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{{Short description|Web-based publication of MIT course content}}
{{Infobox university
| name = MIT OpenCourseWare
| image_name = MIT OpenCourseWare Screenshot.png
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| country = U.S. / online internationally
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| website = {{URL|https://ocw.mit.edu/}}
| logo = MIT Open Courseware logo.png
}}

'''MIT OpenCourseWare''' ('''MIT OCW''') is an initiative of the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT) to publish all of the educational materials from its [[Post-secondary education|undergraduate]]- and [[Quaternary education|graduate-level]] courses online, [[Free content|freely]] and [[Open access (publishing)|openly available]] to anyone, anywhere. The project was announced on April 4, 2001,<ref>{{cite news |title=Auditing classes at M.I.T., on the web for free |newspaper=The New York Times |last=Goldberg |first=Carey |date=4 April 2001 |access-date=22 April 2017 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/04/us/auditing-classes-at-mit-on-the-web-and-free.html |archive-date=7 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207171349/https://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/04/us/auditing-classes-at-mit-on-the-web-and-free.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and uses the [[Creative Commons License|Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license]]. The program was originally funded by the [[William and Flora Hewlett Foundation]], the [[Andrew W. Mellon Foundation]], and MIT. MIT OpenCourseWare is supported by MIT, corporate underwriting, major gifts, and donations from site visitors.<ref name="why-donate">{{cite web |url=http://ocw.mit.edu/donate/why-donate/ |title=Free Online Course Materials | Why Donate? | MIT OpenCourseWare |publisher=Ocw.mit.edu |access-date=2012-04-03 |archive-date=2017-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170129135604/https://ocw.mit.edu/donate/why-donate/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The initiative inspired a number of other institutions to make their course materials available as [[open educational resources]].<ref>{{Cite news| last = Attwood| first = Rebecca| title = Get it out in the open| work = Times Higher Education| location = London| access-date = 2010-12-18| date = 2009-09-24| url = http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=408300| archive-date = 2012-12-01| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121201130511/http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=408300| url-status = live}}</ref>

As of May 2018, over 2,400 courses were available online. While a few of these were limited to chronological reading lists and discussion topics, a majority provided homework problems and exams (often with solutions) and lecture notes. Some courses also included interactive web demonstrations in [[Java (programming language)|Java]], complete textbooks written by MIT professors, and [[Streaming media|streaming]] video lectures. As of May 2018, 100 courses included complete video lectures. The videos were available in streaming mode, but could also be downloaded for viewing offline. All video and audio files were also available from [[YouTube]], [[iTunes U]] and the [[Internet Archive]].

