Watching Lectures
This page contains content from the Summer School 2009. For current information, visit the Harvard Summer School website at www.summer.harvard.edu.
Once the summer term begins, registered students can access their online course lectures weekly via course websites, which are linked in the list of online courses (links are added as they become available). Lectures are typically available 48 hours after they are presented on campus. They are password-protected, and students log in to watch their videos (see How to View Course Videos).
Video lecture format
Harvard’s online lectures use streaming video technology, along with standard Internet browser software. Streaming video refers to video that is sent to the user as it is viewed. As with TV or radio, you receive the images and audio just before you see and hear them. This is quicker than waiting for the entire video to download before viewing it. To ensure the steady stream of data, however, the video must be compressed, so the image is not full size. See an example of a lecture viewing window below.
Watch a sample lecture
Before you register, you can watch one of the following sample lectures to get a sense of the online course experience. If you have any difficulty watching them, read the viewing instructions.
- GOVT S-40 Introduction to International Relations (View lecture)
- ENVR S-130 Global Climate Change: The Science, Social Impact, and Diplomacy of a World Environmental Crisis (View lecture)
Sample courses and preview lectures are also available to download to your computer or mp3 player for free at Harvard Extension School on iTunes U.
Lecture viewing window
The image below shows how a lecture is presented. The video and controls appear on the left side of the screen, and lecture materials are on the right.
Policies
Although courses take place online, students are expected to adhere to all academic policies and attend on-campus exams when necessary and feasible.