Expansion of the Elite
CNN.com (9/22/06) outlined Yale University’s expansion of classes to the net “in an effort to make the elite private school more accessible”. Basically, the University has pledged to pilot a project that involves video releases of lectures, posted syllabi, and transcripts in several languages for three classes. In case you want to know which classes are being offered, they are “Introduction to the Old Testament,” “Fundamentals of Physics” and “Introduction to Political Philosophy.” The article mentioned that MIT has been doing something similar for a while. I wonder if that is how Will Hunting got so smart?
There are lots of things that I will probably never have the privilege of doing, and a Yale education is just one of them. I am definitely going to check this out, however I wonder if there is a place where I can request electives? Furthermore, maybe the folks at Yale will expand this technology to other elitist establishments. For example, it takes fifteen written letters of recommendation, a board vote, and a bundle of cash to join the Duxbury Yacht Club. (I’d like to point out that the site I sent you to for the DYC has a login that requires a password). Maybe the DYC can video tape and broadcast on the internet what it is like to be shuttled on the Garvey to your sailboat and drink scotch in the rocking chairs on the porch overlooking the harbor. Gotta love technology!