MOOC? What is a MOOC?

In case you haven’t heard, there is a growing trend for traditional brick and mortar schools to move more and more towards online learning. Online learning is something that we are, of course, very familiar with here at Excelsior College. But, to bring you up to speed, MOOC (I know, it sounds like a dairy drink) is the acronym for “Massively Open Online Courses” and you are going to be hearing a lot about it in the near future.

Essentially, a select few major universities around the world are going to be taking their traditional courses, and then adapting them for online learning. They will then be offering them for free over the Internet through such services as “Coursera” which, according to Steve Kolowich’s July 17, 2012 article,” Into the Fray” in INSIDE Higher Ed

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/07/17/uva-and-11-others-become-latest-plan-moocs is “…the largest platform in the still-young field of MOOC providers…” These will be non-credit courses, but some institutions will be offering certificates indicating that a person had taken the course. All this, of course, is moving colleges towards what some people feel will be the future…open free access to education to everyone.

Much will have to be done before this futuristic dream comes to fruition, but this step is certainly one in that direction. One thing is certain….there will be change.

Dr. Jane – from the Café