Open Learning Initiative

The Open Learning Initiative, or OLI, is a group based out of Carnegie Mellon University geared towards creating and and distributing online education courses and conduct further research into maximizing the effectiveness of online higher education. Their courses and materials are freely accessible and shareable, in part because the OLI aspires to create a community of users providing continuous feedback and thereby supporting continuous improvement. Student use and interaction with OLI materials is monitored in real-time, so course designers can constantly update and edit the material. While the OLI itself does not provide credit or verification, other colleges and universities have implemented their course materials. Professors at Bryn Mawr College, for example, have used OLI materials in several of their introductory-level chemistry courses.