“The impatient future we face together summons us to reimagine how we teach and learn. Harvard can and should lead a revolution in pedagogy.”

— DREW GILPIN FAUST, PRESIDENT OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY AND LINCOLN PROFESSOR OF HISTORY

Above: Students in Sanders Theatre, during a lecture by Professor Michael Puett, Walter C. Klein Professor of Chinese History and chair of the Committee on the Study of Religion, illustrate the increasingly important role technology plays in the learning process.

Cover: The HarvardX module, “Early Christianity: The Letters of Paul,” HDS1554.1x, taught by Laura Nasrallah, explores the context of the Pauline correspondence in the Roman Empire and the impact of these powerful texts today. Nasrallah, professor of New Testament and early Christianity at Harvard Divinity School, used new technologies to continue ancient conversations. (Photo by Zach Davis, HarvardX). PHOTO BY ROSE LINCOLN WHAT IS HARVARDX?

HarvardX is a University-wide Above: (Clockwise) Behind-the-scenes at HarvardX: On the set of “Science of Cooking” strategic initiative, overseen by the with Pia Sorenson and Michael Brenner; the Office of the Vice Provost for Advances proverbial class-on-the-grass gets a reboot and wide lens; CS50x’s David Malan takes advantage in Learning, to enable faculty to build of the green screen in the studio; Lisa New takes learners on a journey in “Poetry in America,” and create open online learning shooting on-location in Harvard Yard. experiences for residential and online use, and to enable groundbreaking research in online pedagogy.

2 LEARNING ABOUT LEARNING IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Historian Peter K. Bol works out of the on Harvard’s myriad areas of strength. 18th-century Wadsworth House, in an There is no fixed template; participating office with slanting floors and tilting door Harvard Schools are encouraged to adapt frames. A Chinese scroll inscribed with a and modify the program according to 2,500-year-old quotation from Confucius their particular cultures and goals, and to hangs on a wall. share observations and insights.

Academic technology expert Samantha “Through HarvardX, we can take a Earp spends her days in a low-slung successful method developed in one School modernist building on Mount Auburn and use it as an example for scholars in Street, in an office that looks and feels like another School,” says Drew Gilpin Faust, a Silicon Valley start-up. president of Harvard University and Lincoln Professor of History, who believes Both Bol and Earp are protagonists in HarvardX can help the University lead HarvardX, an exciting online initiative a revolution in pedagogy. “We can build that has the potential to transform teach- on our knowledge at the same time we ing and learning on the Harvard campus, share that knowledge more broadly. This is and beyond. something HarvardX can do in a magnifi- “There is a growing interest in online cent way.” learning all across higher education,” says Interest in HarvardX was keen from the Bol, Charles H. Carswell Professor of start. Nearly 200,000 people signed up East Asian Languages and Civilizations, when the first courses were posted online who was recently appointed Harvard’s in academic year 2012–2013; the courses vice provost for advances in learning. were delivered on edX, the online learning “With the quality of our faculty, and with platform founded jointly by Harvard and our commitment to constantly improve MIT. In 2014, the number of HarvardX teaching and learning, Harvard is now in a registrants had surpassed one million, position to lead with HarvardX.” with 30 custom-designed courses and HarvardX is a key element in Harvard’s modules offered by 10 Harvard Schools drive to re-imagine how we teach and open to residential students and online learn—a drive with broad ramifications for learners worldwide. HarvardX participants the Harvard community and the world. can study theories of justice with Michael Innovative and dynamic, HarvardX draws J. Sandel, Anne T. and Robert M. Bass

