Are MOOCs Missing the Mark?
Some people have been very enthused about the potential for MOOCs - Massive Open Online Courses. This summer, Bill Gates praised them for bringing us the "golden era" of learning. A few weeks ago, Bill Gates told community college leaders that they should embrace the trend. The Chronicle for Higher Education reported:
As MOOC lectures evolve, the average classroom professor will have a hard time competing, and the traditional lecture will seem antiquated, Mr. Gates suggested. "The quality of those lectures, as they go through the competitive process, will be extremely good," he said. "No individual performance is likely to come up to that level."
The Gates Foundation has invested millions in supporting the development of a variety of MOOCs, but early results are less than encouraging. The experience may teach us some important lessons about how people learn - if we are willing to pay attention.
To be fair, Gates has acknowledged that there are issues, problems to be worked out. A report
