Massive Online Open Courses Overview 2012 [Infographic]

Massive Online Open Courses or “MOOCs”, as they’re known in the industry, are becoming an increasingly popular option for those looking to expand their knowledge and receive higher education.

Massive Online Open Courses can have anywhere from hundreds to thousands of students, are free to enroll, can be accessed from all over the World and feature dynamic course materials that can be found all across the web.

An infographic (posted below) was recently published by OnlineColleges.net that provides us with an informational overview on the value, prevalence and some of the downsides of MOOCs.

Massive Online Open Courses Overview Infographic Highlights:

1. Educational Benefits of MOOCs:
   
   
   
   1. Online education is less expensive due to decreased overhead and course materials costs.
   
   
   2. Students can participate in classes on their own time.
   
   
   3. Technology advancements are constantly improving the online educational experience with rich media content.
   
   
   4. Online education can allow people to learn at their own pace instead of apply a “one size fits all” method to education.
   
   
   5. Course work can be reviewed and critiqued by all participants.
   
   
   6. High quality professors can reach more students worldwide.
   
   
   
   


2. Issues Regarding MOOCs:
   
   
   
   1. Students lose out on real-world social situations.
   
   
   2. Technical difficulties can impede learning.
   
   
   3. Students must adapt to new methods of learning.
   
   
   4. Students must be more responsible for their own learning experience instead of being pushed the whole way through.