|
Initiated
in 1999 and ending in 2006,
iCampus was a research collaboration between
Microsoft Research and
MIT
whose goal was to create and demonstrate technologies with
the potential for revolutionary change throughout the
university curriculum." The program was made possible by a
$25 million research grant from Microsoft to MIT and
involved extensive collaboration between MIT and Microsoft
staff.
The TLT Group's Flashlight
Program on Evaluation and Improvement of Educational Uses of
Technology was asked to study five of iCampus's most
promising projects. Our charge: "In light of the
experience of iCampus, especially those projects selected by
MIT and Microsoft for close study, what can be learned about
priorities for educational technology initiatives in the
future and about how the spread of such innovations can be
more effectively supported?"
The
five projects we studied have had a substantial impact
on education at MIT, as we documented. But despite the fact
that they are free for adoption around the world, and
despite MIT's major investment in dissemination, adoption of
these projects more widely is occurring with glacial
slowness. iCampus' experience is quite typical of such
innovative, successful projects. Why is the spread of
innovation in higher education so slow? In what
circumstances has it happened more swiftly? What actions can
universities, foundations, government agencies, and
corporations take to accelerate the improvement of courses
of study in universities and colleges around the world?
-
iLabs:
students can use web browsers to design experiments
and collect data from distant laboratory equipment;
-
iMOAT:
the web is used to manage the process of large-scale
assessment of student writing;
-
TEAL:
two terms of introductory physics have been
redesigned around inquiry, discussion,
experimentation, and visualization;
-
XMAS:
students can quote video legally in their online
discussions, presentations, and projects about films
in courses such as Shakespeare
-
xTutor
is developing a tool kit for creating online
courses; its strength is checking computer
programming homework and providing feedback.
Currently two free xTutor-based computer science
courses are available from MIT
|
|
|
PO Box
5643,
Takoma Park, Maryland 20913
Phone:
301.270.8312/Fax: 301.270.8110
|
To talk about our work
or our organization
contact: Sally Gilbert |
|
