So, What Is a MOOC?

MOOC, the acronym for Massive Open Online Courses, is an inexpensive online education offered by some of the most prominent universities of the world. The system empowers students to register to any course of their interest, acquire online materials related to the course, study audio/video lectures and complete a computer-based assessment test. In fact, some particular courses offered by MOOCs also facilitate online collaboration and conversation.

Upon completing the course and passing the assessment, students are granted a certificate of completion. Although, the certificate itself doesn’t possess any recognition from any leading university, the certificate does act like a proof that the pupil has demonstrated tremendous performance in a particular course.

Criticism Against MOOCs

Ever since its advent, MOOC has been subject to many criticisms. The prevailing criticism against MOOCs is that the drop-out rate is higher in this type of online education. For instance, over 125k students enrolled for a subject out of whom only 38,000 gained the completion certificate. Also, students cannot use their completion letter as an addition to their credentials.

Another major criticism related to the course offered by edX is that they do not offer an inexpensive course as most people believe. For instance, edX charges around $250k for each course along with $50k for additional time. In addition to that they also take a little commission for the revenue the course generates.

The Many Benefits of MOOCs

• As said earlier, MOOCs offer students a golden opportunity to quench their thirst of knowledge. These courses give them an opportunity to venture into new fields (of their interest) and extend their knowledge.
• MOOCs offer high-standard education at not-so hefty prices, i.e., university-level education. Moreover, with MOOCs, students have the liberty to opt for a course that matches their intellectual-level so that they can complete it at their own pace.
• The best advantage of these courses is that they help you develop and polish the skills that current employers want. Majority of employers, these days, want the candidate to be a skilled (if not experienced) individual. The letter of completion offered by MOOCs act as a solid proof that you have those skills that the employer seeks.
• MOOCs also offer courses in the field of statistics or finance. If you can secure a certificate in any of these fields and display it on the job, every employer would love to hire you for the job even if you don’t have any solid credentials from a college or university.
• MOOCs is a unique online learning trend that can be implemented in dozens of other unconventional learning methods like Homeschooling. Homeschooling is a great way to empower students to acquire better education under the direct supervision of their parents or any other guardian. With the combination of both MOOCs with Homeschooling, students can make a great example of academic excellence.

The Final Verdict

Regardless of how many criticisms are thrown at its way, MOOC has already established and proved the feasibility of online education. In fact, some major universities have already acknowledged the learning models offered by MOOCs and prefer them over the traditional models.