MIT’s New Free Courses May Threaten (and Improve) the Traditional Model, Program’s Leader Says
February 6, 2012, 3:23 pm
The recent announcement that Massachusetts Institute of Technology would give certificates around free online course materials has fueled further debate about whether employers may soon welcome new kinds of low-cost credentials. Questions remain about how MIT’s new service will work, and what it means for traditional college programs. (read entire article)
Laura Gibbs, an educator who teaches online classes for the University of Oklahoma, commented on Google+
"A big complaint by students is that faculty do NOT use Desire2Learn, except mostly to post the syllabus and grades and send out emails. Many faculty don't want to post course materials (students won't come to class...), and they use the discussion board in such a perfunctory way that it is not a very meaningful experience; the faculty themselves are not necessarily adept at online communication, other than email, and the discussion board tool in D2L is a travesty of a discussion board anyway; I don't think I could even manage to make good use of it, and I really LIKE to communicate online!"
I thought that the publication of this interview was fascinating in light of last night's online conversationIn the emerging technologies class concerning open educational resources. The substance of the interview addresses one of the key points discussed last night which was the connection between online open educational resources and the attainment of a degree or certificate. I agree that this may have implications for education in the traditional setting, but I don't see it substantially impacting the number of applicants to MIT. I see this initiative rather providing the institution with even greater recognition, if possible.
I have had the same thoughts when looking at offerings by such institutions as Stanford and Berkeley on iTunesU. I believe that having a significant online presence may serve in the long run to bring more applicants to these institutions.
For institutions who place instruction and other educational resources online but do not actually keep enrollment statistics or reward viewers with certificates or degrees, my original question remains. Going beyond simple tracking of page views, how do institutions know who is visiting and accessing educational materials, what are their motivations for doing so, and how will they use the information they are learning? Without the development of metrics that can provide information about these questions, it's really difficult for an institution to claim that it is providing significant online education rather than simply publishing educational resources.
I have had the same thoughts when looking at offerings by such institutions as Stanford and Berkeley on iTunesU. I believe that having a significant online presence may serve in the long run to bring more applicants to these institutions.
For institutions who place instruction and other educational resources online but do not actually keep enrollment statistics or reward viewers with certificates or degrees, my original question remains. Going beyond simple tracking of page views, how do institutions know who is visiting and accessing educational materials, what are their motivations for doing so, and how will they use the information they are learning? Without the development of metrics that can provide information about these questions, it's really difficult for an institution to claim that it is providing significant online education rather than simply publishing educational resources.
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