MOOCs: A review
Pretty much everybody’s gotten on board the MOOC bandwagon. MIT says its edX platform for “Massive Open Online Courses,” as they’re called, heralds a “revolution in education.” Stanford professors Andrew Ng SM ’98 and Daphne Koeller, who cofounded edX competitor Coursera, have similar ambitions for their startup — and 33 universities have joined with them so far. Political commentators are excited, too: “Let the revolution begin,” proclaimed Thomas L. Friedman in The New York Times.
MIT Kendall plans spark debate
MIT’s latest rezoning petition, which would bring commercial and residential developments as well as new academic buildings to east campus, prompted concern from students and drew criticism from faculty and staff at a forum about Kendall Square plans on Wednesday. The topics discussed included the future of graduate housing and the broader question of how the petition would serve MIT’s interests.
New York’s mayor builds an empire in London
LONDON — It is the biggest development in this city’s buzzing financial district, and even Olympics-jaded Londoners call it grandiose: two bronze-and-stone towers, connected by sky-bridges atop the ruins of a 2,000-year-old Roman temple.
Alexander Wang, Samsung partner
The fashion designer Alexander Wang is joining forces with Samsung to create a new print based on doodles, sketches
New faces in the Division of Student Life hired this year
The MIT Division of Student Life (DSL) has undergone a slew of hiring in the last two years. These additions have been focused in three major areas: student development and support, the Student Activities Office (SAO), and residential life.
Winter storm Nemo finds its way to Boston
A major snowstorm is expected to hit MIT today, as winter storm Nemo makes its way across the coast. MIT announced last night that it would be closed today — the second campus closure due to weather this year, after Hurricane Sandy shuttered the Institute on Oct. 29, 2012. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has declared a state of emergency that will be effective today starting at noon. Community members should check emergency.mit.edu for the most up-to-date information.
A vision of OCW for the future
OpenCourseWare’s (OCW) goal for the next decade, as presented on their website, is unapologetically bold: to reach a billion minds by the year 2021. But since the announcement of MITx and edX over a year ago, there understandably has been some confusion about how OCW will fit into the picture. All three share a common goal — to make an MIT-caliber education freely available to the world — and much of MIT’s material on edX (developed through MITx) is already available on OCW. With these seeming overlaps, what is the future of OCW?
Shorts (right)
DALLAS — Eddie Ray Routh, the former Marine corporal accused of killing Chris Kyle, an author and retired Navy SEAL sniper, had been released from a veterans hospital here four days before the shootings over the objections of his parents, Routh’s court-appointed lawyers said.
Catholic bishops reject contraception compromise
WASHINGTON — The nation’s Roman Catholic bishops rejected the latest White House proposal on health insurance coverage of contraceptives on Thursday, saying it did not provide enough safeguards for religious hospitals, colleges
Shorts (left)
HONG KONG — The police in a restive Tibetan area have arrested 12 people and detained dozens more accused of a playing a part in acts of self-immolation by Tibetan monks and others protesting Chinese rule, the state-run media said Thursday, as the government stepped up its campaign of attributing the protests to a plot inspired by the exiled Dalai Lama.
Some states push measures to repel new US gun laws
DENVER — A tide of anger at Washington’s gun-control efforts is sweeping through statehouses from South Carolina to North Dakota, taking the form of laws that would let states ignore — or at least resist — any new national gun restrictions.
Report faults Indian government over child sex abuse
NEW DELHI — Sexual abuse of children is “disturbingly common” in India, and the government’s response to it has fallen short, both in protecting children and in treating victims, Human Rights Watch said in a report released Thursday.
Manhunt for ex-officer in three California killings
LOS ANGELES — A former Navy reservist who was fired from the Los Angeles Police Department in 2008 has gone on a murderous rampage aimed at police officers and their families, law enforcement officials said Thursday, killing at least three people — including an 11-year veteran of the Riverside Police Department — and setting off a huge manhunt across Southern California.
Iran’s supreme leader rejects direct talks with US
WASHINGTON — Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rejected any idea of bilateral talks with the United States on Thursday, in a speech in which he seemed to dismiss the views of Iranian officials — including the country’s foreign minister — who had advocated for such negotiations.
Winter megastorm Nemo, today through Saturday
A threatening nor’easter will impact our region today. The storm may have historic consequences, possibly dropping over 2 feet of snow across much of southeast New England and producing white-out conditions late today into tonight. A low pressure center moving northeast along the coast will rapidly intensify as it combines with another low pressure moving east over Pennsylvania and New York. The system is rich with moisture and will drop heavy snowfall across our region into Saturday. Snowfall totals will be around 10-12 inches over Cape Cod, reaching 20-28” over the Greater Boston area. In the heaviest snow bands, we cannot rule out thundersnow either.
CORRECTIONS
A story in Tuesday’s issue on some of the 6.x70 competitions mistakenly indicated that 6.270 has only existed for “over a decade” — rather, 6.270 is in its 26th year, having started in 1987.
How MIT is doing it wrong in Kendall
In spite of a severe Cambridge housing crisis, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology plans to build on-campus towers for lease to commercial tenants.
Getting into the Dramashop’s Margo Veil
Dramashop’s production of Margo Veil plays this weekend and next. The play starts with an explosion, indicating a war. Set in a recording studio, the cast makes a radio-show with entertainment of all forms: romance, action, magic, religion. The titular character is an actress whose soul gets transferred to different bodies. The Tech interviewed cast member, Princess Len M. Carlos ’13.
Valentine’s Day Movies?
If you’re going to be oh-so traditional Valentine’s Day next week and take a date out to a movie, here’s a quick list to help you out.
SPORTS SHORT
In the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll that was released on Wednesday afternoon, the MIT women’s track and field team remained ranked 12th in the nation. Since the Jan. 23 ranking, the Engineers have moved up two places from 14th.
Volleyball improves record
The nationally-ranked No. 13 MIT men’s volleyball improved its yearly record to 5-5 after a 2-2 performance at the Golden Flyer Invitational hosted by Nazareth College this past weekend. On Saturday, the Engineers swept No. 11 Medaille College, 25-22, 20-15, 25-20, but fell to Elmira College, 20-25, 25-18, 21-25, 27-25, 15-7. The next day, MIT blanked Southern Vermont College, 27-25, 25-21, 25-19, and then dropped a 28-30, 25-19, 25-22, 21-25, 15-8 decision to No. 5 Nazareth. Paul M. Syta ’14 represented the Cardinal and Gray on the all-tournament team.
