Every year, we submit a report that shares the highlights of our unit activities at MIT. 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 2014-2015, 2013-2014, 2012-2013 and 2011-2012.

Strategic Education Initiatives – July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016

Highlights

In FY 2016 (2015-2016), SEI made significant headway in addressing its mission through contributions that will help to shape the future of education at MIT and elsewhere through increased emphasis on digital learning. SEI accomplishments [I was involved with] have notably included:

• Announcement of OLS (Open Learning Scholar) agreement on May 17th, 2016 in Dubai. OLS is a collaboration between 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.
• Official launch of the Connected Learning Initiative (CLIx)on January 27, 2016 in Mumbai. The CLIx MOU was signed on October 1, 2015 between the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Tata Trusts and MIT. CLIx is a bold and innovative collaboration between the Tata Groups (Tata Trusts, 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.
• Startup period of a national consortium (MIT, UC Santa Barbara, Quinsigamond Community College, University Of Arizona, Rochester Institute of Technology) for AIM Photonics Academy (AIM Academy). The American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics (AIM Photonics) will create an end-to-end integrated photonics industry and ecosystem in the U.S. comprising technology, business and education. It is a $600+M public-private partnership of industry, academia and federal and state government. AIM Academy focuses on the development of education and training in support of AIM Photonics.

Accomplishments

Open Learning Scholars (OLS)

OLS is a collaboration between 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. Its intent is to make some of the best STEM education in the world available to Arab youth through innovative online and blended learning offerings.

OLS will be engaged with:

• Leveraging digital (online) learning in the Arab world, especially for displaced populations
• Developing two new MicroMasters, one in Data Science and Management, one TBD
• Supporting educational transformation and capacity building through blended learning (using one MITx course and two local courses)
• Developing forthcoming K-12 activities focused on Entrepreneurship for Youth

In FY 2016, the key accomplishments [I was involved with] were:

• Announced agreement on May 17, 2016 in Dubai
• Developed implementation plan to guide work

Connected Learning Initiative (CLIx)

CLIx (Connected Learning Initiative) is a bold and innovative collaboration between the Tata Groups (Tata Trusts and 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 aims to impact approximately 1,000 schools, 165,000 students, and 4,400 teachers in four states during 2015–2017. The expected outcomes are to raise social capital and expand educational opportunities for India’s youth substantially and positively and to arrive at a model that can have global relevance.

At MIT, SEI is collaborating with Prof. Eric Klopfer and his team in The Education Arcade to design and develop modules in English, Science and Mathematics for Grades 8, 9, and 11. The MIT team is leading the design on a number of modules and is mentoring the development of a number of additional modules through capacity building efforts based on 11.132x (MITx course on Design and Development of Educational Technology) and through an annual design camp.

In FY 2016, the key accomplishments [I was involved with] were:

• Officially launched CLIx (TISS, Tata Trusts, MIT) – Jan 2016
• Completed CLIx website – Jan 2016
• Signed CLIx MOU – Oct 2015
• Technology activities: module development, platform, infrastructure, research, documentation

AIM Photonics Academy (AIM Academy)

The American Institute for Manufacturing integrated Photonics (AIM Photonics) will create an end-to-end integrated photonics industry and ecosystem in the U.S. comprising technology, business and education. It is a $600M+ public-private partnership of industry, academia and federal and state government.

AIM Photonics Academy will provide the unified knowledge, technology and workforce interface for AIM Photonics. It grew out of MIT leadership as a part of the White House Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships. [This work builds upon work started] in 2013 [when] SEI was asked [by the Provost] to support digital learning in advanced manufacturing [within Massachussetts], which led to community college collaborations, leadership in AIM Academy, the Fly-by-Wire project and others. The education team will develop online modules and courses in integrated photonics (in collaboration with ODL).

In FY 2016, the key accomplishments [I was involved with] were:

• MIT:
  • Startup period of national consortium: MIT, UC Santa Barbara, Quinsigamond Community College, Univ. Of Arizona, Rochester Institute of Technology
  • Roadmap activities well underway, to drive technical research and education priorities of AIM
  • Education webinars and planning for modules and courses
  • Some workforce development and preparation activities
  • Other work is on hold pending signed agreement
• SEI:
  • Support for website and “digital presence”
  • Project leadership

Video Concept Browser

The Video Concept Browser allows MIT students to browse and watch lecture video by concepts (or learning outcomes). A self-service tool, MIT faculty or graduate students upload video and tag it by concept; students are able to watch the video to make up for a missed class, to review a concept, and to prepare for exams. It is used primarily in 2.002, but also in 8.02, and 3.032.

In FY 2016, the key accomplishments [I was involved with] were:

• Supported 2.02A, Fall 2015
• Supported 2.002, Spring 2016