Enhancing education from pre-K to MIT and beyond
To improve education — whether pK-12, college, professional training, or online courses — one must first gain an understanding of how people learn. Applying that learning on a large scale requires a forward-thinking focus on expanding the reach of high-quality education for learners of all ages, all across the globe. These are the challenges that drive two Institute-wide initiatives announced by President L. Rafael Reif earlier this year: the MIT Integrated Learning Initiative (MITili) and the pK-12 Action Group. The integrated sciences of learning, now emerging as a significant field of research, is at the core of MITili (pronounced “mightily”). By applying scientific rigor to investigate the methods that lead to effective learning, MITili aims to enhance the educational experience at all perspectives — from improving education at MIT to inspiring lifelong learning online to advancing the Institute’s campaign to promote STEM understanding within elementary, middle, and high schools. Fueled by MIT’s residential education...