10 Universities to Form Semester Online Consortium
November 20, 2012 at 6:48 am 2 comments
This is the exciting next stage after MOOCs. MOOCs are an interesting platform, but their success has been narrow. We need more models for on-line learning for different audiences, yet still supported by higher-education. Here’s an exploration of another model.
The virtual classroom is a cross between a Google+ hangout and the opening sequence of “The Brady Bunch,” where each student has his or her own square, the equivalent of a classroom chair. However, with Semester Online courses, there is no sneaking in late and unnoticed, and there is no back row.
Unlike the increasingly popular massive open online courses, or MOOCs, free classes offered by universities like Harvard, M.I.T. and Stanford, Semester Online classes will be small — and will offer credit.
“Now we can provide students with a course that mirrors our classroom experience,” says Edward S. Macias, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at Washington University in St. Louis, one of the participants.
“It’s going to be the most rigorous, live, for-credit online experience ever,” said Chip Paucek, a founder of 2U.
via 10 Universities to Form Semester Online Consortium – NYTimes.com.
Entry filed under: Uncategorized. Tags: distance education, educational technology, MOOCs.
Computing Ed Research - Guzdial's Take 
1. Stephanie Butzer | December 5, 2012 at 7:10 pm
[…] around the country, including Wake Forest University and Notre Dame, have come together to form the Semester Online consortium. This association offers 30 online courses for over $4,000 per […]
2.
Duke University Leaves Semester Online: Questions about long-term effects | Computing Education Blog | May 23, 2013 at 1:06 am
[…] Semester Online sounded like a nice idea — getting liberal arts focused institutions to share their online course offerings. The pushback is interesting and reflects some of the issues that have been raised about sustainability of online education as a replacement for face-to-face learning or even as an additional resource. […]