A couple of weeks ago, I read in Techmeme that MIT or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is offering a free online course for interested folks all over the world. I thought oh well, just another marketing stunt from a big university until I read that much coveted word– credential. Yep, MIT’s short course on Circuits and Electronics will have an MIT credential. Well not directly MIT per se but the credential certificate will state that an MIT body will say that a student who successfully hurdles the course has gained mastery of the short course.
This means that there will be online exams that the MITX student will have to go through to gain that credential. There will however be some sort of cost associated with the credentialing. That cost however will not be significant. Of course there will be eyebrows raised as students can resort to all sorts of chicanery to gain that credential as MITx only relies on an ‘honor code’ to keep students in check. Unfortunately, for some, an honor code does not hold a lot of water. Sigh.
Anyway, for those who can’t afford to go to MIT or even gain entrance to this world-class institution can see for themselves how different an MIT course is taught (even if its online) compared to a run of the mill (or should I dare say diploma mill) university.
I am no engineering major or has a high affinity for complex maths that this course will surely require, but I enrolled anyway and will probably be taking that remedial course (for those who need it) to properly equip myself to take the Circuits and Electronics course.
I think this is a superb opportunity for us third world folks to experience this kind of education and even get an MIT-ish credential for free.