Innovation in the classroom
For all the innovations that come out of MIT’s labs, a symposium held on the morning of President L. Rafael Reif’s inauguration underscored the many ways in which the Institute is pursuing innovations in the classroom as well.Perhaps the best-known of these efforts, the online-learning initiative edX, was spearheaded by Reif during his tenure as MIT’s provost, and formed a significant focal point of the event, “The Future of Education,” held before an audience of several hundred in MIT’s Kresge Auditorium on Friday morning. But it was hardly the only topic discussed: More than a dozen MIT speakers on three panels talked about additional ways to integrate technology into the classroom; the value of giving students hands-on research experience, including projects that take them overseas; and the benefits of student collaboration, among other topics. “This is the new classroom,” said Anant Agarwal, edX president and MIT professor of electrical engineering...