==Project==
MIT OpenCourseWare sits within MIT Open Learning at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://openlearning.mit.edu/courses-programs/mit-opencourseware|title=Free Online Courses from MIT OCW | Open Learning|access-date=2020-04-17|archive-date=2020-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401054610/https://openlearning.mit.edu/courses-programs/mit-opencourseware|url-status=live}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:MIT OpenCourseWare - 25th anniversary - 20260408.jpeg|thumb|right|MIT OpenCourseWare 25th anniversary conference, April 8, 2026, Professor Dimitris Bertsimas, Vice Provost for Open Learning at MIT]]
In 1999, the concept of MIT OpenCourseWare grew out of the MIT Council on Education Technology, which was charged by MIT [[Provost (education)|provost]] [[Robert A. Brown|Robert Brown]] with determining how MIT should position itself in the [[distance learning]]/e-learning environment.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Provost announces formation of council on educational technology|url=https://news.mit.edu/1999/council-0929|access-date=2021-02-02|website=MIT News {{!}} Massachusetts Institute of Technology|date=1999-09-29 |language=en|archive-date=2020-11-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127041939/https://news.mit.edu/1999/council-0929|url-status=live}}</ref> MIT OpenCourseWare was then initiated to provide a new model for the dissemination of knowledge and collaboration among scholars around the world, and contributes to the “shared intellectual commons” in academia, which fosters collaboration across MIT and among other scholars. The project was spearheaded by professors Dick K.P Yue, Shigeru Miyagawa, and [[Hal Abelson]]. The main challenge in implementing the MIT OCW initiative had not been faculty resistance, but rather, the logistical challenges presented by determining ownership and obtaining publication permission for the massive amount of [[copyright]]ed items that are embedded in the course materials of MIT's faculty, in addition to the time and technical effort required to convert the educational materials to an online format.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oeconsortium.org/projects/impact-of-openness-on-institutions/massachusetts-institute-of-technology/|title=Open Education at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the United States {{!}} The Open Education Consortium|website=www.oeconsortium.org|access-date=2019-10-26|archive-date=2020-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019125025/https://www.oeconsortium.org/projects/impact-of-openness-on-institutions/massachusetts-institute-of-technology/|url-status=live}}</ref> Copyright in MIT OpenCourseWare material remains with MIT, members of its faculty, or its students.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ocw.mit.edu/help/faq-intellectual-property/|title=FAQ: Intellectual Property {{!}} MIT OpenCourseWare {{!}} Free Online Course Materials|website=ocw.mit.edu|language=en|access-date=2019-10-26|archive-date=2020-12-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203083310/https://ocw.mit.edu/help/faq-intellectual-property/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 2002, the MIT OpenCourseWare proof-of-concept pilot site opened to the public, offering 32 courses. In September 2003, MIT OpenCourseWare published its 500th course, including some courses with complete streaming video lectures. By September 2004, 900 MIT courses were available online.<ref name="ocwscholar"/>

In 2005, MIT OpenCourseWare and other [[open educational resources]] projects formed the [[OpenCourseWare Consortium]], which seeks to extend the reach and impact of open course materials, foster new open course materials and develop sustainable models for open course material publication.<ref name="ocwscholar"/>

In 2007, MIT OpenCourseWare introduced a site called Highlights for High School that indexes resources on the MIT OCW applicable to advanced high school study in [[biology]], [[chemistry]], [[calculus]] and [[physics]] in an effort to support US [[STEM fields|STEM]] education at the [[secondary school]] level.<ref name="ocwscholar"/>

In 2011, MIT OpenCourseWare introduced the first of fifteen OCW Scholar courses, which are designed specifically for the needs of independent learners. While still publications of course materials like the rest of the site content, these courses are more in-depth and the materials are presented in logical sequences that facilitate self-study. No interaction with other students is supported by the OCW site, but study groups on collaborating project [[OpenStudy]] are available for some OCW Scholar courses.<ref name="ocwscholar">{{cite web |url=http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/ocw-scholar/ |title=OCW Scholar courses |publisher=Web.mit.edu |access-date=2013-10-10 |archive-date=2019-12-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227110330/https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/ocw-scholar/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2012, [[Harvard]] and MIT launched [[edX]], a [[massive open online course]] (MOOC) provider to deliver online learning opportunities to the public.<ref>{{cite web |title=MITx on edX (MOOCs) |url=https://openlearning.mit.edu/beyond-campus/mitx-edx-moocs |website=MIT Open Learning |access-date=2019-05-10 |language=en |date=2015-02-06 |archive-date=2019-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510233004/https://openlearning.mit.edu/beyond-campus/mitx-edx-moocs |url-status=live }}</ref> Between 2013 and 2019, some MIT OCW courses were delivered by the European MOOC platform [[Eliademy]].<ref>{{cite web |first=Irving |last=Singer |author-link=Irving Singer |url=https://eliademy.com/catalog/oer/philosophy-of-love-in-the-western-world.html |title=Philosophy of Love in the Western World |publisher=MIT OCW |work=Eliademy.com |date=Fall 2014 |access-date=2014-08-19 |quote=Based on a work at ocw.mit.edu/courses/linguistics-and-philosophy/24-261-philosophy-of-love-in-the-western-world-fall-2004/. |archive-date=2016-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102165453/https://eliademy.com/catalog/oer/philosophy-of-love-in-the-western-world.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In recent years, MIT OCW has expanded its reach and features. As of 2020, the platform reported an increase in global engagement, with materials accessed by over 500 million learners worldwide since its inception.<ref>{{Cite web |last=MIT OpenCourseWare Team |title=2020 OCW Impact Report |url=https://ocw.mit.edu/ocw-www/2020-19_ocw_impact_report.pdf |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=MIT OpenCourseWare}}</ref>

