MOOC Experiences at the University of Rochester!

Dear Commons Community,

A colleague of mine, Eric Fredericksen,  at the University of Rochester, has an article in Bloomberg Businessweek today, in which he shares his institution’s experience in developing MOOC courses with Coursera.  He provides a balanced assessment of the possibilities with MOOC technology.  His conclusion:

“Improvements do need to be made. To meet the demand of online learners who desire more face-to-face interaction, universities will need to develop hybrid models that combine online and in-person learning. We may also need more flexible schedules—say, three two-day, in-person sessions at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester, coupled with an online learning component along the way.

If they take such an approach, universities will have to decide how and whether to pre- and/or post-screen students, and if hybrid courses should count toward a non-degree certificate or a traditional degree.

Institutions of higher learning that fail to explore online opportunities do so at their own risk. Twenty-first century institutions of higher education cannot afford to leave 21st century learners behind.”

Well-done and good advice!

Tony

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