Hey, I’m back with a new blog.  Things have been busy here at Thomson Reuters, the type of busy that is both full of challenges but also full of rewarding work and collaboration amongst good people.

Outside of work I’ve continued the production of my Seasons in NY videos, Spring in NY is undergoing final edits and should be on youtube in the next couple of weeks.  I’ve also just gone through the agony known as college application/acceptance process.  An interesting and stressful experience but a good learning experience.  One particular observation was the changing value of academic achievements in some elite institutions.

It has put the question in my mind about how higher education needs to evolve or risk becoming no more than a high priced extension of secondary school.  Last fall I decided that I would take a closer look at online education and get and understanding of how evolved it has become.  I chose not the look at degreed programs, but instead who are the upcoming names to watch.

In the past I have written blogs about MIT’s Opencourseware and I’ve always been a major supporter of the program.  So much has changed since MIT introduced the program, technology has dramatically advanced, social media is changing how we view the world and there is a general sense that every aspect of our lives is open to macro level changes, including higher education.

My research included looking in the obvious places (such as iTunes University), but also looking for potential startups and/or spin-offs of major universities.  What I found was very exciting to the geek part of my brain.  There is a wealth of opportunity to take courses on a variety of subjects ranging from computer science to philosophy to science fiction and fantasy. (more…)