Solving Complex Problems
MIT's Terrascope freshman learning community core course tackles a single complex, interdisciplinary problem each year; for the class of 2013 the focus is rising atmospheric CO2. Students work in teams to research case histories, propose solution strategies, and present their work through a website they build themselves. The course materials, available through MIT OpenCourseWare, include assignments on team-based problem solving, guidance on effective written and oral communication, and case study readings drawn from science, engineering, and policy. Rather than lecturing on climate science alone, the course trains students to work across disciplines and communicate findings to varied audiences, connecting freshmen with upperclassmen, faculty, alumni, and outside professionals. It is designed to give first-year students a concrete, high-stakes problem to anchor their broader coursework in the sciences and humanities.