of eight MITx courses for use by approximately 2,500 students over the next two years.
• With the Al-Ghurair Foundation for Education, Projects supported the foundation’s efforts to increase the use of online and digital learning in the Arab World. Projects supported MITx Digital Learning Scientists and instructors work with faculty from the American University in Cairo and the American University of Beirut to blend MITx course materials (7.00x and 18.03x) into local courses for more than 240 students.

Goals

For FY 18, Projects’ broad goals were to:

• Execute on existing projects: Connected Learning Initiative, Open Learning Scholars and SRM University, AP-Amaravati
• Identify new digital learning projects in support of the Abdul Latif Jameel World Education Lab, MIT Open Learning and the Institute.
• Integrate findings from science of learning into project activities.

Accomplishments

SRM University, AP-Amaravati

Projects led the sub-licensing of eight MITx courses for use by SRM University, AP-Amaravati, along with providing training sessions for their faculty. The training sessions incorporated key findings from the science of learning, as well as principles of instruction, advocated by MIT Open Learning.

FY 2018 key accomplishments [I was involved with]:

• Provided three in-person training sessions for ten SRM University faculty to become familiar with and utilize 6.00x, 8.01x and 18.01x course materials with their inaugural class of 240 students.
• Provided technical support for SRM University faculty from January 2018 to May 2018 [using 6.00x with 240 students].

Open Learning Scholars (OLS)

OLS is a project of MIT and the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education aimed at expanding access to and use of digital learning environments in STEM for learners worldwide. The goal is to make some of the best STEM education in the world available to Arab youth through innovative online and blended learning offerings.

OLS is engaged with:

• Leveraging digital (online) learning in the Arab world, especially for displaced populations, with an initial focus on the professionally focused MIT MicroMasters.
• Supporting educational transformation and capacity building through blended learning utilizing curriculum from MITx courses.

FY 2018 key accomplishments [I was involved with]:

• Hosted a design camp at the American University in Cairo, Egypt for 18 faculty and staff from the American Universities of Beirut and Cairo. MIT Digital Learning Scientists and instructors worked with their faculty to integrate course materials from 7.00x, 6.00x and 18.03x into local courses. The design camp incorporated key findings from the science of learning, as well as principles of instruction, advocated by MIT Open Learning.
• Supported the American University in Cairo in using course materials from 18.03x with 175 students and from 7.00x with 44 students, and supported the American University of Beirut in using course materials from 7.00x with 23 students.
• Brokered the adoption of the MIT MicroMasters in Data, Economics and Development Policy, which partially fulfills the requirements of a Master’s degree at the American University in Cairo.
• Supported Al Ghurair Foundation’s efforts to provide scholarships for MIT Supply Chain Management and Data, Economics and Development Policy MicroMasters learners from the Arab world.

Connected Learning Initiative (CLIx)

CLIx (Connected Learning Initiative) is a bold and innovative collaboration between the Tata Trusts, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences’ Center for Education Innovation and Action Research and MIT. Its goal is to improve the professional and academic prospects of high school students in underserved communities in India. CLIx is working toward implementation in approximately 478 schools, for 33,000 students, and 2,400 teachers in four states (Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Mizoram) through 2019.

At MIT, Projects is collaborating with Prof. Eric Klopfer and his team in The Education Arcade to support curriculum teams in India designing and developing modules in English, Science and Mathematics for Grades 8 and 9.

FY 2018 key accomplishments [I was involved with]:

• Technology: MIT’s CLIx activities focused on the design and development of platform technologies and interactive digital tools. The MIT team delivered and open sourced the final version of the assessment authoring platform and players. The MIT team also delivered and open sourced the final version of the Unplatform and content player for delivering ePub3 versions of the CLIx curriculum on stand-alone computers in rural schools. And the MIT team transitioned responsibility for webhosting and support of assessment authoring, the OpenEdX server for teacher professional development and interactive and platform tools to TISS.