This month, President Michael Roth launched a new online course titled “How to Change the World.” Unlike most of the University’s courses, this class is taught exclusively on the web. “How to Change The World” is a massive open online course (MOOC) available through Coursera. The University has multiple classes available on the Coursera platform, which offers classes from various institutions to the public.

“This course examines issues concerning poverty, the environment, technology, health care, gender, education and activism to helps us understand better how to initiate positive change,” the Coursera course description reads.

Roth is enthusiastic about the course and stressed that its development has included experts from various disciplines.

“This course has been a real adventure, and I am learning so much as we’ve prepared it,” Roth wrote in an email to The Argus. “I’ve been helped out by more than six Wesleyan faculty members who (unlike me) are experts in these fields, and by a dedicated communications staff who have produced great content. The more than 50,000 enrolled students are beginning to react to the material, and, more importantly, to interact with one another to find ways to make a positive difference in the world. So far, it’s been inspiring.”

In September, Roth spoke alongside 54 other global leaders at the Social Good Summit. Held at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, the summit focused on topics such as sustainability, activism, and social change. Roth collaborated with Chief Operating Officer of 92nd Street Y Henry Timms to develop the new MOOC and integrate videos from the summit into the course.

“The summit brought together some of the world’s most creative entrepreneurs, writers, academics and political leaders to discuss ways innovative thinking and technology can address pressing global challenges,” the Coursera course description reads. “Beginning from talks, panels and conversations from the summit, we will add lectures, on-line discussion groups, hangouts and readings to explore the issues in politics, technology and the environment in broader academic and historical contexts. We will then discover together what actions we can take to make a difference.”

The six-week long course is available free of charge to both University students and the broader public. Each week will focus on one of the six main topics: What are Social Goods? From the Commons to Moral Revolutions; Poverty, Prosperity and Aid; Climate Change and Sustainability; Disease and Global Health Care; Women, Education and Social Change; and Education, Social Networks and Activism. The topics will be introduced through a series of lectures, many of which will be compilations of footage from the Social Good Summit.

“Students will be encouraged to participate in the discussion forums, and to meet together when possible to discuss the issues raised in the class,” the course description reads. “Students will write short essays on each week’s topic, and these will be assessed by other students in the class.”

Upon completing the course, participants will be presented with a Statement of Accomplishment signed by the instructor.

MOOCs are open and free for all participants who have an email address and internet access. While many other top universities around the world currently offer Coursera MOOCs, Wesleyan was the first small liberal arts college to get involved. The University offers other MOOC courses such as Analysis of a Complex Kind and The Modern and the Postmodern. Jennifer Curran, Associate Director for Student Services and Outreach, has been involved in the University’s Coursera courses and stated that they have been successful in the past.

“The response to other Wesleyan Coursera courses has been very positive—over 400,000 people have taken a Wesleyan MOOC through Coursera,” Curran wrote in an email to The Argus. “They are open to absolutely everyone and not targeted to a specific group. The Coursera students in the Wesleyan courses have primarily been international. People from almost every country in the world have taken a Wesleyan Coursera MOOC.”

Curran also encouraged University students to sign up for the course.

“It’s free and anonymous if you want it to be (you can use any email address) and you’ll be able to see the first couple of lectures,” she wrote.

The University plans to announce new Coursera classes and topics in the future, and hopes to involve more faculty and students in classes. As of now, students may get involved on campus in Coursera by participating as TAs or as ITS interns.