HARVARDX.HARVARD.EDU » 2014 3 LEARNING ABOUT LEARNING IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Professor of Government; watch Elisa dreamed of attempting in the classroom. New, the Powell M. Cabot Professor of “And they’re not asking us for the simplest American Literature, read Walt Whitman or fastest way to get their lectures online. beneath the Brooklyn Bridge; or explore They want to know how they can use our the complexities of the human nervous technology and research to improve their system with David Cox, assistant professor teaching.” of molecular and cellular biology and of Already a dynamic and powerful teaching computer science. engine, HarvardX is also a laboratory that On campus, online technologies have recast can help Harvard pioneer new ways of the Harvard experience for students and teaching and learning, both in the class- faculty. In “blended classrooms,” under- room and online. An amalgam of residen- graduates screen lectures and wrestle with tial teaching, online teaching, and expert problem sets on their own—freeing up class research, HarvardX forms a self-sustaining time for more meaningful interactions and ecosystem; project leaders even plan for richer, more informed discussions. HarvardX to eventually generate enough revenue to fund itself. Through HarvardX, professors who once adjusted their lectures by reading their “We have the most integrated model of students’ reactions, now master techniques any institution doing this,” says HarvardX to captivate audiences whose faces they faculty director Robert Lue PhD ’95, may never see. Faculty members accus- professor of the practice of molecular tomed to presenting their hard-earned and cellular biology and the Richard L. research to a narrow band of professional Menschel Faculty Director of the Derek colleagues now share their findings with Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. audiences in the thousands, through online “And we are the most committed to lectures. With accompanying HarvardX pushing the envelope in all directions.” discussion forums, viewers become active HarvardX promises to drive teaching and learners, forming broad communities of learning to new dimensions that will fit the interest among people of diverse education, challenges of the 21st century. It will also ideology, and origin. benefit Harvard, in both leadership and “The Harvard faculty is approaching standing. “Our goal is to provide a form us,” says Earp. As executive director of of learning that is useful, but that is also HarvardX, she oversees a team of more transformative,” says Bol. “And I can’t think than 30 specialists who help faculty reframe of a better way to represent Harvard in the their classroom courses for online learners, world than to show people what it means to inviting them to try things they had only learn at Harvard with the Harvard faculty.”

4 “Our goal is to provide Members of the HarvardX staff in offices that look and feel like a form of learning that is a Silicon Valley start-up useful, but that is also transformative.”

—PETER K. BOL, VICE PROVOST FOR ADVANCES IN LEARNING

HARVARDX.HARVARD.EDU » 2014 5 PHOTO CREDIT: ANDREW P. HILL VIA TWITTER.COM/HILLANDREWP

FAST FACT Caption: The HarvardX edition of CS50, Harvard’s introductory computer science course taught by David Malan, took advantage of the Rita E. and Gustave M. Hauser Digital Teaching & Learning Studio located in 250,000+ Widener Library. The live component of the course used the state-of-the-art CS50x registrants since its inception in 2012— facility to reach thousands of virtual more than any other HarvardX offering. learners in real time. AN IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF THE MANY

CS50: Introduction to Computer Science one course will make you a pro. But this has been one the most popular courses at course is sufficient to let you work with a Harvard since David Malan, senior lecturer pro at a real company, and with a paycheck.” on computer science at the School of In Mumbai, India, an alumna of Harvard Engineering and Applied Sciences, took School of Public Health (HSPH) uses a over teaching it in 2007. The course is even HarvardX offering from HSPH to help more popular online; CS50x drew nearly train personnel at Piramal | Life Sciences. 160,000 registrants in academic year 2012– “One of the biggest shortages in Indian 2013—more than any other HarvardX science is the lack of research curriculum in offering. But the measure of CS50x cannot our medical training,” says Swati Piramal be taken solely by numbers. MPH ’92, vice chair of Piramal Enterprises, U.S. Air Force pilot Michael Dunn took who enrolled her entire medical staff in CS50x while he was stationed in Afghan- PH207x: Health in Numbers: Quantitative istan. Upon completing the course, Dunn Methods in Clinical and Public Health wrote to the teaching team to thank them Research. “India has over nine million for “an amazing experience.” doctors, but few are trained to be physician scientists. By initiating “Continue to make education available to this, we decided to fix the glaring gap in the masses,” Dunn urged. “It’s the only way our country.” we’ll have a permanent, lasting impact on the lives of the many.” Nearly 8,000 people across India signed up for PH207x—the most in any single HarvardX is already impacting many lives, country outside the U.S. In November both domestically and abroad. 2013, students in Bangalore and Mumbai In St. Louis, a local hi-tech placement participated in virtual “meetups” with course service uses Malan’s HarvardX course to instructors Marcello Pagano, professor of help teach aspiring computer programmers statistical computing, and E. Francis Cook, the skills they’ll need in the workplace. “I professor of epidemiology. “I only now know a dozen companies in Silicon Valley begin to comprehend how vastly important that can’t get talent fast enough,” says Jim statistics is in the field of medicine,” McKelvey, co-founder of LaunchCode. Khushboo Gala, a medical student from McKelvey had to move his company’s Mumbai, wrote to the instructors. “Thank initial CS50x presentation from St. Louis’s you, not only on my behalf, but on behalf of Central Library to the Peabody Opera the thousands around the globe who have House after twice the expected number of greatly benefited by your excellent teaching.” applicants signed up. “We aren’t saying that

