Praise for Math MOOC on Modeling Epidemics with Nova

Last year, the St. Mark”s Institute of Mathematics began offering Open Online Courses available to high school students both within the St. Mark”s community and beyond its walls. These free six-week courses were modeled on programs already successful at colleges and universities. In 2014, the SM Math Institute continues to grow its online classroom opportunities, gaining more and more interest and considerable praise for what has already been accomplished.

Enrollment is already underway for an Open Online Course which will begin on January 21st, taught by the Institute”s director, Dr. Lauren Riva. The course””“An Introduction to Mathematical Modeling of Epidemics””” is a revised and expanded repeat of the original pilot course offered last March. “In the pilot,” said Riva, “I kept the enrollment small in order to have a trial run teaching.” Thirteen students, eight from St. Mark”s and five from the outside took part in that earlier endeavor.

This time, more than 60 have already signed up for the new class, and enrollment is still open. Along with a few more St. Markers, there are entire math classes from both Milton Academy and Dana Hall, several students in home school settings, and others from both public and private schools. In addition, a number of participants have signed up from overseas, with enrollees representing Thailand, the UK, Israel, Ethiopia, and Canada, as well as the United States. A handful of educators, as well as undergraduate and graduate students from universities and colleges have also signed up.

Read more of the original article here.