Not all online learning is designed the same. In his newest online course, Algorithmic Business Thinking: Hacking Code to Create Value, Faculty Director Paul McDonagh-Smith incorporates a broad range of digital content and modalities into what he refers to as a “virtual collaboration center,” including four-dimensional (“4DX”) classrooms, video lessons, animations, live polls, virtual office hours, discussion forums, and podcasts.
These leading-edge technologies are perfectly suited to a course focused on how transformative technologies are reshaping work and how we do it. Over six weeks, faculty demonstrate how to use the principles at the heart of technology, including AI, ML, and robotics, to futureproof an organization and turn disruption into opportunities for sustainable growth. “Algorithmic Business Thinking” can be defined as a series of insights and frameworks that help people better understand their business challenges by breaking them down into smaller, manageable components, then rebuilding them as opportunities.
Bridging the energy of a physical place with a digital space
In this innovative, self-paced course, McDonagh-Smith endeavors to efficiently recreate rich and immersive experiences of an in-person classroom while adding the value of technologies and digital delivery methods that can enhance learning—from anywhere.
The “always open” 4DX space provides interaction in real-time and the ability to initiate conversation with other participants of their choosing. This recreational element, paired with the ability to have a side conversation and get to know someone 1:1, is lacking in most online group chats.
During office hours, participants create personalized avatars and join in real time to ask questions to faculty and collaborate with each other. McDonagh-Smith is able to engineer collaboration in this room by introducing participants to each other when they have something in common, such as a shared challenge in their industry.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion – walking the walk
McDonagh-Smith says, "the future of learning isn’t only about personalization, flexibility and scalability – but accessibility and inclusion also". All participants, irrespective of their physicality, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, need to be equally welcomed and included. MIT Sloan’s experiments with Virtual Worlds and 4Dx environments, as well as with Robotics, AR and VR are examples of experiments we’ll continue to conduct. McDonagh-Smith says, "diversity and the innovation it triggers weakens bias – whether in its physical or algorithmic mode."
Join us for Algorithmic Business Thinking
Join peers from around the world in the upcoming session of Algorithmic Business Thinking. You’ll leave this course with a practical playbook to help you and your teams apply Algorithmic Business Thinking in your organization wherever and whenever it’s useful.
Learn how to harness the momentum and key principles of algorithms and transformative technologies to help bridge some of these gaps in your organization and to more successfully manage and lead your teams in the digital economy. Paul McDonagh-Smith also teaches in Digital Learning Strategy..
McDonagh-Smith says, "the future of learning isn’t only about personalization, flexibility and scalability – but accessibility and inclusion also". All participants, irrespective of their physicality, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, need to be equally welcomed and included. MIT Sloan’s experiments with Virtual Worlds and 4Dx environments, as well as with Robotics, AR and VR are examples of experiments we’ll continue to conduct. McDonagh-Smith says, "diversity and the innovation it triggers weakens bias – whether in its physical or algorithmic mode."
