But what about faster modules of study? What about four-week terms used by some schools? What about three-week terms, where students study only two subjects—one in the afternoon and one in the morning? What about a two-and-a-half-week term, where a single subject is all that you study? These are all methods and models used by highly respected schools around the country. It only makes sense that MOOCs showed us how short bursts of intense learning really should have a place in our educational ecosystem. Neuroscientists likely would argue that a planned program of intense bursts with individualized reminders actually might be what we’ve all been looking for anyway.
Summary
I hope you can see that there is much to learn from MOOCs. Maybe it’s simply better to say that we should learn from all “alternative” education models. Why wouldn’t we cherry pick the best parts of the best education models and use these? After all, it’s what we do in almost every other facet of life.
Jeff Borden, Ph.D., is vice president of Instruction & Academic Strategy at Pearson and director for the Center for eLearning.
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