A new survey of distance-education officials at community colleges found that more two-year
institutions are looking into using massive open online courses (MOOCs) and
open educational resources (OER). It also showed a majority of the responding
two-year institutions remain skeptical of such models.
The study, conducted by the Instructional Technology
Council and released at the American Association of Community Colleges annual
conference, found that just 1% of community colleges are offering any sort of credit
for MOOC completion. It went on to report that 44% are starting to investigate
the possibility of using MOOCs, while 42% said they have no plans to
incorporate MOOCs into their programs.
Just 36% of the schools see OERS as having a
“significant impact,” according to the report. Lack of time for faculty members
to find and evaluate OERs and lack of faculty awareness were seen as the biggest
reason for not using OERs.
“As would be expected with something so new, campuses
are cautious in their approach,” the report noted. “Many community colleges are
skeptical that a large-enrollment solution is appropriate for campuses that
believe in smaller, more personalized instruction.”
However, the conference opened with a keynote address from Sal Khan, founder of the Khan Academy, promoting open online courses and
resources as a way for cash-strapped community colleges to reach more equally cash-strapped
students.
Community college students are often adult learners who
must contend with time constraints that limit study or are students with
remedial needs. Khan said free online tutorials, such as the ones offered by
his nonprofit organization, allow students to watch the material as many times
as necessary to facilitate learning.
“If we let students work at their own pace, big jumps
in achievements are possible,” Khan said.
