Online Courses Aren’t Better or Worse. They’re Different.
Lessons and observations from a decade of online instruction, from the first MOOCs to teaching online in a pandemic.
With the sudden and continued shift to online instruction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a lot of talk about the merits and pitfalls of online instruction. There have been some assertions that the online product is inferior. And while there are certain aspects of in-person teaching that are certainly uniquely beneficial, online instruction offers some benefits that are unexpected. After teaching online this past spring quarter, I was reminded of some of the ways that online instruction can offer a fantastic experience for students and teachers—and even spur innovation that we can take back to the on-campus classroom once they finally open again.
The Different Shapes and Sizes of Online Courses
Before jumping in, it’s worth recognizing that there are different types of online instruction:
- Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), such as those offered by Coursera, Udacity, EdX, and so forth. These courses are designed to be completely online, offered to “the masses”, and self-paced. By and large, they are not associated with university degree programs but are often associated with a university (or other institution) by virtue of the instructor’s affiliation. For example, I offer a MOOC on Software Defined…
