Harvard and MIT join forces to offer free online courses

Chronicle of Higher Education : Harvard University and MIT have each committed $30 million to host a new online learning platform called edX . The goal of the project is to improve learning for the universities’ traditional students and for the public at large, writes Nick DeSantis for the Chronicle of Higher Education. With the new venture, university officials hope to offer students worldwide access to courses and gather data on how students learn and how technology can facilitate teaching. Although participants will not receive university credit, they could earn certificates. It is hoped that over time, other universities will join the edX platform.