HARVARDX.HARVARD.EDU » 2014 7 ESTIMATED WORLDWIDE REGISTRATION FOR HARVARDX

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 16,366 CANADA 46,000

CHINA 23,548

UNITED STATES 466,424

INDIA 112,533

NIGERIA 15,037

BRAZIL 37,455

FAST FACT The map above shows estimated HarvardX enrollment numbers from a selected sample of 1,282,949 countries across the globe. HarvardX registrants in 195 countries as of May 13, 2014

8 FIRST REPORTS

In 2012, the New York Times spoke of a to open an iTunes account. “Some want to coming “campus tsunami”—a headlong gobble up every learning opportunity. Others plunge into massive open online courses want to pick and choose among the lectures (MOOCs) offered by universities across and exercises. This feedback can help us the United States. Harvard’s entry into the design more effective elements and courses space is more dynamic—a mindful blend of for the future. Should we offer more self- experience, experimentation, and analysis. standing modules? Should courses respond “I think all of what HarvardX is doing is an adaptively in presentation and design to experiment,” says Samantha Earp, executive things students tell us about themselves?” director of HarvardX. “We’re studying what On campus, HarvardX has galvanized makes online learning effective in a partic- a faculty with a historic commitment to ular domain or subject, and then mapping teaching. “I’ve been struck by how many more how those factors can apply to other conversations about teaching and learning subjects, and in on-campus learning.” are taking place since HarvardX began,” says New technologies are more means than end Dan Levy, senior lecturer in public policy at in HarvardX—a tool to help Harvard deliver Harvard Kennedy School and co-chair of a superior learning experience and glean vital the HarvardX Research Committee. “There information about how people learn. Each is a lot more interest in experimenting in this HarvardX course generates around 20 GB space, to better understand the potentials of data, data that are mined and processed and limitations of this technology to advance by the HarvardX team. While the research teaching and learning.” is still maturing, it has already yielded several Levy’s own experience integrating online important findings. The great majority of lectures and problem sets into his classroom HarvardX registrants are college graduates. teaching has been informative. “I’ve created Almost one third of them live in the United online materials that my students can engage States. The next largest group of registrants with before class,” says Levy, who is also comes from India. the faculty chair of the Harvard Kennedy Initial data also show that approximately five School’s SLATE (Strengthening Learning percent of HarvardX registrants complete all and Teaching Excellence) Initiative. “It of the course requirements and earn a course enables the students to participate at a more certificate. Rather than discouragement, informed, elevated level during class. With Justin Reich, Richard L. Menschel HarvardX online assessments and quizzes, I am more Research Fellow, sees opportunity in this data attuned to where my students are, and what point. “We’ve learned that people register for I need to focus on during class. It’s made me our courses with varying levels of commit- a far more effective teacher.” ment,” says Reich, observing that it is easier to sign up for a HarvardX course than it is

HARVARDX.HARVARD.EDU » 2014 9 “I believe HBX is a powerful new Bharat Anand, HBX faculty chair and Henry R. Byers Professor of Business Administration at way of extending our mission into HBS, and Jana Kierstead, Executive Director, HBX, have both been instrumental players in the digital learning arena, while getting HBX up and running (Kirk Carapezza/WGBH) complementing and strengthening our existing offerings.”

—NITIN NOHRIA, DEAN OF HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL

10 HBX: HBS PUTS ITS STAMP ON ONLINE EDUCATION

All of Harvard’s schools are responding Healthcare,” a HarvardX course designed to to the new world of online learning in enable participants to meet, intersect, and ways that best meet their specific cultures, even start a new business. communities, and goals. HBX accepted “If we just reproduce what we have on that call to action with great aplomb. campus, online learning will always be a First conceived in the summer of 2012 and second-class citizen,” says Anand, who also is launched in March 2014, HBX provides an active member of the HarvardX Faculty a new platform to support the delivery of Committee. “What you are seeing in both distinctive HBS course offerings, using HarvardX and HBX is the culture of this technology to bring together students, institution, transposed into digital space.” alumni, and faculty from around the world.

