Free online courses shake up the world of post-secondary education

By Tracy Sherlock. Imagine studying artificial intelligence for robotics with a Stanford University instructor or discussing the moralities of everyday life with a Yale University professor.  Not only can anyone enrol in classes like these, but they are offered free of cost and on the Internet. They’re called MOOCs: massive online open classes, and they’re shaking up the world of post-secondary education. When the University of British Columbia offered its first MOOC this May, 130,000 people from around the world signed up. While only 8,000 people completed the four-week game theory class, that’s still an impressive number by any university class standard. MOOCs are mostly video-based that teach complex subjects and attract tens of thousands of people who interact during the course, solving problems and discussing issues. Individuals who complete the course don’t typically gain a traditional university credit but they usually receive a certificate of completion. More...