In an effort to curb the high cost of education, Governor Jerry Brown partnered with Udacity to introduce MOOCs to California’s higher education system. Udacity, a MOOC based in Palo Alto, will partner with San Jose State University to offer online remedial classes in order to prepare students for their required general education courses. These remedial courses are offered to students who do not score high enough on placement tests to directly enter into more difficult classes. Governor Brown hopes that the schools will see the increased benefits of online education while cutting administrative overhead costs.
The announcement is a huge step for MOOCs who continue their attempt to break into the for-credit educational market. If this partnership goes well, colleges and universities could make the cost-effective decision to use companies like Coursera and Udacity for a majority of their online training.
There are a number of advantages for students who will enroll in San Jose’s program including increased accessibility and decreased transportation costs. However, some instructors worry about the effect of these programs. Do these students need a face-to-face experience to help them better understand subjects? Will the decreased program structure create a lack of motivation? It seems as if only time will tell.
In addition to concerns about student success, California colleges and universities are growing concerned about the integrity of online education. How can students get the same educational experience as traditional classroom training? And how can instructors make sure that students are being honest in their online learning environment? As colleges begin to research these questions, they will see the positive impact facial and voice recognition will play in online education. ProctorFree revolutionizes online education by providing a way for colleges and universities to hold students accountable. ProctorFree will give online education the positive reputation and credit it needs to change education’s centuries old model.
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