Leading MOOCs organizations
In the ICT community, and increasingly in ICT4D (ICT for development), circles MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are gaining attention as a solution to many of the development world woes in higher education. Though the idea of online courses and distance learning are certainly not new, as content providers such as Udacity, edX, and Coursera direct their attention at increasing access (and some would argue opening new markets), the “potential at the bottom” seems increasingly promising. MOOCs platforms have the potential of connecting the brightest and most innovative minds in academia to any corner of the world…with internet access. Lectures, study guides, assignments, discussion forums, and other engagements happen completely online and with course offerings as ranging from entrepreneurship to economics.
Will MOOCs be the “silver bullet” solution to the the education woes of the developing world? Many are vocal about the shortcomings of MOOCs, but the criticism has the potential to inspire even more innovation and the adaptation of MOOCs in developing contexts. Udacity co-founder, Stanford professor and all-around MOOCs rockstar Sebastian Thrun recently led a pilot program at San Jose State University aimed at troubled math students and despite the excitement the figures were grim at best. Less than 50 percent passed any of the classes compared the 75% traditional classrooms Inside Higher Ed. Thrun explained the results by citing that the students targeted were high risk students with limited access to reliable computers. To anyone who has ever worked in a developing country such dynamics seem commonplace! Student populations who don’t own a personal computer and lack round the clock access to the internet is probably a safe generalization that one can make for an overwhelming majority of students in the so-called “third world.” But there are those who are thinking critically about how this can be done to poise students in such areas for success. The Rwandan based Kepler University, is a nonprofit university that has just launched an initiative which hopes to capitalize on the potential of MOOCs by combing them, local seminars led by in-person teaching fellows and professors, employment training and dormitory style housing which includes net accessibility. Founder Jamie Hodari contends its highly unlikely that a student in Uganda will get “a Stanford-quality education with little more than a laptop and 3G internet,” but the Kepler model certainly looks like a major step in the right direction.
Sources:
Anders, G. (2013, November 29). The Perils of Failing Fast. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/georgeanders/2013/07/19/udacitys-san-jose-stumble-the-perils-of-failing-fast/
Schuman, R (2013, November 25). The King of MOOCs abdicates the Thrown. Slate. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/life/education/2013/11/sebastian_thrun_and_udacity_distance_learning_is_unsuccessful_for_most_students.html
Hodari, J (2013, November 23). The Developing World Should Embrace MOOCs. Slate. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2013/11/kepler_spire_the_developing_world_should_embrace_moocs.html
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