R. G. Baraniuk, "Opening Education," to appear in The Bridge, National Academy of Engineering, 2013.

Abstract:  The world is increasingly connected, yet educational systems cling to the disconnected past. The open education movement provides new mechanisms to democratize education by interconnecting ideas, learners, and instructors in new kinds of constructs that replace traditional textbooks, courses, and certifications. Open education has the potential to realize the dream of providing not only universal access to all the world’s knowledge but also the tools required to acquire it. The result will be a revolutionary advance in the world’s standard of education at all levels.