I was recently in a meeting where MOOCs were discussed and I found a few individuals who were not aware of this new phenomenon.

Never heard of a MOOC?  Nope, it’s not a cow with a cold… it stands for Massively Open Online Course (MOOC).    Still confused?  You’re not alone.

Massive – targeting large numbers of students

Open – anyone can enroll and there is no fee

Online – uses new web-based technology for delivering content

Course – activities for meeting a set of learning objectives

A number of independent projects or services for providing MOOCs have emerged over the last year and while they are managed in partnership with institutions of Higher Education, like Coursea which grew out of  Stanford University, they have also raised questions about the future of these institutions.

To learn more, check out Wikipedia.

However, you should know that MOOCs don’t provide college credit.  Yes, you can take and hopefully complete a MOOC and receive a certificate, but you will not receive any college credit for your work.  Or is that about to change?

In a recent article in The Chronicle, the American Council on Education is now recommending credits be given for individuals who successfully complete one of five MOOCs.

So, what might this mean to institutions like Washburn University?  Will it be disruptive?  Let us know what you think… if you care to post a comment.

I’ve been at Washburn University for four months now and I thought I might reflect a little.  As you can imagine, I still have a great deal to learn, but I feel that I’m really finding my place.  It’s not just the technology, although that would certainly fill the time; it’s the staff, the culture and the community which interest me most.  The tag cloud below gives you a visual of projects, feelings and focus during my first few months.

Arriving in January gave me the opportunity to dive into the budgeting process at Washburn.    My emphasis was on governance and understanding how we can prioritize and fund the numerous projects waiting in the wings.   What I found was dedicated and passionate staff, a warm community and enthusiasm   for the future.  For those of you who don’t know me… I like chocolate and usually have some in my office so stop by… I still try to swim and run a little, but have found Kansas to be a little windy, so I’m adjusting…

I’m very happy to have joined the Washburn community and look forward to working with you and getting to know you.