MIT to mainstream MOOCs
08/11/2014
TOP-rated US university Massachusetts Institute of Technology has flagged it is considering certifying and charging for its massive open online courses.
The move signals a major shift in the global competition among the world’s best universities. in a strong signal spread of online education is set to ramp up global competition among universities.
In a new document MIT also proposes breaking up its online and on-campus courses into the small “modules”. These would be similar to its current offerings on MITx, part of the edX suite of MOOCs.
The highly selective MIT It is also proposing to use the more “modular” and flexible approach to enrol more students.
“The way in which students are accessing material points to the need for modularisation of online classes whenever possible,” the report said. “The very notion of a ‘class’ may be outdated. This in many ways mirrors the preferences of students on campus. The unbundling of classes also reflects a larger trend in society — a number of other media offerings have become available in modules, whether it is a song from an album, an article from a newspaper, or a chapter from a textbook.”
The report recommends that MIT develop pricing strategies and revenue sharing arrangements for new modular certified credentials.
“Increasingly, employers are focusing on certifying an employee’s or potential employee’s competencies rather than relying on his or her formal degree,” the report said. “These new ways of thinking about certification tie in with the opportunities created by MITx.”
Gregor Kennedy, pro vice-chancellor (educational innovation) at the University of Melbourne said the MIT’s proposal revealed how all universities, regardless of their lineage, were having to consider how to deliver flexible curriculum options for students. This has some history of course — just think of summer schools, intensives and more modular course structures which have been around for some time.
“While there will remain a need for universities to offer time and space for dedicated scholarship and reflection in both undergraduate and graduate programs, there will also be an increasing demand for them provide teaching and learning opportunities for students who are balancing study with other aspects of their busy lives. This will be particularly evident at the graduate level.”
By Andrew Trounson