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Thursday, January 8, 2015

Some stuff on MOOCs

Remember MOOCs? They were supposed to be the next big new thing? Well, it seems that they are starting to run out of steam, at least in some places. Here is a terse comment by a relatively widely followed blogger who sums up the the realization among administrators that there is no money in them there hills. Moreover, that this epiphany is part of a long line of such going back to earlier cost saving methods.

One nice tidbit, that I think hits at the core of the issue, is that MOOCs were never really aimed at the elite. As noted, you can't charge 50k per year for a MOOCish curriculum. They were intended for the lower orders, you know San Jose State and other intellectual backwaters.  This always struck me as evidence that MOOCs were not being pursued for their educational value (if any, see next link) but as a way of gutting non-elite institutions.

And here is more wisdom on the issue (if you are interested). This piece replies to Brad DeLongs take on the issue here. I think it does a pretty good job, but judge for yourself.

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