Will Moocs fail to give students help they need?

By Chris Parr. Massive open online courses’ lack of study support, for-profit aims may not be ethical, Online and Open-Access Learning in Higher Education conference hears. Educators question limited student support, tired approach and for-profit aims. Chris Parr writes. Massive open online courses (Moocs) fail to support students, offer outdated pedagogy and should not be run by for-profit companies, a conference has heard. Speaking at the Online and Open-access Learning in Higher Education: Moocs, New Pedagogies and Business Models event in London on 5 February, Josie Taylor, professor of learning technology and director of the Institute of Educational Technology at The Open University, said Mooc providers had not done enough to help struggling students. Read more...