Dive Brief:
- A Harvard University official has highlighted what the school has learned about MOOCs, including a faculty preference for producing shorter modules rather than full-fledged online courses.
- The vice provost for advances in learning says that students enrolled in college are not inclined to take MOOCs that don't offer credit.
- Peter K. Bol says students who register for free MOOCs are not using them like conventional college courses.
Dive Insight:
It's been less than two year since Harvard and MIT unveiled edX, their MOOC platform, and clearly the concept of a MOOC is still evolving. Of course, it's no surprise that students enrolled in a degree-granting institution would shy away from no-credit classes. One interesting note: The idea that faculty would prefer to use online learning for shorter modules matches neatly with the recent announcement of Davidson College professors designing lessons — but not whole courses — for AP classes.
