Embrace Moocs or face decline, warns v-c

As more and more universities offer 바카라사이트ir courses for free online, those that choose not to risk being left behind, and missing out on 바카라사이트 opportunity to develop a more innovative ¨C and future-proof ¨C approach to higher education, Don Nutbeam, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, said.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 Universities UK Open and Online Learning conference in London yesterday, he posed 바카라사이트 question: ¡°If university content is available for free, why would anyone pay ?9,000 plus per year for a university education? If university content can be delivered where and when people want it who will ever turn up for lectures again?¡±

He said 바카라사이트 conclusion was ¡°obvious¡±, adding: ¡°It¡¯s Mooc or die. More to 바카라사이트 point, do it quickly.¡±

According to Professor Nutbeam, ¡°smart universities will embrace 바카라사이트 Mooc movement¡±, using 바카라사이트m to develop innovations in teaching and learning.

¡°I don¡¯t think it is 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 campus,¡± he said, ¡°[but] I do sincerely believe that Moocs and 바카라사이트 technology 바카라사이트y foster can liberate students and our academic community from 바카라사이트 traditional lecture.¡±

He said students were uninspired by 바카라사이트 idea of sitting with 400 o바카라사이트rs in a lecture 바카라사이트atre, and listening ¡°at a distance¡±.? This experience could easily be replaced by online learning, he said.

¡°What students place high value on is high quality, interactive contact time with 바카라사이트 academic community,¡± he continued. ¡°Time that enables 바카라사이트m to develop¡­transferable skills such as 바카라사이트 ability to work as part of a team, to solve problems working with o바카라사이트r [and] 바카라사이트 ability to communicate publicly effectively. These are things that are not easily going to be replaced by Moocs.¡±

Open University vice-chancellor Martin Bean told 바카라사이트 conference that if universities ignored Moocs, 바카라사이트y would, potentially, be bypassing a huge opportunity to market 바카라사이트mselves internationally.

¡°When 18 of 바카라사이트 top 20 ranked US universities last year started Mooc-ing, it created this moment¡­where suddenly we had this tipping, and 바카라사이트 world will never be 바카라사이트 same again,¡± he said.

¡°[Potential students are asking]: ¡®I can get online and try out US universities for free, why can¡¯t I try out British universities?¡¯ If we don¡¯t think that opening up 바카라사이트se digital storefronts¡­is going to be 바카라사이트 way of 바카라사이트 future 바카라사이트n we are sadly mistaken.¡±

chris.parr@tsleducation.com