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      Saving a semester of learning: MIT’s emergency transition to online instruction

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      Information and Learning Sciences
      Emerald

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          Abstract

          Purpose

          Prior to March 4th, 2020 only a handful of MIT courses had ever been delivered exclusively online. The purpose of this paper is to detail how over a 25-day period (March 4th-March 30th) approximately 1,250 spring term courses transitioned to being remote online offerings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout that time five groups on MIT's campus – the Office of Open Learning (OL), the Office of the Vice Chancellor (OVC), including in particular the Teaching + Learning Lab (TLL), Information Systems and Technology (IS&T) and Sloan Technology Services (STS) - were primarily responsible for supporting the transition of residential courses to remote online delivery.

          Design/methodology/approach

          Together these groups were able to engage in new communication processes and collaborations, initially established by the university's Academic Continuity working group, to address three: support all faculty and instructors in transforming residential courses to remote online instruction, support all students in transitioning to remote online learning, and support teaching assistants as they transitioned to online instruction.

          Findings

          This paper describes the organizational structure (both distributed and centralized) that allowed for such collaborations. Critical decisions made by the group are described and connected with the key goals they addressed. Finally, examples of specific tools and supports that were implemented during the transition period are highlighted.

          Originality/value

          Certain factors existed to allow MIT to make such a massive instructional transition (e.g. scaled lecture capture capabilities, members of the digital learning lab embedded within a number of departments and an extensive library of previously created open and free online resources), the overarching process and decisions presented within are likely to resonate across institutions. The potential impact of these changes and future community opportunities are also discussed.

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          Most cited references8

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          Is Open Access

          Cognitive Architecture and Instructional Design: 20 Years Later

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            Enhancing interest and performance with a utility value intervention.

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              Motivation and Social Cognitive Theory

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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Information and Learning Sciences
                ILS
                Emerald
                2398-5348
                2398-5348
                June 17 2020
                August 10 2020
                June 17 2020
                August 10 2020
                : 121
                : 7/8
                : 587-597
                Article
                10.1108/ILS-04-2020-0097
                7d2c6bdc-be52-45ab-959a-9cdc74f56d60
                © 2020

                https://www.emerald.com/insight/site-policies

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