[Harp-L] distance learning is a flop

[philharpn@xxxxxxx]

"A study of a million users of massive open online courses, known as MOOCs, released this month by the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education found that, on average, only about half of those who registered for a course ever viewed a lecture, and only about 4 percent completed the courses."  (As reported in the New York Times)


And here I had hopes that this idea might catch on.


Anybody had any evidence or experience of success with on-line courses or learning?


I watch several guitar and harmonica on-line teaching sites but I don't submit any homework. But I suspect the operators of the web sites have a pretty good idea how many times and how many hours and what courses I watching on  their web site. The difference is that these are fee-based sites.


The MOOG people actually signed up -- but never watched it. However, they had nothing on the line. It was free and they were not working toward a degree.