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Dana Doyle and I have gotten to know each other through the Ivy+ Online Leaders group. Dana is the senior director of online worldwide learning services at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She graciously agreed to share information about her role at MIT, her thoughts on the online learning ecosystem and career advice for future digital learning leaders.
Q: Tell us about your role at MIT. What projects and initiatives do you lead and what should we all know about what MIT is doing in online learning?
A: MITx is the brand used to promote MIT MOOCs offered on edx.org and MITx Online. Our MOOCs are based in the academic realm, taken directly from our classrooms. My current role is to oversee our MOOC program, including development and delivery, as well as several adjacent activities and programs. I also work across MIT Open Learning to find collaboration opportunities with other units, such as MIT OpenCourseware, to aid our efforts in expanding the reach of MIT and supporting digital learning on campus.
As many know, MOOC aspirations did not come to pass in a significant way. While one of the goals was to democratize education by delivering MIT-quality courses to anyone with an internet connection for free, the reality is that while we do have many exceptional stories of MOOCs changing people’s lives, the majority of our learners are already well educated and typically employed. The efforts where we have seen the most consistent success are with our MicroMasters program.
Over the years, we have explored other ways of impacting the educational landscape by working with other universities. We are currently working on how universities would be most likely to leverage our content with their students. This will likely include more modular content that can be integrated into the on-campus coursework as desired by the resident faculty member.
Another area that we are currently working on is how to leverage AI to move education forward. While there is the work that is expected, such as tutors and customized learning paths, we are experimenting with ways to use generative AI to support academic integrity online. This is very relevant as we move to a much more general acceptance of online learning, as academic integrity has been a sticking point for some time. We think that the combination of educating students about academic integrity, better course design to make learning easier than cheating and better detection tools will move all of us to trust online education certification more.
Q: When it comes to nondegree/certificate online learning, how do you see the demand for these programs and the ecosystem of online educational providers evolving? What is the relationship between online nondegree programs (certificates) and degree programs?
A: The employment landscape has changed dramatically over the past few decades. Generally speaking, you used to be able to follow a rather linear path from college to a consistent career, maybe even at one company. This is not the typical case anymore, and lifelong learning has been playing catch-up to match the times of people needing to have flexibility in their goals and ways to achieve them. Lifelong learning supported by nondegree/certificate opportunities is essential for people to stay current, explore other avenues and have the opportunity to grow as individuals. The nondegree space is mandatory for these times.
Starting off with more flexible learning opportunities is also a great way for people to “try before they buy” a degree path. An example of this is our MicroMasters program, which is built with our MOOCs. Each course of study includes four to five MOOCs and at least one proctored exam. Learners who have earned the credential will have an accelerated path to a master’s degree at MIT or other schools that accept the credential, meaning that upon acceptance, the credential can count towards up to half the credit needed to graduate. The programs are intensive, rigorous and robust. The credential itself is a significant accomplishment, and we have seen learners whose first intention was to earn the credential decide to continue on to a master’s degree. At MIT, we have seen students apply who we may not have seen before, bringing in an even more varied cohort that has made our on-campus programs stronger.
Q: Reflecting on your career journey, what advice do you have for early and midcareer professionals in the education, technology and design spaces interested in working towards a leadership role in digital learning? If you could go back and give your early-career self any advice, what might that be?
A: As I said earlier, careers are much more fluid and can change drastically throughout your life. The realm of education has also been expanding and adjusting to the realities of these times, and linear paths are not common. That can be challenging while navigating your career, but it also affords you the opportunity to explore more and branch out to the areas that interest you most. There is the common advice of staying current in the field, looking for trends and gaps that can be explored and built on, and networking. While this may seem daunting, it will actually keep your career fresh and engaging.
What I think needs to be more clearly stated is that the art of leadership is its own area of expertise. I do think that some aspects of good leadership come from a person’s personality, but great leadership comes by educating yourself on leadership approaches and techniques. To me, the most important aspect of leadership is knowing the mission and goals of the organization and keeping those present in people’s minds as they do their day-to-day work. A shared purpose and cohesion are what keep people motivated and engaged, but compassion and understanding are what keep people coming back to work, especially through challenging times.
Advice to my past self? Don’t worry so much about where you are going; the path is ever-changing. Try to enjoy the journey!