HBX offers two initial experiences: CORe (Credential of Readiness) and HBX Live. CORe provides a primer on the fundamentals of business thinking and includes three distinct courses: Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting.

HBX Live is a virtual classroom with 90 seats and 60 television screens, simulating the intimacy of an HBS classroom for participants, wherever they may be. Built in partnership with nearby WGBH, the virtual classroom allows HBS to gather executives, alumni, and MBA students around the world for case-based lectures and seminars.

Online, innovative, and inventive, HBX offers business education content specially created for new audiences. At the same time, HBS faculty, looking to teach traditional MOOCS (Massive Open Online Courses) can do so through HarvardX.

A case in point, Regina Herzlinger, the Nancy R. McPherson, Professor of Busi- ness Administration, taught “Innovating in

HARVARDX.HARVARD.EDU » 2014 11 HARVARDX FOR ALUMNI: GROWING THE CONNECTION

Like so many alumni, Robert Lue PhD segments, which launch every two weeks ’95 enjoys staying connected with his and remain available through the spring Harvard classmates. “Being a part of the of 2014, include China—a survey of 6,000 community was and is one of the great years of Chinese history taught by Peter things about being a student here,” says Bol and William C. Kirby, T. M. Chang Lue. “Of course, that community stays Professor of China Studies in the Faculty with you throughout your life. But what of Arts and Sciences and Spangler Family if your Harvard community could evolve Professor of Business Administration with you as you evolve, as you change jobs at Harvard Business School—and The and interests and locations? What if your Ancient Greek Hero, taught by Gregory community could connect you not just Nagy, Francis Jones Professor of Classical with your own class and school, but across Greek Literature and professor of compar- all Harvard generations and disciplines?” ative literature. Other segments explore Harvard’s historical artifacts, American In March 2014, Lue and his colleagues poetry, Albert Einstein and the changing at HarvardX partnered with the Harvard role of physics, and introductions to Alumni Association (HAA) to offer computer science and neuroscience. There Harvard alumni a first opportunity to is even an interview with President Faust expand and enliven their community about innovative teaching and learning. through HarvardX for Alumni, an experi- mental HarvardX primer created exclusively “From the launch of HarvardX, our alumni for Harvard alumni. Curated and presented have been asking how they can participate,” by Lue, HarvardX for Alumni is a seven- says 2013–2014 HAA president Catherine A. module program—a sort of “greatest hits” Gellert AB ’93. “With the launch of culled from HarvardX—specially edited, HarvardX for Alumni, we are able to connect adapted, and offered free of charge to all our alumni to the exciting things alumni of all Harvard Schools. The online happening in Harvard’s classrooms—and,

“Being a part of the community was and is one of the great things about being a student here."

—ROB LUE, FACULTY DIRECTOR OF HARVARDX

12 Above: Collection of photos showing the life cycle of a HarvardX course: from editing content to integrating online materials into a campus course; to delivering teaching to a global audience via YouTube.

Back cover: Lisa Lahey of the Harvard Graduate School of Education co-taught “Unlocking the Immunity to Change,” a course designed to teach a new psychological theory about personal change, engaging learners in applying the theory to their own lives.

with the marvel of technology, meet to prepare leaders for in an increasingly everybody’s schedule and interests.” complex and interconnected world.

Defying the stereotype of online learning “In the past, a person pursued lifelong as a solitary experience, HarvardX for learning for intellectual stimulation, out Alumni provides Harvard alumni a chance of a desire to do interesting things,” says to forge new, dynamic connections and Lue. “With the rate of change in tech- create a living community. But animating nology and knowledge we see today, the alumni network is only one of the goals lifelong learning is no longer a luxury. of the program. Lue and his colleagues It’s a necessity. Through HarvardX, we believe HarvardX for Alumni will also will be able to continue this ongoing help Harvard better fulfill its mission process of enrichment for our alumni.”

HARVARDX.HARVARD.EDU » 2014 13 UDO 14-459 © 2014 PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE PRODUCED BY ALUMNI AFFAIRS AND DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATIONS 2014 » HARVARDX.HARVARD.EDU HARVARDX.HARVARD.EDU