By Amy Taber, OCW Collaborations Program Coordinator
What happens when a volunteer-driven open-source community reaches out to OCW for collaboration? A global effort grounded in openness, access, and shared goals.
When Linux Dominicana—an active open-source community in the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean dedicated to providing its 5,000+ members with Linux knowledge and skills—reached out to MIT OpenCourseWare, their request was simple: “how might OCW and Linux Dominicana collaborate?”
Led by a shared belief in knowledge sharing, a joint effort evolved between MIT OpenCourseWare’s Collaborations Program team and Linux Dominicana’s Director of Communications, Stalin García. It started as an informal exchange on X that was quickly recognized as an opportunity for the Collaborations Program team.
Based on a needs assessment and expert recommendations, we developed a curated list of relevant materials on MIT OpenCourseWare, including courses and resources on topics such as Linux, Python, computer programming in general, and open-source tools, all designed for self-paced learning and grounded in open access. These materials, which include both classic and current MIT courses taught by some of the best minds in computer science, such as Eric Grimson, John Guttag, and Ana Bell, provide a broad survey of the field and reference the history and growth of computer science for a fuller context.
This collaboration is about more than content. It’s about the potential of openness to connect communities, as fondly put by Stalin García in a recent post on X: “Muy feliz por este logro que es de la comunidad para la comunidad y lo hacemos con mucho amor” (“Very happy for this achievement, which is from the community for the community, and we do it with much love”).
(Video clip courtesy of Linux Dominicana.)
If you share similar interests or are just curious to see what learning materials Linux Dominicana members are accessing from MIT OpenCourseWare, check out the following resources:
Linux
- 15.965 Technology Strategy for System Design and Management
- 6.001 Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs
- 6.1810 Operating System Engineering
Python
- 6.0001 Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python
- 6.189 A Gentle Introduction to Programming Using Python
- 21M.380 Music and Technology: Algorithmic and Generative Music
- MAS.110 Fundamentals of Computational Media Design
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- 6.S087 Foundation Models and Generative AI
- RES.TLL-008 Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC)
- 6.801 Machine Vision
- 6.034 Artificial Intelligence
Computing
- 18.404J Theory of Computation
- 18.S191 Introduction to Computational Thinking
- 6.033 Computer System Engineering
- 6.096 Algorithms for Computational Biology
- 18.085 Computational Science and Engineering I
- 6.080 Great Ideas in Theoretical Computer Science
Programming
- 6.0001 Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python
- 6.S095 Programming for the Puzzled
- 20.180 Biological Engineering Programming
- 6.006 Introduction to Algorithms
Open Source
- 15.352 Managing Innovation: Emerging Trends
- 15.567 The Economics of Information: Strategy, Structure and Pricing
- 9.401 Tools for Robust Science
Visit the MIT OpenCourseWare website to explore other curated course collections.
Learn more about Linux Dominicana and the many events, workshops, and opportunities that they provide to their members.
You can reach out, too. If your group or organization is interested in receiving curated resources from MIT OpenCourseWare, feel free to contact us: ocw-collab@mit.edu
Image at top: Gerd Altmann / Pixabay.
