I’m fairly skeptical about the value, future, and hype related to MOOC’s, massive open online courses. My feelings are that they could be useful for the most highly-motivated learners, but, even with that constituency, I have concerns.

Here are some articles and posts I’ve found helpful on the topic, and I hope you can suggest others:

The Year of the MOOC is from The New York Times and provides a decent introduction to the topic.

I’d say Larry Cuban’s blog has contained some of the most thoughtful reflections on MOOC’s. Here are links to a few of those posts:

MOOCs and the Mechanization of Education: Widening the Gap Between the Haves and Have-Nots

MOOCs and Hype Again

MOOCs and Pedagogy: Teacher-Centered, Student-Centered, and Hybrids (Part 1)

MOOCs and Pedagogy: Part 2

“Irrational Exuberance”: The Case of the MOOCs

Study: Online Courses May Be The Worst For Minorities And At-Risk Students is from TechCrunch.

I’ll finish-up with some wisdom from Jon Becker:

MT @jonbecker:if you’re anti-MOOC, but still teach large classes with lectures+tests+textbooks, I’m having trouble reconciling that.

— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) February 22, 2013

 

The Plusses and Pitfalls of Teaching Online is by Dan Ariely.

MOOCs of Hazard Will online education dampen the college experience? Yes. Will it be worth it? Well… is from The New Republic.

Why online education is mostly a fantasy is from Pando Daily.

Laptop U: Has the future of college moved online? is from The New Yorker.

Higher Education in the Digital Age is by Richard Kahlenberg.

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