Massive open online courses (MOOCs) were not initially
designed to allow participants to earn credit toward a college degree. That is
about to change dramatically with news that 10 major universities are set to
run a pilot program next fall offering online courses for credit.
The technology platform for the Semester Online initiative
was created by the higher ed tech firm 2U,
formerly know as 2tor. The consortium of
schools considers its work different than MOOCs because of its rigorous
curriculum and the fact that credit will be offered.
“This is a significant step forward in higher
education,” said Provost Ed Macias, Washington University in St. Louis, in a
CNN article.
That news followed on the footsteps of Coursera
announcing that the American Council on Education (ACE) would be evaluating up
to five of its classes for possible credit recommendation. Individual
institutions will still make the call on whether to grant credit to students
for completing MOOCs, but ACE approval would help.
“MOOCs are an intriguing, innovative new approach that
holds much promise for engaging students across the country and around the
world, as well as helping colleges and universities broaden their reach,” said
Molly Corbett Broad, ACE president, in an article in USA Today. “But as with any new approach, there are many
questions about long-term potential, and ACE is eager to help answer them.”
ACE will have teams of faculty examine the content and
then make recommendations on accreditation. The council will also focus on the
impact of MOOCs on education, with top administrators set to discuss their
potential.
