EDUCAUSE Sprint 2013: Beyond MOOC's

The transition that most higher educational facilities are making to MOOC's is explained in this article. This transition is basically massive online classrooms that offer more room for change than traditional lecture style classrooms that we see on college campuses. MOOC's allow professors to work on the class at any hour. These classes also benefit the student because they are able to work at the rate which they are most comfortable. For example, an advanced student may finish in three weeks, whereas a slower student may finish in twenty weeks. We have made an obvious shift from the informational age to the connected age. While there are numerous benefits of the MOOC's, there are also negative aspects that seem to be swept under the rug. I have taken several online courses here at USM over the past few years, and I haven't had many problems. The biggest problem that I've had with an online course is getting in contact with one of the professors. It was difficult to communicate with him since he didn't have office hours on campus, and email was the only form of contact. Also, I have found that I learn much more in an actual classroom interacting with other students than I do taking an online class. Online classes are becoming more popular among students, and this makes me a little worried. I think that interaction between teachers and students is so vital for learning, and online learning simply cannot compare to the interaction that actual classrooms provide. It is great that online classes are becoming more advanced, but it is important that we do not lose sight of interactive learning.