An MIT Physics MOOC Five Years in the Making
Summary
In its most recent running (on the LON-CAPA platform) a record 74% of students attempting the second homework assignment stayed engaged with the course and received certificates, a rate rivaling on-campus retention.The frequent use of what are called "checkpoint" questions throughout the online e-text, for example, is based on evidence that the close interweaving of instruction and assessment substantially increases the amount of material read by each student and improves retention.Cambridge, MA, May 05, 2013 --( PR.com )-- A new MIT physics MOOC, Mechanics ReView (https://www.edx.org/courses/MITx/8.MReV/2013_Summer/about), has a long history of development and a proven ability to help even struggling students master the material.SIM tells students to plan a solution based on explicitly picking a System, identifying the important Interactions, and selecting an appropriate core Model.The course also employs significant research to inform materials design.The frequent use of what are called "checkpoint" questions throughout the online e-text, for example, is based on evidence that the close interweaving of instruction and assessment substantially increases the amount of material read by each student and improves retention.