==Technology==
MIT OCW was originally served by a custom content management system based on [[Microsoft|Microsoft's]] [[Microsoft Content Management Server|Content Management Server]], which was replaced in mid-2010 with a [[Plone (software)|Plone]]-based [[content management system]]. The publishing process is described by MIT as a "large-scale digital publishing infrastructure" that consists of planning tools, a content management system (CMS), and the MIT OpenCourseWare content distribution infrastructure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/help/faq4/index.htm |title=Free Online Course Materials | FAQ: Technology | MIT OpenCourseWare |publisher=Ocw.mit.edu |access-date=2012-04-03 |archive-date=2010-04-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100419151906/http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/help/faq4/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Video content for the courses was originally primarily in [[RealMedia]] format.

In 2008, OCW transitioned to using [[YouTube]] as the primary [[digital video]] streaming platform for the site, embedding YouTube video back into the OCW site.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/user/MIT |title=MIT |publisher=YouTube |access-date=2012-04-03 |archive-date=2021-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301045704/https://www.youtube.com/user/MIT |url-status=live }}</ref> OCW video and audio files are also provided in full for offline downloads on [[iTunes Store|iTunesU]] and the [[Internet Archive]]. In 2011, OCW introduced an [[iPhone]] app called LectureHall in partnership with Irynsoft.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ocw.mit.edu/about/media-coverage/press-releases/iphone-lecturehall |title=Free Online Course Materials | MIT OpenCourseWare Announces iPhone App for Video Lectures | MIT OpenCourseWare |publisher=Ocw.mit.edu |date=2011-02-04 |access-date=2012-04-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327130556/http://ocw.mit.edu/about/media-coverage/press-releases/iphone-lecturehall/ |archive-date=2012-03-27}}</ref>

==Funding==
In 2011, "MIT's goal for the next decade [was] to increase our reach ten-fold" and to secure funding for this.<ref>{{cite web|work=[[MIT OCW]]|title=A Decade of Open Sharing|url=http://ocw.mit.edu/about/next-decade/|date=2013-01-17|access-date=2013-01-17|archive-date=2020-11-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111193432/http://ocw.mit.edu/about/next-decade/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

As of 2013, the annual cost of running MIT OCW was about US$3.5 million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|3.5|2013|r=1}} million in {{Inflation/year|US}}).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Help Keep MIT OpenCourseWare Alive! #MIT_OCW|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/inno/stories/news/2010/12/01/help-keep-mit-opencourseware-alive-mit_ocw.html|access-date=2021-10-13|website=www.bizjournals.com |date=2010-12-01 |first=Chase |last=Garbarino }}</ref>

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Bookboon]]
* [[OpenStax CNX]], by [[Rice University]]
* [[Curriki]]
* [[Fathom.com]]
* [[Flat World Knowledge]]
* [[Flexbook]]
* [[Free High School Science Texts]] South Africa
* [[Nptel|National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL)]], India
* [[Open.Michigan]]
* [[Open textbook]]
* [[Tufts OpenCourseWare]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website}}
{{MIT}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mit Opencourseware}}
[[Category:Creative Commons-licensed works]]
[[Category:American educational websites]]
[[Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]
[[Category:OpenCourseWare]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 2002]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Digital humanities projects]]
[[Category:Open educational resources]]
[[Category:Science-related YouTube channels]]

MIT OpenCourseWare - Revision history

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