Harvard's iTunesU Experiment - Ed's first look

I have never attended Harvard. That said, after viewing a snippet of CSCI E-215 (Unix/Linux Systems Programming), I'm thinking that it wasn't a mistake.

Sure, the extension instructor (not named in the podcast credits) speaks in clear English - which is nice - but 1) we never get to see what he's doing on the computer, and 2) it's just not interesting - a mere run-through of basic unix commands that anyone capable of getting into Harvard should be able to pull from one of O'Reilly's pocket manuals.

This is interesting to me. Harvard grasps for the brass ring - enters the iTunesU universe with these samples - but misses by accepting shoddy production work and featuring a dull and lifeless class (one a critic might call essentially useless - perhaps from the "spoon-feeding" school of educational thought).

In fairness, I have not viewed all of what is available on Harvard's iTunesU site. I'll look at more - later - when the memory of this class isn't burning into my consciousness. I have high hopes for the rest of the site. Harvard, after all, is Harvard. This is merely a first look. Perhaps we'll find greatness tomorrow.

Oddly enough, I'm reminded of IBM's venture into Second Life. The storylines are similar: an industry player takes a plunge into a new technology, but stumbles while diving in. The result - a belly flop from the high board.

Ouch. That'll leave a mark.