Eschool news just published an article about MIT's effort with their new Free OpenCourseWare (OCW) for high schools. It is specifically geared towards Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
This high school offering is designed to assist our future engineers and scientists and might be a valuable tool for high school use. (OCW publishes educational materials under an open license that encourages their reuse, redistribution, and modification for noncommercial purposes.) Okay so let's reuse, redistribute and modify them for our purposes.
Highlights for High School can support student's math and science curriculum and perhaps encourage more careers in science and engineering.
On the site there are clips, animations, etc., matched to the high school AP science and math. The online videos provide optional ways to present concepts and illustrate hands-on approaches to teaching STEM subjects. It supports writing, brainstorming challenging world problems, and inventing.
This is a first attempt to create this model for secondary education. We can use this option to provide more alternative learnings for students.
There are many courses available listed here: Courses and you can be notified as new courses become available.
Check it out and comment your thoughts!
Thu, Nov 29, 2007. "MIT adapts free online courses for high schools". New secondary-school web site contains OpenCourseWare resources for teaching STEM disciplines. From eSchool News staff and wire service reports.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
MIT offers FREE OpenSourceWare for High Schools
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5 comments:
Why doesn't the SVVSD take advantage of more open-source software?
Even open source software takes staff to manage it and space to house it. We are limited by those criteria ultimately.
What other open source software do you think we should be taking advantage of?
The Open Office suite would be a good start. The GIMP could be a Photoshop alternative. Scribius... too many to list, but here's a page that highlights OS software that runs on Windows:
Open Source Windows
Here are more possibilities
And I almost forgot Stellarium!
I was just told today that GIMP has specifically been disallowed in the SVVSD. I can see no justification for this.
http://www.computerworlduk.com/community/blogs/index.cfm?entryid=560
http://www.smartschools.ph/SmartSchools/SmartTools/EditingImagesForWeb.htm
I've asked the head of curriculum to clarify this. From the outside it looks like a suspicious deal with Adobe to make this a Photoshop-only district....
If GIMP was determined to not be a solution for SVVSD, the reason would be learning of the type of product doesn't need to be done on multiple sources. One source will teach the concept to kids. Support of multiple sources with limited resources can get unmanageable.
I do believe that at some point in the future we will look at additional possibilities as things are always changing.
With time, money and staff much can be accomplished.
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