Free Harvard And MIT Online Classes For All Starting Fall 2012

Originally posted by 2manyquestions
I've watched a couple of Harvard classes in session on Youtube a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed being able to do so. Free is good, but you're not just paying for the classes when you attend these schools, you're paying for the diploma that certifies you as being worthy of Harvard or MIT recognition. That's one of the first things employers look for as proof that you are educated in a particular field. So.... while these classes might help you in your personal pursuit of education or even help you pass your classes at the local community college, Harvard and MIT still retain the most valuable asset in the world of employment, their certification. I'll be watching in my spare time just for the hell of it. Already got my diploma from a fairly prestigious University, but it doesn't hurt to keep learning! Thanks for posting.

P.S. I too wonder what prompted them to go ahead with it. As a member of ATS I like to look at things from different angles. I think it will depend on what classes are being offered on this Youtube channel. Will they be offering free classes on mathematics? Science? Philosophy? The type of subjects covered may provide the answer. Maybe they'll use them to re-educate the masses?!?!?

edit on 2-5-2012 by 2manyquestions because: (no reason given)

All that an employer cares about is what you can do for them, that is it, period. Someone with a regular degree that has made major contributions to open source will always get hired ahead of the guy that has a masters from Harvard in comp sci. Someone with a bachelors in mathematics who managed to proove some mildly important conjecture is always gonna gonna get ahead of someone with a PhD from Cambridge in mathematics. Someone who graduated with a degree in engineering from some low ranked college and who has actually helped to build and design systems will always get ahead of the guy who "just" has an engineering degree from M.I.T.

When employers ask "let me see your resume" they really mean " what can you do for me, and can you do it straight away"?

reply to post by QQXXw


That is the damn truth! Therein does lie the drawback to this program...

On the other hand the empowerment of this program is nearly limitless! In spite of employment knowledge is the key to creating anything you could want or need! Resources are necessary as well in many cases but the importance of gathering resources doesnt hold a candle to the the blaze of the enlightened mind! The more people know the more innovations we will develop as a civilization and therefore spreading knowledge as widely as possible makes for significantly accelerated advancement!

Originally posted by 00nunya00

Originally posted by amongus
A note....your certification will not be through Harvard or MIT. Also, the credits,do not transfer. Read the FAQ's.

So, I ask...what is the point of this?

Are you serious? This is one of those "if no one's watching you do the good thing, is it worth doing?" questions. If you feel education is good only when you get credit for it, this does nothing. If you feel education is always a positive thing that will enrich your life regardless of your recognition for it, this is groundbreaking.

I'm sorry, but isn't the reason millions of people go to college and rack up tremendous debt in most cases, is to MAKE MONEY afterwards? If these online courses are worthless in thhe real world (I.e. No certification), then I again ask what is the point of investing time into this?

Don't fool yourself into believing the reason people go to college is "to feel good about themselves".

reply to post by amongus



if that were the case we would not have so many sociology, History and English grads

people go to college for different reasons

Originally posted by amongus

Originally posted by 00nunya00

Originally posted by amongus
A note....your certification will not be through Harvard or MIT. Also, the credits,do not transfer. Read the FAQ's.

So, I ask...what is the point of this?

Are you serious? This is one of those "if no one's watching you do the good thing, is it worth doing?" questions. If you feel education is good only when you get credit for it, this does nothing. If you feel education is always a positive thing that will enrich your life regardless of your recognition for it, this is groundbreaking.

I'm sorry, but isn't the reason millions of people go to college and rack up tremendous debt in most cases, is to MAKE MONEY afterwards? If these online courses are worthless in thhe real world (I.e. No certification), then I again ask what is the point of investing time into this?

Don't fool yourself into believing the reason people go to college is "to feel good about themselves".

edit on 2-5-2012 by amongus because: (no reason given)

The reason the *majority* of people go to college is, yes, to make money from their degree. But even those same people will take an extra course, an unneeded course, a course that won't help with their degree because that course will give them needed skills or simply appeals to them and they want to learn more. You know you can take courses at your local college without being in a degree-seeking program for a reason, right? Because people like to take courses in things that interest them or will help them in their career because *it imparts a useful skill*. You don't go to Harvard to get a piece of paper----you go to University of Phoenix for that. You go to Harvard because what you can learn there is almost limitless. Getting the piece of paper helps you land the job, sure, but even without the piece of paper, you come out with knowledge and skills that help you, oh I don't know, start and run one of the most successful businesses in the US like Facebook. No piece of paper was needed for that brainchild. Skills and knowledge were.

Nice straw man at the end there. No one mentioned "feeling good."

Originally posted by Blaine91555
As an interesting side note here, Obama recently went after the Universities for their insane raising of prices, way beyond inflation. That even though his policies will double the interest on Student Loans.

If I were the sort who came to ATS, I might be tempted to think this ties into the Obama Campaign just like so many other current events have. After all these are his crones. Will this turn up in a soon to be released ad with his majesty taking credit? Report at 11

Obama is fighting against interest rates going up on students you may want to double check.

And it's about time somebody said something about how these schools are raping families.

Originally posted by UberL33t
reply to post by Komodo

 

Here is a newsletter that you can sign up for that will notify you of new courses for the MIT one anyway

News Letter

They also have a an RSS feed notification if that suits anyone.

edit on 5/2/2012 by UberL33t because: (no reason given)

cool thx~!
2nd*