OpenEd

Open education is making knowledge available to whoever wants it and can access it. Fortunately, the web makes it possible for people in even remote areas to access information that would be impossible otherwise. And, the web is common in even poor and rural areas, so access to the information it holds is becoming less of an issue. MIT has led the way for open education by making all of its course materials available for free online. This is quite remarkable, especially for such a prestigious school. The idea to give away their collective knowledge rather than sell it garnered support from two foundations that contributed $30 million to make the massive project happen (Bonk, 2011). The significance of a move like this is that it sets an example for universities and other institutions to share their intellectual wealth with those who would never have the opportunity to attend college. It also acknowledges that there are brilliant people all over the world in different circumstances and they can contribute to humanity in meaningful ways if they only had access to the knowledge that the privileged few have. The quest for knowledge is universal and it is heartening to read about people who are not only sharing what they have accumulated, but there are others who are also helping to translate the information for maximum use.