What would the world be like if education were accessible to everyone? Would crime rates diminish? Would unemployment decrease? Would we witness economic growth? Economic development?
One of the topics that I most loved from our discussions at JAB was that which focused on MOOCs, Massive Online Open Courses, which are online courses delivered electronically to massive audiences from all around the world. Together with 14 other students, I was given the opportunity to participate in IE Universities radio show--where we debated the Pro's and Con's of MOOC's.
One of the topics that I most loved from our discussions at JAB was that which focused on MOOCs, Massive Online Open Courses, which are online courses delivered electronically to massive audiences from all around the world. Together with 14 other students, I was given the opportunity to participate in IE Universities radio show--where we debated the Pro's and Con's of MOOC's.
P R O'sCHOICE There are no limitations as to when or where you can take MOOC's, what courses you choose to take, how many classes you enroll in, or how many different universities you take a course from. Thus, MOOC's offer students autonomy, choice, and flexibility. If you're an early bird, the course is to your availability in the morning, if you work throughout the day, you can take the course at night! NETWORKING MOOC's bring together people from all around the world with a common interest, it makes education which was previously unavailable to students now accessible to people from around the world. By doing so, it unites students through interactive online user forums, gives them global perspectives, nurtures connections, and opens several doors for the future. DEMOGRAPHICS Currently, MOOCS are free or nearly free, thus, it makes quality education available and affordable to everyone. Since no application is required to enroll in the courses, anyone--from any country and with any SAT/ACT score--can take the course. | CON's LOSS OF AN ENRICHING EXPERIENCE I think it is fair to say that one of the best things about school is the fact that you are surrounded by so many different people and knowledgeable professionals. You get to discuss in small groups, ask questions to your professor, and undertake in hands on learning. Unfortunately, MOOC's do not provide these services in the same way. Facilitating meaningful conversations in classrooms with over 150,000 students is hard, and participating in online forums does not provide the same level of intimacy as face to face communication, thus, the experience is not as enriching to students. Without human interaction, it's very hard to receive the true college experience. EDUCATION FOCUSING ON CONTENT One of the biggest and latest shifts in education is going from teaching pure content to teaching a combination of skills and content. Why? Most business's today don't simply care about what you know, they care about what you can do with what you know. Thus, one of the biggest disadvantages of MOOC's is that they focus purely on teaching content. Yes, through these courses you may learn how to think critically and gather information, but do you really practice skills such as collaboration, leadership, and communication? HIGH DROP OUT RATES Due to the lack of human interaction, MOOC's have a 90 percent dropout rate. |
At the end of the day, do the advantages of having MOOC's outnumber the disadvantages? I believe they do simply because it makes EDUCATION accessibly to ANYONE. Therefore, whether you are rich or poor, young or old, as long as you have a drive for learning--and an internet cafe nearby--you have the right to an education.
Some would argue that it is unfair that some people pay 60,000 dollars to receive a Harvard education while others can simply get it for free online. I disagree. The people receiving that education are paying for it because they can afford to pay for it. Plus, as previously mentioned, MOOC's may offer a student with quality content, but it most certainly does not come close to offering the full college experience. The way I see it, the objective of MOOCS is not to replace traditional education, it is simply to make education accessible to all. And what's better?
Some would argue that it is unfair that some people pay 60,000 dollars to receive a Harvard education while others can simply get it for free online. I disagree. The people receiving that education are paying for it because they can afford to pay for it. Plus, as previously mentioned, MOOC's may offer a student with quality content, but it most certainly does not come close to offering the full college experience. The way I see it, the objective of MOOCS is not to replace traditional education, it is simply to make education accessible to all. And what's better?
EDUCATION for some or EDUCATION for
ALL?
ALL?