Excelsior Life

Sociologist Dr. Christopher Davidson, an adjunct instructor at Excelsior College, joins the podcast to discuss Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs), and what role, if any, they can or should play in higher education. Dr. Davidson argues that the reality of MOOCs differs from how they are portrayed by the mainstream media and advocates. 1:30 Thoughts on “Academically Adrift” 4:28 Who do MOOCs serve? 6:35 MOOCS are resources, not courses 8:00 Faculty backlash 10:15 What is the purpose of higher education? 11:45 The potential 12:35 Faculty concerns 15:25 Decoupling the learning process from assessment 19:12 “My Question on MOOCs” 21:38 Best practices for course development 22:02 MOOCs in 2023