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Do you think releasing stuff like this might be bad for the university since the students have the possibility to learn without actually enrolling, thus deprivi

• patricklynch 16y ago
  Well, most (all?) public universities let you check out books from their libraries without being enrolled. And many professors will let you sit in on lectures if you're polite and not a disturbance. So in that sense it's been possible to 'mooch free learning' off of universities for some time. But this takes away the barrier of having to actually visit a campus. I think of it as 'freemium' marketing, but for academia.
  • eru 16y ago
    > So in that sense it's been possible to 'mooch free learning' off of universities for some time. They are more stingy with grading your exercise questions, because that takes time. But if you are genuinely interested, you can probably find someone to grade your stuff; or if you are advanced enough, just try to write a paper. Professors will probably help you, even if you are not in a university. (Just offer co-authorship, if necessary.)
• jordan0day 16y ago
  Right now in the USA I have to imagine there is actually a glut of students. While many of them really do want to learn, I would argue a great majority are enrolled in college because "that's what they're supposed to do." I don't think an institution like MIT is at any risk of running out of potential students any time soon.
• tjpick 16y ago
  Don't think it matters. The information has never really been locked away, and the value added by the university environment (personal contact with top lecturers, working closely with like minded students, formal qualification, the chance to meet all sorts of cool people) is still enough to draw students. It's a dry old world if you only focus on access to the material.
• jefe78 16y ago
  I seriously doubt it will hurt universities. The fact is, to accomplish anything mainstream, you are still 'required' to have a degree. You can certainly accomplish a lot without it, but the barrier to entry is increased significantly without one. There are of course exceptions, i.e, most technology jobs and on the opposite side; medicine.
• neutronicus 16y ago
  No. Students need to be graded. You're paying for assessment as well as education.
• stinkytaco 16y ago
  It's probably more that more knowledge, education and information is good for everyone, especially universities. It's not like you can go around talking about your MIT degree because you took a calc course online, but you are more likely to support higher education, research and its corresponding political necessities if you've got some education. You're also more likely to be productive and consequently more wealthy, and a bigger tax payer as a result. I think it's an investment in society.
• forkandwait 16y ago
  The university needs to have enough demand to keep their price high -- and MIT is NOT losing applicants because they can listen to Gilbert Strang for free. Or even if MIT is losing applicants, it probably doesn't impact the number they admit each year. On the other hand senior professors (not universities, at least to the same degree) trade in fame, not enrollment; Gilbert Strang's career has almost surely only benefited by the fact that we all know his name. MIT probably benefits as well. However, crappy on-line universities (National, etc) might really be taking a hit from these things -- though, again, one pays for certification not (just) learning.
• interspheres 16y ago
  What's to say you can't just walk into pretty much any university and sit in on their lectures?