Also, ideological benefit: if a university’s mission is to extend education (especially in their special niche) to the world, MOOCs align with this mission .

MOOCs seem to be a good fit with the “land grant mission” – educating the “masses.”  This is just a new tool with which to do it.

Branding, marketing.

On campus students benefit from access to online materials; distant campuses get access to information, materials that they may not otherwise get.

On campus face2face students can be emboldened by seeing remote students ask questions and get them answered; can increase class participation of on campus students, enrich the classes.

Change value to universities to add faculty

Regarding, how to assess the quality of a MOOC:  may place more burden for determining what was learned on the employer, and their ability to test candidates for desired competency.

one example of best practice: When a course is developed, create a list of objectives for what you wish the students to be able to do when they complete the course.

1) Grow enrollment, lower cost, lower tuition

Ideally, you make math and science more accessible to the general public.

1) What defines a best practice re MOOCS?

2) Convince faculty of value

3) All innovation has cost implications

One of the greatest value is to the practicing engineer through reduced cost for an equivalent education.

MOOCs can meet an identified skill gap or competency gap in industry employees.

The low/no cost could be very advantageous to employers, since they often pay the cost of continuing education of their employees.

Employers need to know that a course/program teaches their employees what the employer needs to know.

MOOC format…[Read more]

Value of MOOCs to practicing engineers is that it provides a low cost means of continuing education that is flexible and may not be tied to their employer.

Value to employer can include the recognition of having a support from a recognized university for an employee’s online program.

Can offload core, common courses through MOOCs while leaving faculty to focus more on their specialties.

1)  Will have value to both students and employers to allow via distance.

2) Ask question to employees “How are you moving career forward”  MOOC’s can be one answered.

3) Must trust that continued trials will allow challenges to be overcome

Important to adopt practices used in distance learning to develop relationship with students so they maintain their relationship with the university as alumni.

MOOC’s can be marketed via content distribution systems: Coursera, Udacity, Blackboard

Provides a platform for faculty to demonstrate to the masses their research capabilities and secure additional funding.

Publicity, branding, notoriety.