Offered as a class on Yale’s Open Course Initiative, Game Theory with Professor Ben Polak is a well executed presentation. Recently I decided to give the class a spin – here are my thoughts. Dr. Polak is an engaging lecturer, clearly passionate and knowledgeable about the subject. His classroom style is energetic with a good mix of humor, direct student engagement and demonstration. It is easy to see why this course is a ‘must attend’ for Yale undergraduates. But much is lost in the translation to the online environment.
The video itself looks good, and the setting is perfect. All of the classic ivy league trappings are here: wood paneled walls? Check – Dusty chalkboards? Check – Professor with English accent? Check – young, eager and driven students? Check. The class videos are a “you were there’ experience, with no editing. For instance the first video starts with 5 minutes of the standard first-day-of-class mechanics, none of which have any relevance to the video audience. Dr. Polak directs camera shots at times, with pans over the student audience for response and discussions opportunities, providing a good use of the one camera setup.
For me the issues with the presentation starts with the fact that I’m not there. Dr. Polak’s lectures are only part of the real experience of the class. In a formal sense there are discussion sections, in class games, and direct feedback from the professor on tests and other assignments. Informally there are student study groups as well as whispered questions to a neighbor or chat on the way into, or out of the classroom. The learning that takes place here is not in the lectures or the textbooks. The lectures frame the experience and provide a fertile environment for knowledge and learning to grow. Divorced from that environment, this bit of open courseware is a sterile and unsatisfying experience.
It also takes no advantage from the technological environment. Chapter headings to call out topics within the video would be a welcome start. On screen integration of the lecture notes and diagrams would be better (it is often difficult to read the writing on the blackboard.) Opportunities to actively participate in the class games would be great – perhaps completing a game would unlock the portion of the video where he discusses the responses. The 28+ hours of classroom lecture deliver information in a very low fidelity way. The technology could be used to help improve the percent of information delivered per unit of time. This work would have an exponential increase in the amount of production required, but could greatly increase the usefulness of the product for its audience.
Which leaves me wondering, who is the audience? Current Yale students, especially those enrolled in the class, will find it a useful resource to review or catch up on a missed class. Who else? Life-long learners? This is one life-long learner who appreciates the effort, but is unsatisfied with the result, and will take advantage of the add-drop period to regretfully withdraw from the class. The ideals behind the open courseware initiative are essential to the university’s larger community responsibilities. But this one example misses the mark.
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Randall Rode's online home for thoughts, notes, and experiments with a wide range of technology topics. Visit the about page for info on my recent projects and professional background. I welcome your comments!
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