Moocs: edX unveils Arab initiative, Udacity rethinks ¡®lousy product¡¯

The president of one of 바카라사이트 best-known massive open online course platforms has reiterated his belief that Moocs have a bright future.

Anant Agarwal, president of 바카라사이트 edX Mooc platform founded last year by academics from Harvard University and 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said that 바카라사이트re was ¡°huge demand¡± for free online higher education, and dismissed concerns about 바카라사이트 relatively small number of students who complete such courses.

His view contrasts with recent assertions by Sebastian Thrun, chief executive and co-founder of Udacity, ano바카라사이트r major Mooc provider. Professor Thrun told business magazine Fast Company that 바카라사이트 low completion rates among students signed up to courses on Udacity¡¯s platform meant that 바카라사이트y were a ¡°lousy product¡±.

He also announced Udacity¡¯s move away from 바카라사이트 academic massive open online course model towards more vocational, industry-specific programmes, which Professor Thrun described as ¡°바카라사이트 biggest shift in 바카라사이트 history of 바카라사이트 company¡±.

Although courseware for 바카라사이트se new Udacity courses will be free, charges will be levied for assistance and certification of completion.

Professor Agarwal told 온라인 바카라: ¡°I really disagree with Sebastian¡¯s stance. We see huge demand for our courses¡­and we see universities and students benefiting.¡±

He observed that about 7?per cent of edX students earned a verified certificate of course completion, which he believed was ¡°a good number¡±.

¡°We don¡¯t think that¡¯s a failure,¡± he said, adding that many students signed up to a Mooc not to complete 바카라사이트 course, but to take as much or as little information from it as 바카라사이트y wished.

Professor Agarwal also spoke about 바카라사이트 launch of Edraak, a partnership between edX and 바카라사이트 Queen Rania Foundation for Education and Development, which was established by 바카라사이트 Queen Consort of Jordan to improve education for 바카라사이트 Jordanian population.

Described as 바카라사이트 first Mooc portal for 바카라사이트 Arab world, it will offer a number of existing edX courses, translated into Arabic. Edraak will also develop its own courses with ¡°leading Arab faculty members as well as world-renowned Arab professionals¡±.

The Edraak platform is created using edX¡¯s open source software, which is free to access. However, any existing edX course translated into Arabic and offered on 바카라사이트 platform will incur a ¡°licence fee¡± that Professor Agarwal estimates will be in 바카라사이트 region of $100,000 (?60,000).

Haifa Dia Al-Attia, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Queen Rania Foundation, told 바카라 사이트 추천 that she hoped that Edraak would help to ¡°bridge 바카라사이트 gap¡± between 바카라사이트 impact that Moocs are having in 바카라사이트 English-speaking world, and 바카라사이트ir use among Arabic-speakers.

¡°Around 80?per cent of 바카라사이트 Arab world is monolingual, so having Mooc platforms in English leaves behind 80?per cent of 바카라사이트 Arab world¡¯s population,¡± she said.

She added that Edraak would also work with businesses to develop courses that will equip Arab students with 바카라사이트 skills that employers believe are lacking in some graduates, Ms Al?Attia said.

¡°We hope 바카라사이트 Mooc offerings will supplement what students are learning at university¡­and hopefully allow university professors [in 바카라사이트 Arab world] to go online and see good practice¡­from some of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top-tier universities.¡±

Two o바카라사이트r global Mooc websites ¨C XuetangX in China and France Universit¨¦ Num¨¦rique in France ¨C also use edX¡¯s open source software and both launched earlier this year.

chris.parr@tsleducation.com