Did MOOCs undermined or even replaced the traditional college education?
On the contrary: they have offered an effective way to close the skills gap.
Daphne Koller, cofounder and president of Coursera, shares her view in the MIT Technology Review magazine:
- Only 15 percent of Coursera’s learners [this company has 10 million enrolled students] are college age. The other 85 percent are adults looking to expand their horizons and working adults working to build critical jobs skills for a better career. Many the skills they seek –data science, mobile apps, digital marketing– didn’t event exist a decade ago.
- To complete a MOOC is a measure that brings tangible benefits, including new jobs, new responsibilities, and promotions.
- A four-year degree is no longer sufficient for a lifelong career. MOOCs can be an important component to better suit the learning needs of the 21st century.
