<p>for most of its courses, as part of Open Course Work. That includes lectures, assignments, tests (w/solutions) etc. For parents (interested in learning something new you never got a chance to take a course in college in) or students graduating and looking to to buttress their knowledge base ahead of that all-important job search. An M.I.T. education for free, and you don't even have to have a 2400 SAT and 4.0 GPA to qualify--just click and learn--who'd a thunk it? I believe many other schools offer the same opportunity, or will in the not-to-distant future.</p>
<p>A newer program doesn’t compete with Open Course Work in the numbers of courses it offers however it offers an opportunity to discuss learning with others.
[M.I.T</a>. Game-Changer: Free Online Education For All - Forbes](<a href=“http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesmarshallcrotty/2011/12/21/m-i-t-game-changer-free-online-education-for-all/]M.I.T”>M.I.T. Game-Changer: Free Online Education For All)</p>
<p>Free podcasts are also still a great way to expand your knowledge
[Skip</a> the Tuition: 100 Free Podcasts from the Best Colleges in the World | OEDb](<a href=“http://oedb.org/library/beginning-online-learning/skip-the-tuition:-100-free-podcasts-from-the-best-colleges-in-the-world]Skip”>100 Podcasts from the World's Best Colleges)</p>
<p>thanks emerald, MITx as an interactive option and Certificate of Completion ups the bar for sure and augments the OCW option. Potentially everything but the MIT degree itself for free. Including perhaps a knowledge base that is competitive w/an M.I.T. graduate in some cases? Who knows, lots of people w/drive and street smarts out there hungry for knowledge, not just a degree. Not all of us will have the smarts of those M.I.T. genius types and obviously it is a different experience being on campus, in the classroom, accessing office hours, working on projects together, etc. But kudos to M.I.T. for opening up this option.</p>
<p>Tempting, but the big news story last week was a recent study documenting that brain decline begins at 45:</p>
<p>[Worried</a> about mental decline at 45? Don’t freak out, but be vigilant - latimes.com](<a href=“http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-cognitive-decline-45-20120106,0,6559276.story]Worried”>Worried about mental decline at 45? Don't freak out, but be vigilant)</p>
<p>I also recommend the (free!) Stanford Online classes. Unlike the MIT Open Courseware, the Stanford classes are actual classes, with deadlines, and (machine-graded) quizzes, homework and exams. For that reason, online social groups sprang up for last quarter’s Stanford classes, where students could help one another on the assignments.</p>
<p>For some reason, I can’t find the general page for the winter 2012 Stanford classes, but here’s the page for the Anatomy class. Scroll down to see the other available classes.</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.anatomy-class.org/]Anatomy[/url”>http://www.anatomy-class.org/]Anatomy[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Sign up now. The first few classes start Jan. 23.</p>