In the upcoming semester, Emory University will become one of 33 universities worldwide to offer massive open online courses (MOOCs) through a partnership with the company Coursera. The aim of the company is to provide free quality education to people around the globe, especially those who do not have the resources necessary to get a college education. We at the Wheel feel that this is a positive step for not only those who will take advantage of this service, but also for the Emory community at large.
In various academic areas, Emory has some of the most accomplished and well-respected professors in the world. Allowing the general public to access this valuable pool of knowledge at virtually no cost is consistent with Emory’s mission of striving to be an ethically-driven global institution. This movement also provides new opportunities to a subset of the world’s population that has traditionally not had access to them. We, as Emory students, should be proud that our institution has decided to become part of this noble cause. With our membership, we join a list of well-reputed schools such as Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University and Princeton University.
The three courses that Emory professors will offer via Coursera will focus on the issues of AIDS, immigration and digital music. The course titled “Immigration and US citizenship”, for example, is one that is only offered to Emory Law school students. This spring, however, it will be available worldwide to potentially hundreds of thousands of students. While the primary beneficiary will be the public, Emory has a lot to gain from these changes as well. Coursera will allow Emory to showcase its top-notch education to unreached audiences, many of who may not be familiar with the caliber of education offered within our campus. An increased awareness of the Emory brand and what it has to offer will certainly help the university continue to attract the best and the brightest students and professors from around the world.
While we are overall pleased with this recent announcement, we are also aware of the fact that the value of an in-classroom education cannot be matched by online courses. Some colleges have recently transitioned into a more online-based education system, often offering courses to their students exclusively through the web. We at the Wheel would certainly advise against such a transition. While online courses may be an effective way to reach people from the around the world, Emory should always remain committed to offering the most engaging and personal educational experience to its students. Transitioning away from the in-classroom educational model and moving to a more online-based model would hinder in these efforts.
The above staff editorials represent the majority opinion of the Wheel‘s editorial board.
The Emory Wheel was founded in 1919 and is currently the only independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University. The Wheel publishes weekly on Wednesdays during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions.
The Wheel is financially and editorially independent from the University. All of its content is generated by the Wheel’s more than 100 student staff members and contributing writers, and its printing costs are covered by profits from self-generated advertising sales.
