2023 in stories
A year in review of MIT Open Learning’s innovations in teaching, learning, and digital technologies.
The last 12 months saw a whirlwind of advances in teaching and learning, and MIT Open Learning was at the forefront of educational innovation. From the development of free and low-cost online undergraduate and graduate courses, to shining light on the latest advances in online learning, to harnessing AI for educational advancement, here are some of our favorite stories from 2023.
Learner stories
Coding the future with MIT OpenCourseWare
Learner Chansa Kabwe pursued a rigorous course of study in electrical engineering and computer science to broaden his horizons.
Teenager inspired by MIT OpenCourseWare and MITx to learn computer programming — and teach others
Sixteen-year-old David G. taught himself how to code, and paid it forward to his community by trying to help make coding education more accessible.
Teen uses calculus learned through MITx to better understand his cancer treatment
High schooler Dustin Liang estimated his blood cell counts by applying knowledge from an MITx course and talking to doctors.
Research, education, and connection in the face of war
“I wouldn’t let the aggressor in the war squash my dreams,” says Ukrainian mathematician and MITx MicroMasters learner Tetiana Herasymova, who was forced to make several decisions when Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Learner in Afghanistan reaches beyond barriers to pursue career in data science
Tahmina S. was studying computer engineering at a top university in Afghanistan when a new government policy banned women from pursuing education. MIT Refugee Action Hub and MIT Innovation Leadership Bootcamp provided valuable opportunities to Tahmina.
“MIT can give you ‘superpowers’”
MITx MicroMasters credential led learner Diogo da Silva Branco Magalhães to an accelerated graduate program in data science at Northwestern University.
Thought leadership
ChatGPT and what it means for students
The MIT RAISE team published a new Day of AI curriculum in 2023 to help educators introduce their students to the basics of ChatGPT.
A ‘mind and hand’ approach to online learning
How the MIT motto, mens et manus or “mind and hand,” yields successful learning outcomes in MITx courses.
Ask an MIT Professor: The science behind ‘Oppenheimer’
Will Oliver, faculty director of MIT xPRO’s Quantum Computing Fundamentals program, shared his thoughts on Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”
J-WEL launches Emerging Talent effort and Certificate in Computer and Data Science
The program expands the Refugee Action Hub’s work to build education-to-employment pathways for underserved communities.
How advanced technologies are transforming education
MIT leaders and professors Eric Grimson, Cynthia Breazeal, and Christopher Capozzola discussed challenges and opportunities of AI in education.
Festival of Learning 2023 underscores importance of well-designed learning environments
Keynote speaker Bror Saxberg SM ’85, PhD ’89 encouraged understanding learners and their contexts.
Innovators across the world gather at MIT to take their businesses to the next level
The new Venture Advancement Program from MIT Bootcamps brought 48 experienced and emerging innovators from six continents to campus as they learned how to scale their ventures.
Migration Summit 2023 advances global dialogue on migration
The summit addressed the systemic challenges and opportunities faced by refugee and migrant communities, drawing participation from more than 2,400 individuals hailing from 120 countries around the theme “Co-creating Pathways for Learning, Livelihood, and Dignity.”
Learning with MOOCs conference shines light on the latest advances in online learning
Academic and industry professionals explored approaches for designing open online courses, understanding the learner experience, and more.
What will the future of education look like in a world with generative AI?
In a “Generative AI + Education’’ symposium hosted by MIT Open Learning, leaders in education explored the future of technology in and beyond the classroom.
Features and research stories
Democratizing education: Bringing MIT excellence to the masses
The MicroMasters Program in Statistics and Data Science, with over 1,000 credential holders, is bringing MIT excellence to learners around the world.
Day of AI curriculum meets the moment
Global participation in MIT RAISE’s free K-12 program more than doubled in its second year.
“A whole world of potential learners and potential knowledge to gain”
Through serving learners on MIT campus and online, MIT Digital Learning Lab advances quality digital learning initiatives at the Institute and knowledge globally.
In a skills-based hiring future, digital learning and employment records create equity for learners and job seekers
A dynamic map of the learning and employment records ecosystem was launched by stakeholders in education, workforce development, and state government.
Design of video game characters has physical-world repercussions
A study from MIT researchers demonstrated that the exaggerated design of characters in fighting video games reinforces cultural stereotypes about gender, race, and ethnicity.
Listicles
Learn from one of the world’s top-ranked universities with these MIT online courses
QS World University Rankings placed MIT in the № 1 spot in 11 subject areas and № 2 in five others for 2023. Learn from the MIT faculty who teach these top-ranked subjects.
Try top MIT graduate courses for free or low cost
U.S. News and World Report placed MIT’s graduate program in engineering at the top of its annual rankings. The Institute has held the № 1 spot since 1990, when the magazine first ranked such programs.
Free, low-cost online courses from #1 undergraduate programs
In the 2023 U.S. News and World Report’s rankings of the nation’s best colleges and universities, MIT was recognized with the top undergraduate programs in engineering and computer science. The Institute also placed first in three undergraduate business subjects.
2023 in stories was originally published in MIT Open Learning on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.