BostInno: Harvard & MIT Partner with the City of Boston to Offer Online Courses & Job Training to All Residents
January 29th, 2013
When edX was first announced, former MIT President Susan Hockfield called the open-source technology platform a work in progress, but also an act of progress–an act the City of Boston highlighted Tuesday.
Harvard and MIT have announced a pilot project with the City of Boston, which will make online courses available through Internet-connected Boston neighborhood community centers, high schools and libraries for free. Called BostonX, the first-of-its-kind project will provide the city’s residents with access to courses, internships, job training and placement services, as well as locations for edX students to socialize.
“We must connect adults and youth in our neighborhoods with the opportunities of the knowledge economy,” said Mayor Tom Menino in a press release. “BostonX will help update our neighbors’ skills and our community centers.”
The announcement comes on the day Menino will deliver his twentieth consecutive State of the City Address.
Harvard and MIT will be offering the City of Boston courses designed to eliminate the skills gap, as well as in-person lessons from affiliated instructors and training in online learning best practices. For those who successfully complete the courses, certificates of mastery will also be available.
“We’re thrilled to be able to partner with Mayor Menino and the City of Boston to provide this first-ever experience and hope that this idea will spread and create a number of CityX’s around the world, including Cambridge, Massachusetts where edX was founded,” said edX President Anant Agarwal in the release.
In November, edX partnered with the state’s Bunker Hill and MassBay Community Colleges–the first community colleges to partner with edX and incorporate massive open online courses into their curricula. The BostonX initiative will then go one step further by allowing residents of all ages, regardless of social status or neighborhood, “to participate in life changing educational opportunities.”
For a look back at edX’s initial press conference, check out the photos below.
Original article posted here
