The online education provider edX has developed
45 MicroMasters degrees, online programs that provide a pathway to admission
into a full master’s program. Now, the company is turning its attention to MicroBachelors.
“Education in five to 10 years will become modular, will
become omnichannel, and will become lifelong,” edX CEO Anant Agarwal said
during a recent higher-ed innovation summit hosted by the U.S. Department of
Education. “We are going to make it so. It’s not going to happen by itself,
we’re going to make it happen. Modular is good because it can create new efficiencies
and new scaling and new bundling of components.”
MicroBachelors are viewed as a low-cost, low-risk online
way for students to start an undergraduate education. EdX, which won a $700,000
grant from the Lumina Foundation for the project, is already working with
Arizona State University on its Global Freshman Academy, a precursor to
MicroBachelors.
One issue that could provide an obstacle is mounting
evidence that online education is actually detrimental for some students.
“Online education is still in its youth,” Susan Dynarski, professor of education, public policy, and economics at the University of Michigan, wrote in a column for The New York Times. “Many approaches are possible, and some may ultimately benefit students with deep and diverse needs. As of now, however, the evidence is clear. For advanced learnings, online classes are a terrific option, but academically challenged students need a classroom with a teacher’s support.”
“Online education is still in its youth,” Susan Dynarski, professor of education, public policy, and economics at the University of Michigan, wrote in a column for The New York Times. “Many approaches are possible, and some may ultimately benefit students with deep and diverse needs. As of now, however, the evidence is clear. For advanced learnings, online classes are a terrific option, but academically challenged students need a classroom with a teacher’s support.”
