OpenCourseWare MIT versus Distance Calculus Comparison
We are HUGE fans of the OpenCourseware Project at MIT, located here.Specifically, the Linear Algebra courses by Gilbert Strang, longtime master teacher at MIT, are fabulous!
If you look through these course offerings, you will see that all of them are "snapshots" of previous courses over the past 10-15 years. They include fantastic lectures, awesome course materials, and challenging problem sets.
Keep in mind, however, that these OCW @ MIT courses do not grant academic credit. They are presented more as a resource for learning, and certainly an awesome resource! But if you "enroll" in one of these courses and start engaging the course materials and lectures, you will not be on a path towards earning academic credits for these courses.
Perhaps someday OCW courses will grant academic credit, but for now, they do not.
If you are looking for a non-credit alternative to just learn the course materials, OCW @ MIT is an excellent resource. You really feel like you are in a lecture hall at MIT taking one of these courses.
But if your goal is to earn academic credits for your Calculus course effort, you need to seek out an academic credit-granting program, like Distance Calculus @ Roger Williams University.
Comparison of OpenCourseWare @ MIT; vs Distance Calculus
| Topic | MyMathLab® | Distance Calculus |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Choice | No | No |
| Use of Computer Algebra System | No | Yes, Extensive |
| Tied to Traditional Textbook | Sometimes | No, Reform e-Curriculum |
| Recursive Grading | No | Yes |
| Comprehensive Course System | No, just access to lectures and homework problems | Yes |
| Drill & Practice | No | No |
Here are a few videos about Distance Calculus @ Roger Williams University:
Is Distance Calculus for You?
Success Indicators for Distance Calculus
Distance Calculus - Student Reviews
Date Posted: Apr 29, 2020
Review by: Harlan E.
Courses Completed: Calculus I, Calculus II
Review: I did not do well in AP Calculus during my senior year in high school. Instead of trying to cram for the AP exam, I decided to jump ship and go to Distance Calculus to complete Calculus I. This was awesome! I finished Calculus I in about 6 weeks, and then I kept going into Calculus II. I started as a freshman at UCLA with both Calculus I and II done!
Transferred Credits to: University of California, Los Angeles
Date Posted: Jan 12, 2020
Review by: Brian Finley
Courses Completed: Calculus II
Review: I took Calculus II through Distance Calculus and can't recommend it enough. Being able to take the course at my own pace while I was working full time was tremendously helpful, especially since I hadn't taken a math course for 5 years prior. The instruction was excellent and the software they used to teach the course was intuitive and facilitated the learning process very well. This calc II class enabled me to take multivariable calc, linear algebra, and real analysis at Harvard University's extension school, which ultimately qualified me for the economics PhD program that I will graduate from next year. 8 years on, I'm still grateful to Professor Curtis and Distance Calculus.
Date Posted: Jan 19, 2020
Review by: Dan P.
Courses Completed: Calculus I, Calculus II
Review: I found the courses to be informative, enjoyable, and most importantly, effective in helping me learn the concepts of calculus. My math skills were always very weak, and I had a great deal of difficulty passing my undergrad math courses. The pace of a traditional classroom setting was just too quick for the concepts to really sink in. With Distance Calculus, I had courses that were taught with the full rigor of an on-campus class, but where I could take my time and really learn the material...all while having access to top-tier instructional help for real math professors and assistants. DC gave me the tools and the confidence I needed, so after successfully passing my DC courses, I moved on and completed a master's degree in CS.
Distance Calculus - Curriculum Exploration
Final Exam
- P16: Final Exam:
Course Information
Frequent Questions
