Massive Online Open Courses

Online education just won't go away, despite the frequent failure of several models and its marginalization by conventional institutions. That suggest there is a real demand out there, and that eventually a model will be found that strikes it big.

The latest trend is Massive online open courses or MOOCs. These generally are free, and can attract large numbers of students. In the attached article one university is mentioned that has had as many as 100,000 students in one class. Obviously this coverage would not be possible in a conventional physical setting.
Online education has the advantage of being affordable, something that conventional education is increasingly not. Student loans are growing to unsustainable levels, and the dearth of starting jobs means that repayment of those loans is growing more difficult if not impossible. And who really wants to start their life with $50,000 or more in debt?

MOOCs offer an alternative. They also offer certification when completed, and some employers will accept these as valid entry qualifications. The difference with MOOCs from previous online courses is that they make much better use of technology, and technology has of course improved. So students are treated with much more interactive styles of teaching – short recorded lectures, real time discussion forums, self administered exams and tests, flexible scheduling.

Despite the criticisms of online education, particularly by the more traditional conventional learning institutions, online education continues to flourish. Some say it may even revolutionize the educational system eventually, because of the cost of education and the growing power of technology.

Here’s a good article on MOOCs.