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Stanford and MIT are both accredited. While there are holes in the plan, accreditation is not one of them.
Online programs generally have to be accredited separately. I don't know how these free online courses work. Are there exams? Do professors and students interact?
As for me, I'm studying something that definitely can NOT be learned online. College is still relevant for me.
The free courses offered by MIT and Stanford are not accredited and it has nothing to do with the courses being offered online. Depending on the accreditor, they have to approve new programs whether they are offered online or on campus. I wouldn't call this being accredited separately. MIT and Stanford could offer these courses for free under their accreditation, but they aren't interested in doing that. Free, open-enrollment courses for credit wouldn't be good for their reputations or their bottom lines. Stanford does have online degree programs.
The free courses offered by MIT and Stanford are not accredited and it has nothing to do with the courses being offered online. Depending on the accreditor, they have to approve new programs whether they are offered online or on campus. I wouldn't call this being accredited separately. MIT and Stanford could offer these courses for free under their accreditation, but they aren't interested in doing that. Free, open-enrollment courses for credit wouldn't be good for their reputations or their bottom lines. Stanford does have online degree programs.
The courses that were put on the net by both schools are, according to the professors doing the teaching, exactly what they would present as undergraduate classes. Unless they're lying, but I don't that Professor Susskin at Stanford would lie. They may not be transferable, but that doesn't mean that they're not accredited, if I understand the term. Accreditation has to do with the school meeting certain requirements, the online course work has to do with transferability.
Point being, both MIT/Stanford/UC Berkeley are all putting their material online, exactly as would be presented in class. Question is, why? Why would they do that? My belief is that they know full well that the current model of university teaching is obsolete, and far too cost ineffective, at least for them. Who can continue to pay ever increasing amounts of tuition? Very few. So set up these courses, gauge response, eventually make it the new way of getting money. Besides, for those three universities, they make so much money from FED grants, they may not even need their undergrads, or not to the extent they currently do. All that research money is going almost exclusively for their grad programs and lab work, they would rather be rid of those damn pesky, broke ass undergrads who just get in the way...
The courses that were put on the net by both schools are, according to the professors doing the teaching, exactly what they would present as undergraduate classes. Unless they're lying, but I don't that Professor Susskin at Stanford would lie. They may not be transferable, but that doesn't mean that they're not accredited, if I understand the term. Accreditation has to do with the school meeting certain requirements, the online course work has to do with transferability.
Point being, both MIT/Stanford/UC Berkeley are all putting their material online, exactly as would be presented in class. Question is, why? Why would they do that? My belief is that they know full well that the current model of university teaching is obsolete, and far too cost ineffective, at least for them. Who can continue to pay ever increasing amounts of tuition? Very few. So set up these courses, gauge response, eventually make it the new way of getting money. Besides, for those three universities, they make so much money from FED grants, they may not even need their undergrads, or not to the extent they currently do. All that research money is going almost exclusively for their grad programs and lab work, they would rather be rid of those damn pesky, broke ass undergrads who just get in the way...
They aren't transferable because they aren't accredited. Yes, you are viewing the same material that is used at the school, but you aren't taking the course with the school. Online courses are offered by thousands of schools under their accreditation. These are generally transferable. These schools can afford to put their course materials online because they have no shortage of applicants. Some lower-tiered schools are looking at giving credit for Udacity, Coursera, and Saylor courses. However, these students will not be getting their degrees at MIT, Berkeley, Stanford, etc. These students aren't competitive enough to get in. In other words, these are students who would have never attended these schools in the first place, so they aren't losing anything by offering them free courses. The students who can get in will continue to apply and attend because that is still the only way they can get degrees from these prestigious schools. If they really wanted to be philanthropic, they would give these students real, college credit. They obviously don't want to have their prestigious names associated with just anyone.
Just to make sure I'm clear, open courseware is just college materials. These aren't actual courses where you complete assignments and they're graded. Coursera and other organizations do have actual courses that are presented by college professors, but these are courses offered by businesses and non-profit organizations. They aren't schools with accreditation. You aren't actually taking Stanford and MIT courses. You're just taking courses that use their materials and professors. You aren't a student of these schools.
