Reflections on Kahn Academy, MIT OpenCourseware, & YouTube

This week’s blog post is on exploring content that is available to help educators develop an online or flipped course.  I explored the 3 recommended sources, Kahn Academy, MIT Open Courseware, & YouTube.  I explored the possibility of using content and material from these 3 sources to develop a class on Information Technology to be taught to working adults who would be taking the class as part of an undergraduate degree in Information Technology.  According to a paper written by Dr. Peter J. Stokes titled, Hidden in Plain Sight: Adult Learners Forge a New Tradition in Higher Education, only 16 % of undergraduate students are considered traditional students.  The other 84% comprise what is considered non-traditional students.  These are the students who balance jobs, families, and education.  My class would be aimed at that student population.

Upon exploring Kahn Academy, I found a lot of relevant material that I can use to develop my course in Information Technology.  Many working adults are moving from one career to start another.  In this career transition into Information Technology, some of the students in my class may need some basic education in Information Theory.  Therefore, in developing my course I would use some of the basic information theory materials that are available on Kahn Academy’s website such as this YouTube video on Information Theory.  I would use this and other links on Kahn Academy website in a flipped classroom manner, so that those students who had little or no knowledge of basic information theory, could do use these videos to become familiar with Information theories prior to class.   

I also explored what is available at MIT Open Courseware and found a complete course on Information Technology.  The materials on this website are an excellent source of materials, especially for someone like me who is new to developing a classroom course.  The course on Information Technology included a syllabus, recommended optional textbooks, a calendar, readings, lecture notes, assignments and exams.  I would not use the contents of the course in the exact, word for word format that can be downloaded.  However, The Creative Commons License that both, Kahn Academy and MIT Open Courseware have on their websites state that you are free to Share and Adapt materials from their websites.  I would however give credit to Kahn Academy, MIT and the instructors for the use of the materials where appropriate.  

My pedagogy for the Information Technology class would be learner-centered.    When instructing adult-learners in Information Technology, I would build my class with an open-ended type of instruction.  Information Technology is logical, but at the same time there can be multiple paths when trying to develop a solution or solving an issue.  We sometimes refer to it as the “If this, then that” way of thinking.  Students in the Information Technology career must learn to develop multiple answers for complex projects and issues.  I believe adult-learners bring a wealth of experience in this area by being able to build their learning experience around their unique, ever-changing life schedules.  Therefore as an Information Technology instructional designer, I would build my class so that learners would construct their knowledge from their life experiences, and build on to it with the knowledge obtained in my course. 

David