The MOOC Revolution: Opportunity or Overhype?
June 18, 2013
Since 2011, major news and media outlets have devoted substantial attention to the rise of Massive Online Open Courses, better known as 鈥淢OOCs.鈥� Journalists and educators alike have lauded聽startups like Udacity, Coursera and edX鈥攑rimarily for their aims to make high-quality education both accessible and affordable鈥攁nd have written extensively on a new education landscape, where everyone鈥攏o matter their location, age, or educational background鈥攃an learn from the world鈥檚 best.
While MOOCs may offer a potential solution to postsecondary inequality and the rising costs of a college education, they have not, so far, delivered large-scale benefits to new learners or to marginalized populations.聽 Truth is, the overwhelming majority of MOOCs have聽聽and/or cater to聽.聽 Moreover, many MOOCs聽聽that many students need, and聽聽that prospective employers desire.
Despite their many limitations, MOOCs are here to stay, and deservedly so. 聽These online courses are innovative, inexpensive and may one day transform higher education鈥攂ut not yet. Like their brick-and-mortar predecessors, MOOC-providers must develop viable ways of supporting student learning and success.聽 Until then, the rhetoric around MOOC education won鈥檛 match reality.
Improving educational technology is one thing; using technology to improve education (and society) is quite another.
