While the idea of MOOCs (free accessible online education) seems to be a good one, there are many logistical issues. As John Warner (2013) points out online education ruins the relationship between professors and students. Even if professors seem to be friendly on screen there is no actual relationship. While some professors make more effort than others to be available, the large size of online classes leads to little individualized attention and interaction. Another issue it that some MOOCs are not even free at all. They are just offered at a very low cost. For example, the Georgia Institute of Technology will “soon begin offering an online master’s degree in computer science at an unusually low cost“. This MOOC like course will cost 7,000 dollars. As Dr. Popenici (2013) explains “The $7000 that can ‘open the door to higher education’ for people around the world, including millions in the US, are simply just unaffordable for a very large number of people.” Meaning, all MOOCs are not 100% free and accessible online education as they promise to be. This means a large population of people all over the world still do not have the means to gain upper education. However, this doesn’t mean there are no benefits. According to James Mazoue, Director of Online Programs at Wayne State University, “If free access to a degree-granting curriculum were to occur, the business model of higher education would dramatically and irreversibly change.” (Raza, 2013) Student loans would become a thing of the past if online education truly became credible and free. With the crisis the United States economy is facing due to tuition loans it can easily be seen why this would be a change for the better
Sources:
Warner, J. I’m Failing My MOOC. Inside HigherEd. Retrieved October 16, 2013,
– from http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-visiting/im-failing-my-mooc
Raza, K. What’s a MOOC and why you should know and care. Social Glamor.
– Retrieved October 16, 2013, from http://khalidraza9.wordpress.com
– 2013/04/25/what-is-mooc/
Popenici, S. MOOCs and The Change of Higher Education. Retrieved October 16, 2013,
– from http://popenici.com/2013/08/21/shmoocs/
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