Released in 2013: Everyone is talking about MOOCs these days. They’re either the answer to the biggest problems in higher education, or a sign of the commodification of college, depending on who you talk to. What exactly are they, and why all the fuss?

Beyond the MOOC Hype provides a helpful and compelling guide, with stories and analysis clearly organized around six big questions:

* What Is a MOOC?
* Where Did MOOCs Come From?
* What Is the Business Model?
* Will MOOCs Change Campus Teaching?
* Why Do Some Educators Object to Free Courses?
* Do MOOCs Work?

The short e-book (e-single) draws on years of reporting by Chronicle of Higher Education reporters, highlighting important moments in an up-to-the-minute narrative. It also contains plenty of new information that has never before been published, including details from dozens of fresh interviews with MOOC leaders, college presidents, professors, students, and education experts.

It turns out that the academics who coined the term MOOC can’t stand the style of courses that the acronym is now applied to; that futurists have predicted the automation of education for decades, though their visions haven’t materialized; and that Stanford professor Sebastian Thrun wasn’t wearing pants when he recorded the intro video for his first free online course.

I argue that MOOCs are not just another passing fad, but the free courses have touched off a battle over what the future of higher education should look like.

* Adapted Excerpt in Slate: Should Celebrities Teach Online Courses

* Excerpt in The Chronicle of Higher Education: Will MOOCs Change Campus Teaching

* Interview in Education Dive: The Future of MOOCs

* Review by Sir John Daniel: “his thoughtful commentary on the frenzied phenomenon of MOOCs remains highly relevant to decision makers grappling with its implications for their institutions.”

Buy on Amazon