First I would like to give the definition of Open Course Ware. Open Course Ware, or OCW, defined by Wikipedia, is a term applied to course materials in a virtual learning environment created by universities and shared freely with the world via the internet. The most well-known OCW websites are MIT open Course Ware, Academic Earth and TED. Since there are many videos are included in the OCW websites, they are considered as good authentic learning materials. For most of the English as second language learners, they believe that OCW websites can improve their listening skill and vocabulary extension.
In OCW websites, some of the videos have been translated into Chinese, which help the viewers understand easily. It really breaks the boundaries allowing more second language learners to access. For second language learners, they can start from watching the videos that have lines and are translated. While reading the subtitle, they can figure out what they heard easily. Because for most of the second language learners (especially for the beginners), it is always too difficult for them to listen to the speech without subtitle.
In addition to its function of translation, the best thing is that OCW provides users to learn at their own pace and learn without paying a penny. Take MIT OpenCoursesWare as an example, it was established by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, putting all of the educational materials from its undergraduate and graduate-level courses online. In other words, it allows anyone to learn anywhere. For instance, users can learn Psychology at their own house instead of rush to MIT for the class. It really helps the oversea learners and the slow-learning students, because they can learn in a unthreatened environment.
Although OCW can indeed assist users to improve, the prerequisite is learners know its existence. Like me, about one year ago, one of my friends introduced me an OCW website, TED, and it was my first time to know this kind of authentic materials. In other words, if learners don’t know this kind of information, they will never know the benefit of OCW.
This is a video that I have listened before from TED
Well, TED is not an OCW; it's in fact a collection of great talk.
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