by PBS News Hour
One of the hottest issues in higher education these days is the recent explosion of free online courses. Universities are grappling with their impact on teaching and on liberal arts education. The classes are called MOOCs, or massive open online courses, and they may be revolutionizing higher education. Online learning is nothing new. Colleges have been offering classes, usually for a fee, and for credit for years. More than six million Americans are taking some type of online courses. But MOOC courses are different. They’re much bigger. They use new technology. They often feature well-known professors, and they don’t cost anything. Hundreds of these college-level courses are currently being offered over the Internet. More than two million students have enrolled in Coursera classes, though the completion rate is low.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education/jan-june13/online_01-08.html
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