They're solving an educational problem -- that is, how to deliver instruction to a large audience --, but not an learning problem. Does it support / improve dee

They're solving an educational problem -- that is, how to deliver instruction to a large audience --, but not an learning problem. Does it support / improve deep learning? How are social-cultural factors of learning taken care of? What exactly is assessed? How is students' (and teachers') reflection on their own learning process supported (if at all) I think most of these problems can be overcome, although probably not by translating traditional instruction and educational ideas more or less directly to MOOCs, but by exploring new ways of instruction, teaching, studying, and learning. I fear, however, that this will not happen (soon, or at a large scale), and MOOCs will become the poor mans' only educational opportunity, creating an educational/learning divide between those who will have access to small-scale quality instruction and those that have only access to MOOCs. For governments and schools MOOCs make it easy to implement 'education for all' while cutting costs. For example, I could imagine high schools to stop offering advanced placement classes or some subjects locally, but instead offering access to MOOCs on those topics with some local supervision by people not schooled (and payed) as teachers. Similarly, I could imagine the government giving free access to MOOCs to all, while, at the same time, cutting on general scholarships.