4 ms·
Free online accredited college/school is an idea up for grabs and needs to happen. Monetization could be paying for the exams (fixed price per course as oppose
by pavs 16y ago
Free online accredited college/school is an idea up for grabs and needs to happen.
Monetization could be paying for the exams (fixed price per course as opposed to per credit) and a single "sponsor" per course where the sponsor pays for the cost_of_making_the_course + $x for the ability to be a "sponsor" of that said course for first year.
ie, MS/Apple/Google sponsoring CS related courses. Where they sign contract stating to not have any influence on study materials.
Exams on brick and mortar exam halls (rent rooms in traditional colleges?).
The only problem I can see for this kind of online only college is for some courses where you actually need hands-on lab experience.
Possible?
- nirmal 16y agoThe only problem I can see for this kind of online only college is for some courses where you actually need hands-on lab experience. My advisor, Dr. Thad Starner, taught CS 3651 (http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/AY2010/cs3651_spring/ http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/AY2010/cs3651_spring/) this past Spring. I was the TA. This class is designed to teach CS students how to build physical devices. The tagline is "just enough electrical and mechanical engineering to make you dangerous". Given the time constraints of the 1 hr class, Thad decided that the best way to really get students building was to do most of his lectures outside of class and every day was a "lab" day. Basically students knew what they were going to have to build, knew the math needed to calculate resistor/capacitor values but didn't know what random parts Thad would show up with. Then the whole class period was Thad and I helping students build. It was a great experience and he's going to make the videos a more official part of the class.
- pavs 16y agoI was thinking more in the line of Chemistry/Biology/ labs. Are't labs absolutely essential to be a major in those subjects?
- nirmal 16y agoYes. I think that brick and mortar institutes could follow the lead if open courseware but then have places for labs. Accessible videos gives students more time to prep outside of class, at their leisure, and more one on one time with instructors during time than normally would be filled with banal lecture.
- ig1 16y agoIf you have to pay for exams then how is it free ? - there's already a wide range of course material on-line available for free. The material isn't the issue.
- djb_hackernews 16y agoThe material is free, but if you want the paper...
- pavs 16y agoThe cost of hosting exams in a rented place has to come from someplace. I was thinking more in the line of having a "structured" course, with syllabus, study materials, quiz/test and even free e-books. Not bits and pieces of video and texts randomly sprinkled all over the web. The idea is to be an actual replacement of a brick and mortar college where anyone can give an exam anytime they want when they feel ready, instead of being forced to go through months of "learning". If you fail a course exam, you can give the exam again next week (albiet different questionnaires). Other ideas: - FAQ sections where students can send in questions on each course which can be answered in the form of video/text. Have enough of those over time and it replaces the need to have one-on-one interactions with instructors with questions. - Add social aspect to the "online school" where students can see if there are others in his area studying or have passed the same course that he/she can meet up for a study group. - Online forums, Chat (moderated) on each courses with instant feedback. - Let companies/individuals/employer "sponsor" each course/major. Lets say each exam costs $100-$200, Google/MS can give away 100 free exams to encourage people to study computer science. - All materials is open for everyone to see, read, study, participate. Students only pay for exams. Just brainstorming.... We can dream, right? :)