They aren't transferable because they aren't accredited. Yes, you are viewing the same material that is used at the school, but you aren't taking the course with the school. Online courses are offered by thousands of schools under their accreditation. These are generally transferable. These schools can afford to put their course materials online because they have no shortage of applicants. Some lower-tiered schools are looking at giving credit for Udacity, Coursera, and Saylor courses. However, these students will not be getting their degrees at MIT, Berkeley, Stanford, etc. These students aren't competitive enough to get in. In other words, these are students who would have never attended these schools in the first place, so they aren't losing anything by offering them free courses. The students who can get in will continue to apply and attend because that is still the only way they can get degrees from these prestigious schools. If they really wanted to be philanthropic, they would give these students real, college credit. They obviously don't want to have their prestigious names associated with just anyone.
Just to make sure I'm clear, open courseware is just college materials. These aren't actual courses where you complete assignments and they're graded. Coursera and other organizations do have actual courses that are presented by college professors, but these are courses offered by businesses and non-profit organizations. They aren't schools with accreditation. You aren't actually taking Stanford and MIT courses. You're just taking courses that use their materials and professors. You aren't a student of these schools.
They have no shortage of money from sources other than their undergrads, most especially MIT and CALTECH. In fact, CALTECH has more grad students than undergrads, and I think the same is true for MIT. Point being, there is a reason they're doing this, whether transferable or not, and it seems that it's for the same reason that many other sources put things out on the net for free, to see if there is a market for what they have. Eventually, they expect a payback in some way.
All they are putting up there are the courses and coursework. If someone passed all those courses online, they wouldn't have a college education (or equivalent). These universities know that most of the learning process occurs outside of the courses. So they aren't really giving away education for free.
The courses that were put on the net by both schools are, according to the professors doing the teaching, exactly what they would present as undergraduate classes. Unless they're lying, but I don't that Professor Susskin at Stanford would lie. They may not be transferable, but that doesn't mean that they're not accredited, if I understand the term. Accreditation has to do with the school meeting certain requirements, the online course work has to do with transferability.
Point being, both MIT/Stanford/UC Berkeley are all putting their material online, exactly as would be presented in class. Question is, why? Why would they do that? My belief is that they know full well that the current model of university teaching is obsolete, and far too cost ineffective, at least for them. Who can continue to pay ever increasing amounts of tuition? Very few. So set up these courses, gauge response, eventually make it the new way of getting money. Besides, for those three universities, they make so much money from FED grants, they may not even need their undergrads, or not to the extent they currently do. All that research money is going almost exclusively for their grad programs and lab work, they would rather be rid of those damn pesky, broke ass undergrads who just get in the way...
The university model is perfect for them. Have you seen their acceptance rate and the demand?
They have no shortage of money from sources other than their undergrads, most especially MIT and CALTECH. In fact, CALTECH has more grad students than undergrads, and I think the same is true for MIT. Point being, there is a reason they're doing this, whether transferable or not, and it seems that it's for the same reason that many other sources put things out on the net for free, to see if there is a market for what they have. Eventually, they expect a payback in some way.
I know a professor who was asked to do a class. They get very little from Coursera and really Coursera has no idea how they will make money long term. The professor is was just excited to be asked to share as the material that is up there is mostly from pretty high quality schools.
All they are putting up there are the courses and coursework. If someone passed all those courses online, they wouldn't have a college education (or equivalent). These universities know that most of the learning process occurs outside of the courses. So they aren't really giving away education for free.
For any prospective HS students or people thinking of returning to college, my recommendation is unless its ivy league or free, do NOT attend any college or University. They have become nothing but huge businesses and money making machines and most will soon become irrelevant.
The new wave of the future will be free online degrees offered by universities such as stanford, MIT etc. or sites like udacity, coursera and others where you can get top notch instruction for free. I imagine in the future they will collaborate with laboratories, hospitals, companies etc. so students can get lab experience for subjects such as biology and chemistry where extensive lab work is required.
We are the early stages of the creative destruction of brick and mortar universities by new technology. So be smart, sign up for free courses and become one of the first wave of students to earn a college degree for FREE. After all, its the knowledge you gain that counts, not the physical act of attending a college.
I see the same phenomenon being applicable to elementary, middle and high schools as well.
I'm curious what your qualifications are to recommend people do what you mention re education. Just wondering what has caused you to foresee such a vast chance in out system. If this is simply your opinion, that's fine, but, I'd like to know, plus, where are these free online courses?
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